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The Hindu :
Aa DinagaluAananda Audio, CD, Rs. 50
Aa Dinagalu is a film on the underworld, but not yet another film on it. The film has received rave reviews for its treatment of the subject.The film based on a real life incident set between 1985-86, has its source in Agni Shridhar’s novel by the same name.
If film lovers are raving about the film, film music lovers aren’t too far behind. The film has score by the genius Ilaiyaraja. Grapevine says maestro was so impressed with the film that he stayed for 13 full days to complete the re-recording for the film.
“Aa Dinagalu” is a period film. The film is of an incident that took place between 1985-86, a time when underworld was just beginning to show its fangs in Karnataka. So, the album has a lot of commentary and sound track too, most of which place the film in its period even as it exposes the political involvement in underworld and how dons were the creations of such a system.
Ilaiyaraja’s music, which has a generous use of piano, violin and sax has an Eighties feel too. One is reminded of all those grand scores he made for the so many Tamil films and the Kannada film, “Pallavi Anupallavi”. The film has just two songs, though in bits they keep coming back, working like a refrain, but as instrumental pieces. The violin-dominated chunk of “Sihi Gaali” is particularly haunting. The counters between the two sets of violins is absolutely remarkable with the cellos working in the lower octave and build a beautiful contrast. It’s at once flowing, lasting and evocative.
The opening of “Aa Dinagalu” has some lovely phrases on violin and piano. It’s a soft song and has a leisurely pace, soaking in nostalgia. There’s so much of the 80s Ilaiyaraja in it; the way he works his rhythm pattern and the manner in which he…More
