Expectations soar high for a Puri Jagannadh, Raviteja and Chakri combination. But this album doesn’t live up to those expectations. However, a good filming may make the album hit. That is the typical case with many of Puri’s films.

• Veluge Varshamaithe is a fast paced duet. Can live upto Raviteja’s histrionics.
• Krisha Nagare is a solo by Chakri that would take you to Telugu fim industry. The beats are good.
• Nuvvantene is a song that may not live on its own. Needs life support from the rest of the album. Tries to repeat the magic of Amma Naanna O Tamila Ammayi by inserting a few Tamil words. Let us see how it works.
• Puduthune Uyyala sounds more like an item song.
• I love the track Oh I Miss You. Raghu Kunche’s voice and the tune are simply superb. I visit this album repeatedly just for this song.

Krishnavamsi Film – that is the merit of the album. Music is shared between Manisharma and Vidyasagar. Lyrics are shared between Sirivennela and Anantha Sriram.

• The first track, Elaa Entha Sepu, is sung well by Rahul. A good one to listen to, its success depends on the context of the song in the movie.
• The track Gundello Golisoda drifts frequently between an item song and a youthful song. The good lyrics and the voice of Jai are dominated by the tune. Finally, you are hooked on to the tune than the lyrics.
• O Bujjamma by Renjith is a good number. This Vidyasagar’s composition has the touch of melody. Repeated listening makes you appreciate the song better.
• Yedho Yedho is another song composed by Vidyasagar for this album. Saindhavi’s voice is good. Get ready for a Krisha Vamsi style picturization of this female solo.
• Bejawada is the only duet in this album. I would personally skip this song. Just making a mix of several Hindi, English and Telugu words doesn’t usually make a good song.
• Yedho Yedho is repeated in the album, this time a slightly different version. Not that easy to find the difference from its clone. This one is stretched for 17 more seconds though.
• Ninne Ninne is the best of the lot. Chitra’s voice, Sirivennela’s lyrics and Manisharma’s music for a Krishnavamsi film. Manasichchina Nechcheli Muchchata Pachchaga Pandincha Raavaa. A song that stays with you for a while. Halfway through the song, you hear the BGM of Vastaadu Naa Raju Ee Roju from Alluri Sitarama Raju, blended well with this tune. A very refreshing number.

Overall, this is a decent album.

After a long time we have a Bapu film releasing and at least for folks like me, it is an eager wait for the audio album.

There are only five songs in the album and the first four songs metamorph (?) before they end. The songs turn from nostalgic to pathos (Yelo Yelo Uyyala), from conversation to a good melody (Omkaaram Vankara), from nostalgic to pathos again (Kalagantine Amma Kalagantine), from a group song to appagintala paata (Aaku Vakka). The last song (Potti Devudandi) is a very well sung teasing song, in the lines of Kottha devudandi from the movie Rajadhiraju, the 1980 Bapu film. This time though, the Satan is replaced by a politician :-).

The lyrics show some good use of words:

• The word vankara, which is usually taken in negative sense now-a-days, gets its original positive context in the song.
• Kalaganti nijamanti kalagantine
• Maa… dhanaa… dhanaa…. dhudu: while apparently teasing a politician.
• Andamaina Aadapilla Aakaram Vankara: Makes me smile everytime I hear this line.
• Mugguru Okkaramai Muddhula Muggesinatlu: Wow!

Vidyasagar’s music is reasonably good. Choice of singers is good, except for Sadhana Sargam. Chitra would have done a better Yelo Yelo Uyyala.

In recent times, this is the only commercial movie without a duet. Just FYI.
Overall, the songs are of occasional brilliance and fit for the context of the movie. May not standout as an audio album on its own merits.
BTW, they should have taken better care while printing the CD Jacket. There are few typos (in Telugu) in the names of lyricists and singers: Veturi, Sadhana Sargam and SP Sailaja. May be Bapu and Ramana didn’t have a chance to review the CD jacket.

I read about this HDMI switch this morning. That one looks great! Back in 2000, I bought a Sony RCA-AV/S-Video manual switch for US$69.99, to route my DVD, VCR and few other devices to one single TV input. I still use that one (and a similar one) for two purposes. The first one is to route the AV signals of VCR, DVD, cable box and X-Box360 (or direct play from my digital camera) to my TV. The second one is to route the audio of my TV, DVD and VCR to my BOSE wave radio. The problem is that they are manual switches and I use them only when I switch to a movie on DVD/VCR from my cable signal, so no issues overall. But having a remote control helps, especially in gaming scenarios. I have only one HDMI device so far, so I am not yet bit by the need for a HDMI switch yet. Having such product in market makes me feel comfortable for future purchases though.

Disclaimer: I haven’t listened to the songs of the Kannada original, so I may miss giving the credit where it is actually due.

Lyrics for all songs of this movie are penned by Sirivennela. That sets the right expectations for you and I don’t think you would be disappointed with this album.

• Akasaganga: This song seems to be theme song of the movie. A first rate song by Karthik. Kanubomma Villetthi Oo Navvu Visiraave, Chilakamma Gontetti Teeyanga Kasiraave. That gives you a glimpse of the poetic nature of the song.
• Eduta Nilichindi Choodu: Another great song by Karthik. Nijam laanti ee swapnam ela patti aapaali? Kele aithe aa nijam ela thattukovali? Somehow, I get the feel of listening to Aakasame, mouna veenagaa part in Chukkala Pallakilo, the popular Chiranjeevi song in 80s.
• Dolare: This is a Bhangra style number in the voice of Ranjith. The noisiest number of the album.
• Ventapaduthundi Choodu: This is a pathos number by Chitra to the tune of the second song of the album. A short one at a length of 72 seconds.
• Unnatta Lenatta: Ranjith again. His voice is very good here. This song is interlaced with some rap and is a good fast number.
• Moothi Muduchukunnadi Muvvanti Maina: Mallikharjun at his recent best. Reminds you of SPB’s songs in 60s and 70s. At more than six minutes, this is a very long song and may test your patience. Stays in top three of the album. Uyyalake ulukochchindata odilonchi nuvu digi vellavani, Patteela aduge aligindata chettekkadam maanukunnavani. Another great one from Sirivennela.
• Akasaganga: Pathos version of earlier song. Another one minute song.
• Sirimalle Vaana: Surprisingly, this is the only duet of the movie and makes the album a very different one from the current day rest. The tune is taken from the Chalam’s popular song Kurisindi Vaana, Naa Gundelona, Nee Choopule Jalluga. Use of too many instruments impacts shadows the good voices of Ranjith and Chitra. This song could have been better. At least it could have started better (take out the first 16 seconds or better yet, 35 seconds.)

Music by Kamalakar. Overall, this is a very good audio album in recent times.

Here are recent Audio CDs I bought for the festive season.

• Taare Zamin Par
• Krishna
• Krishnarjuna
• Okka Magaadu
• Pourudu
• Swaagatam
• Vaana

A few words about the packaging of the album: Two CDs are crammed in a tight space and I don’t like those scratches. Luckily, the scratches are on the black parts of the CD. I don’t really require that free CD, so use that space to put some decent packing material instead.

This much awaited Manisharma album is in the market recently and I grabbed a copy today. Listened to the songs a couple of times and felt like writing a review.

The longest song of the album is of 4 minutes and 49 seconds. That means the songs are short and sweet.

• Khabaddharani: Penned by Sitaramasastry, this song is typical solo song of the hero. The lyrics highlight the “I am a tough guy” fact that you ought to know about the hero, even if you already know about it. :-). The lyrics are good, but this sort of song would make you pay more attention to the beats and filming than to the lyrics. The beats are good. Voices of Naveen and Rahul are apt.
• Gona Gona Gona Gonannanaana: A duet by Naveen and Rita penned by Chandrabose. A good duet that will leave the success to the hands of the film rather than pulling the album by itself.
• Satyam Emito: Sitaramasastry’s neat work and definitely the best in the album. One fact I like about Mahesh’s movies is there is always a class song that depicts the state of the mind, fits the situation and make you relish the song better after you watch the movie. (Like Galagala Paaruthunna Godaarila in Pokiri and Neetho Cheppana in Athadu.) This song has such potential. The lyrics hint a misunderstanding between the hero and heroine. Take these lyrics for example: Chandrudi edalo mantani, vennela anukuntaarani or Ninu neeve sarigaa kanalede manasaa. Very good depiction of the state of the mind when one’s past still haunts him/her. The voices are of Deepu and Usha.
• Kilaadi Koona: Somehow I feel like I am listening to a AR Rehaman song, especially from the Boys movie, when I listen to this song. The occasional Mexican tunes and Tabla mix may confuse you for a few seconds. Lyrics by Viswa have more English words than Telugu words and are in the form of a dialogue than a song. Voices of Karthik and Rita are ok for this energetic number. This song has all the qualities required to be a hit among young audience.
• Ratraina naaku OK, Pagalaina naaku OK: The must have item number. Felt like I am listening to a much laboured M-TV track. Music is good, but the lyrics by Bhaskarabhatla are to the lines of, as expected, item numbers. I am surprised by the lyrics for the male voice: they are more threatening 🙂 the girl than luring her. BTW, remember that soft tune from Alluri Seetarama Raju, Vastaadu Naa Raju Ee Roju? That classic tune is given a item number twist for a few seconds in this song. Gives an example of how you can twist an old classic. Despite all that, this is one of the best item numbers in the recent times and I love the variation in the voice of Anushka. Renjith did a decent job.
• Valla Valla Ee Chinukilla: A good duet by Rahul and Dharmana. The tune takes a lot of variations through out the song and I loved every bit of it. There is no dull moment, but there is no super duper moment too.

Overall, this album is a potential hit and will add to the success of the movie if the movie is any good. That is typical Manisharma. Buy your copy and enjoy!