Lyrical outing

Shreya Ghoshal sings M. Jayachandran's compositions for the remake of ‘Rathinirvedam’, under the Revathy Kalamandir banner.

Shreya Ghoshal

Composer M. Jayachandran and singing sensation Shreya Ghoshal have teamed up once again. They will be working together to make the music for the remake of the scorching Bharathan-Padmarajan classic ‘Rathinirvedam’ that will be directed by T.K. Rajeevkumar.

Moreover, Jayachandran scores a century with the film, which has been in the news ever since it was announced that ‘Rathinirvedam' would be remade under the Revathy Kalamandir banner that had successfully created a modern retelling of ‘Neelathamara’.

This film and its music would be keenly awaited as Rajeev plans to make the new version as a musical, with lyrics and music conveying a coming-of-age story that tells the tale of a blossoming teenage infatuation and its aftermath. “Murugan Kattakada is the lyricist and the film would unfold through his poetic lines and the soulful music of Jayachadran that would be sung by Shreya and other talented singers. The emphasis is on the poetry and the music,” says Rajeev.

Shreya and Jayachandran are a win-win combination and their previous work in ‘Benares’ resulted in the duo walking away with the Kerala State film awards for the best director and playback singer respectively. So the news of this music combo is bound to be music to the ears of Shreya's fans in Kerala.

For the record

Shreya came to Thiruvananthapuram and recorded two songs for the film. “One of the songs (‘Kannoram Chingaram') that we completed is just superb. Jayachandran

ji 's music touches the heart. Moreover, it is a privilege to sing under a banner like Revathy Kalamandir,” says Shreya. She had sung the swinging ‘Anuraaga Vilochananayi’ in ‘Neelathamara’ also.

Agreeing that Malayalam is a difficult language, the four-time national award winner who has sung in all the South Indian languages adds: “But under the guidance of experienced music directors and lyricists, I manage to get the enunciation and diction correct. In fact, people who are not aware that I am a Bengali, often ask me if I am a Malayali from Mumbai. It is a compliment I treasure,” says Shreya.

She says she is looking forward to be heard more in Malayalam films. The ardent fan of Lata Mangeshkar is confident that centurion Jayachandran is bound to make a mark with the music of this film as well.

The shooting of the film begins in February on location in Haripad and Alappuzha instead of the high ranges where the original was filmed. “Padmarjan had actually set the story in central Travancore and we are returning to the actual setting of the story,” says Rajeev. He is positive the film would be a new experience, even for viewers who have seen the original version of the film that was released in 1978.

The remake of ‘Rathinirvedam’ had been creating ripples in tinsel town with everyone trying to guess who would star in the movie. The speculation was partially laid to rest when it was announced that Swetha Menon would play the role enacted by Jayabharati. Once, the camera starts rolling for the film, expectations are bound to be high as Rajeev returns to familiar locales, where he had filmed one of his biggest hits, the finely nuanced but bold ‘Kannezhuthi pottum thottu’, which had tread a fine line without ever becoming voyeuristic.