Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya – Music Review (Telugu Movie Soundtrack)

Songs and partial credits at the end.

Of the four songs the Bijibal creates for Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya (for the uninitiated, Bijibal also composed music for the film UMUR is a remake of, Maheshinte Prathikaaram), two are quite evidently based on the Malayalam originals for the same situations. However, even as he borrows elements from the Malayalam songs, the composer manages to make the Telugu songs delightfully fresh in sound. Like Idukki, I hope Ningi Chutte is also an ode to the picturesque valley where this movie has been shot – the video does seem to mirror Idukki. And the song does evoke in me the same level of exhilaration every time I listen to it. Beautiful melody (this one is also partly based on Kharaharapriya raga, I feel) that is delivered brilliantly by Vijay Yesudas and backed by a sparse but expansive arrangement. Repavalu takes after Theliveyil, starting the same way with a children’s chorus, and featuring some fine violin phrases like the latter (could not get hold of musician credits for this one, but I assume Bijibal employed Roopa Revathi here too, given that he has reused multiple singers from the Malayalam lineup). Sangeetha Srikanth is retained as the female vocalist, while the composer himself takes over as her male counterpart.  And the result is a charming waltz-style piece, just as it was in Malayalam.

Gowtham Bharadwaj and Soumya Ramakrishnan are the ones tasked with delivering Aanandam, and they do their part neatly. While the song has an enjoyable melody, it truly takes off in the interludes where the composer does some wonderful incorporation of classical elements – interestingly the first interlude is Carnatic in flavour, led by the flute (Rajesh Cherthala, I assume) alongside mridangam and kanjira, while the second interlude features a Hindustani-based sitar-tabla interplay. For the final piece, which was an understated sombre track in Malayalam (Cherupunjiri), Bijibal composes Nuvvemo as a gorgeous folk-based piece which in its general mood, and vocal arrangements, takes my mind back to Rahman’s masterpiece Raasaathi on occasion. While the song is mostly delivered by Kalabhairava and a ladies’ chorus, both equally competent, the final minute of the song sees the entry of Sithara Krishnakumar in a brilliant cameo – the singer has always been ace with folk-flavoured tracks and renders this with unsurprising elan.

Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya. A brilliant Telugu debut for composer Bijibal that, while partly inspired from the music he did for Maheshinte Prathikaaram, stands beautifully on its own as well. The same seems to apply to the movie as well, if the reviews are anything to go by.

Music Aloud Rating: 4/5

Top Recos: Ningi Chutte, Nuvvemo, Repavalu

Musician Credits

Song: Ningi Chutte
Singer: Vijay Yesudas
Lyrics: Vishwa
Music: Bijibal

Song: Aanandam – The Transformation song.
Singer: Gowtham Bharadwaj & Soumya Ramakrishnan
Lyrics: Rahman
Music: Bijibal

Song: Repavalu – for Long Distance Love
Music : Bijibal
Lyricist – Rahman ,Raghukul Mokirala
Singers : Bijibal & Sangeetha Srikanth.

Song: Nuvvemo
Music : Bijibal
Lyricist – Rahman
Singers : Kalabhairava, Sithara

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