Review

Six tracks from the California Kannadiga
  
Nanna Preethiya Hudugi is a love story set on an American campus. Anuradha Paudwal slips up on her enunciation, B Jayasree and Suresh Peters shine, and Ramprasad makes a comeback

Nanna Preethiya Hudugi
Akash Audio
Rs 40

Remember the song Baanalli odo megha, girigo ninthalle yoga? That was from Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar's hit Kannada movie America America. Mano Murthy's fast-track music, Rajesh Krishnan's fresh voice, and above all H S Venkatesh Murthy's lyricism turned that song into a huge success. The theme of the movie was framed within that song.

California-settled Mano Murthy is back, after America America, with a score for Nanna Preethiya Hudugi, Nagathihalli's latest film, a love story set on an American campus.

The story revolves around a Kundapura boy who falls in love with a girl settled in America. If India versus the Land of Opportunity was the theme in America America, here Nagathihalli looks at problems of adjustment within a relationship. From remarks I've heard from people who saw the movie, and the reactions I noticed at the theatres, the audiences seem to have taken quite a liking to new faces Deepali (a Chamarajpet girl who lives in the US) and Dyan (a model from Mumbai).

The flute is the hero's favourite instrument, but Mano Murthy doesn't use it as the predominant instrument in his score. Nagathihalli has penned all the songs, except the title number (credited to Shashikala Chandrashekhar). The English subtitle for Nanna Preethiya Hudugi is "My favourite girl". Shouldn't it be "The girl I love"?

The album provides a comeback song for singer Ramprasad, a software engineer who is now settled in the US. Hariharan and Anuradha Paudwal are not very impressive. Anuradha especially is not comfortable with her Kannada. She has been around in the language for a while (Was Kannada naadina jeevanadi from Jeevanadi her first Kannada film song?).

Mano Murthy uses Anuradha's voice in three songs out of six. Non-Kannadigas like Hariharan and Suresh Peters manage a decent Kannada pronunciation, while Anuradha falters, for instance, when she has to say ile (meaning the earth).

But why Anuradha in so many numbers? Sangeeta Katti, a well-known name in Kannada light music gets a chance in only one song, where she proves her mettle. Nandita, who sings frequently in Kannada films, also gets only one song.

The most familiar track in the album is Car car car. It made me dance when I first heard it. B Jayasree, a popular name in Kannada theatre, uses her high-pitched voice effectively. Suresh Peters brings in a pop punch. The song marvels at the contrasts between India and the US. A car is everything in the US but in India people make do with any transport they get, and even enjoy travelling on the tops of overcrowded buses! This number gets frequent airing on the TV channels.

Mudal Kunigal kere is a folksong popularised by the legendary Kalinga Rao. Here, Nagathihalli borrows the opening phrase and pens his own song. Ramprasad is impressive. I could discern a bit of Rajkumar Bharati and Yesudas in his voice. By the way, Ramprasad is a product of Bangalore's Ayyanar School of Music. He learnt music with B R Chaya, and sang for a Maruti Shivaram film when he was still in college. He has recently brought out an album of Kannada devotional songs, where he sings with P Suseela and Manjula Gururaj. He has also sung for G K Venkatesh, L Vaidyanathan and M Ranga Rao. Welcome back to Kannada movies, Ramprasad, let's hear more of you!

Giriyu neenu is a slow tempo melody by Hariharan and Anuradha.  Ba baare preethisuva baare is a good example of Anuradha's failure to handle the language well. Rajesh is good, but the tune is monotonous. Some lines are utterly prosaic.

Sageeta Katti fills with life the fun number Adeke kothi moothi maaduve komalangane. The song describes the conversation between a mother and son (his mischief and her scoldings). Rajesh tries to sing like a 'tarale huduga', a boyish devil.

Nanna preethiya hudugi elliruve is a slow tempo number by Hariharan and Anuradha. Mano Murthy's slow numbers are not as impressive as his fast ones. (Nooru janmaku and Yaava mohana murali kareyitu from America America are exceptions.) 

Mudal Kunigal kere comes twice, the second time with different lyrics. Ramprasad is impressive in both.

Vishakha N 

Write to the author

Write to the editor