God knows enough Indian filmmakers have benefitted from Rahman’s similar works—for, what’s Dil Se or Rockstar without its soundtrack, or even its background music, scored on the rough-cut first, which is how he uniquely operates.
A still from 99 Songs
99 Songs
U/A: Musical romance
Dir: Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy
Cast: Ehan Bhat, Edilsy Vargas
Rating: ***
No, there aren’t 99 songs over 128 minutes of 99 Songs! But on the face of it, it’s essentially a film wallpapered with a soundtrack, with a sort of a fable-like story in between, to take you from one track to another.
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AR Rahman has composed the songs of course, and along with background music, he’s sung, and produced this film, besides come up with the story! Which, already, to a ’90s music fan—like with Sachin Tendulkar (when he’s at work) for a cricket-buff from the same decade—makes it hard to remain absolutely objective after all. Not going to claim otherwise.
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Firstly, what is writing in a film anyway? Doesn’t everyone—from performers to the production designer—end up writing a movie, in their own way? Take Rangeela (1995), Rahman’s first Hindi album. The movie itself starts off with thumping beats and a full-length song. Did he not then equally write the film’s opening sequence, no less?
Here, of course, we’re referring to screenplay (credited to director Vishwesh Krishnaoorthy) and story, that is Rahman’s. What does it revolve around? Music. Of course. In particular, a guy who buys expensive music tech/gear from money earned from performing at annual navratri gigs. Omit the Falguni Pathak reference—this is straight out of Rahman’s life!
Debutant Ehan Bhat—with slight resemblance to Hrithik Roshan, but altogether confidently understated for a newcomer—plays the lead musician, in this musical.
He has a drummer band-mate from Shillong, which is also where the movie is supposedly set, for the most part. This is a fine touch, actually. Given the strong connection from gospel/church music that folk from North East bring to western pop/rock in particular, across bands in India.
More specifically, what’s with ‘99 songs’ though? Structurally, around the 30th minute of the movie, the goal is set. The lead character has to make a hundred songs to literally change the world, then ask for the hand of a rich man’s daughter—“you struggling musician,” says the father (Ranjit Barot) to the suitor! The girl is mute.
What’s at stake here then? The love of a man. You’re informed that. How often is the couple even together, so can you feel that love? Not once. Show, don’t tell—or so goes the cliché, that you can never go wrong with.
Frankly there are parts in this visually excessive film, suffering from the usual curse of the second half, that you sense descending toward Disco Dancer/Dance Dance territory. Although at no point does it get dangerously close. Because there is always something on the screen, besides a turn in the plot, that saves you from over-thinking any of it.
The only way to savour this is to plug in your headphones and hear the movie, as closely as you watch it; or even listen to dialogues overloaded with love for music itself, waxing eloquent on difference between ‘sacchai’ and ‘acchai’ (being good, and truthful in art): “There’s a reason countries have national anthems, and not a national speech. Only music has that kind of power to move you!”
Perhaps the economics in India doesn’t allow for it, but this is really the master composer’s attempt at a grand-scale Broadway style show. He has scored for The Lord of the Rings and Bombay Dreams in the past. The central theme being a wide visual canvas to experiment with various rhythms, beats, tempo and genres, playfully zeroing in on jazz quite often—check out ‘Soja Soja’ in particular, or the aggressive interplay between piano and drums, gently reminding you a little of Whiplash!
God knows enough Indian filmmakers have benefitted from Rahman’s similar works—for, what’s Dil Se or Rockstar without its soundtrack, or even its background music, scored on the rough-cut first, which is how he uniquely operates.
Here’s the thing, though. It takes more than a single hearing to truly appreciate Rahman’s best works. Assuming he would’ve saved his current best inspirations for his own story on screen—nudging you to check out ‘Jwalamukhi’ in two versions, or paying tribute to the Sufi saint ‘Sai Shirdi Sai’ in a full-blown romantic
tragedy!
Yup, the soundtrack is seeping in from the speakers as I write this. Should hear it again, and again. The film is simply a smartly designed background to get acquainted with all of it! Glad I watched it once.
(99 Songs is currently playing in theatres; soon to drop on Netflix)
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