Movie: Paisa Vasool ( పైసా వసూల్ )
Producer(s): V. Anand Prasad
Cast: Balakrishna Nandamuri, Shriya Saran
Direction: Puri Jagannadh
Music: Anup Rubens
Producer(s): V. Anand Prasad
Cast: Balakrishna Nandamuri, Shriya Saran
Direction: Puri Jagannadh
Music: Anup Rubens
After Gautami putra saatakarni, Balakrishna is on a super pace signing up films and even completing them. When he confirmed the movie with Puri Jagannadh fans were surprised at the choice. When Chiranjeevi himself didn't approve Puri for his 150, why would Balakrishna accept his story and offer the movie was the question. However there were mixed reactions when the teasers were released. And then with the controversies around the director and Charmee who was said to be involved in the movie as production of the movie, the movie took a different turn even though they have nothing to do with the movie itself.
This movie is said to be an action-comedy movie donning Balakrishna in a different look. There was a complete makeover which indeed caused a surprise. The movie had the muhurtham shot in March and the movie is ready to be released in August. Thats the pace both Puri and Balakrishna are making movies these days. Anup Rubens was roped in to music department with Bhaskarabhatla getting most of the songs. Balakrishna got good music for his earlier movie and given that most of songs in movies of Puri Jagannadh had become hit after movie has released. There are total 4 songs and a theme song. Lets see how these songs did.
1. Paisa Vasool
Singer(s): Daler Mehendi, Uma Neha, Anurag Kulkarni
Lyrics: Bhaskarabhatla Ravi Kumar
Will Daler Mehendi's voice fit Balakrishna? His voice was feeble, strained at many places. It lacked the power when saying Paisa Vasool even when chorus was added. Since the song was made in Bhangra style, Daler Mehendi was chosen, but he is not right fit for the song. He couldnt bring in any value to the song. Gundeelu teesi collar egareste paisa vasool.. vasool vasool paisa vasool.. The title song says it all. Bhaskarabhatla has written formula based lyrics to say something about the hero. Anup did something to in the middle which looked very odd, when Daler was saying Kal aaja soniya, then ahh.. This whole thing didnt work. Anup might have lost the thought of what to do here. This song for sure will receive mixed reactions, mass/fans might like it, but hard to impress music lovers.
2. Kannu Kannu Kalisai..
Singer(s): Anup Rubens, Jithin, Sree Kavya Chandana
Lyrics: Bhaskarabhatla Ravi Kumar
The nasal voice of Anup(Jithin??), and careless singing probably took away the good feeling of the song. He took liberty to kill the otherwise good song he made. Hate when music directors do that to the song by singing themselves and kill the song. The tune in the interlude is heard in an old song and the tune that follows the singers later in the song is for sure rehash.
It is tough to tell, what any one tried to contribute to make song be heard different. The place at which Kannu kannu kalisayi, is said by Anup and the change in rhythm appeared to be done as a mistake, as it didn't work very well. Female singer also was not up-to mark. She misses to make her mark. Overall a good song messed up by singers by purely careless singing. Bhaskarabhatla did his job fine. He got a chance to deviate himself from mass/catchy numbers.
3. Mama Ek Peg La...
Singer(s): Balakrishna Nandamuri, Divya Divakar
Lyrics: Bhaskarabhatla Ravi Kumar
Balakrishna sings this song by himself or rather we can say he said the lyrics with tune. There was a video that came out while recording this song. Balakrishna seemed to have enjoyed singing this song. The question is whether audience will enjoy the same way Balakrishna enjoyed singing this song. Nagini Dance, is what chorus keep saying in pattern of gangham dance.
Mama ek peg laa is for sure catchy. His fans will embrace song saying "picha pichaga nachinde". Pakka mass song, with energy coming in from the beats. Bhaskarabhatla has created a drinks sitting environment with this song, probably a scenario rightly to fit the song in the movie. The reference of nagini, is related to the tune in the interlude. Overall a mass song that is for mass and fans. Balayya was his usual self one has to sync with him to enjoy the song. Probably this will be song for his fans when they have a drink sittings.
4. Padamari
Singer(s): Mano, Geetha Madhuri
Lyrics: Pulagam Chinnarayana
Mano sings this song, where he reminds an old Kishore Kumar song. With auto tuner, both voices are messed up, badly for Mano and helping Geetha Madhuri. I feel these kind of songs are not for Geeta Madhuri, but when one has a good hit song that got award, these type of songs keep coming to the same singer. The way she struggles to sing the lines after making an entry to song is pathetic for such a singer who has been singing so many songs.
However this song has absolutely nothing new to offer. Anup again doesn't have to offer anything new. He just rehashes something for us. Another mass song, with right beats, patterns, added with Mano's energy and vigor. Song will be in different dimension till Geeta Madhuri enters the song. Then she takes down the song to a different level. Pulagam Chinnarayana has nothing to offer in this song, given the situation he was given. Probably he would have been a given a song to write for a different scenario. As long as Mano is singing this song appears good.
5. Theda Singh (Theme Song)
As per movie grapevine, seems like originally this was the title chosen for the movie, but changed to Paisa vasool as fans didn't like it. Probably this was already filmed, by the time movie title was changed. Then it might have become the theme song, else could have been the title song. Teaser, Trailer show Balakrishna in a different make over and this song shows the same. Music wise and song content wise nothing special to mention.
Pick(s) of the album: Mama Ek Peg le, Padhamari. ( Kannu Kannu would have been in the list if singers were different )
I guess the need of hour for Puri Jagannadh is that he will need the movie to talk for itself, given the other things going on with him that were getting talked more than anticipated. A part from that is not getting real good success at the box office with his films lately ( Temper being an exception ). Balakrishna seemed to be enjoying his late prime time signing films at a pace that seems to be not possible for most of the actors given his age. Music for this movie has not been a criteria for the success and it didn't help either. Balakrishna should go back to either Kalyani Malik or Manisharma or a different director as modern music makers have no clue about real mass song sound like. They can only add techno flavor to the songs, but can never bring the real mass feeling in the songs. Having said that this album lacks many things that Balakrishna fans would want from his movies. Anup not sure whether he played it safe by choosing beaten tunes or he was not asked to provide something different. Anyways songs of Puri movies doesn't make much impact for him, so fans have to wait for the movie.