Kaadhal Rojave. A debut to savor..

Year 1992. Who could have imagined Manirathnam will part with his favorite music director Raja(or the converse – who knows what conspired) and recruit a less known 26 year old ad-jingle composer? And who expected that it’s the start of a storm that would conquer Indian music lovers in time to come? Through one of the greatest debuts in Tamil Film Music, Roja was born. Pristine recording quality, innovative use of Instruments, an ultimate story line-am stopping here running out of superlatives. To me, till now this is the best tamil album I have heard so far.

So whats my SOTD today? Rahman in one of his Interviews remarked that he saw SPB while he was young and dreamt that SPB would sing the best song(in his opinion) in his first film(theoretically it wasn’t his first film as a couple of less known Mallu films were under his belt already though) . His dream realized when SPB sang this number for him.

kaadhal roajaavae engae nee engae
kanneer vazhiyudhadi kannae
kannukkul needhaan kanneeril needhaan
kanmoodip paarththaal nenjukkul needhaan
ennaanadhoa aedhaanadhoa sol sol

(kaadhal)

thenral ennaith theendinaal saelai theendum njaabagam
chinnap pookkal paarkkaiyil dhaegam paarththa njaabagam
velli oadai paesinaal sonna vaarththai njaabagam
dhaegam rendum saergaiyil moagam konda njaabagam
vaayillaamal poanaal vaarththai illai kannae
neeyillaamal poanaal vaazhkkai illai kannae
mulloadudhaan muththangalaa sol sol

(kaadhal)

veesuginra thenralae vaelai illai inru poa
paesuginra vennilaa penmai illai oayndhu poa
poo valarththa thoattamae koondhal illai thaeindhu poa
boomi paarkkum vaanamae pulliyaagath thaeindhu poa
paavai illai paavai thaevai enna thaevai
jeevan poana pinnae saevai enna saevai
mulloadudhaan muththangalaa sol sol

(kaadhal)

A SPB pathos number, it is that which completely suits the situation in the film. The hero who is captured by terrorists misses his wife/lover. For a debutant to compose such a masterpiece is truly foreboding the genius he was to exhibit in times to come. Every lover atleast once in his life would feel so near to this song.. Such is the profoundness of the tune.

This song has been composed in Kaapi raga. SPB is a master in bringing the mood of the song in his voice and he does it to perfection in this. While I rave about SPB and the tune, I had no hesitation in arriving at my “bestest” part in the song –Sujatha’s lalalalala lalalaaaa lala laalaalaaaa……” In one her interviews about Rahman, she said that she knew Rahman since his early days and once he called her and recorded this piece what she thought was for some jingle. She was amazed that it was fit in such a song in such a manner.

Hats off to the master. Rahman rocks !! and this song will remain in my top 10 list, come what may!