- Sreya Sunil

Teja is back with true lies. Yeah, that's what his latest movie, on Chitram Movies banner, is titled and captioned as - Nijam (It's a lie). Teja, I was told, was hell bent upon casting Mahesh Babu as the hero of Nijam. When he could finally convince Mahesh about the role, who at that time was seriously contemplating to allocate bulk dates to SJ Suryah's Naani (which seemingly is inspired by Tom Hanks' Big), Teja was so full of joy that he is touted to have paid Mahesh a very hefty remuneration. The kind of shrewd and deft person Teja is, his 'move' to cast Mahesh has paid him back handsomely, with the huge success of Mahesh's roaring hit Okkadu, which is still running to packed houses even after registering a scintillating century at the box-office. Teja has also roped in Gopi Chand (who played the role of a treacherous villain in Jayam with élan), Rakshita and Raasi.

RP Patnaik, Kula Sekhar and Usha, the team behind the music of Teja's earlier hits Chitram, Nuvvu Nenu and Jayam, come together again for Nijam. Just like Jayam's album, Kula Sekhar pens all the songs, Usha lends her voice for the girls and RP sings most of the songs in this album too. RP's score for Nijam is a cornucopia of - songs with punch, songs with melody and finally songs with folk touch (actually that goes without saying). What say? Though this is a typical Teja-RP album, its attempt to satisfy a variety of audience meets with expected results.

1. Chandamaama
After Veeri Veeri song in Jayam, Kula Sekhar yet again transforms one of the favorite songs from our childhood days, which is sung by the mothers feeding their kids, to convey the theme of the movie. Usha starts the song with the traditional lyrics of Chandamaama rave and RP follows with the lines that convey the stark realities of the society ending his part with Chandamaama raake. The chorus, in a grim voice, ends the song singing about the atrocities in our society. Nice composition by RP with nice lyrics.

2. Rathalu Rathalu
This 'must-in-a-Teja-RP-film' folk song is sung by RP (who else?) and Usha (who sings just two lines of Raanu Raanu from Jayam). Mani Chandana, Teja and Mahesh mouth a few lines here and there to add extra glitz to this folk song. Kula Sekhar's lyrics talk about Rathalu and her 'shock', which leaves her fans in 'awe' of her. This one's indeed a 'shock and awe' song about Rathalu. The targeted audience will definitely enjoy this number and no wonder if this becomes a rage like RP's earlier hits Raanu Raanu, Gajuwaka Pilla.

3. Neelo Vunnadi
If Jayam had a song that questioned Enduko? Enduko? Enduko?, Nijam has this song that asks Nenena? Nenena? Nenena? and Premena? Premena? Premena?. Wonder who has this fixation with a word repeating thrice - Kula Sekhar a? Teja na? RP na?. Anyways, this is a melodious number that is an instant winner. Usha and RP sing this one well. If RP cannot recover from his 'I-sing-my-own-songs-and-why-not?' bug, then he should at least restrict himself to such soft numbers.

4. Chi Chi
The fast pace in this song reminds one of 'Neekem Telusu' song from RP's recent Appudappudu album. In spite of good musical interludes, this is just an okay song. Lyrics by Kula Sekhar talk about a guy running away from the girl who is after him singing 'edo roju na pai neeke preme puttada'. Usha is her usual good self in the song and RP's voice comes as a total misfit for Mahesh.

5. Bhadra Kaali Dhandakam
This could be an invocation to Goddess Bhadra Kaali by the villain as it has Gopi Chand shouting out 'Amma, Talli, Peddamma, Kaali, Bhadra Kaali' at the end of the song. Gangadhar Sastry sings this one.

6. Kaakulu Doorani
This one has Robin hood kind of music with good lyrics by Kula Sekhar elevating the hero's character to greater heights welcoming louder ceetis from the audience in the theaters. RP and Ravi Varma (who starts this song with a very good alaap) sing this one. A singer like SPB would have added the right kind of punch for this song, which still has it, but not in required proportions mainly because of RP's voice. Nevertheless, it's a good composition but a short one though.

7. Ilaage Ilaage
A mushy love duet with a faster pace. While Usha sings this one well, RP's singing is not so well. RP should have used a different singer like SP Charan or Rajesh or Sandeep.

8. Abhimanyudu
The way this song takes off with a war-call kind of music and a conch blow, gives us a flavor of what's in store in this short group song that talks about a 'Veera maatha penchina telugu biDDa'. Kula Sekhar's lyrics mainly talk about the hero, waging a one-man-army war with his enemies. While Kula Sekhar writes 'Prajalandari lona okaDu, saamanyuDu veeDu' in one of the opening lines, by the end of the song he pens a contradicting line which goes 'AggipiDugu veeDu saamanyuDu kaaDu'.

9. Chara Chara
A very ordinary song that starts with Raasi narrating her erra koka, bava, paamu episode to some enthusiastic listeners. Kula Sekhar's lyrics revolve around the three aforementioned points. While it is mainly sung by Usha; chorus is by RP and Murthy. Gopi Chand and Raasi (as mentioned before) have some lines to mouth in this song.

10. Rangu Rangula
The last time we came across a song based on Sri Raama and Seetha which not only talked about their story but at the same time also spoke about the story of the movie was in Swathimuthyam. Remember that beautiful harikatha kind of composition by Ilayaraja? Well, this song is something like that but is marred by RP's singing. Why couldn't have RP used someone like Mallikharjun to sing this song instead? Kula Sekhar's lyrics talking about ramayanam and premayanam are good. One might enjoy this song more on the screen as it sounds more like a situational one.

Apart from the above 10 songs, the album also features a good thematic music bit.

Overall, this album is on the lines of a typical Teja-RP album. It has all the kind of songs expected from this combination. RP scores music for the first time for a Mahesh movie but since this is a Teja movie, RP tries to deliver the kind of music expected from a Teja's movie - a thematic song, few melodies, few folk songs, that is. Kula Sekhar pens good lyrics in Kaakulu Doorani and Chandamaama while his work ranges from okay to decent in other songs. While the album fails to capture the potential of Usha without offering her any challenging work, it makes one wonder why RP spoils some of his good compositions by singing them himself? Its time RP brought in variety in his songs, shunning the monotony because of his voice, by using different singers like he did in Nuvvu Nenu.

Sreya Picks: Kaakulu Doorani, Chandamaama, Neelo Unnadi

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