Mahanati Audio Review- Telugu (2018)

Movie: Mahanati (2018)

Director: Nag Ashwin

Producer: Priyanka Dutt

Cast: Keerthy Suresh, Dulquer Salmaan, Vijay Devarakonda & Samantha

Music: Mickey J Meyer

Music Label: Aditya Music

Mahanati (English: Great Actress) in Telugu and Nadigaiyar Thilagam(English: Pride of actresses) in Tamil is a 2018 Indian Telugu-Tamilbiographical period film based on the life of former South Indian actress Savitri. It is directed by Nag Ashwin, produced by C. Ashwini Dutt,Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema banners and stars Keerthy Suresh in the lead role while Dulquer Salmaan appears in an extended cameo and Samantha Akkineni, Vijay Devarakonda, Rajendra Prasad and Bhanupriya appear in other pivotal roles. Music for the film is composed by Mickey J. Meyer. Production began in May 2017 with filming taking place in both Telugu and Tamil, their release dates being 9 May and 11 May 2018 respectively. The film was also dubbed in Malayalam.

Mahanati / Nadaigaiyar Thilagam depicts the life and career of one of South Indian cinema's greatest and most iconic starlets, the first Indian female super star, Savitri.

In May 2016, director Nag Ashwin, who had previously made Yevade Subramanyam (2016), announced that his next film would be a biopic of South Indian actress Savitri and that it would be shot simultaneously in Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil. Titled Mahanati, Ashwin revealed that he had finished work on the script and was in the middle of casting actors to be a part of the project.During the pre-production phase, Ashwin spent six months in research by reading articles and books, while meeting old journalists and actors who had been associated with the actress. Explaining why he chose to turn Savitri's career into a film script, he stated "from a penniless origin to the first female superstar, her life is quite a story" and that it was a "moment in time where it has been long enough that film legends have left us" and "that we will have to revisit them and understand why they are legends". Soon after the announcement of the film, the media carried speculative reports that either Anushka Shetty, Sonakshi Sinha or Vidya Balan would be cast in the lead role. Denying the developments in August 2016, Ashwin stated he was still editing the script and intended to cast the lead actress with an audience poll.

One of the greatest ever actress that our yesteryear generation saw was 'MAHANATI' Savitri garu, there is no hindrance in saying that. Though 100 others might come, though 1000 different films might be made, but Savitri garu is no. one and she will remain the best ever, her role is irreplaceable, she has made unique films with her flawless and soul ful action and which made Telugu audience embrace on her for mere futures to come. But its really difficult to get a biopic done stepping into her shoes, but Keerthy did it perfectly winning all the hearts. Dulquer is absolutely perfect in Gemini's role mesmerising everyone with his superb acting, this has been proved with movie's tremendous success, I need'nt speak about that grandeour, so I'll directly review Mickey's album.

01. Mahanati Title Song

Singers: Anurag Kulkarni

Chorus: Ramya Behra, Anjana Soumya, Mohana Bhogaraju, Shravana Bhargavi, Sri Krishna, Hemachandra, Krishna Chaitanya, Deepu, Aditya Iyenger & PVNS Rohith

Lyrics: Ramjogayya Sastry

Rating: 5/5

Wahh!! what a start of an album!! This thumping song narrates the grandeur of the great actress 'Savitri' garu. The prelude itself is a great start to the song, it goes on looping till the end of the song giving goosebumps to the listeners. Mickey made it so perfect, suiting it to the tee and it is placed in the right situation in the movie. Anurag is sweet as usual, but however sounded neat. But Mickey would have done this song with SPB sir for the right amount of expression. This is where we miss SPB like singers. But that's no offence at all, whole light was on music and lyrics. The chorus was absolutely perfect. Coming to the lyrics, RJS stole the show, he has written all the phrases in such a manner that every Telugu speaking person lifts his head up in air of prideness. Phrases like 'Perutho paatuga amma ane padam neeke dorikina soubhagyam, undile janmako daiva kaaranam, aa nata rajuki stree roopam, venditera ki ennado undile runam, bhasa edaina edigi odigavu, nee mukha chitramai nala cheragula tala ettinadi mana telugu, asalu dhanmedo telusu kunnavu' etc made my heart go bonkers. Hats off RJS garu for this masterpiece, this song will be remembered for a long time. Overall amazingly made song. 

02. Aagipo Baalyama

Singer: Ramya Behra & Chorus

Lyrics: Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry

Rating: 5/5

This song is like a rehash of yesteryear's songs. Mickey nailed it perfectly, he used that tabla beats as a background, which gave the right emotion. This song describes childhood of Savitri amma, and Mickey gave all those perfect music which would suit to the tee. Ramya Behra was a perfect choice, her voice was very cherubic &  lilty which is demanded in the song. Coming to the lyrics, will our legendary Sastry garu ruin atleast one song? atleast one?! I want to see when will he ruin atleast one song, there where situations when singers fell flat, music fell flat, but not our Sastry garu's lyric, not even once, that's his greatness. Here too he rocked as usual, he wrote all those phrases which will take us to savitri amma's childhood. The phrase 'ningiki nichena veyyave guppedu chukkalu koyyave' stands as a highlight.

03. Mooga Manasulu

Singers: Anurag Kulkarni & Shreya Ghoshal

Lyrics: Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a romantic duet, b/w Keerthy & Dulquer portraying Savitri & Gemini's love respectively. Mickey added all those extravaganza to this slow paced lovely duet, actually that extravaganza is'nt required song is too melodious, but however to connect the youth, this extravaganza works very well. No offence with his music, he rocked it usually. 

Coming to the lyrics, Sastry garu too rocked usually, nothing new with either of them. Coming to the vocalists, Anurag was very cautious in singing the song, he made it very sweet and bit nervous, don't know the reason. He just acted as a support for the female lead singer. Coming to Shreya Ghoshal, I always tell she is the princess offscreen, the magic is in her voice, but this time that magic fell apart. She struggled a bit hard to sing those high octaves, she literally got lost with those heavy instrumentation. How sweet she was dose'nt matter, when she could'nt sing those high octaves. Chitra garu would be the best choice for this song. Mickey gave nice tunes but selected wrong singers, if it was Chitra she would take the song to where it belongs. But anyway, this song is a huge hit and struck everyone's heart with its fantasy picturization. 

04. Sadaa Nannu

Singers: Charulatha Mani & Chorus

Lyrics: Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a beautiful female solo having extreme classism. Again Mickey gave one more wonderful tune, this time too it hit the right chord. The veena in interlude sounded stupendous. Coming to lyrics, Sastry garu never leaves any chance to prove his literary skills, whole second stanza is proof for his amazing talent. But however this is like a dubbed song after listening to the tamil version 'Thanday', which sounded stupendous, may be Madhan Karky wrote first, then Sastry garu wrote. But no issues. Coming to vocals, the carnatic singer Charulatha gets a chance here, but she made it too classical which dose'nt fit for cinema music. This is the problem when carnatic singers are drawn into the board, the make it too classical, there is a difference in singing carnatic songs and carnatic songs in films, Susheela amma shows it perfectly, we can easily spot the difference b/w her devotional songs and classics in films, that difference is required here. But at last, a very well made song. The chorus is the highlight, the phrase 'gamaninche loga gamakinche raagana edo ela lona mogene' stands as one more highlight of the song.

05. Chivaraku Migiledi

Singers: Sunitha Upadrashta

Chorus: Ramya Behra, Anjana Soumya, Mohana Bhogaraju, Shravana Bhargavi, Sri Krishna, Hemachandra, Krishna Chaitanya, Deepu, Aditya Iyenger & PVNS Rohith

Lyrics: Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a melancholic song narrating the sorrow in Savitri amma's life. Mickey made us cry with this song, he aptly justified the song. He used two simple beats all over the song with few Violins filling up the space, that actually cracked the right amount of expression. Sastry garu once again showcased his prowess. Whole song has many phrases but he says that whatever so might have happened in life, how ever you have lived, what all you have faced, nothing matters but the stardom she gained, the prosperity she enjoyed being a heroin in Telugu industry, the blessings she received, the good memories she made, the help that she did to the need, only these things last forever. What if someone asks the 'Mahanati' what's your life about, its all about the movie that runs on the screen and whole world becomes her movie 'Nartanashala' and tells her story, that is the thing that lasts forever. Hats off Sastry garu for this master piece.

Coming to the vocals, Sunitha did her best, but this is not the song where she fits. She is a good singer no doubt, but her lungs just can't sing this type of songs, only the breath comes out, not the words, when she sings, but that is not needed here. However she did 100% justice to the song, though she was'nt that comfortable in singing this. at times it melted my heart when she sang this with utmost expression. If this song has to reach where it belongs, its again we need Chitra in this song. Why can't this generation singers sing like her? why do they struggle that much to sing those high octaves? but putting everything apart, this song is a masterpiece. With visuals this song is a treat. Chorus is a sure mention.

06. Gelupu Leni Samaram

Singer: Ramya Behra

Lyrics: Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry

Rating: 5/5

This is the final song that got released after the movie's release. This song was very effective in telling the major part of the story in the film. Mickey and Sastry garu deserve a standing ovation for this number, they both joined their hands together in making this song a huge success. Mickey nailed the instrumentation by inducing all the right elements which evoke perfect emotion. That beats after second interlude is really thumping and bumping giving goosebumps. Coming to the lyric, Sastry garu proved with this song , why he has been called legend!! What a lyric!! every phrase gave goosebumps!! Took a bow for the lyric!!

Coming to the vocals, this is Ramya Behra's career best song, she should be lucky enough to get this number, there is lot of intensity in the song and she carried it out very well. A great job by the young talent!! The ease with which she sang those dynamics at " ఆకశo తాకే ఆశ తీరిందా " & " ఎన్నాళైనా " will  take our breath away, she simply nailed it. But the problem is with those high octaves, she sounded too squeaky at those high pitched notes, which oozes the listeners interest, as most of the song concentrates on high octaves and she sounded squeaky every time. But atlast, this song stands as the best in the album, for its keen sense of music and lyrics.

Picks Of The Album: Mahanati Title Track, Gelupu Leni Samaram & Mooga Manasulu

OVERALL RATING: 9.6/10

Remarks: Go watch this wonderful biopic in theaters, don't miss this grandeur. Every technician's hard work counted and the film got what it expected. Please don't miss it.
Mickey is the hero of the album, this changeover from him nailed every song, he owned it, he made us love the album as much as the film.Whole credit goes to him. Sastry garu and RJS were the two other pillars of the album. Both the thing which fell apart was the choice of singers, Sunitha & Ramya got some major songs, but both struggled due to the high octaves, if those songs need to be justified with 100% perfection, then Mickey would have given them to Chitra mam, she would have placed them in the right position.  But everything can be ruled out for that marvelous portrayal of the Legend Savitri amma by Keerthy Suresh and as Gemini Ganesan by Dulquer Salmaan, these both took the responsibility of raising the standards of the film with their amazing performances respectively.