Kaara aattakkaara‘s promising start devolves into droning nama nama nei. Aye Sinamika is pleasant, but sounds like a now-out-of-vogue boy band’s last-ditch attempt. Mental manadhil (both versions) is jubilantly uptempo and instantly catchy. Naane varugiraen, beyond Shashaa’s vocal dexterity and darbari kanada raaga (thanks to many helpful commenters), is look-ma-I’m-so-obviously-complex. Theera ulaa and Malargal kaettaen are Aayudha Ezhuthu and Sangamam left-overs, respectively, and Ameen’s Maula wa salim is aptly pious. The soundtrack’s best is the free-flowing Parandhu sella vaa, with 60s Tamil style ‘Putham pudhu oli’ layered over lively vocal effects and ends on a high. Diminishing Marginal Utility… meet Mani Ratnam and A R Rahman!
Keywords: O Kadhal Kanmani, A R Rahman, Mani Ratnam
