A four-minute music video titled 'Madurai Anthem' has been doing rounds on social media since the past few days. With over a million likes and shares on Facebook and nearly 25,000 views on YouTube, the video reflecting various aspects of Madurai is done by a group of youngsters. The video opens with a panaroma shot of the colossal spires of St.Mary's church ashowcases the different landmarks of the city. ' Naan Madurakaran, Nenjai thatti solven...' , the song elucidates the ethos of the town from its unique lifestyle and culture to the lively people.
It was during the Chithirai festival, when E Yabez Esa, a collegian felt the need to do a song for Madurai. “The spirit and energy you find on the streets of Madurai is unmatched. It's a lively and vibrant town, where people share a unique bond. The video is a tribute to the town,” says Esa, who has also made a song during the Jallikattu protests that picked up online. “I used to sing at the Church choir and that's how I became interested in music. I am good at singing gruff and that's what I have done in the song”
The team that has worked on Madurai Anthem
The Madurai Anthem video is done in Tamil hiphop style of singing and the lyrics are kitsch and contemporary. “We wanted to stand out from the Madurai songs done before. Hence, we kept out all stereotypes, even the traditional folk music that's associated with the city. Instead we chose rap style, inspired by Yogi B,” says Ashwin Johnson, sound engineer at Radio City, who has scored the music for the video. A pianist and a vocalist, Johnson also assists his father in scoring music for TV serials including Neeli and Lakshmi Kalyanam on Vijay TV.
“Madurai Souljour under Yogi B, is a rap band who have sung 'the boys are back' in Chennai 600028 II and they helped me with the music. Priya Media studio in K Pudur supported us with their infrastructure.”
Written by Esa and Neetu, the lyrics talk about the grand temples, the fragrant malli and the convivial denizens of Madurai. “The people of Madurai are highly hospitable and helpful. Unlike the big cities, there's no rat race here and people have the time and patience to connect with each other. Especially, the city people are known for their inherent humour sense and jovial nature,” observes Johnson. “The city has suffered from an image damage due to continuous negative portrayal in popular cinema and media. Our video attempts to break that image.”
“Had I done a documentary on Madurai, it wouldn’t have been this effective. Such short crispy videos enjoy a better reach and appeal,” says Esa. “I am currently working on a music album highlighting the issues of child abuse and rape. I see music videos as a medium to voice my thoughts.”
The video can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=pLh_ryQ4ry0
