An alumnus of Osmania University, Shekar Kammula, might not have created ripples at the box office with his first movie Dollar Dreams, but he has won a lot of appreciation (including the National Award for Best English Feature Film) for an earnest attempt at portraying the aspirations and ensuing confusions of dollar dreamy youth. And now, in a very nonchalant manner, he has managed to create curiosity among moviegoers about his latest film Anand starring Raja and Kamalinee Mukherjee. Although NFDC is funding the project [partly], he clarifies that Anand is not an art film. In fact such is his confidence in the film that apart from tagging it with 'manchi coffee lanti cinema' caption, he is also producing the film.

K M Radhakrishnan (KMR), a classical music trainer by profession, debuts as a music director with this movie that has Veturi as the single card lyricist. Director Shekar needs to be commended for extracting delectable lyrics from Veturi reminding us of what this veteran lyricist is still capable of.

1. Yamuna Teeram
This is a mellifluous melody with the right choice of singers. Hariharan and Chitra lend this number a lasting touch with their impeccable singing. Veturi's lyrics are so good that you wonder why he doesn't reveal this side of his anymore. KMR composes this as a soothing melody. Among many beautiful lines in this song, I found this line where the girl says - praaptam anuko ee kshaname bratuku laaga, interesting and appealing.

2. Vochhe Vochhe
This is a fitting example of a song that could have been even better had it not been for the choice of the singer. Shreya doesn't sound that good in the high pitch she takes for most part of the song [in the stanzas] and she clearly has difficulty saying some words. Veturi's lyrics comprise of a variety of words associated with rain from vedi pakodi to jala tarangam.

3. Nuvve na, Na nuvvena
This is a slow and sweet number. You may not like this one in the very first go. But if slow numbers soothe you then you will savor this one after a very few attempts. This is Shreya's best song in this album and KMR accompanies her here. Veturi's simple and effective lyrics are praiseworthy.

4. Charumathi I love you
If it was not for Lucky Ali, this song might have had a different story to tell. But with Lucky Ali's highly accented pronunciations this one holds no promise. One can barely make out what he is crooning. So let me not rant about it. I wonder if Lucky Ali was asked to sing this song just because he let Shekar use some songs from his Sifar album in Dollar Dreams.

5. Telisi Telisi
This is a telisina [known] number (lyrically speaking) about a gal telling us what love has done to her. To sum up the whole song in one line using Veturi's words - Adi oka idi le, idi le, edo le. Shreya sounds good as long as she is not singing in high pitch.

6. Yadalo Gaanam
This has the same tune as Yamuna Teeram. Though the lyrics (with lines like selavannayi kalalu, selayeraina kanulalao) convey this one to be a pathos number, KMR avoids any dramatic orchestration to depict that mood. Instead his varied orchestration is quite unlike a typical sad number. Hariharan sings it with poise and Chitra joins him for a couple of lines. Veturi's lyrics make this one a soulful number.

Overall, KMR delivers soft melodies in his debut album. Though he makes a good debut with deftly composed numbers, the impact of these songs would have been even greater had he opted for singers with an ease in singing the words written with great care by Veturi. Shreya, who sings three songs, is asked to take high pitches throughout the album and overall she doesn't quite impress this time around mainly due to her lack of ease with the language.

Shekar Kammula's Dollar Dreams, inspite of certain flaws and a few amateurish scenes, is a good film. So am naturally looking forward to Anand. And his enticing caption and promising words at the launch of the film and at the recent audio function have raised my expectations. So lets wait and see how much of anand, Anand brings.

Sreya Picks: Yamuna Teeram, Nuvve na

Click here to read the other articles by Sreya Sunil

Other audio reviews by Sreya Sunil
Gharshana
Sri Anjaneyam
Arya
Naani
Nenunnanu
Anji
Varsham
Andhrawala
Kal Ho Naa Ho
LoC Kargil
Shivamani
Okariki Okaru
Boys
Vasantham
Simhadri
Donga Ramudu & Party
Oka Raju Oka Rani
Nijam
Johnny
Raghavendra
Appudappudu
Gangotri
Okkadu
Manmadhudu
Thottigang
Khagam
Eeswar
Nee Sneham
Bobby
Nuvve Nuvve
Gemini
Chenna Kesava Reddy
Okato Number Kurraadu
Sontham
Baba
Holi
Avunu Valliddaru Ista Paddaru
Allari Ramudu
Indra
Jayam
Sreeram
Kanulu Moosina Neevaye
Vasu
Santosham