Raaja Vazhi Thani Vazhi

Having come up with a tune like “Siriya Paravai Siragai” (Movie – Andha Oru Nimidam), it would have been very easy to satisfy Kamal and the director. And for the caliber of Illayaraja, he doesn’t even have to go through the phase of “Convincing” the director. He could have completed the song recording, the traditional way and walked off. Composer had other thoughts!

This song is special for its uniqueness. Traditionally, film songs have a set structure:

· Pallavi,
· Anupallavi
· 1st Interlude
· 1st Charanam
· Pallavi
· 2nd Interlude
· 2nd Charanam
· Pallavi
· Anupallavi
· Mostly, Pallavi again

Firstly, composer decided to have 3 charanam in place of the conventional two. OK, so what? That would have only stretched the song more and helped the dancing angels to get few more bucks ;) Nope. 1st Charanam is backed with complete Western orchestration. After the 1st Charanam ends, the composer had other thoughts. He changed the tune, the raga completely for the 2nd Charanam and took a dramatic U turn. Few swara sangadhis and the orchestration completely changes to typical classical with the able help of Mridangam. The rhythmic meter and the pace complemented the tune for the 2nd charanam to be livelier. This song is very special for this “Visha Parikshai” that not many composers would be willing to take.

Look at the beautiful “muthu muthaana” lyrics by Vairamuthu:

manramae thamizhin manjamae pudhiya sandhamae sindhinaen
anbanae ilaiya kambanae kavidhai nanbanae nambinaen
swarnamae arasa annamae idhazhin yudhdhamae muththamae
netriyil viyarvai sottumae kaigal ottumae patrumae
soazha kuyil paadugaiyil soalaikkuyil oayvedukkum
mellinangal paadu kannae vallinangal vaayvalikkum
sondhamae inbam thandhadhu gangaiyae ingu vandhadhu
thenralae indru nindradhu nanrudhaan sandham enradhu
kanrugal rendu indru poal enrum vendru vaazhginradhu
vazhgavae vazhgavae

I can’t even imagine any singer other than SPB and Janaki who could have done justice to the lyrics and tune. The improvisation by SPB is a trademark. Vairamuthu has displayed his proficiency in the choice of words with a very rhythmic ‘sandam’. Absolutely stunning team effort.

Back to Raaja. After the experimentation with the second charanam (in a completely different tune & raga), he returns back to the same tune he used in 1st charanam for the 3rd one and back to Western Orchestration. When you hear the whole song, the scale, tune and style of orchestration change is so seamless that you only end up speechless. Let’s not forget to mention the chorus backing the higher octaves like “Vaazhgave Vaazhgave”, “Ezhudave Ezhudave” etc.