Nandalala ..... Pleasant but not appealing !

After Chithiram Pesuthadi and Anjathe, director Mysskin's returns with Nandhalala, the story of a youngster and his search for his mother. Suitable to the storyline, it has Ilayaraja scoring its music

The Saroja Ammal's Elilae Elilae, a gypsy kind of song certainly attracts your attention but the same cannot be said of the lyrics which can't be comprehended.

Kai Veesi , which seems to be all about nature, starts melodiously. Penned by Palanibharathi and sung by Chandrasekar, Madhu Balakrishnan, Swetha and Vijay Yesudass, this song lacks the usual Ilayaraja punch but is pleasing to the ears.

The next one, Mella Odum bothu, is a delightful number. SUng by Ilayaraja himself, this song explores the world through a child's eye. The pace, music of this song is enjoyable.

Gentle strains of the flute begins Onnukkonnu, this one is almost like a lullaby, flowing in a calm fashion in the rich voice of K J Yesudass. Mu Mehta's lyrics speak about the heights love can reach in an otherwise colourless world; sometimes charming, sometimes cliched. It might be a tune you've heard often but it's still easy on the ears.

Yet another breezy, child-adult number sung by Ilaiyaraja and Master Yatheeshwaran, Kabilan's Oru Vandu Koottame describes the mad spirits of children and their adventures. Flutes go hand-in-hand with a brisk rhythm, while the maestro has taken up the mainstay of such merry songs generally, Raga Sankarabharanam, and he seems to have had a blast singing it too.

Muthulingam's lyrics in Thalattu Ketka Nanum explains the anxiety of a child in lonliness and sorrow. Sung by the Maestro, this song definitely moves you and takes you down memory lane. This is surely the pick of the album.

Overall, though Nandalala is not Ilayaraja's best , this is not a collector's album. One can see a touch of sadness mingling with child like happiness throughout the album. We hope the songs add flavour to the movie as well.
 

-C. Karthik