Nihal, a popular playback singer, composed the music for Rainbow starring Rahul (of Happy Days fame) and Sonal Chauhan (of Jannat fame). While it's not disappointing, it is not exactly chartbusting.
Aasha Chinni Aasha Sunitha renders this number about hope and joy and everything nice, with lines by Jillela Varaprasad. It starts off softly and sweetly, then picks up on the beat to finish the melodious stanza. It is kind of old school in tone and rhythm and the entire song belongs to an era gone by, an era without rap and techno used in every alternate number.***
Challu Challu Sunitha, Nihal and Hemachandra-amongst the new gen Telugu playback singers, ready to experiment or stick to the good old Telugu melodies. Challu Challu is again the good old Telugu melody, peppy with youthful exuberance; it has an interlude rendered by Sunitha again, but much more softer and with a soberness about it before slipping back to the faster beats. Lyrics courtesy Vanamali. ***
Manasa Chalinchake This has that melancholy touch to it, with Sunitha and Nihal (again) giving it their all in terms of playback. Vanamali's lines and Nihal's use of instrumental makes this song a good hear. ***.25
Krishna Krishna Hemachandra is very good at sounding cheeky and mischievous and does a flawless job rendering 'Entha Manchi Vadavayya..Entha Goppa God Vayya Krishna Krishna' continuing the rendition about 'Krishna Leela' in the cheekiest possible way, making it sound fun courtesy Baladitya's lines. Cute number. ***1/2
Swamy Ra Ra (Thillana) Sunitha does a nice rendition of Swamy Ra Ra which Krishna Padam and Nihal finish off making it a believable classical dance number. ***
Naa Kallalo Sunitha and Nihal again, with a proper Telugu duet with lines by Anuradha. It is a nice hummable number, but one that doesn't really tend to grow on you after a point. **.75
O Lalana Sunitha and Srikanth sing this duet, again very old school and belonging to a bygone era, but not the noisy 90s music, just the other bearable music that came out then (apart from the major hits). So it's basically somewhere in between. **.75
Sala Sala Sala Sala This is the Item-sounding song, a seduction song sung by Sunitha again. Nothing that makes it better of different from the hundred other itemish numbers that came out last month. **.75
Last Word Nihal's style for Rainbow seems to be pretty old school. It is not outstanding/groundbreaking stuff, nowhere in that league right now. It is conventional and conservative, and Nihal sticks to his roots which is good. He has time and scope to grow, and it can be still called a decent debut. The album is not bad, strictly okay and that's about it. There is little variety in terms of playback, and only two songs actually stand out.