Music Review - Life is Beautiful

Audio Review

Movie: Life is Beautiful (2012)

Director: Shekar Kammula

Music: Mickey J Meyer

Life Is Beautiful is a coming of age story of six youngsters set in the beautiful nostalgic world of a working-middle class neighborhood. The film tracks their journey through the different seasons, festivals, romances, street cricket, colony fights, and family gatherings. With the beginning of responsibilities, and adulthood looming around the corner, their dreams and aspirations bring them all together, to make the whole experience magical.

Life is Beautiful is a story about new beginnings. It is a celebration of life and its smaller joys.Produced by Chandrasekhar Kammula,Sekhar Kammula and Directed by Shekar Kammula. ( Content Courtesy FB page of the movie )

There are 6 songs including a pop song in this audio. Life is beautiful is slated for release on August 15. Mickey J Meyer has scored the music for this movie which has songs penned by Ananth Sriram (4) and Vanamali (2). Ananth Sriram in audio release told he has written 5 songs and how it gave meals to him uniting five fingers. Surprising to see why one song is removed from the album.

Shekar and Mickey started off their days Happy, and now they wanted to make their life beautiful. Mickey J Meyer has shown some caliber with his previous movies with his feel good songs. As time passes, it will be litmus test for him to sustain, maintain the standards and show variety. This movie is definetely going to a tough task for him in that regard. Shekar on other hand started off with KM Radhakrishnan, when he shifted to Mickey J, there was a big question why as KMR provided some excellent albums for Anand and Godavari. Ofcourse Mickey J didnt let Shekar down with the choice he made.

For telugu lovers, many many years the lyricists were never a scarcity. However recent times the standards were way way down, and with singers making mess out of the songs, it was a firm belief that telugu songs are going to fade away soon. Ananth Sriram and Vanamali likes were like only hope who though they can never be another Veturi or Sirivennela, these kind of lyricists are the only hope for Telugu to sustain. Asking blessings of Veturi garu, remembering on the audio release is a notable gesture by the movie makers, as Shekar can easily owe initial success to Veturi garu for his touching lyrics. Whether it be Anand or Godavari. ( నీల గగన, ఘన విచలన ధరణిజ శ్రీరామ, మధుర వదన నళిన నయన మనవి వినరా రామ!! we definitely cannot hear such lyrics again)

The singers choice appears to be better in this album though not the best. Atleast unwarranted singers dont exist which is very good.

Shekar Kammula started star hunt for this movie around September 2010, and the movie is slated to be released on August 15, 2012. It took considerable time to make movies. Lets see how beautiful are these songs.

1. Life is beautiful
Singer: KK
Lyrics: Ananth Sriram

Song of the title and movie is the same could be a title song. Starts with guitar play, accompanied by beats, then KK. The beauty of the song is lyrics and if not sung properly the song is wasted. This is what exactly happened to this song. The whole difference of earlier movie songs and this song is as simple as that. KK singing lacks clarity of words. Ananth Sriram's lyrics has lost the value. Mickey J humming is an extension of his earlier songs. Life is beautiful will be sung by youth as it definitely goes with them. Mickey infused traditional instrumental tunes in between, which could be demanded by situation. This song for sure is wasted. Could have been done much better it missed the chance of being an anthem among youth. Picturization only should help this song.

2. Beautiful girl
 Singer: Karthik
 Lyrics: Vanamali

Vanamali told during audio release that he got a chance to write two Telugu songs after a long time. But it is not completely true. As this song has many beautiful words is infused by the director ( Mickey or Shekar). This songs completely lacks freshness. This song reminds Mickey's many other songs. Karthik does his job, but the issue with him is that his voice doesn't suit most of the Telugu songs. Telugu song needs singing openly only when the lyrics/words can be heard, which he lacks because of his natural voice and its his limitation. What ever best he does, it doesn't sound awesome in Telugu. Karthik singing wise is a treat.

3. Atu itu ooguthu
Singer: Sri Ramachandra
Lyrics: Ananth Sriram

All song are sung at same pitch there by sounding similar, which made singer struggle I guess. Sri Ramachandra didn't sound comfortable. Ananth Sriram had to go for lyrics which had logic but didnt understand why he wrote, జాబిలి కి జలుబు ని తెచ్చే చలువ నీవే. This kind of imagination proves us that he is miles far away from Veturi garu and Sirivennela. Mickey J took simple way of composing with keeping everything simple, which makes things pleasant. However had to struggle to understand even with Sriram a Telugu person singing this sentence. " మాములుగా అనిపిస్తుందే ???? వస్తే? in second stanza. Overall a feel good song as it was kept simple.

4. Its your love
 Singer: Naresh Iyer
Lyrics: Ananth Sriram

Seems like Naresh Iyer is favorite of Shekar, Mickey J or their lucky charm? Somehow I felt all the songs so far are having same pattern. This is typical of Mickey J. This might be his trade mark. Again Naresh Iyer had reminded few other songs, except for the chorus. Another song which is dependent on Shekar Kammula for a better treatment in the movie to make it a lot better. Looked like there is nothing offered in this song.

5. Amma ani Kothaga
 Singers: Sashi Kiran, Sravana Bhargavi
Lyrics: Vanamali

Song starts with aarohana and avarohana. This kind of songs shouldn't have huskiness in singing. The shadow  voices took off the effect of quality lyrics. The instrumentation is lound and dominated the voice. These kind of songs need elevation by singers which is missing in this song. Just doing justice will not help the song in long run. Any song on mother has to touch heart. The lyrics should be clearly heard for the feel, music/instrumentation should not dominate the voice. This song will definitely make it to charts, be success, but doesn't go far where it is supposed to go in terms of reaching public.

6. Life is beautiful (Pop)
Singer: Sri Ramachandra
Lyrics: Ananth Sriram

This what current generation pop music does to Telugu language. Not that earlier people haven't done pop music in Telugu that appealed youth. Lack of knowledge of the people whoever is involved in making songs should for sure understand what they are making. Might sound harsh, as didn't expect from Shekar who gave lots of importance to lyrics working with Veturi gaaru. The real tribute to Veturi garu is not just saying words, need to do it in action. "ఆశయంగా" has become "ఆశ and "యంగా". It took a while to understand what Sriram had sung.For a minute I thought it was Tamil. Anyways just another routing song aimed at youth.

Pick of the album(s): Atu Itu ooguthu, Amma ani

Shekar and Mickey venture definitely missed few elements to make their life so beautiful. The songs are feel good songs, but for sure lack freshness. As every other new music director in the film industry are having  issues with consistency, variety and maintaining their standards, Mickey J too had exactly the same issues. Songs dont appear fresh, more over they appear an extension version of his old songs in a new format.  May be this is what Shekar wanted. Singers absolutely couldn't add value to the songs. They could just do justice within their limitations. There is nothing extra ordinary in lyrics which was pretty much needed for this movie. Now it all depends on Shekar's abilities to make this movie big. All the best for the entire team.