99 tamil movie review

99 Review: Nostalgia rekindled in this faithful remake of 96

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

The beauty of screenplay, storytelling, performance and direction all came together in the Tamil movie, 96 . It is no wonder then that Preetham Gubbi has stayed true to the original in this largely faithful remake.

Cast : Ganesh, Bhavana, Shamikshaa, Hemanth, Ravi Shankar Gowda Director : Preetham Gubbi

The original story by C Prem Kumar was a standout. The biggest challenge Preetham faced was not just replicating it but also casting the right actors. In this regard, he has not erred as Ganesh and Bhavana prove they were cut out for this romantic story.

The film revolves around Ramachandra Thirthahalli aka Ram (Ganesh), a freelance photographer. After a visit to his high school, his '99 batch plans a reunion. During the get together, he meets his school sweetheart, Janaki aka Jaanu (Bhavana). While both were in love during their school days, they never expressed their feelings to each other and ultimately, circumstances tore them apart.

The rest of the story goes back and forth, from school and college days to the present, showcasing their love and encounters, marriage to others, and their longing for each other. The magic of screenplay is crucial for such a subject, and Preetham Gubbi succeeds in captivating the audience in this conversational romantic drama. 

He also recreates the freshness of the original with elan. A relatable story of long lost love,  99  is elevated by the music by Arjun Janya. All the songs -- Heege Doora, Navilugari, Aniurthide, Nee Gnyapaka -- are soulful and are neatly woven into the story. It sets the right mood, and is captured beautifully by cinematographer Santhosh Rai Pathaje.

Ganesh is the perfect lead and stands out with his expressions and emotions. The script demands the actor get the right feel of longing for his beloved, and Ganesh delivers exactly this. Sagacity, innocence, courage, hesitation, craving -- all of these are blended in the right proportion in his acting. Adding a physical transformation on top of these is proof of the actor’s exemplary dedication.

Bhavana, who shares an equal amount of screen space, matches Ganesh’s performance in every way. Her expressions of love and pain, and the way she portrays a married woman rekindling her lost love are all well crafted.

School days and happy memories are mostly brought through Samikshaa and Hemanth, who play Bhavana and Ganesh's younger versions. Watching them is akin to taking a nostalgic trip to our own good old days. The episodes with the relationship calculator (Flames), the ink mark, preserving memories with dried flower kept between pages -- all take you back in time. Ravi Shankar Gowda, P D Satish and Jyothi Rai, who are part of this relatively small cast, bind the knots between the lead characters.  

99 is a beautiful story of the pangs of a long lost love, and it's one that's made for both the young and the old.

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99 Songs movie review: AR Rahman film thoughtfully embraces the theatrical musical genre

Ehan Bhat’s impassioned performance in 99 Songs complements AR Rahman and the director’s vision

A story and production by composer AR Rahman will, characteristically, be a musical. The narrative of this romantic drama is fused together with not 99 but 14 songs. The story of a struggling musician with a tragic backstory determined to overcome a challenge in order to be worthy of the approval of his lover’s wealthy father is as old as the hills.

Rahman’s story and Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy’s screenplay (the latter also directs) follows the tropes of the genre suffusing a tested narrative with visual spectacle, drama and heartfelt performances by lead actors Ehan Bhat who plays composer-singer Jay and Edilsy Vargas as the mute Sophia.

Jay believes one song can change the world but the unspeaking Sophia’s businessman father disagrees. Sophia is a mute spectator to her life as her father Mr Singhania (Ranjit Barot) sets Jay a seemingly insurmountable task – compose 100 songs before I let you marry my daughter. Singhania’s attitude is commonplace – artistic pursuits are often regarded as inferior and indulgent.

Haunted by his own father’s disregard and dislike of musical pursuits, accompanied by his college friend (Tenzin Dalha), the conflicted Jay embarks on a journey that takes him into musically charged Shillong. A pianist and singer, Jay is no purist. He uses technology to compose and learns from all those around.

As Sophia suffers silently, Jay’s world opens up to new musical influences, colourful characters and a glittering jazz scene. Each scenario is boosted by Rahman’s score and songs. There’s a beautiful musical piece where Jay is talking about his journey into music through the sounds and rhythms of India.

Look past the occasionally overworked lyrics and 99 Songs takes you by surprise. Ehan Bhat’s impassioned performance, as the lost soul seeking solace in his music, complements Rahman and Krishnamoorthy’s vision. On the flipside, in her own life story, Sophia is a woman without agency. She’s the delicate girl who finds expression in her art, but she’s also the victim who can’t fight back.

Rahul Ram, Lisa Ray and Manisha Koirala play characters who nudge along Jay’s story. Krishnamoorthy’s sweeping and fantastical visualisation is supported by the cinematography (Tanay Satam and James Cowley) and production design (Aparna Raina) and Rahman’s songs are sung by Sashwat Singh as Jay’s singing voice.

This is Rahman unfettered by studios and someone else’s vision. It’s a collaborative creation that thoughtfully embraces the theatrical musical genre.

99 Songs released in cinemas today in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Rating: ***

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99 (I) (2019)

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99 SONGS (TAMIL) SONGS REVIEW CLICK TO RATE THE SONGS

2020 was an unforgettable year for so many reasons and we all learnt and evolved as individuals. Musically too, it was a fantastic year as new faces and voices emerged and music was no longer left to the domination of a few. Having said that, it was thankfully a year which saw some amazing comeback trails by legends and "99 songs" is a testament to that truth. AR Rahman has conquered every musical peak and he has nothing to prove to anyone, yet he comes up with an album of more than a dozen songs and that too of enviable quality, reminding us of his hey-days.

In fact, when the album was released back in March 2020, it turned out to be a great tonic against the monotony and the dejection of COVID-19 and lockdowns. Now, the whole album has been recreated with songs written and sung in Tamil and the first thing we notice is that unlike in Hindi, where it was Shashwat Singh, who had a lion's share of the vocal duties, here, there are more than six male vocalists. The next important credit to pay is to lyricists Vivek, Madhan Karky, Kabilan, Thamarai, Pa. Vijay, Kutti Revathi, who have done a fabulous job of recreating the original magic as it is never easy to write for a song, let alone an album, which is hugely popular in another language.

Naalai Naalai Singer: Benny Dayal Lyrics: Vivek When we had done the musical review of the best Indian songs back in March 2020, Nayee Nayee was in the top five in the country and was picked as a favourite from the album. The song had something about which sounded relatively fresh compared to the others. The stanza was lovely and how it uses tabla amidst all the western instrumental pieces and style. Singing by Shashwat was definitely a highlight and the track reminds us of a song from the album "Jaane tu ya Jaane na". This version is sung by Benny Dayal and who better to pick when you want the output to have some grooviness and oomph. Somehow the Hindi version felt better sounding but that could be simply because we have all heard the original way too many times. The highlight of the track is when the guitar leads the beginning of the stanza and the tabla sounds off in the background layer. This is sure to keep playing in college fests as a mind-blowing anthem especially as the lyrics glorify those years.

Jwalamukhi Singers: Poorvi Koutish, Sarthak Kalyani Lyrics: Karky     Here AR Rahman doesn't want to experiment with a new singer and why would he when the song is entirely owned by Poorvi Koutish no matter what the language. She reaches scales and uses vibrato that not too many would be comfortable with and it is Sarthak Kalyani instead of Shashwat Singh here in Tamil. The vocals are the highlight period. Rahman employs his famed creative ways of upping the scale at the end of fag end of the track and it always works for him.

Punnagai Maayai Singers: Abhay Jodhpurkar, Shashaa Tirupati Lyrics: Thamarai, Kabilan   Abhay Jodhpurkar can elevate the quality of the song, thanks to his great vocal texture and that is precisely what he does here, in this slow ballad and although it is not the best track of the album, it has its moments where it touches your heart deeply, thanks to even the beautifully structured and performed humming by Shashaa.

Vaa Vengaiye Singers: Sarthak Kalyani, Swagat Rathod, Srinisha Jayaseelan, ThoughtsforNow Lyrics: Pa Vijay, ThoughtsforNow  This is a short track that is sung by the same performers as in Hindi and reflective of a Bhangra style song mixed with some synth pop. Srinisha Jayaseelan comes on board in the Tamil version along with Sarthak Kalyani, Swagat Rathod and thoughts for now. Rahman fuses some rap bits as well and in certain segments, the track reminds of that that track "Dol dol" from Ayutha Ezhuthu.

Jwalamukhi (Reprise) Singer: Sid Sriram Lyrics: Karky Just like Arijit Singh was picked to sing the Hindi version, here it is South India's busiest male singer doing the honours in Sid Sriram. There is a world of difference in the two versions in the same album itself, as Poorvi sings with high energy and passion almost like ripping her heart out, Sid delivers a more composed calm version like a man in pain. Sid also explores his lower scale singing something that he's not offered to do by most composers. Music lovers might pick Poorvi's version any day, purely because of the energy and the superlative singing.

The Voice without words Singer: Poorvi Koutish Lyrics: Navneet Virk.  This track is just a repeat version used unchanged like the way it appeared in the original in the voice of Poorvi Koutish and lyrics are by Navneet Virk.

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REVIEW RATING EXPLANATION

பிரேக்கிங் சினிமா செய்திகள், திரை விமர்சனம், பாடல் விமர்சனம், ஃபோட்டோ கேலரி, பாக்ஸ் ஆபிஸ் செய்திகள், ஸ்லைடு ஷோ, போன்ற பல்வேறு சுவாரஸியமான தகவல்களை தமிழில் படிக்க இங்கு கிளிக் செய்யவும்      

OTHER SONGS REVIEWS

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99 Songs (Tamil) (aka) Ninety Nine Tamil Songs

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99 Songs Movie Review: AR Rahman 99 Songs Tamil Movie Review by Galatta

• 16 Apr 2021
• Release Date: 16 Apr 2021

99 Songs Movie Cast & Crew

Legendary composer A.R.Rahman's debut film as a producer and story writer, 99 Songs has released today. The film, which is directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, features newcomers Ehan Bhatt and Edilsy Vargas in the lead roles. Here is what we think about the film. 

99 Songs is the story of a young musician, Jay (Ehan Bhatt) who embarks on a journey to rediscover himself and the sounds around him. He is put in a situation to prove his belief which is - one song can change the world. However, during his musical journey, he goes through a lot of problems, struggles, fights, accidents, mental pressures, and more. Did he manage to defeat all the problems that came his way and succeed as a musician, forms the plot. 

99 Songs is a visual spectacle, right from the word go. Cinematographers Tanay Satam and James Cowley deliver outstanding work and the visuals look poetic and splendid. The treatment of the film is stylish and Rahman's production value is grand. At the same time, it feels like the real essence of the plot or the screenplay got faded due to the ultimately stylized treatment.

The true hero of 99 Songs is undoubtedly A.R.Rahman's music. The legendary composer's music transports you into a new world and it is an experience, by itself. Be it, 'Oor Aayiram Vaanavil, 'Sofia', 'Jwalamukhi', 'Naalai Naalai', or 'Punnagai Maayai', the songs sound fresh and elevates the emotions beautifully. The story and scenes of 99 Songs are driven by the music and Rahman's work is magical. 

Director Gautham Vasudev Menon has written the dialogues for the Tamil version and he does a fair job. G.V.Prakash Kumar, who has dubbed for Ehan Bhatt's character, adds more strength to the lead character with his neat modulations and control over the craft. 

Ehan Bhatt, as Jay, delivers an earnest performance and he has made a promising debut indeed. Ehan manages to showcase his emotions through his eyes and his acting is one of the positives of the movie. Edilsy Vargas is decent as Sofia, but fails to leave an impact as an actor. The character is also not strongly written. Tenzin Dalha, as Jay's friend, Polo is impressive and he is well supported by VJ Abishek Raaja, who has dubbed for the character in Tamil. Manisha Koirala, Lisa Ray, Ranjit Barot, and others do their part well in the limited scope that they get. 

On the downside, in a film of this kind, emotions are important and those emotions don't hit you at the right points. You could not empathize with Jay during his lows. More effective execution and packaging could have made 99 Songs appeal more. The pace of the film is quite slow and the film does not have the required high moments to engage the audience. The visuals of the songs are treated like independent music videos and it disconnects you from the film. Also, the political angle to the story looks out of place and doesn't go along well with a movie of this kind. 

Verdict: A.R.Rahman's top-class music and splendid visuals make 99 Songs a good watch! 

Galatta Rating: ( 2.75 /5.0 )

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• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

99 Songs Tamil Movie

99 Songs is a 2021 Indian movie directed by Vishwesh Krishnamurthy starring Ehan Bhat, Edilsy Vargas, Lisa Ray and Manisha Koirala. The feature film is produced by A R Rahman and the music composed by A R Rahman.

Director: Vishwesh Krishnamurthy Producer: A R Rahman Music Director: A R Rahman Song Lyrics Writers: Navneet Virk, Munna Shaukat Sound Designer: Krishnan Subramanian Cinematographers: Tanay Satam, James Cowley Editors: Akshay Mehta, Shreyas Beltangdy Art Designer: Aparna Raina Screenplay Writer: Vishwesh Krishnamurthy Original Story Writer: A R Rahman

'99 songs' movie review: This musical misses a lot of notes

It is app ropriate that AR Rahman has written the story of 99 songs. The film works on the belief that “music is the last surviving magic in the world” and who better than Rahman to try and prove it. With 99 Songs, the ace composer, with help from screenwriter and director Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, aims to proclaim that music can change the world. While there is no doubt that this lofty ideal is heartwarming, the translation of the same on screen doesn’t quite cut it. 99 Songs is essentially about a gifted musician finding it in himself to compose 100 songs to reclaim the love of his life.

Both the reason for his reclamation and the love story at the centre of it all are flimsy. If one can’t empathise with the lovers in a love story, there’s a problem. When we meet Jay (Ehan Bhat in a promising debut) and Sophia (Edilsy Vargas), they are already headover- heels in love. Jay is a musician, and Sophia, who is mute, is an acclaimed painter. Their worlds have seemingly met already. The writers choose to waste no time in the meet-cutes and wooing, but 99 Songs is a film that might have actually benefitted from some of that. The blossoming of this love story would have lent a lot of poignancy considering the complexities of their equation.

Meanwhile, what the film does expand upon beautifully is the friendship between Jay and Polo (an assured Tenzin Dalha). Right from Jay standing up for Polo when the latter faces racial abuse in college, to Polo opening the doors of his Shillong house to facilitate Jay’s quest for 100 songs, their friendship is the lifeline of the film. In fact, it is Polo’s actions that have a bigger bearing on Jay’s life than Sophia’s. It is in these Shillong portions that we are introduced to Lisa Ray and Manisha Koirala, who play thankless cameos just to further Jay’s journey.

At least, Lisa’s jazz singer Sheela has a song where she exudes a whole lot of pizzazz. Manisha, on the other hand, is criminally underutilised as the head of a rehab centre. Interestingly, it is in Shillong that we also see Rahman bring to screen his long-standing grudge against musicians being painted as druggies or alcoholics. Jay refuses to smoke up or drink and still manages to write 100 songs. While there is a lot of clarity with regards to the character arc of Jay, and to an extent, Polo, the others are disappointingly one-note. 99 Songs is also about two fathers with contrasting, yet weirdly similar takes on music. If Jay’s father pulls off a Abhimaan Amitabh Bachchan to wrest music away from a young Jay, Sophia’s father wants his prospective son-in-law to approach music more as a business and not as passion.

These layers don’t really add up to give us a coherent film. The biggest strength of 99 Songs is the cinematography of Tanay Satam and James Cowley. Their mesmerising visuals bring in a magical quality to the film, which aspires to be a mythical musical. Be it the song sequences or the dream world inhabited by Jay, or even Sophia suddenly tapping into her inner gothness, the play with colours in 99 Songs keeps afloat its rather wafer-thin plot. The visuals also do an excellent job of enhancing the other strength of the film the music.

However, the visual extravaganza acts more as a standalone feature rather than cohering with the narrative. While the tale of a tortured soul going around the world to create music has been seen in quite a few films, some with Rahman’s music itself, 99 Songs does manage to pique our interest. However, in the search of that ‘one song to change our world’, 99 Songs swaps ingenuity for incredulity. When the simple love story at the centre is forgotten to drum in the message about the power of music, the film loses its bearings.

While there is no doubt that music does have the power to heal and to bring in a change and a lot more, the suspension of disbelief 99 Songs demands in the climactic portionsproves to be a bit too much. Riddled with questionable narrative choices but impressive visuals, 99 Songs still has a lot going for it. With raw performers with a lot of talent, a stellar support cast, and Rahman’s brilliant music, 99 Songs could have been the Rockstar of our times. But courtesy a few missteps, it falls into that special category of Rahman films that we often see crop up on social media — films that don’t quite do justice to Rahman’s music.

Director: Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy Cast: Ehan Bhat, Edilsy Vargas, Tenzin Dalha, Manisha Koirala, Lisa Ray

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99 Songs: Film receives positive review as celebs pour wishes for AR Rahman movie

AR Rahman's maiden film as a writer and producer, 99 Songs releases today, and celebrities pour their wishes for the movie team via Twitter.

Key Highlights

• 99 songs is a musical romance starring newcomers Ehan Bhat and Edilsy Vargas
• The film is directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy with the script having been written by AR Rahman 
• The makers of the film held a celebrity premiere on April 15 at a theatre in Chennai

AR Rahman’s film 99 songs has released today across theaters and ccelebrities from  the industry are wishing the Academy Award winning composer the best for his maiden film as a writer and producer. 

99 songs is a musical romance starring newcomers Ehan Bhat and Edilsy Vargas. The film is directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy with the script having been written by Rahman himself.. 

The film hitt theatres in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Actor Dhanush shared his best wishes for AR Rahman for the success of 99 Songs.  He wrote on Twitter, “ Here’s wishing @arrahman sir for his mega movie #99Songs which hits theatres today. Can’t wait to witness the magic of Rahman sir. Also wishing the entire cast and crew all the very best”. 

Actor Rajinikanth’s daughter and director Soundarya Rajinikanth wished the team and wrote, “ Here’s wishing my forever dearest and most respected @arrahman sir for his movie #99Songs ... you are gods child sir and anything you do will be only pure gold I’m sure”.

Singer Shreya Ghoshal wished Rahman the best and went on to predict that the film is going to be a grand and emotional musical experience for all.

“All the best @arrahman for a big premiere show and wishing the film, the team and my dear friend arrahman all the success for 99Songs," wrote Director Rajiv Menon.

Apart from them few other members of the film fraternity also wished the team of 99 Songs. Some of the tweets are as below. 

The makers of the film held a celebrity premiere on April 15 at a theatre in Chennai and many actors including Simbu, Vijay Sethupathi, Keerthy Suresh, among others attended the event. 

Directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy the film is already receiving some positive reviews, while the songs from the film have already reached 1 million-plus views on YouTube. 

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99 Movie Review: A Copy-Paste Remake That Fizzles Out Due To Shoddy Performances

Language: Kannada

Cast: Bhavana, Ganesh

Director: Preetham

96 , the Tamil romantic drama, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha, hit the screens in the first week of October, 2018. And within seven months, its Kannada remake, featuring Ganesh and Bhavana, has occupied the theatres in Karnataka and other areas. This isn't a record to boast about since the story remains the same and the screenplay, for which director Preetham Gubbi takes credit, is a copy-paste from the original. The dialogues, too, feels translated from Tamil to Kannada.

Remakes are a hard nut to crack, for there are expectations to match and a general itch to inch ahead of the original. When Mungaru Male , the blockbuster Kannada film that put Ganesh on the map of stars, was remade in other languages, a similar pall of gloom had enveloped the minds of enraged movie buffs. Its Telugu remake, Vaana , had the same elements, yet nobody wanted to watch it. Now, history has repeated itself, but, this time, Ganesh is at the receiving end.

99 , with a few categorical changes, starting with the title and the protagonists' costumes, feels like an emotionless remake even though Ramachandra Thirthahalli (Ganesh) and Janaki Nagaraj (Bhavana) call it a night amidst tears of sorrow.

Also Read: Baradwaj Rangan's Review of 96

Two high school students—played by Hemanth (young Ramachandra) and Samikshaa (young Janaki)—in Thirthahalli navigate through the corridors of first love and feelings of jubilation and despair as they begin to unwrap the gifts presented by adolescence. Here, Janaki is a singer, named after the " Naguva Nayana " crooner S. Janaki, and Hemanth is a shy boy who doesn't quite know how to put his thoughts into words.

When they drift apart due to reasons that are beyond their control and come face-to-face twenty years later, in Bengaluru, the different truths that had led them down unhappy paths crumble. Theirs was a relationship that didn't involve cuddling, or even the simple act of expressing their affection for each other. It doesn't mean that the connection they had was flimsy. In fact, it goes on to prove that there are people in this world who are okay with not moving on (a rare quality indeed).

But what 99 doesn't get is the silent score that drives such narratives. By score, I'm not pointing at the background score; it's rather the mood that I'm underlining. The scenes where Ram jumps into panic mode the minute Janaki gets close don't dance to the tunes of humor. They become a farce as if Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) has possessed him.

All the gestures, including dialogue-delivery, are inspired by 96 , so these actors don't own their characters – Samikshaa is an exception; h er feistiness when she shoos away her college mate, in one of the scenes set in a women's college, thinking that a Roadside Romeo has sent her a message stands as the highlight for me.

This is a film that's supposed to be entirely built on music and melancholy. There's a bit of the latter here and there; however, there's nothing fantastical about Arjun Janya's music. None of lyricist Kaviraj's lines enters the boundaries set by Uma Devi's mesmerizing metaphor, " Thaabangale Roobangalaai, Padudhe, Thodudhe (Yearnings Take Shape And Touch Me)," or the genius of these precious words, " Iravingu Theevaai, Namai Chooluthae; Vidiyalum Irulaai Varuthe (The Night, Like An Island, Is Circling Us; Even The Break Of Dawn Seems Like Darkness).

Maybe if 99 were an original film, Arjun's lackluster tunes could have earned an above-average tag, but when there's a bar to reach, this can't be the output. And, for an actor who gained popularity by playing various versions of Devdas (in portions of Gaalipata and Mugulu Nage , too), this could have been child's play if Gubbi had allowed Ganesh to channelize his own energy instead of making him ape Vijay Sethupathi. Even after a decade, the climax of Mungaru  Male leaves a lump in my throat and a hole in my heart, but 99's ending didn't move me. I sat there analyzing the leads' vacant goodbyes, and not for a moment did I raise my hand to wipe my absent tears.

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99 Songs Tamil Music Review

PUBLISHED DATE : 27/Mar/2021

Ramesh Kannan S

99 Songs is an upcoming Hindi movie written and Produced by Rahman himself with the debutant Ehan Bhat. The Hindi version of the musical extravaganza released last year and the Tamil/Telugu version of the album released recently. The album is definitely one of Rahman's best and more importantly wholesome soundtrack in recent times. Rahman set the right balance with the good old melodies as well as experimental unconventional structures.

Oor Aayiram Vaanavil:  Rahman opted for Shashwat Singh as a lead singer who crooned 5 songs in the Hindi version but the composer opted for different singers in the Tamil version. Rahman handed over the delightful Oor Aayiram Vaanavi l to Vijay Yesudas and he aces the rendition impeccably. The haunting melody is supported by Keba Jeremiah's Guitar and splendid vocal harmonies. The track reaches crescendo around 3 minutes mark and the Vijay Yesudas brings the memories of the wonderful Chithirai Nila with the choral hymns set to the tune of Sai Shirdi Sai.

Sai Shirdi Sai:  Sai Shirdi Sai which Rahman released as a single for the new year in 2019 and he reused the same song without any modification. Though the tune doesn't work as a standalone, Bela Shende's earnest rendition backed by Sai Saravanam's Tabla work makes this one soothing listen.

Aagaaya Neelangali:  Bela Shende crooned the Hindi version of Aagaaya Neelangalil , a sweet lullaby that gets further enriched by Shreya Goshal's saccharine-coated vocals. Rahman kept the arrangements simple with Shreya taking the center stage backed by Naveen Kumar's lovely flute bits. Thamarai's selection of words makes this one an immersive listening experience.

Naalai Naalai and Vaa Vengaiye:  Naalai Naalai turns out to be a conventional Pop affair backed by Ranjit Barot's live band but the tune is strictly an average one prodded by Benny Dayal's sprightly rendition. The inclusion of the lovely Tabla bit in the first interlude is a nice touch from the composer in an otherwise underwhelming song where Vivek's lyrics also stays low .

Vaa Vengaiye is another fast-paced song in the album with the uncanny Maaro Maaro vibes dominated by the punchy percussions but the track hardly works.

Sofia:   Sreekanth Hariharan who gets to croon Unakaga for Rahman sings one of the best songs in the album Sofia. The tune has an expansive lush melody and the composer packed the song with lovely harmonies which reach a crescendo towards the end with the title hook. Keba Jeremiah once again supports with the gentle guitar strums and Rahman packs the punch with the harmonies intermittently.

Poyisonna Posikiduven:  Karky's awkward lyrics for the tune make one prefer Poyisonna Posikiduven 's Hindi version, but still, the track is immensely enjoyable for the sheer brilliance displayed by Rahman with the Jazzy arrangements while Randy Kerber did a fab job behind the piano. Shashaa Tirupati's riotous singing is definitely the highlight of this album.

Punnagai Maayai:  Shashaa Tirupati is part of another terrific song Punnagai Maayai where the lovely interplay between Shashaa's humming and Rahman's Piano is enough to grab the listener's attention. Abhay Jodhpurkar tops up this stupendous arrangement with the splendid rendition of an engaging melody.

Nee Illa Naanum:  Nee Illa Naanum starts off with the haunting piano solo while Haricharan kicks in with the decent melody and the tune is a delightful throwback to Rahman's early years. The slight classical tinged tune accompanied by the orchestral strings makes this one an engaging listen though the track has nothing extraordinary to offer.

Jwalamukhi: Jwalamukhi despite featuring Arijit Singh in Hindi and Sid Sriram in Tamil, the tune is a relatively weak one contrary to popular opinion . Sid Sriram trumps when compared to Hindi version with his low register vocals and the singer's trademark high notes makes this one an adequately engaging one. The track's duet version Poorvi Koutish's buoyant singing backed by punchy arrangements with the synth soundscape prods the tune to some extent.

Seemanthapoo:  Rahman goes full-on classical mode in the final vocal track Seemanthapoo backed by three incredible singers Jonita Gandhi, Sharanya Srinivas, and Shreesha . The delightful classical tune is complemented by the delightful blend of Sarod, sitar, and Shehnai. Kutty Revathi's neat lyrics on Seemantham blends well with the overall tone of the song.

The Oracle and Voice without words:  Rahman ends the musical masterpiece with the two instrumental tracks The Oracle and voice without words. The former has the lead Piano played by Rahman himself starts in a low tone before Budapest Scoring Orchestra kicks in with the blast. Rahman beautifully segues Oor Aayiram Vaanavil with the instrumental track. The latter one doesn't work as the Oracle filled with Poorvi Koutish's whispery narration in the background of hypnotic arrangements.

Rahman's whopping 14 song album is a thoroughly diverse soundtrack from the composer after a long time and the album is filled with delightful melodies backed up by an exceptional set of singers.

Pick of the Album: Oor Aayiram Vaanavil, Aagaya Neelangalil, Sofia, Seemanthapoo, Punnagai Maayai

Also Read: 99 Songs Hindi Music Review

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'Indian 2' review: This Shankar-Kamal Haasan film is relevant for the times we live in

28 years after he first appeared onscreen, Senapathy is back to rid the world of corruption again, and he is more resolute than last time, given that corruption has dug its claws deeper into society. Shankar, a director aware of his craft and known for his ability to take risks, has tried out some new experiments in this film. Unlike in the first part, where Senapathy single-handedly tries to weed out corruption, in 'Indian 2', the director is aware that times have changed and uses social media as a powerful tool. The youth, led by a group of social media influencers, also form a major part of the movie. 'Indian 2' Malayali designer Satheeshan spent 4 months to make a Rs 20 lakh costume Corruption needs to be addressed; however, if not handled properly, the film stands the risk of becoming monotonous and preachy, an issue that affected recent films like 'Jawan'. The first half of 'Indian 2' also falls prey to this as the filmmaker tries to expose the vices in society, almost sounding preachy.

However, the fast-paced scenes and twists in the second half manage to keep the film intact, with most of the story centered on the consequences of the actions taken by the youth in the first half. Sidharth executes his role as Chithra, a young digital media activist, with so much conviction that it's hard to imagine he is 40 years old! The rest of the cast, including Priya Bhavani Shankar, Rakul Preeth Singh, Samutharakani, and Nedumudi Venu, among others, have excellently supported the movie. Kamal Haasan's Senapathy makes his entry towards the later part of the first half, but it is not as effective as the mass entries he had in Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'Vikram'. Probably, this is because Senapathy represents the common man and needed a more grounded build-up. However, the action scenes mostly revolve around the traditional Tamil martial arts form Varma Kalai; some emotional moments and the police chase offer an effective climax to the film and make you look forward to the third part. The songs by Anirudh are good enough but might not seep into you like how A R Rahman's magic worked in the first 'Indian'. The second part is not as futuristic as some of Shankar's previous works but scores because it is a mirror of the present times.

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99 Songs Story

99 songs cast & crew.

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99 Songs News

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About 99 Songs

In this 99 Songs film, Ehan Bhat , Edilsy Vargas played the primary leads.

The 99 Songs was released in theaters on 16 Apr 2021.

The 99 Songs was directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy

Movies like Indian 2 , Vidaa Muyarchi , Maharaja and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The 99 Songs had a runtime of 133 minutes.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by A R Rahman for the movie 99 Songs.

You can watch the 99 Songs movie on Netflix,.

On 21 May 2021 99 Songs was released on the Netflix, platform.

The movie 99 Songs belonged to the Drama,Musical, genre.

99 Songs User Review

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Best & New Tamil Movies of 2024

By Devanshi Basu

The year 2024 is proving to be a blockbuster year for Tamil cinema, with a diverse lineup of films, including Lal Salaam, Garudan, Maharaja, Merry Christmas , and more. From intense action dramas to supernatural thrillers, this year’s releases so far have delivered a mix of emotions, gripping narratives, and stellar performances. Here’s a look at some of the best and newest Tamil movies of 2024 . 

Maharaja marks the 50th film with Vijay Sethupathi as the lead actor. Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, this gripping tale revolves around a barber, Maharaja, whose life takes a dramatic turn when his home is burglarized. The burglars steal something he cryptically calls Lakshmi, leaving everyone puzzled about whether Lakshmi is a person or a valuable item. The plot thickens as Maharaja (played by Vijay Sethupathi) walks into the Pallikaranai police station in Chennai, claiming three thieves broke into his house and stole his Lakshmi.

The plot takes an emotional turn when it is revealed that Lakshmi is an old iron dustbin with sentimental value, having saved his daughter during a fatal accident that killed his wife. Furthermore, the film features two parallel stories, one of which focuses on Anurag Kashyap’s character. With a stellar supporting cast, including Abhirami and Mamta Mohandas, this Tamil movie is rich in emotion and intrigue.

Captain Miller

Captain Miller , featuring Dhanush, premiered on January 12, 2024 , coinciding with Sankranti’s release. Directed by Arun Matheswaran, this Tamil action drama is set in the British Raj era. The story revolves around a former British Army soldier, played by Dhanush, who rebels against the colonizers to protect his home village.

The supporting cast includes Shiva Rajkumar, Aditi Balan, and Priyanka Arul Mohan. Moreover, the Tamil movie has grossed approximately $13 million and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in multiple languages.

Directed by RS Durai Senthilkumar , Garudan features Soori, M. Sasikumar, Unni Mukundan, and Roshini Haripriyan . The film tells the story of Sokkan, an orphan living with sadhus in a temple. He becomes a loyal servant and friend to Karuna, the heir of a once-royal family.

As a politician from Chennai plots to acquire land belonging to the village temple, Sokkan finds himself entangled in a gripping tale of decadence, ego, and betrayal. This Tamil movie’s intense storyline and strong performances make it a notable addition to 2024’s lineup.

Aranmanai 4

Aranmanai 4 , directed by Sundar C, is a supernatural thriller set in a large house in the middle of a forest. The film features Tamannaah Bhatia as Selvi, whose husband suddenly tries to kill her and their children.

After surviving the attack, Selvi’s brother, lawyer Saravanan (played by Sundar C), investigates the mysterious events surrounding the house. The ensemble cast further includes Kovai Sarala, Yogi Babu, VTV Ganesh, and Raashi Khanna. Moreover, this Tamil movie features a mix of horror, comedy, and drama.

Lal Salaam features Rajinikanth in a special cameo appearance alongside Vishnu Vishal as Thirunavukarasu, aka Thiru. Directed by Aishwarya Rajinikanth, the film is set in the fictitious village of Murarbad, known for its religious harmony.

When Thiru injures Samsudeen, causing a rift between the Hindu and Muslim communities, the village’s peace is shattered. The film explores themes of camaraderie, conflict, and reconciliation.

Merry Christmas

Sriram Raghavan’s directorial Merry Christmas is a thriller featuring brand new pair Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. The film follows Albert (Sethupathi) and Maria (Kaif) on a fateful Christmas Eve.

It starts as a seemingly romantic story but turns into a twisted tale of love and suspense. After a chance meeting, Albert ends up in Maria’s apartment, only to find himself caught in a crime scene. This Tamil movie’s blend of romance and mystery makes it a standout release.

When not obsessively writing about anything and everything related to cinema, you can catch her documenting nooks and crannies of Delhi.

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'Indian 2' Review: Kamal Haasan-Shankar film is an emotionless social commentary

'indian 2' review: director shankar's sequel to the 1996 hit film is an uninteresting commentary on worldly issues that are addressed in countless other films. underneath the mess lies a promising idea, which is barely explored..

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• 'Indian 2' hit the theatres today, July 12, in three languages
• The film is a three-hour-long unimaginative social commentary
• Directed by Shankar, the film features Kamal Haasan and Siddharth in lead roles

Cast & Crew

Kamal Haasan

Release Date: 12 Jul, 2024

28 years ago, director Shankar and Kamal Haasan gifted 'Indian' to the Tamil audience, who still celebrate it like it's their own. Almost three decades later, the film (read: corruption) still remains relevant. But, Kamal Haasan and Shankar wanted to bring back Indian thatha (grandfather) aka Senapathy to brush up on all the corrupt activities that we've seen so far in umpteen movies, not just in Tamil cinema but across other languages.

Chitra Aravindan (Siddharth) and his three friends run a YouTube channel called 'Barking Dogs,' which focuses on parodies and political satire. They end their calls with 'Let's bark!' (If you think this is absurd, hold your horses). After realising that their videos, despite receiving lakhs of views, had little impact on the audience, the team starts a campaign called 'Come Back Indian.' According to them, only Indian Thatha, aka Senapathy, could put an end to corruption.

Seeing the trend pick up on social media, Indian thatha makes a comeback. This time, he punishes corrupt individuals in Gujarat, Odisha, and other parts of the country in the most bizarre ways possible. Indian t hatha urges his followers to embrace Gandhian ideology and expose corrupt individuals while he continues to uphold Netaji's ideals. However, this decision soon backfires. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

To put it bluntly, 'Indian 2' is probably the weakest entry in director Shankar's filmography. The film feels like a three-hour WhatsApp forward about the corruption present in all sectors. Bribery is the core of this script. Whether it’s securing a government job or obtaining a tender contract for a granite quarry, money matters. In Shankar's words from 'Sivaji: The Boss': 'The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.'

Now, this is a topic that's been done to death. Shankar makes sure to brush up your knowledge to elaborately show every crime and how the one that orchestrates it dies. However, 'Indian 2' has the most absurd ideas. Like 'Anniyan', the sequel shows Senapathy killing corrupt people with different Varmam (martial art from Kerala) techniques.

Take, for example, a rich man wearing a golden suit who acts like a horse after Senapathy strikes him. Another rich man dies while spitting saliva in an anti-gravity room. Not only do these sequences drag on longer than they should, but they are also ridiculous in how they play out. Even Siddharth's storyline feels artificial and forced. He starts an online campaign in an instant, stages a protest in a flash, and a hundred people join him just like that.

'Indian 2' is weak in every aspect. Underneath the mess, there lies ONE interesting idea. But, by then, the film comes to an end - much to the relief of everyone. Performance-wise, Kamal Haasan speaks Hindi, according to the demography, but has been dubbed in Tamil, which is off-putting. The only portion which gave everyone goosebumps, was when the trailer of 'Indian 3' rolled out in the end credits.

Siddharth oversells his performance, but in an emotional sequence in the second half, he delivers. Priya Bhavani Shankar, Rakul Preet Isngh, Rishikanth, Jagan, and other supporting actors hardly add any value. Bobby Simha, along with his sidekick, the late actor Vivekh, has some scope. The songs by Anirudh Ravichander are forgettable and could easily have been removed. However, certain background music from the first part, scored by AR Rahman, brings back nostalgia.

Sadly, the make-up and prosthetics look much more real in Part 1 than in the sequel. The ideas are redundant, which made 'Indian 2' a dull affair. Logic has no place in 'Indian 2' and the so-called rhyming dialogues remind you of all the mokka (boring) jokes you've cracked in your young days.