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Passable And Stale

APK | September 12, 2007

Rating: **.5 (***** Very Good, **** Good, *** Fair, ** Average, * Bad)

After a long time, Ramana Gogula is seen on the Telugu musical horizon. Viyyalavari Kayyalu stars Udaykiran, who people feel has long since disappeared from the Telugu movie horizon. After a torturous Abaddam, Udaykiran is back in the limelight with a promising newcomer Neha Jhulka of Okkadunnadu fame cast opposite him. The movie is directed by E. Sattibabu and the music by Gogula is just about okay.

Telusa Cheli Gogula starts off this song, and you dread what is coming. Then thankfully, Naveen and Ganga take over. This song is in the same league of 'Ne Puttindi Nee Kosam' from Lakshmi, another Gogula album. The playback is good and the tune is likeable. ***

Udaykiran and Neha Jhulka

Suryude Sare Annade A wedding song rendered by the sweet voice of Chitra, accompanied by Ramana and Sri Krishna. For some reason, this has bits of English chorus thrown in. Bandaru Danayya's lyrics are all about a brother getting his sister married off, and about what a happy occasion it is. If you can't suppress your yawns, you cannot be blamed. We've heard too many songs like this one, and what more, most of them are better than this. This one is passable. **.25

Neelaala Nee Kallu This song is inspired from a recent Hindi remix that also has the same 'I just wanna be close to you' chorus, Keh Doon Tumhe (or the original English number). That said, this is a hummable song. The duet has Sri Krishna and Sunitha for the playback. It is a soft and romantic number, albeit unoriginal. **.75

Manmadha This sounds suspiciously like an item number. Kalpana and Vijayalaxmi lend their voices, rudely interrupted by Gogula as he does his usual 'Ohh..s'. Gosala Rambabu pens in quirky lines and a combination of suitable voices and a catchy tune makes this song worth listening to. One wonders how it will be picturized, but one can picture a smoky nightclub when this song comes on in the album. **.75

Hey Handsome With heavy western beats and lyrics, Kalpana renders another number in the album. Ramajogayya Sastry's lyrics are all about a smitten girl. An interlude courtesy Gogula is unexpected, and then the song ends abruptly. **.25

Udaykiran and Neha Jhulka

Mallechenda A lot of musicians use other composers, like Yuvan Shankar Raja used Devisri Prasad's voice in Manmadha and Himesh Reshammiya's hopes to sing for AR Rehman. Patnaik's voice accompanied by Ganga suits this song, full of festivity and mischief. Udaykiran has had many Patnaik numbers to belt out on screen, right from his debut Chitram to Sriram-Patnaik even hums 'Gajuvaka Pilla' for effect. Veturi's lyrics are mischievous to say the least. It is an energetic, peppy and celebratory number. **.75

Neelaala Nee Kallu (English Remix) Gogula's voice felt new when he belted out numbers like 'Travelling Soldier' or 'Made In Andhra' in Thammudu or 'Satyabhama Dheere Chalna'. However, even hardcore fans will agree that the novelty is lost now. The wheeziness doesn't inspire. But this remix might make a nice background score.

Last Word There is really no freshness in Viyyalavari Kayyalu. It is easy to identify Gogula's trademark now. When he first came and crooned 'Chikita' or sighed softly, it was different then. The last album that had good commercial music by Gogula was Lakshmi. This album is tolerable, with two numbers that you won't fast forward, but nothing more. Gogula has given better music, and this is not one of his best.