The Lover's Lament in 'KK'

 

The years between 1997 and 2001 saw some interesting transitions in the music albums of Kollywood, owed in large parts to one magician, A R Rahman. Ever since his scintillating 1992 feature film debut with Roja, Rahman’s music became an outlet for intangible emotions.

It became synonymous with that overcast October evening sky in Chennai, waiting to drench the unsuspecting and anxious crowd with a cloud burst of rain before passing as if nothing else happened. It became the music equivalent of the multi-flavoured ‘rasna’ popsicles that would go out of stock within fifteen minutes of being opened for sale. It was the calming breeze that wafted from somewhere, carrying tales unknown, only to caress us and enrich itself with one more tale to carry forward.

Rahman’s music became a common language that understood so many people.

It was perhaps the absoluteness of his music that lyrics were not strictly necessary to convey the emotion, but would definitely add beauty like dessert to a full dinner platter.

Of his many albums in this period, Kandukondain Kandukondain became my second favourite (the first being Alaipayuthey). It was late in the first decade of the millennium when I began enjoying these songs, having been blissfully unaware of them when they were released. But I could not deny that once they came into my playlists, these songs always enjoyed the top spots!

The cult classic was already a testament to decent filmmaking – there is nothing much to add about this Rajiv Menon offering that has not already been discussed. But discussing the beauty of this song without a little background would be amiss.

Meenakshi (a charming Aishwarya Rai) is on the cusp of a major realisation as a sharp shooting pain lances through a mental fog she had comfortably cocooned herself in. Just as her fledging career sprouts wings, right before recording her very first song, she discovers a truth that makes her starry-eyed dreams fall around her as if even the celestial truth has deserted her.

The singer who was praised for bringing emotion even to the pathos in the chorus suddenly finds herself the lead singer, having to emote the pain of the loss of a loved one. The words flow, and there is no simple way to sing about the endless search for what once was, and what may never be.

And Rahman probably did not need much prompting to bring this emotion alive with his music. Aptly aided by the beautiful lines in Tamil, Engey Enadhu Kavidhai came to be, and it went on its happy journey to capture millions of hearts.

Even with people who had not felt romantic love yet in their lives, this song evoked the pain of loss, of the pointlessness of searching for what was only a nice dream. It spoke of the ache of holding on, of the power of letting go, of the incredible courage to choose oneself above the promises lighting up a mind like a passing meteor.

K S Chitra crooned her words, and many tears were discreetly wiped.

மாலை அந்திகளில் மனதின் சந்துகளில் தொலைந்த முகத்தை மனம் தேடுதே

வெய்யில் தார் ஒழுகும் நகர வீதிகளில் மையல் கொண்டு மலர் வாடுதே

மேகம் சிந்தும் இரு துளியின் இடைவெளியில் துருவி துருவி உன்னை தேடுதே

உடையும் நுரைகளிலும் தொலைந்த காதலனை உருகி உருகி மனம் தேடுதே

Where would you search for lost love?

Would you search inwards, in the niches and pockets of your heart?

Would you wilt in the midday sun, chasing your own shadow?

Would you seek a scent, a breath, a caress of your beloved in the raindrops that drench you?

Would you seek an imprint of their presence in the transitory flimsiness of a water bubble?

It is a tough tug of war between the lines and the music here when it comes to the question of which represented the ephemeral nature of that thedal.

The search was poignantly portrayed with the strangely uplifting nature of the music, despite being strictly pathos. And it was aided by the lilting lament of poetry that wove in seamlessly with each beat.

Engey Enadhu Kavidhai did not require the listeners to have loved and lost. It only spoke of that one epiphany that everyone is bound to have at some point in their lives. It spoke of Hiraeth, and maybe a little about the futility of letting your love clash with logic!

And won’t everyone know which one would win that war?