Kadhalar Dhinam is an effort by A.R. Rahman to please both the Tamil and Hindi audience. The nativity for a tamil song is clearly missing in the album generally. ARR cannot be blamed for it entirely, as this is a bilingual movie. I expect this album to become a big hit in Hindi.

Roja Roja is soulfully rendered by Unnikrishnan. He deserves the best singer award for many songs he has sung so far, this year. There is no need for a mirror to look at the wound in the hand. Same way, it is very easy to pick up the resemblance of this song to Chippiyirukkudhu muthumirukkudhu especially at the phrase mayakkam thandhadhu yaar, kaviyo, amudho. Unni excels in the charanam of this song. Interludes are just adequate.

Kaadhalenum sung by SPB and Swarnalatha one another song which comes close to an original tamil song. The pallavi is very ordinary for an ARR song, especially at the phrase Doli doli doli doli – engeyo kaetta effect. The charanam is superb, the high pitch rendition by Swarnalatha is of superlative category. Oh Maria sung by Yugendran (Malaysia Vasudevan’s son) and Devan is a typical ARR song with the lyrics taking us instantly to the new millenium (!) Very stylish song, already a runaway hit. la la

humming which periodically comes in the song freshens you up. Kadalukku, fishing nettu, kaadhalukku internettu – Vaali Sir, neenga engeyo poyiteenga! The funny language in the 2nd interlude is quite interesting. Impressive debut by Yugendran. The echoes after each phrase in the song sound great.

Enna Vilai azhagey sung by Unni Menon starts off like Thangapadhakkathin meley oru muthu padhithadhu poley disappoints, but is quickly compensated by the interlude humming by chorus. Again, the charanam is not all that great. Dhandiya aattamum aada reminds you of Dil bar jaaney dil deewaney thithikira thaeney and is aimed at the Hindi audience. The music is grand but the lack of nativity in this song and the next one, disturbs me. Nenachapadi by Sreekumar, Srinivas and chorus is passable, whether it will be accepted by tamil audience or not is yet to be seen.

This album on the whole has some melodious tunes sprinkled over. I am unable to give thumbs up rating because of the lack of nativity of certain songs . It is disturbing to notice ARR adapting some old tunes openly as in some of the songs mentioned here. I have high hopes on Rhythm.