Songs and complete musician credits at the end.
My favourite song from Abhimanyu Dassani’s debut film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota back in 2019 (you know, back when we did not have stuff like COVID – fun times) was Rappan Rappi Rap, a track that was as much fun for its nostalgic lyrical references, as it was for the funky retro base. In Meenakshi Sundareshwar we have an equally entertaining Vaada Machaaney that also features the ever-reliable Benny Dayal in the lead and that, after a mock-melancholic cameo by Romy (loved the shayari-binary rhyming from lyricist Raj Shekhar, taking a dig at the profession of the crowd), also settles into a similarly groovy setting. Don’t be misled by the title, the song does not have any Tamil aside of that phrase, and this holds true for most of the soundtrack – a smattering of Tamil amidst the Hinglish, to remind us of the movie’s setting, although composer Justin Prabhakaran’s music more prominently showcases the South element. Take Mann Kesar for instance, a fantastic melodic piece where the naadhaswaram, thavil and the konnakol proclaim that this is a South Indian wedding song. Interestingly structured song that is essentially two versions of the first verse melody, respectively sung by Shashwat Singh and Aanandi Joshi (both brilliant on their part) separated by a chorus segment (at which point you also sense a shift in the arrangement, before coming full circle at the end). If you keep aside the wedding-evocative elements, this is a very Rahman-esque song, takes me back particularly to a melody the man composed for another Meenakshi (Meenaxi, if you will), Yeh Rishta. Beautiful composition, whose only sour note is the suno kanmani phrase that still feels odd after multiple hearings (Shashwat’s pronunciation of it doesn’t help either). The soundtrack has two more vocal tracks of the romantic kind, both set around long distance relationships, and both featuring Abhay Jodhpurkar, but contrasting moods. Raj Shekhar’s lines in Tu Yahin Hai beautifully capture the hopes of a newly-married couple, but it is Justin’s dreamy soundscape that elevates the song to another level. The waltz base almost never fails to impress, and this one has some brilliant touches along the way, like the Tamil folk interlude featuring Resmi Satheesh. This is incidentally Abhay’s second waltzy song in Hindi (after his debut in Zero), and he is joined by an equally brilliant Madhushree – so good to hear her after long. In Ratti Ratti Reza Reza the love and excitement appears to have run its course, and Justin’s melody and subdued orchestration is just perfect for the situation. And who better to deliver such a delicate piece alongside Abhay, than Shreya Ghoshal!
The percussions (cajon?) that kick off Tittar Bittar are perhaps meant to mimic the rhythm of a train, considering those hawker sounds at the start, but the composer keeps deftly switching from genre to genre in this one, almost as if presenting a musical in 4.5 minutes – that kids’ segment in between especially took me back to the Clock Tower Mystery segment of Jagga Jasoos. The lyrics are on point with the quirkiness, particularly enjoyed the gully cricket analogy in the earlier-mentioned segment. Although the song has a lot of singers sharing credits, the lead vocalists appear to be Romy and Mohana Bhogaraju (I think), both in fine form – really happy to see Romy and Abhay get two songs each in this movie, both thoroughly under-utilised in Bollywood in my opinion. The remaining six songs of the soundtrack are all BGM pieces. Thalaivaa, written and sung by Anthony Daasan (who now goes by Folk Marley!) is a tribute to Rajinikanth, obviously, and replete with references to his movies and quotes. A proper kuthu song this one, and completely in Tamil. The soundtrack’s diverse set of genres throws up another surprise with Down and Dirty, the second reggae song this year by a Tamil composer that I have heard and loved – the first being this belter from Anirudh for Master. The man who wrote and sang that song, Bjorn Surrao (frontman of the Chennai band Franks Got The Funk), reprises both roles for this song as well, but Lavita Lobo makes a bigger impression with her punchy vocals. I expected Waltz with Meenakshi to be an instrumental adaptation of Tu Yahin Hai, but it turned out to be a new tune, and not really in the waltz rhythm either. Looking At The Moon however is based on the second verse of Tu Yahin Hai – the English lines sound a bit weird, but it is quite a nice listen otherwise, violin solos always have my heart – my favourite part though is when the song briefly reprises the wedding mode with the naadhaswaram, thavil and some Carnatic guitaring. Meenakshi Sundareshwar Theme features another singer who hasn’t been heard in Hindi music a while, Sadhana Sargam. And her humming (alongside the movie’s director Vivek Soni and a wonderful chorus) is indeed the high point of the wordless track that briefly revisits Ratti Ratti. And finally, my favourite instrumental tracks from the album, First Kiss –that flute (P Vijay Ananth) is an instant throwback to the early 2000s Tamil love themes, especially from Harris Jayaraj (Minnale/RHTDM, anyone?) and I understand this was indeed intended as a nod to the man!
Justin Prabhakaran’s career graph has been on a consistent upward trajectory over the past recent years, and in Meenakshi Sundareshwar he produces his best work yet, with ample help from Raj Shekhar. Ironic that the year that has been the most disappointing for Bollywood music in recent times, has also witnessed two of its best composing debuts in recent times (the other one of course being Arijit in Pagglait – both Sanya Malhotra-starrers, incidentally!).
Music Aloud Rating: 4/5
Top Recos: All of them!
Album Credits
TITTAR BITTAR
SINGERS: ROMY, GOLDIE SOHEL, PRINCE BHATRA, MOHANA BHOGARAJU, HEMAMBIGA, SWATI SHARMA, CHITRALEKHA SEN, YAJAT GARG
LYRICS: RAJ SHEKHAR
PERCUSSIONS – BALU, LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, RAJU , VEDHA, SHRUTHI RAJ, KAVI RAJ
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
ADDITIONAL RHYTHM PROGRAMMER – BARATH DHANASEKAR
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
MANN KESAR KESAR
SINGERS : SHASHWAT SINGH & AANANDI JOSHI
ADDITIONAL VOICE : GOLDIE SOHEL
LYRICS : RAJ SHEKHAR
MUSIC COMPOSED BY : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
CHORUS : UMESH JOSHI, VIJAY DHURI, JANARDAN DHATRAK, SANTOSH BOTE, DR NARAYANAN, SAM P. KEERTHAN, YOGI SEKAR, VELMURUGAN, PRAGATI JOSHI, ADITI PRABHUDESAI, AROHI MHATRE, RUCHA PADHYE, DIVYA TAWDE, MADHURA PARANJAPE, PRIYA PRAKASH, KARPAGAM, HEMAMBIGA, LAVANYA
NOSE FLUTE - JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
BOUZOUKI, DULCIMER, SWARMANDAL – SEENU
ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC GUITAR – KEBA JERAMIAH
PERCUSSIONS – BALU, SHRUTHI RAJ, KAVI, VIKRAM, SUNDAR, BARATH DHANASEKAR
BASS GUITAR – NAVEEN NAPIER
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
RATTI RATTI REZA REZA
SINGERS: ABHAY JODHPURKAR, SHREYA GHOSHAL
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKRAN
LYRICS: RAJ SHEKHAR
STRINGS BY BUDAPEST SCORING ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR: PETER ILLENYI
SESSION PRODUCER: BALINT SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR: BERTALAN VEER
RECORDING ENGINEER: DENES REDLY
LIBRARIAN: ANNA SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA CEO: BALINT SAPSZON
ORCHESTRATOR: BALASUBRAMANIAN G
ADDITIONAL ORCHESTRATION: ABHISHEK V
FLUTE - P. VIJAY ANANTH
ACOUSTIC GUITAR – JOSHUA MARK RAJ
BASS GUITAR – NAVEEN NAPIER
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO), BIJU (VGP STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
DOWN & DIRTY
SINGERS: BJORN SURRAO, LAVITA LOBO
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
LYRICS: BJORN SURRAO
BACKING VOCALS:
PRIYA PRAKASH, KARPAGAM, HEMAMBIGA, LAVANYA
ELECTRIC GUITAR – JOSEPH VIJAY, DAN KRISTEN
BASS GUITAR – NAVEEN NAPIER
ADDITIONAL RHYTHM PROGRAMMER – BARATH DHANASEKAR
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
VAADA MACHAANEY
SINGER: BENNY DAYAL
ADDITIONAL VOICE: ROMY
MUSIC COMPOSER: JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
LYRICS: RAJ SHEKHAR
BACKING VOCALS: UMESH JOSHI, VIJAY DHURI, JANARDAN DHATRAK, SANTOSH BOTE, DR NARAYANAN, SAM P. KEERTHAN, YOGI SEKAR, VELMURUGAN
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
WALTZ WITH MEENAKSHI
PLAYED BY BUDAPEST SCORING ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR: PETER ILLENYI
SESSION PRODUCER: BALINT SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR: BERTALAN VEER
RECORDING ENGINEER: DENES REDLY
LIBRARIAN: ANNA SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA CEO: BALINT SAPSZON
STRINGS AND ARRANGEMENTS: DAN KRISTEN
ORCHESTRATOR: BALASUBRAMANIAN G
ADDITIONAL ORCHESTRATION: ABHISHEK V
FLUTE - P. VIJAY ANANTH
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
SONGS MIXING & MASTERING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
THALAIVAA
SINGER : FOLK MARLEY ANTHONY DAASAN
ADDITIONAL VOICE FX – ACS RAVICHANDRAN
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
LYRICS: FOLK MARLEY ANTHONY DAASAN
ELECTRIC GUITAR – DAN KRISTEN
PERCUSSIONS – LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, RAJU , VEDHA, SRUTHI RAJ, KAVI RAJ
R.D.BAND TEAM ( CHENNAI )
TRUMPET – R.D.UDHAYA , SURESH
TENOR HORN – R.D.MURUGAN
CLARINET – PARTHIBAN
DHOL – ARUMUGAM
SNARE – RAGU, SARATH
BASS DRUM – PARAKASH , SATHAM
CYMBAL – MANI
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – BIJU (VGP STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
MASTERED BY SHADAB RAYEEN (NEW EDGE STUDIO)
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESHWAR THEME
SINGERS : SADHANA SARGAM, VIVEK SONI
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
SOLO VIOLIN – AKKARSH KASYAP
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: DAN KRISTEN
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO)
SONGS MIXING & MASTERING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
LOOKING AT THE MOON
SINGER : LAVITA LOBO
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
FLUTE - P. VIJAY ANANTH
SOLO VIOLIN – AKKARSH KASYAP
ELECTRIC GUITAR –DAN KRISTEN
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
SONGS MIXING & MASTERING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
FIRST KISS
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
BACKING VOCALS – DR NARAYANAN, SAM P. KEERTHAN, YOGI SEKAR, VELMURUGAN,
FLUTE - P. VIJAY ANANTH
ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC GUITAR – JOSEPH VIJAY, DAN KRISTEN
PERCUSSIONS – BALU, LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, RAJU , VEDHA, SHRUTHI RAJ, KAVI RAJ
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
ADDITIONAL RHYTHM PROGRAMMER – BARATH DHANASEKAR
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO), BIJU (VGP STUDIO)
SONG MIXING & MASTERING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
TU YAHIN HAI
SINGERS: ABHAY JODHPURKAR, MADHUSREE
ADDITIONAL VOICE: RESMI SATEESH
MUSIC COMPOSER : JUSTIN PRABHAKARAN
LYRICS: RAJ SHEKHAR
STRINGS AND BRASS BY BUDAPEST SCORING ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR: PETER ILLENYI
SESSION PRODUCER: BALINT SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR: BERTALAN VEER
RECORDING ENGINEER: DENES REDLY
LIBRARIAN: ANNA SAPSZON
ORCHESTRA CEO: BALINT SAPSZON
STRINGS AND BRASS ARRANGEMENTS: DAN KRISTEN
ORCHESTRATOR: BALASUBRAMANIAN G
ADDITIONAL ORCHESTRATION: ABHISHEK V
FLUTE - P. VIJAY ANANTH
ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC GUITAR DAN KRISTEN
PERCUSSIONS – BALU, LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, RAJU , VEDHA, SHRUTHI RAJ, KAVI RAJ
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMERS: SEBASTIAN SATHISH, C DISHON PRINCE, DAN KRISTEN
VOCAL TUNING ENGINEER: SREE SHANKAR
MUSICIANS CO-ORDINATORS – NIRMAL RAJ (HYMN STUDIO), ANTONY RAJ (THE STATION INN)
RECORDING ENGINEERS – RUPJIT DAS (PLAYHEAD STUDIO), DIVINE ANTONY (2BQ STUDIO), PRAVEEN IYYER (MUSIC GARAGE)
SONGS MIXING ENGINEER – BALU THANKACHAN (20 DB BLACK)
MIXING ASSISTANT HARIHARAN (20 DB BLACK)
DONAL WHELAN (TU YAHIN HAI SONG) (HAFORD MASTERING)
