Kollywood’s obsession at the moment is for that one hit song, that one catchy number that will pull the crowds to the theatres. In fact, the traditional notions of song placement and the number of songs in a film are undergoing a sea-change. Producers and directors alike are only desirous of that one hit number that will go viral on social media and create an opening for the film.
The latest song to have gone viral is Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada ’s ‘Thalli Pogathey’, composed by A. R. Rahman, and sung by Sid Sriram. Dozens of covers, mash-up remixes, and instrumentals have sprung on social media. And all this came about from just the release of the film’s one-minute teaser. Meanwhile, a new cover sung by Simbu, the hero of the film, is creating a buzz too. Likewise, the song video ‘Shoot the Kuruvi’, composed by Vishal Chandrasekhar and sung by Anirudh for Siddharth’s Jil Jung Juk , has gone viral too. The song video is being played during intermission at Sathyam Cinemas, which owns Think Music, the music label behind the film. To cash in on this trend, Vijay Antony has released a promo song for his upcoming Pichaikkaran , called ‘Glamour Song’, which is produced by Culture Machine and promoted by Put Chutney Music.
It appears that with that one super hit song, an opening is guaranteed for a film. ‘Thangamey’ from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan turned out to be its biggest strength, and pulled in the crowds.
The writer-director of the film, Vignesh Sivan, says, “A catchy song is a must to create pre-release buzz. I realise that social media plays a huge role in a film’s promotions today, and so, do my best to incorporate catchy words in the lyrics. That’s why I also use some English words that are used colloquially. It’s important to connect with my target audience, the youth. Anirudh’s music, no doubt, played a crucial role in making Naanum Rowdy Dhaan work.”
Jayam Ravi had two blockbusters last year: Thani Oruvan and Romeo Juliet , with the music of both films becoming a rage.
Ravi says, “Hiphop Tamizha’s songs were a major plus in Thani Oruvan . Romeo Juliet took a terrific opening, partly due to the ‘Dandanakka’ number by Imman.”
So important have these songs become that heroes, today, want to know who the composer will be, before signing up for a project.While on new projects, news is that Pa. Ranjith got Rajinikanth’s approval before signing on Santosh Narayanan for Kabali.
The Superstar has only worked with A. R. Rahman over the last 15 years, with Chandramukhi and Kuselan being the exceptions. It’s heartening news at a time when the music industry is looking for composers who can come up with fresh music to attract new-age audiences.
Over 100 composers have been introduced in the last two years alone; so it’s important that the promising ones be given a lift.
Shahir Muneer, director of Divo, the digital partner of Achcham Yenbadhu… , says, “Today’s music is mainly targetted at the youth. Composers like Rahman and Anirudh have their fingers on the pulse of today’s listeners. A song like ‘Thalli Pogathey’ is a great example. Even before the song’s official release, it has reached out to its listeners. I believe that this year will be a turning point for Tamil film music. More music videos will likely go viral.”