What do you get when you mix the mysticism of Sufi music and sheer raw talent?
What do you get when one has worked as an assistant to the legendary music director -IllaiyaRaja and makes music for Mani Ratnam?
You get songs which aren’t just hummable but you are left awestruck at the song’s ability to force you to immerse yourself and start feeling everything the song wants to convey. Although I do agree that not all Rahman numbers deserve such praise nor does this happen to everyone.
I am going to list 10 of my personal favourites, most of which need getting used to or simply put, are very strange numbers which make you want to hum the tune day in day out before finding them good or bad. I chose the title that I did because these songs make me shut up and its so soothing-absolutely blissful. It was a tough ask selecting only ten and the following are listed in no particular order. And yes I am leaving out the popular ones like those of Roja and Mumbai which are unanimously liked.
1) Dheemi Dheemi-Earth The way HariHaran has sung this song, the fact that this song is very situational in the movie, the lyrics and the accompanying whistle all go to make this one a wonderful song.Somehow I find it very calm and soothing.
2) Khamosh Raat-Thakshak The lyrics and the music are so well defined and RoopKumar Rathod’s voice so well suited that one could visualize the face as described in this song.I like that melody-’Door kahin roshan hua ek chehra’[Hey for those who can’t understand Hindi-sorry guys I will try translating it for hope it helps!-Faraway a face gets lit up] I know I know that was pathetic.
3) Rohan hui Raat-Sapnay Anuradha Sriram’s beautiful voice and the mellowed music in the background just add to this hymn. This song is about Christ and the fact that Rahman did not add lot of musical accompaniment to the song and left the singer’s voice dominant make this song near perfect.
4) Kismet se tum Humko mile ho-Pukar Sonu Nigam and Anuradha Paudwal have lent not just voice but a lot of emotion to this song and you got to listen to this one for some parts like -’Phir se banti takdeeron ko’ [How do we leave the destinies and desires being woven?]where Rahman so effortlessly lets the song graduate to a higher pitch and some how the tune seems to convey more than what the words do.A lovely number.
5) Nahin Saamne-Taal Hariharan yet again. You dont need to watch this movie and though full marks to the wonderful lyrics should be given, yet you just have to listen to the music and you get the idea that someone is missing on’e beloved. Such is Rahman’s grip on the elusive rythms that you instantly know what is being conveyed. Pure soulful music.
6) Smiyae ae ae.Manase-Priyaraalu Pilchchindi[Telugu] The beats, the voices, the lyrics -you want to join Tabu and Ajit while they are trying to catch up with the rythm. How Rahman manages to generate such extraordinary music out of the same old instruments beats me. Esp the part when it goes Smiyae ae ae in a low pitch in the background, you just can’t stay still. No I mean you want to dance .in the sense.Hey you got it, didn’t you?
7) Oo Cheliyaa-Premikudu But for the fact that this song was picturised on Prabhudeva and Nagma with stupid comp. Graphics flashing, this is one song which conveys the essence of love so well. The opening flute accompaniment gets you to glued to this song right at the outset. I guess I am a little biased because any piece of music which has flute gets me hooked on and Rahman uses a lot of flute in all his songs.I have no clue who the flautists are but they are excellent. You want to listen to this song simply because of the music as in it could be devoid of lyrics and yet you would want to keep humming the curves and all.
8) Sakhiaaaa/Saathiya[Sakhi] Wow!Highly recommended for absolutely unromantic people.Be it Hariharan/Sonu Nigam, not only have they sung this song exceedingly well, the lyrics make you feel as if this song was just right for making any girl feel on top of the world! Amazingly shot, this is one song you justcannot afford not to have in your collection.That low pitched start you have for each charanam which then moves to that flute tune at the end is the best bit I guess.
9) Bombay Theme-Bombay I don’t know if this qualifies as a song, but thisis my favourite and any mention of Rahman’s work is incomplete without this one. It brings tears to one’s eyes to think of the goodness and bliss one can experience in one’s life if we open up our minds. I dont’ know if one needs to watch the movie to feel this.I guess the music conveys what it needs to so no words required and thats why Rahman used this as a theme.
10) Shabba Shabba-Daud One outrageously bad movie with amazingly good songs. Its a very strange combination of animal sounds, different and weird instruments and so many artistes. Sapna Mukherjee does a great job.There is an element of playfulness to this song which you find so cute.
Thats it.Tortured you enough.Some of the description might be redundant but what do I do, when it comes to Rahman, brevity and logic leave my faculties. Please do RRC my review. I would appreciate any comments and please do add some to my list. Keerti