SOTD #795: vaanathu thaaragaiyO from poonthOttam

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Song of the Day: vaanathu thaaragaiyO from poonthOttam.

http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/795.html

- MS writes:

PoonthOttam was one another 90s movie of IR which had some really nice songs in it. However IR's confusion as to whehter he should embrace the new sound technology or continue his own way was evident in most of the songs. In this song there are a lot of synthetic sounds, however nicely carried by an impressive lead meldoy. the interludes will tell you the muddled mind of IR - a synthetic flute piece followed by a lot of weird sounds and then followed by vintage IR flute piece. It was only around Bharathi, I think IR understood that ppl love him for his traditional orchestration and started giving out songs which had minimal synthetic sounds. He also started confining him to a minimal number of projects I think.

The song is sung by Hariharan. This song also has an IR version.

The movie had some other songs too - iniya malargaL malarum and meettadha oru veeNai were the best. Vaanathilirunthu kuthichchu vandhEna and ponnumani ponnumani pOraaLE were atrocious. New year song was acceptable.

The lyricist Vaasan, showed some brilliance (brammanukku oru thandhi adi, avaL pechu moziyalla magudi) but fate consumed him at a very young age of 27 by a heart attack.

[Udhaya]

Poonthottam and Time were easily the most solid efforts from IR in the past 10 years (in Thamizh, i.e. don't bring me a laundry list of his efforts in other languages, please)

Besides IR the MD, vAsan was clearly the star of this album. His demise left me lamenting all the unrealized gems we could've had. Even 'vaanathilirundhu' had some fresh imagery in it.

Regarding the synth sounds, I agree. Especially, the drum in the SOTD sounds just like an inverted plastic bucket beaten by kids playing in the bathroom.

[Shankar]

This is a decent song..but meetAdha oru veeNai is fantastic...But again, the "pAzhA pOna" synth sounds spoils the song.

[ssriram]

This is a decent song..but meetAdha oru veeNai is fantastic...But again, the "pAzhA pOna" synth sounds spoils the song.

Some years back, the IITM team performed this song in the light music competition in Saarang. It is an extremely tough one to perform, with tough rhythm patterns and they did very well. Gangai Amaran was the judge and he awarded the prize to them beating other enthusiastic performances of "Sakalakala vallavan".

[Guest]

MS, good song.I liked Poonthottam very much - I think the director, kalanjiyam was his name I think, did a series of movies with IR - the music was increasingly good through this series but the movie hit rate was inversely proportional - vaasan was the lyricist for these movies. With Poonthottam, the series came to a halt as the hit rate dried up and to compound matters, vaasan passed away.
The previous efforts were Poomani and Kizhakkum Merkum. Poomani was the bigger hit((Empattu Empattu and ThoL Mela ThoL mele) bt KM had a coule of hum-worthy songs - kathum kuyilae by Sadhana and Ennoda Ulagam veru by Raja.
As for Poonthottam, have to agree with Udhaya. One of IR's best in the 90's. The synth interludes were such an irritant and stopped the songs from gaining the all-time currency for greatness.
Udhaya, I will give you a laundry list of IR's other Tamil movies, instaed :-)
1. Manasellam - I think most people didnt like it but I think you wrote a positive review in TFMPAGE.(Yeah, and I remember that:-)
2. Bharathi
3. Kaadhal Saadhi - movie was never released but you should hear it. I think you will certainly appreciate the songs in this movie. Others might dismiss it as a typical IR 90's village movie songs format.
4. Virumandi - Kombula poova suthi probably would fit in your themmangu series - though I know zilch about that categorization and hence may be wrong

Many more with atleast 50% good songs

Raj

[mythila]

A feel good song with a lilting melody. Nice rendition by Hariharan though he sings witha little strain at times. The natural flute pieces remind us of IR's glorious days.

[venky]

Hi all,

i'm new to this group. I've been searching for the Poonthottam CDs for a long time, but no shop seems to have it. Any idea about the audio company who owns the songs, and any site from where i can download/listen to "Meetatha oru veenai" song?

[Murali Venkatraman]

venky:

original CD enga kidaikkum nu theriyalai. but cooltoad la mp3s irukku.

[ssriram]

there used to be a shop called Essen Musicals on Eldams Road until very recently. There is a Musicworld in its place now, carrying the latest and greatest KANK, Sillendru oru kathal, 40 greatest hits of IR. Essen musicals used to have a good colelction of the new, not often heard CDs.

Poonthottam should be fairly easy to obtain compared to our own Saravanan's mini excursions into musical shops in by-alleys in Virudunagar:)