Cheliyaa Audio Review

Movie: Cheliyaa ( చెలియా )
Producer(s):  Maniratnam
Cast: Kaarthi, Aditi Rao Hydari 
Direction: Maniratnam
Music: AR Rahman

Maniratnam after OK bangaram, is coming with a love story that stars Kaarthi and Aditi Rao. Kaarthi is a known face for Telugu Audience and his last movie with Nagarjuna (Oopiri) was well received. Maniratnam recently making movies that gets simultaneously released in Telugu as well. This movie named as Kaatru veliyidai is dubbed as Cheliyaa in Telugu. Kaarthi dons a combat aircraft pilot, is said to have taken intensive training to make himself fit for the role. He looks so different in this movie. Maniratnam has written, directed and produced this movie under Madras Talkies production.

Ever since Maniratnam left Ilayaraja for AR Rahman, he is stuck with him. ARR and Maniratnam share a different bonding like Ilayaraja and Vamsy, where the best songs/albums come out of the combination. Maniratnam learnt a lesson from Kadali movie audio in Telugu, where the feedback would have reached him to make him work with Sirivennela Seetaramasastry for OK bangaram. He continued him for this album too. Given ARR, Maniratnam, Sirivennela, the album has definitely created enough buzz and couple of tracks released earlier to audio release proved that. Lets see how this combination worked.

01 – Allei Allei

Singer(s): Abhay Jodhpurkar, Chinmayi

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

When Sirivennela garu is single card lyricist for this audio, the Telugu version automatically dragged attention. Many ARR's albums were wasted just because the lyrics were not upto mark for the tunes. Maniratnam after kadali learnt a good lesson and for OK bangaram worked with Sirivennela and this album proves why Mani should keep working with Sirivennela. "Allei Allei, naa jataguvva jattai allei allei.. Naa chirunavvaa Jallai allei.." Aasa aaganande, Swaasa aadanande Niluvettu praanam nilavanande". He never seizes any oppurtunity to bring in beautiful words into any tune. ARR said that he got feedback that Telugu songs sounded lot better than Tamil, we all know why. Abhay Jodhpurkar did ok, he could have done better at places high pitch.( veeleleni pantam vadili, manmadha baanam). He was comfortable in his comfort zone, but struggled at times. ARR's beauty comes with guitar and Chinmayi's humming. His slow tune sets the perfect mood of the song. Abhay lacks clarity in few words, which would have elevated the song, which he didn't. ARR, Chinmayi, Sirivennela garu however takes this song to make us weave around the song. 

02 – Hamsaro 

Singer(s): Arjun Chandy, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

This song reminds few other songs. The style is typical. There are few issues in singing. Pichi Patti, (పిచ్చి పట్టి) not pati(పటి).. Again Poyindemunde(పోయిందేముందే),, not breaking the word to mean poyinde munde(పోయిందే ముందే).. Why Kalisoche vela(వేళా) was song as kalisoche Vala(వలా)? ARR never takes care of words in Telugu. This has been long lasting problem in his Telugu versions. The same doesnt happen in Tamil. Very unfortunate. Hamsa ro (Swan ro ) or Hamsaro ( something to do with name in movie). Coming to Song, yet another beautiful song, Lyrics are yet again strength for the song. Many words are beautifully written. Is it Haricharan that says dont worry? Very typical sounding of those English words.

03 – Maimarupaa 

Singer(s): Shashaa Tirupati

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

This song shows the strength of ARR. His arrangement of the song. ARR's Telugu songs comes with a different unique accent, which is clearly identified like this song. 

మైమరుపా.. మెరుపా.
నిన్నిలా నడిపిందెవరో తెలుసా...!
ఎదలో నిదరే చెదిరే కబురే చెవిలో పడదా..!
అల్లరిగా నిన్నల్లుకునే వన్నెల వలనే కనవా...
సరిలే అనవా, సరదా పడవా...

ఈ మంచు ఆమనిలో కుహుహూ అనవా...!?

Can anyone believe this is a Tamil dubbed song? That too with difficult to write tunes for the likes of ARR? Even though there are singer related issues added to the way she says the words, this song still mesmerizes the listeners mainly due to the way the song progresses. Shashaa Tirupati could have done much better to elevate the song. Thats where yesteryear singers were successful, where they made songs extraordinary. 

04 – Morethukochndhi 

Singer(s): AR Raihanah, Tipu, Nikhita Gandhi

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

Its long time that ARR did this type of song. A simple melodious folk song. Added to the lyrics, this song goes places. ARR during initial days he composed lot of beautiful such songs. But later on he moved on to different genres, but he is still best at those type songs and his fans will still wait for such songs. This song has the Tamil flavor in the tune, but the words written by Sirivennela garu takes that away with the use of words like Divittam. There was a song in movie Dagudumootalu that was in 1964, I guess then again now. ( Divvi Divvi Divittam Nuvvante Naakishtam ). A mass song written and made so classically. Only possible for ARR and Sirivennela garu. Repeating of Kalyani Bagunde nee baani was in sync with the song. This song will be listened in loops. Sirivennela garu said he had laid out a condition to Maniratnam that he will write lyrics independently deviating from the original for OK bangaram we know the output. Same could have happened here. Felt sorry for singers and ARR who didnt understand the word "ఎట్టాగే దాన్నాపుట" Meaning how to stop it. "దాన్ని ఆపుట . They sang something else. Also ("కొరుక్కు"  నాట్ "కోరుక్కు ) Anyways the pallavi is like this. Sums it all. Telugu Leading lyricists who complain that there are lot of limitations so they write the way they write, should learn from this song, how words like Lolaaku and others are used to enhance the song. 

మోరెత్తుకొచ్చింది బూరెత్తి ఊదింది ఊరంతా మోగింది దివిట్టం..

గోరెట్టి గిచ్చింది గోలెంతో పెంచింది లోలోన మా మంచి ముహూర్తం.. ఇంకెన్నాళ్ళ పాటు దాస్తావు గాని అగ్గంటి ఆ గుట్టుని.. నే జాగ్రత్త చేస్తాగా నా చేతికిచ్చేసి చల్లారిపో రమణి... నన్నల్లుకుంటే గానీ వల్లకాదు అంది నీ ఇబ్బంది..!

05 – Tango Kalalo 

Singer(s): Hriday Gattani, Tanvi Shah

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

Once again ARR proves he is a great arranger of the song, He takes time for perfection and this song proves that. The Tango can sound so different is the magic from ARR. Having said that the singer takes away the magic of ARR with his singing. Mainly the mismatch of the Telugu singing to the tune. The song has sheer brilliance in the composing, but that feeling probably is lost. A dance number in movie should make it a feast by Maniratnam style taking. If one can bear the singing, this should be heard indeed for ARR.

06 – Jugni 

Singer(s): AR Rahman, Tejinder Singh 
Rap Vocals – Rajakumari, Shikara

Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama sastry

ARR doesnt hesitate to have different language songs in which the movie is made. This song is in Punjabi, sung by Tejinder Singh, where ARR keeps saying Jugni, Juguni with Rap filled in the song. Once again this is perfect song that proves the strength of ARR in making the song. As with ARR and unlike other songs in this album, this will grow as one listens to the song. Also since in Punjabi, this might not immediately appeal to South Listeners. However this song showcases ARR's arrangements once again. This song should be listened without comparisons. The beats are very powerful. The drums sound just right. Juguni will be addictive after a while. Keep listening.

Pick(s) of the album:  Morethukochindi, Allei Allei, Jugni, Hamsoro. 

ARR, Maniratnam combination have give lot of wonders earlier, whether this album is inline with those wonders? Tough to say. As long as this is not compared with earlier combination, this is definitely a good album, that sounded lot better in Telugu compared to earlier albums. Maniratnam knows that he has to stick with Sirivennela if he needs to sell his album in Telugu. I hope some day ARR will take enough care in Telugu words as he does in Tamil so that these songs by themselves make mark without going back to Tamil. The feedback he got that Telugu songs sounded much better is for sure true. Mani's Love stories should still have the magic and hope this movie gets the deserved success.