REDISCOVERING RAAJA

[rajasaranam]

I often wonder when am i going to end my search for this man's music and get settled one day, saying 'ya now I know the complete works of this man, now lemme go ahead and dive deep into this known ocean'.
But unfortunately for me every other day is a discovery about his music. it has become a never ending abyss. and leaves me in awe asking 'how much more is left in there'

So wat's all this about???
I recently bought some Malayalam, kannada, telugu CD's, VCD's and DVD's, composed by Raaja, thanks to moserbaer and other companies which has slashed the price and are also coming out with unknown titles

I'll Rediscover Raaja As i go along in this thread. It could be some known or unknown movies/songs for you. and i request you to participate in this thread if you had similar experiences.

[rajasaranam]

MANGALAM NERUNNU

I never knew such a movie existed before i got hold of it. I was not expecting anthing great about the movie and thought it will be a run-of-the mill movie. But The name Raaja as the composer made me buy it. Astonishingly the movie had a very good plot and the handling of screenplay was also good.
Music is divine in this movie. Especially the theme music and the song 'Alliyilam poo' which has shades of 'thazhampoove vaasam veesu' is sweet lullaby sung by krishnachander. You will fall in love with this song the instant you listen to it. And there is another song 'ruthubethakalpana' rendered well by Yesudas accompanied by kalyani menon. This song is a lovely duet.
But the major asset for this movie will be its BGM where we can know Raaja has really loved each and every frame of this movie.
there is one particular scene which i loved the most.

Nedumudi venu in search of his estranged life happens to end up at the home of Madhavi who has taken up prostitution due to her financial problems after the sudden demise of her husband (mamooty - a short and sweet appearance). Venu after coming to her home takes a liking towards Madhavi's child (Shalini) and finds meaning in his life through her. Madhavi who was unable to give him company after taking the payment the earlier day, would want to satisfy him the next day, While Venu Doesnt have such an agenda today! Every single minute detail of expression is captured well by Raaja in this more than 5 minute scene where no dialogues will be uttered until the child in the other room starts crying. the music trasfers from Jazzy to Classical to folkish detailing everything running in both of their minds. Mindblowing scene which can never be captured in mere words. thanks Raaja

You can watch this scene here though the VDO quality is low you can enjoy the music.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...80541272&hl=en

[rajasaranam]

UNAROO

Though I had known always such a film existed, The second Film of Manirathnam This had been evading for so long that when i got hold of it I was overwhelmed.

The movie is a strong condemnation over the evolution of communist movements all over the World which have declined merely into trade unions and power struggle/capture organizations. The whole movie is made well over this theme. The unemployment, the economic depravedness, the struggle to overcome it everything culminating into a struggle, within the own clan under this environment is dealt well. In a world which thrives with selfishness there can be no true communist is what the movie is about.
Technically not a great one, for which the later manirathnam came to be championed for, the movie had the raw 'Malayali' Style of making. Had we not known this movie as MR's it could be passed on as any other Mainstream Malayalam movie.
The movie has all the ingredients of a commercial cinema (love, sentiment, duet) yet a powerful one, for the theme it had dealt with, that too in the very own state where the degeneration of Communism in the name of Trade unions is prevailing.
Talking about the music of Raaja, As always he had supported the movie with his powerful theme music and two songs. The first song ' deepame' being a fun filled choral kinda song and the other one 'theeram thedi olam paadi' a recyle of 'Roja ondru' from Neengal Kaettavai are both pleasent to lsiten to.

But the Climax BGM and End Title Credits (Which is also the Title Music) is where Raaja Excels and is on par or more than any other great film composers like John Williams, ennio morricone Etc.,
the plot is somewhat like this:
The People along a seashore village,who were left with no job being denied access for fishing, after a wall was erected along the shore for building the port of cochin, and as their livelihood was at stake after a lot of struggle and forming a union gets a relief in the way of few people getting into the job into Fort Cochin. the struggle will be not against the Govt. but against the trade unions which deny that others should not be given a job and all overtime should be given only to themselves.
Slowly the same union grows into a larger union and does the same to other unemployed youths of same village. A factory to be built which could give jobs to more youths will not be allowed by the Trade Unions and its leaders. They strike against the Factory builder and closes down all activities. In the struggle which ensues The unemployed youths who wants the factory to be built, for they can get jobs Takes a head-on with the trade unionists. Watch this Beautiful piece of Climax and the End title Score and Let me know whether any other composer could have done justice to this scene???

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...00474100&hl=en

[rajasaranam]

The songs from Both Unaroo and Mangalam Nerunnu Are here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?3itxnn7b17c

The first listening to Mangalam Nerunnu gave me the impression that "Alliilam Poovo" is good But relistening To "Rhuthubeda kalpana" It sounds too sweet to be brushed off. Listening to these songs for the first time after almost 20 or more years after it has been composed it sounds too contemporary and reassures his music is not bound by time. And it makes us yearn for Such Raaja who was very confident with his live orchestra I dont mind going to his studio and break off all those synthesizers and tell him "You are not this, you are more than these, and these artificial instruments are impending your creative and life force, Please get back to the roots Raaja!!!"

[app_engine]

Excellent clips as well as write-ups, rs! வாழ்க உம் பணி!

The climax scene in 'uNaru' is rivetting...I love the "unemployed youth" looks of Mohanlal...now I want to see the whole movie...

For those who may not know, the mozhu mozhu shaven union wala is yesteryear top hero, late Sukumaran...he is the father of current TF romantic hero (mozhi) Prithviraj...

Hey NA folks, question for you - are the "Indian stores" selling the Moserbaer brand CDs/DVDs here?

[app_engine]

priya32 posted this link in another thread:

இது கனவுகள் விளைந்திடும் காலம் (நிழல்தேடும் நெஞ்சங்கள்)


This is some "rediscovering" for me...a song I used to hear all the time on walkman during college days...very sweet...'nee dhAna, nee dhAna'...(though I never saw this movie...neither cared for it)...interestingly, the same guy (kuumuttai) has posted a number of such rare IR songs with good quality videos on youtube...some of them may not have great picturisation ('Aththu mEttula' was hilarious, even though by the talented Rudraiah...I also saw the poottAdha poottukkaL song Anandham Anandham nee thandhadhu on youtube)...how many of those melodies are no longer paid attention...though they sound as fresh and as contemporary to me even today...

[Shankar]

RS,
Nice write-up...will check the Clips sometime.

ROja onru is from kombEri mookkan...the second interlude shows Raja's class !

[rajasaranam]

priya32 posted this link in another thread:

இது கனவுகள் விளைந்திடும் காலம் (நிழல்தேடும் நெஞ்சங்கள்)


This is some "rediscovering" for me...a song I used to hear all the time on walkman during college days...very sweet...'nee dhAna, nee dhAna'...(though I never saw this movie...neither cared for it)...interestingly, the same guy (kuumuttai) has posted a number of such rare IR songs with good quality videos on youtube...some of them may not have great picturisation ('Aththu mEttula' was hilarious, even though by the talented Rudraiah...I also saw the poottAdha poottukkaL song Anandham Anandham nee thandhadhu on youtube)...how many of those melodies are no longer paid attention...though they sound as fresh and as contemporary to me even today...

good that you had the opportunity to listen this masterpiece when it was released. I heard it just a couple of years back and was stunned at the sheer melody and tune structure. It was totally an alien tune pattern to me coming from Raaja, Added to this Oru kunguma chengamalam from Aarathanai also was new to me at the same point of time and these were actually a discovery for me

[rajasaranam]

RS,
Nice write-up...will check the Clips sometime.

ROja onru is from kombEri mookkan...the second interlude shows Raja's class !

yeah Will correct that now! BTW Thyagarajan nadicha padangalil manasula ninnathu rende rendu thaan 'Neengal Kaetavai and Malaiyur mambatiyaan' athan intha confusion

[rajasaranam]

Some Gentleman/Woman has answered yes for the poll question
Can he or she shed some light about the Islamic Religious album that was released in 1974 composed by Raaja. I've been trying to find something about that album for more than 6-7 years but invain