Veppam – Music Review

Veppam, a film directed by Anjana Ali Khan, tells the story of characters living in the slum areas of Chennai, India. It stars Karthik Kumar, Bindhu Madhavi and Nithya Menon, and will be produced by Gautham Menon’s Photon Kathaas. Music has been composed by Joshua Sridhar (Kalloori), with lyrics by Na. Muthukumar.

Oru Devadai is a guitar-based piece sung by Clinton and Shwetha. It has a similar feel to "Ennai Konjam Maatri" from Kaakha Kaakha, with it’s electric guitar undertones over a gentle, catchy beat. Both Clinton and Shwetha have done justice to the beautifully written lyrics.

Mazhai Varum, sung by Suzanne, is another guitar-based composition, but this time with an RnB influence that is evident in the beat. Suzanne’s mellow voice is beautiful in evoking the emotion of the romantic lyrics. The Carnatic violin interlude in the middle adds an unexpected twist to the song, and the subsequent addition of strings to the rest of the song means that Mazhai Varum ends up being a beautiful ballad that is worthy being on repeat for a while.

Benny Dayal takes the mic for the next track, Minnala. It is an upbeat song with a catchy beat that aptly juxtaposes the youthful lyrics, which are further supported by Benny’s energetic vocals. There is something familiar about Kaatril Eeram; it bears a resemblance to RnB of the 90s a la B2K and Jagged Edge, with it’s Spanish guitar-y strings and a beat that is as peppy as it is mellow. The vocals by Karthik and Haricharan are great;emotive without being too emotional.

Raani Naan, sung by Apoorva, is a koothu song – along similar lines to Raanki Rangamma from Padikaathavan. It’s a definite dancefloor number, though not my cup of tea, personally.

Naresh does the male version of Mazhai Varum, and much as I love Suzanne’s version, this one tops it in my opinion. The arrangement is the same for both versions, but Naresh’s vocals are just perfect for this song; emotion oozes out of every word he sings, and it’s simply beautiful to listen to.

Veppam, the title track, is a fast-paced rocky number, and has all the makings of a theme song. At only two and a half minutes, it’s quite short, but still worth a listen. The electric guitar and the strong vocals by Josh and Naresh combine well to form a powerful piece of music.

All in all, the Veppam soundtrack is an enjoyable listen.

3.25/5. Pick of the album: Mazhai Varum (both versions!)

Words: Kavya Rajagopalan © Thamarai.com 2010

These words reflect the opinions of the writer, and must not be reproduced without express written permission.