From `Raavanan' to `Aravaan'

Posted by Karthik on July 3, 2011 at 12:30pm

It was great to receive the Filmfare award for best playback singer (male) in Tamil for `Usure Poguthey' in `Raavanan', yesterday in Hyderabad. I remember I had recorded the Hindi version (`Behne de') first and it was only six months later that I sang `Usure Poguthey’. 


`Behne de' written by Gulzar saab, was mellow, had pretty lyrics and suggested that I surrender to you. But the Tamil lyrics by Vairamuthu gave a totally different dimension to the same song and music. It was very much in the face, with grit and aggression.


The initial reactions to `Usure Poguthey' were very good even when just the audio was out. A lady cried on the phone, saying it touched her soul and that she could not handle the song. Another friend said he was very happy for me that I had got to sing this number. At home, Ambika, my wife liked `Behne de’ while my parents preferred `Usure poguthey’.


I still remember how Mani Sir explained to me the situation, about Raavan’s character, after which I had to basically get the emotions right. Rahman told me to keep the intro soft and slowly build up the tempo. Gulzar saab liked my rendition which was a huge compliment.


Looking to the future, all the six songs of `Aravaan', my first project as a music composer are ready. Since the film will release sometime in the first week of September, I expect the music to hit the stores sometime mid-August. Though it wasn't planned that I would, I have chipped in a bit as a playback singer, almost like an emergency quota because we could not find someone !


`Aravaan' is a period film by Vasanthabalan and I am curious to know how people receive the album. I am not signing any more films as composer till I know the reactions to `Aravaan'. 


The process of composing over the past one year has been very enjoyable and that is a very honest statement. I have been singing for the last ten years and I now realise composing is much more challenging.