Top 10 compositions of Rahman - his choices(rediff/HT)

December 3rd, 2007Related|Filed Under

Roja

Bombay

Rangeela

Kandukonden Kandukonden

Taal

Dil Se

Lagaan

RDB

Zubeidaa

Guru

>>> pretty good choices. so let me disagree with the maestro himself

would replace 2 of them, taal with alai payuthe, guru with sangamam. really want to find a place for swades and kanathil muthamittal here - but cant replace any of the others.

There Are 52 Responses So Far. »

Comment by Eire on 3 December 2007:

I think Rahman’s list is perfect except I would move up Guru and RDB on his list. But the gist of the list seems fine.
Comment by abzee on 3 December 2007:

I would put Thakshak and Mangal Pandey in there instead of Bombay and Zubeidaa. Also, I’d love to squeeze in Iruvar and Yuva somehow. Actually, you just can’t have a top ten Rahman list. All of his wroks are splendid in some way(even Bombay Dreams).
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Iruvar, Alaipayuthey are notable absentees (all the more for the superior films they are.) But Mozart of Madras has many other underrated gems that it’s absolutely futile to boil down to 10! For example, 93′ saw Uzhavan or Kizhakku Cheemaiyilae redefining rural-esque and folklore Tamil film music (he did an entirely different Pudhiya Mugam the same year, and my favorite May maadham a year later) a couple of albums would still challenge this list. And even a decade later, he comes up with something as urban as it gets with Boys and Kangalal Kaidhu Sei (to something much different in Meenaxi consequently)
Comment by abzee on 3 December 2007:

Floyd- I completely forgot about AP and Meenaxi. Sadly, I haven’t had the pleasure yet of listening to some of Rahman’s Tamil (and from what I hear infinitely superior) works. But you are right, it is simply futile to compile a top ten Rahman list. If pressed to choose, I would say that he saves his best for Ratnam.
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

On a grand scale of things, mid-90s witnessing the woodwinds of Anthimandhaarai is equally memorable and special as a percussion work, say ‘Potter’s village’ of Meenaxi. I’m all too covetous when it comes to Rahman!
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

In both the aforementioned instances, the contrasting tabla (electronic in the latter) is quintessential Rahman to me.
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

A ‘top 10′ is simply impossible for me! I start by choosing albums with strong classical flavours, soul and ‘majesticity’, only to realise that I’ve unfairly ignored the truly funky and quintessentially freaky albums. A top-n is possible though, a top tier of sorts a la essential Rahman.
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Abzee,

I’m not so sure about the superiority of Rahman’s tamil works to his hindi works. Of course, he has done a lot more comparatively but I think the comparison is largely unfair. However, It’s no myth that Rahman’s oeuvre (save the disastrous Parasuram which is rumoured to be his assistant’s work, and not his) is accessible, from Tamil to Hindi. That’s the beauty of Rahman, he isn’t deeply “rooted” (for want of a better word) like his illustrious predecessor, Ilaiyaraja.
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Since I’ve touched on Mottai, Zero might have few things to say
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

hal

i definitely believe rahman’s tamil works are a slightly better given the range he has explored in tamil. btw - this top 10 was as given by him but i can understand why it may be tough to put a top 10
Comment by Jesse on 3 December 2007:

My list that I struggled to bring down to 30 from here:

http://www.naachgaana.com/2007/08/28/thoughts-and-favorites-of-a-rahmaniac/

#30 Muthalvan (Nayak)
#29 Pukar
#28 Kaadhalan (Humse Hain Muqabala)
#27 Water
#26 Aa Aah
#25 Zubeidaa
#24 Thakshak
#23 Sillunu Oru Kadhal
#22 Guru
#21 The Legend of Bhagat Singh
#20 Thiruda Thiruda (Chor Chor)
#19 Minsaara Kanavu (Sapnay)
#18 Lagaan
#17 Rangeela
#16 Kandukondain Kandukondain
#15 Taal (Thaalam)
#14Rang De Basanti
#13Alai Paayuthey(Saathiya)
#12 Swades (Desam)
#11 Ayudha Ezhuthu/Yuva
#10 Between Heaven and Earth
#9 Mangal Pandey: The Rising
#8 Bombay
#7 Roja
#6 1947 Earth
#5 Iruvar
#4 Bose
#3 Kannathil Muthamittal
#2 Dil Se (Uyire)
#1 Meenaxi
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

jesse - good list

notable exceptions though
Boys
Indian(Hindustani)
Sangamam
one of the movies HAL referred to which had thenmitu paruva kaatu (one of my all time fav songs)
mudhalvan(nayak) - shakalaka baby made it to bombay dreams
Comment by abzee on 3 December 2007:

Wow Jesse. This is a great list. Kandukondain2 is a bit too behind for my liking though. Dil Se would be my number 1. God knows how many Dil Se cassettes and CDs I’ve worn out due to overuse.
Comment by Jesse on 3 December 2007:

Beld: I really got into Sangamam over the last month or so and that list is about 3 months old now. I don’t think I have it in me to redo the list, but I assure you that Sangamam would place in the top 25 somewhere.
Comment by Jesse on 3 December 2007:

“Wow Jesse. This is a great list. Kandukondain2 is a bit too behind for my liking though.”

Thanks Abzee! To defend myself, I must say that if I could measure the difference between the albums from #11 to 19, the difference would be in some sort of micro units!
Comment by Arun on 3 December 2007:

Thx for posting, Beld!

Mine wouldn’t probably have RDB and Guru, it would have Bose and Yuva/Alaipayuthey. On that note, happy to find Kandukondein-2 in ARR’s list..one album that I am extremely fond of (esply. ‘Kanna Moochi’)
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

true arun… K2 is just awesome

referring to Jay’s thread - 2 other pairs with awesome chemistry
Tabu-Ash
Mamooty-Ash

K2 was the only movie where i actually liked ash
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 3 December 2007:

I find that his music doesn’t age all that well .. even though during its time it sounds better, by far, than the competition. So, I’ll take his latest works over his older ones anytime I have to rank them. I’ll take RDB over Swades… and Dil Se over Bombay and Roja.

On a second thought, his Dil Se and Taal are Dil Se actually do stand out from all his soundtracks in the 90’s .
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

My top 10 not necessarily in this order:

1)Alaipayuthey
2)Iruvar
3)Kandukondein Kandukondein
4)Dil Se
5)Bombay
6)Ayudha Ezhuthu
7)Padaiyappa
8)Thiruda Thiruda
9)Aa.. aah
10)Gentleman

2-3 here vary each time I make this list!
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

>>I find that his music doesn’t age all that well

you think so street. its actually the opposite view for me. i think among the current crop, arr’s music is the only which stands the test of time well. and actually his music is like wine - its better as it ages. have seldom liked his music on first hearing except some obvious ones
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

And from that very same thread Jesse has referenced here’s a related comment of mine:

“Here are what I consider 30 outstanding Rahman compositions in no order:

1)Narmugaiye (Iruvar)
2)Pookodiyin Punnagai(Iruvar)
3)Snegidane (Alaipayuthey)
4)Pachchai Nirame (Alaipayuthey)
5)Satrangi (Dil Se)
6)Goodbye Nanba (Ayudha Ezhuthu)
7)Fanaa (Ayudha Ezhuthu)
8)Thiruvellikeni Rani (Udhaya)
9)Kannalane (Bombay)
10)Kannathil Muthamittal (Kannathil… female version)
11)Sowkiyamma (Samgamam)
12)Veerapandai kottayilae (Thiruda Thiruda)
13)Usalampatti (Gentleman)
14)Ottagatti Kattikko (Gentleman)
15)1NY Nagaram (Sillunu Oru Kadhal)
16)Thirupachi (Taj Mahal)
17)Kannamoochi (Kandukondein Kandukondein — female solo)
18)Anbe Aaruyire (Aa Aah)
19)Kappaleri (Indian)
20)En Peru Padaiyappa (Padaiyappa)
21)Jhumbalika (En Swase Katrea)
22)Jaage hain (Guru)
23)Yeh jo des hai tera (Swades)
24)Ale Ale (Boys)
25)Vaari Vaari (Mangal Pandey)
26)Al Madad (Mangal Pandey)
27)Taal se Taal (Taal)
28)Zikr (Bose)
29)Sehra Main (Between heaven and Earth)
30)Oudhu vellai Mazhai (Roja)”
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

From everything I’ve been led to believe one of his finest Hindi works is on the way with JA!
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 3 December 2007:

beld.. maybe it’s coz I am very hard (extremely hard) to please as far as music is concerned. I’m way way too choosy. 2007 is about to end and I cann’t make a 10 song list of the “likes” ..forget the “loves” and “adores” ones.

Anyways.. Dil Se and Taal aside, I hardly find more than a song or two listenable from his entire list of copilations throughout the 90’s. And even with those two albums, the songs hardly hold the same magic anymore. USed to get crazy cranking up “Satrangi Re” or “Isha Bina”, listening to them 10-15 times a day.. but now I cann’t bear it more than once.
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Beld,

No disputing Rahman’s experimentation in TFM! BTW, the song you mention Thenmerku ParuvaKaatru is from Bharathiraja’s Karuthamma, a film on female infanticide (Reg. the song, Vairamuthu gets a bit too excited when it comes to his own land, Theni, the lyrics shows, and btw the song was shot in Ambasamudram and banks of Tamirabarani river, Tirunelveli district, even Roja was shot there), the album has some brilliant compositions. On that note, Rahman has given Bharathiraja some of his best notes, Taj Mahal comes to my mind too..

Then there’s the famous Rhythm with five different songs dedicated to five classical elements of nature! Then there is Kaadhal Desam, which defined popular culture back then. Too many options to choose from.
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Incidentally, Narmugaiye and Pookodiyin Punnagai are two of my favorite music videos of all time. Sheer genius!
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

thanks HAL - it was karuthamma and what a beautiful song against the backdrop of rain. To me its the no 1 rain song beating Rim jim gire sawan by a lil bit

and how could i forget rhythm, kaatre en vasal vandhai….is one of the most romantic songs of all time..bravo!
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

I for one feel, overall, Rahman’s work in Hindi has been superior to his Tamil works. Of course, his work in Tamil is much bigger and the number of “good albums” is obviously much more in Tamil. But, I think his Hindi albums have unfailingly maintained a comparatively higher standard (the exceptions being really very few — ‘Lakeer’ and suchlike) which is quite better than the average standard in his Tamil works (which itself is a golden standard in the larger context!). There are good reasons to this, as he had more creative freedom and the passion to “push the envelope” when working in Hindi films (something which only Mani Ratnam and a few others expected out of him back home). Again, this is one of the topics we’ve discussed before too at NG!

Floyd,
Not at all man, not at all.
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

>>I for one feel, overall, Rahman’s work in Hindi has been superior to his Tamil works.
respect your opinion 0, but i have trouble accepting that

if you look at original Hindi ones, its mainly in the last 5 years
Taal*
Dil Se*
Takshak*
Rangeela*
LAgaan, Swades
Mangal Pandey
RDB
Meenaxi(wont even call this a movie album)
Guru

would be hard pressed to think that other than Dil Se - any of the others here are better than the Tamil ones..
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

again this is a little silly. how does it matter whether tamil or hindi - it was rahman stuff after all
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

JA audio releases on 18 December, well from AG himself.
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

Zero: I would actually take Tamil Rahman over Hindi Tamil any day. Much as I also love his Hindi work there is a certain flair that he displays in Tamil that isn’t to be found in Hindi. It is partly because he of course does selected projects in Hindi, almost none of these are masala films therefore he is greatly restricted by subject in terms of what he can do (Gajini should be his truest masala album in Hindi since Taal). But I also think he just has greater affinity for Tamil. It is precisely the ‘middling’ sort of Tamil album that I love. For example you don’t get in Hindi the Aa-aah or SOK kind of effort. As for his earlier stuff I think that even the ‘average’ Tamil stuff is just about always worthwhile. But ultimately Rahman doesn’t repeat himself so in any case we’re talking about a different composer at different points in time.
Comment by rockstar the dumb on 3 December 2007:

great list indeed from man itself taking movie aside his composition of vande matram rocked to
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

Beldevere,
Aah, surely, it doesn’t matter whether it was Tamil or Hindi! My viewpoint was just about how it has been.
And, I don’t get what you mean when you say, “its mainly in the last 5 years.” Among the albums you’ve mentioned, till Lagaan, all have come before the last 5 years. And, we’re not half-done yet. Even without getting into the ‘odd’ efforts (’Kabhi Na Kabhi’ for one has some real gems, ‘Earth’ is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, Zubeidaa is such a superb album too), but where’s ‘Daud’, ‘Doli Saja Ke Rakhna’, ‘The Legend Of Bhagat Singh’, ‘Pukar’? These albums really touch the golden standards of Rahman as far as I’m concerned.
In the last 5 years, of course, he has started taking up more projects in Hindi, if that’s what you meant to say.
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

Satyam,
I agree with you in every sense about the kind of albums he does in Hindi and in Tamil. And, we’ve discussed this even before. Like I said above, his work in Hindi is more driven by passion to “push the envelope” and he hasn’t done that many quintessential ‘masala’ albums (the ones I referred to as “the truly funky and quintessentially freaky albums”; think ‘Mr. Romeo’!) at all in Hindi. But, I simply love the kind of classical extravaganzas that he has made in Hindi; more than the ‘middling’ sort of Tamil albums much as I love the latter too. That’s the difference. Moreover, the Tamil “freaky albums” in recent times have been quite a letdown.

And, no question about the ‘average’ Tamil stuff being worthwhile!
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

Zero: I must disagree on the works you’ve cited. Rahman has tons in Tamil better than the stuff you’ve cited. I don’t think Daud or LOBS or DSKR or even Earth are really extraordinary. Each one of these albums has its superb moments but isn’t consistently good. Pukar is better perhaps.

But he really has so much in Tamil to match or better this. I’m amazed you like Kabhi na Kabhi for example but not SOK! Or Aa..aah!
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

The number of really good Tamil albums are of course much, much more than the Hindi ones, Satyam! My point was *only* about the consistency (though what it means is debatable) — how consistently he has touched a certain standard in Hindi.

I do love a couple of songs in SOK (New York Nagaram especially), but it’s certainly not anywhere close to the Rahman of ‘Love Birds’! Likewise with ‘Ah Aah’. There’s always something to love in these albums. As for ‘Kabhi Na Kabhi’, it’s not a complete album at all in my books, but I’d take a ‘Tu Hi Tu’ over any other song of the other two albums.
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

I’m not sure if I’m understood correctly. If I’ve to pick the top n albums of Rahman, it’d definitely have far more Tamil albums than Hindi ones! That goes without saying! But, that’s not what I am talking about.
Comment by zero on 3 December 2007:

And, in my original comment, I was responding to Floyd’s statement: “I’m not so sure about the superiority of Rahman’s tamil works to his hindi works.”
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

I did understand what you were saying Zero. I was just surprised. Speaking for myself I don’t have much regard fro Love Birds or Mr Romeo at all. Again I think SOK is a perfect album and just has every kind of number here. I could accept that point more for something like Kangalal Keidu Sei where Anarakali sublime but nothing else is really comparable. Or for New which doesn’t hit any highs as such. Aa..aah again is for me a superb work all round.

I also disagree that greater volume in Tamil has led to better quality.

Obviously we have a difference of opinion. I am just surprised to see you privilege some relatively mediocre Hindi stuff of his over much better Tamil work.
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

Incidentally one of Rahman’s more underrated, even forgotten albums, specially from a pure orchestration standpoint, is Bharthiraaja’s Anthimandaarai.
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

And among individual compositions the most neglected one in my view is Udhaya’s Thiruvelli Kenirani. This film took forever to release and the soundtrack got lost somewhere.
Comment by satyam on 3 December 2007:

A typo, meant to say ‘thiruvellikeni rani’. If Shankar had made this film it would have been Triplicane Rani!
Comment by AksFilmi on 3 December 2007:

In Hindi i love this 2

.Tu hi re….(Bombay): This is one immensely likeable album of A.R.Rehman. All the songs of this movie are wonderful, but, this song is soul-touching. This song always finds its way into the top list of anyone’s review..

.Yeh haseen vaadiyaan..(Roja): Who can ever forget the songs of Roja. I love all the songs from this movie, but, then, the list would have to be top 20 or 30.. So, I stick to my favourite song from Roja. The song and the music describe the picterisque Kashmir so well,that words cannot describe it.

check dis list

I thnk very few ppl have heard top 1 2 3 from this post http://filmikhabar.com/2007/11/24/ten-best-songs-of-ar-rehman/
Comment by abzee on 3 December 2007:

Zero- Even the otherwise avergae Lakeer had that insanely sensuous(only Rahman can make music sensual) number “Uff Oh!”. And his forgotten works like One Two Ka Four and Daud actually have amazing songs as well.
Floyd- Didn’t know that Roja was shot at Ambasamudram. My mum hails from the Kalladaikurchi district(next to Ambasamudram and Rajavallipuram) of Tirunelveli. I went there in 2003(first time in 20 years since my birth) and 2005 again, and can’t wait to go back. It just pulls me back. I remember the Tamarabarani, had a dip in it.
Comment by beldevere on 3 December 2007:

Wasn’t part of Bombay also shot there? Kannalane song. Ur a lucky dude abz. That does look like heaven on earth
Comment by som on 3 December 2007:

can only talk about his hindi works, so here is my list of personal favourites:

1-dil se
2-roja
3-bombay
4-rdb
5-rangeela
6-lagaan
7-thakshak
8-taal
9-guru
10-swades
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Zero,

Thanks for sharing the dilemma! I thought Dil Se, or Meenaxi gave us something “more” from Rahman, I’m extremely grateful for his hindi works. For example, “Qawwali” elements have always been on the fringes of Rahman, no one really pushed him to explore different elements from the country. The quality has been on a high in Hindi comparatively. So, I’ll go back to my earlier statement, “I’m not so sure about the superiority of Rahman’s tamil works to his hindi works.” There’s a difference here..
Comment by FloydRulez on 3 December 2007:

Beld,

That’s right. Mani prefers to shoot around Nellai, Pollachi, Tirunelveli. The man has a good eye for locations, and backdrop of his narratives. I guess Guru was the first Mani film that was shot abroad(?)
Comment by beldevere on 4 December 2007:

Anyone seen bose here? Just watching it on filmy. Real good movie and I don’t know the bose story so very informative too. But haven’t heard a song yet.
Comment by beldevere on 4 December 2007:

Btw, interesting thing is this is one of the very few movies which shows Germans and japs as the good guys. Anyone has a list of movies like this? Being a big war movie buff, would love to see the axis view of ww2
Comment by satyam on 4 December 2007:

Beldevere: What version are you watching? I had heard poor things about the theatrical version so gave it a miss. But at one point Benegal was also planning an extended 5 hr TV version.
Comment by beldevere on 4 December 2007:

i think it was the 5hr version. definitely would recommend that for war buffs. they actally show conversations between Bose and Hitler … lol