Nanban (Tamil: நண்பன்; English: Friend) is an upcoming Tamil comedy drama film directed by S. Shankar.The film features an ensemble cast that includes Vijay, Jeeva, Srikanth, Ileana D’Cruz, Sathyan and Sathyaraj.The soundtrack and background score is by Harris Jayaraj, working with Shankar for the second time after Anniyan (2005).It is a remake of the 2009 Bollywood blockbuster film 3 Idiots, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, which was adapted from the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat. The film will be dubbed into Telugu as Snehitudu.The film is currently in post-production stage, set to release on 12 January 2012.

En Friend Pola (Krish, Suchith Suresan)
Anybody with a decent friends circle will be able to enjoy this song. This is a nice peppy song which praises the virtue of Friendship. I can’t imagine anyone in school or college who have not had some help from thier friends and that is what this song is all about. Typical of Harris he has allowed the lyrics and the singers to dominate by pushing the background score to a minimum.

Heartiley Battery (Hemachandran, Mukesh)
This song sums up the fact that “All is well” with this album from Harris. Hemachandran and Mukesh have put thier best efforts. Harris has used by chosen some interesting sounds and it is only added to the flavor of the song. This is probably the theme song of the movie and Harris has not disappointed. It will be fair to say that the song is definitely as good as the hindi equivalent if not better.

Askku Laska(Vijay Prakash, Chinmayee, Suvi)
The song was already well publicized as the 16 language love song. Vijay Prakash reminds me of a certain singer by the name of Hariharan. Chinmayee is equally awesome. Harris does not deviate from his sporadic usage of words which make no sense but no one is going to complain about this very likable and melodious composition.

Endhan Kan Munney(Aalap Raju)
This is probably one of the best songs of the album. Aalap Raju is emerging as one of the best voices in the industry. The tune is simply awesome and Harris has simply weaved magic with this composition. Aalap Raju has poured his heart and soul into the rendition and the end result is a mesmerizing and breezy song.

Irukkaannaa(Vijay Prakash, Javed Ali, Sunidhi Chauhan)
This song is all about Ileana and in particular her hip. The song is fun and I am sure Vijay will make it work with his amazing dance skills. Sunidhi Chauhan does her bit to make the song more catchier ! .

Nalla Nanban(Ramakrishnan Murthy)
A very impressive song sung by Ramakrishnan. This is a really well composed pathos song with very impressive lyrics by Na Muthukumar. Harris seems to have made the right choice with a carnatic backdrop.

Harris was definitely not at his best with 7 Am Arivu but he has come strong in this album.

Don’t think just Go and Buy the album or download the songs from iTunes !

7aam Arivu (Tamil: ஏழாம் அறிவு; English: The Seventh Sense) is an upcoming Tamil science fiction thriller film written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss. Starring Suriya, in double roles, and Shruthi Haasan, the film, being produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, began production in May 2010. The story is said to revolve around a “super machine”, which is brought to India.The film will be also dubbed and released in Telugu and Hindi.The film, made on a budget of 84 crore (US$18.73 million), is the most expensive film in Suriya’s career till date.

Innum Enna Thozha (Balram , Naresh Iyer)
Synthesized music welcomes us to this inspirational song penned by Pa. Vijay. Balram who sung the awesome title song from Mozhi has rendered this song with some help from Naresh. The song is not racy enough , not at least till the end , to be an motivational piece but Balram saves the song with his awesome control and poise. The lyrics are perfect for this genre to say the least.

Mun Adhi(Karthik, Mega)
if you have never listened to Rahman or Harris before then this song might blow your mind away ! That said Karthik is the male version of Shreya Ghosal to me and he just takes the song to the next level. Mega is only used primarily for the humming bit and she has done a commendable job. Harris has this uncanny ability to bring out the best out of the singers and it will be only fair to say that this song is no exception. The singers just seem that much more better in a Harris Jayaraj album.

Note : This song reminds me of Omane Pennae but somehow I like this better.

Oh Ringa Ringa(Roshan, Jerry John,Benny Dayal, Suchithra)
if you like reggaeton music you will probably enjoy this. The main issue is this also reminds me of the Taxi Taxi song by Rahman. The beats are good but other than there is not a lot going on with this song.

The Rise of Damo(Hao Wang)
Just go with Ba Ba Black Sheep and you will settle into this song. That said this is a new experiment in tamil music and Harris has to be given credit for trying this. The end result is appealing.

Yamma Yamma(SPB)
It will be refreshing to hear the veteran singer SPB sing any song ! The singer is in his elements in this simple song. Kabilan’s lyrics add to the simplicity of this song. Harris continues his emphasis on melody as the backdrop for literally any genre.

Yella Lamma(Vijay Prakash, Karthik, Shruthi Haasan, Shalini )
A fast paced song with nice flute interlude in the middle , this song is sung by a talented bunch of singers. I am surprised that Shruthi Hasssan has only featured in this one song. She definitely looks stunning in the promos so it is obvious she was focussed more on being the lead actress. This song is not a game changer but worth listening to !

The album is definitely not mind blowing . Almost all the songs remind me of some previous composition of Harris or Rahman. Harris has to break the barriers and somehow get out of his comfort zone . Somehow I get the feeling that the music director is reluctant to come out of his self enforced shell. The album will satisfy hardcore Harris Jayaraj fans and that’s about it.

All that said the quality of the songs is still pretty high. The negative criticism is purely based on the fact Harris has great potential and can reach greater heights. I am sure this album will be a commercial success and is still worth buying or downloading from Amazon/Itunes.

Ko’ is an upcoming film directed by KV Anand starring Jeeva, Ajmal , Karthika and Piya Bajpai in lead roles. This the third film directed by KV Anand after ‘Kana Kandein’ and ‘Ayan’.

This film is said to be a political action thriller about the adventures of a photo journalist, played by Jeeva, who finds himself in trouble when investigating a mystery case as a gang of musclemen are after him.

Yester years dream girl Radha’s daughter, Karthika is debuting in Tamil cinema as the heroine opposite Jeeva. Prakash Raj, Ajmal and Piaa are other important actors. Ajmal’s character is also said to have some grey shades and the actor is excited about the challenging role.

Aga Naga(Vijay Prakash, Tippu, Ranina Reddy, Priya Subramani, Solar Sai)
Another hip hop song from the Harris Jayraj stable of music .The song is not bad at all but for some reason it did not catch my imagination. There is a whole bunch of singers which is also typical of Harris. The techno music is commendable. Rumor is that this song will feature a whole bunch of actors including one of my favorites Suriya.

Amali Thumali(Hariharan, Chinmayi)
This is one of the songs which will grow on you. I do have to mention that this is just a rehash of his earlier composition Hasili Fisiliaye. Nevertheless the song is peppy and pleasing to the ear. Hariharan is still young in his rendition and chinmayi provides him with good company.

Ennamo Aedho(Aalaap Raju and Prashanthini)
A slightly refreshing tune follows the rap interludes. The beautiful rhythm which follows is sure to make the song go up the charts. There is a certain cool flavor to the song which definitely makes it more appealing. Aalaap Raju’s voice fits the song perfectly and Prashanthini’s voice is haunting. Sricharan has chipped in with the Rap bits and he has done a commendable job.

Gala Gala(Tippu, Krish, Haricharan and Sayonara Philip)
Another song with a whole bunch of singers. This is another fast and peppy song. Sayanora is back after her stint in Sivaji. The song is passable.

Netri Potil(Naresh Iyer)
This is sort of an anthem song which is actually interesting. Naresh Iyer singes this rock flavored song which is supposed to be an inspiration to the youth of the country and he has done a neat job.

Venpaniye(Bombay Jayashree and Sriram Parthasarathy)
Harris Jayaraj is at his best in this song. Sriram’s soulful voice is the perfect choice for this genre. The music director’s favorite singer Bombay Jayashree mesmerizes the listener with her dusky voice backed up by soothing instrumentals. Pa. Vijay has done what Thamarai usually does for Harris, provide clean and wonderful lyrics. The only issue some might have is that the song reminds us of the music directors early compositions. It is still the best song of the album to me.

The album is definitely not mind blowing but if you are a Harris fan this album is a must buy !

Bathing at Cannes…(Emcee Jesz, Kash n’ Krissy, Raninia Reddy)
A techno rap song which makes for interesting listening. I am assuming the success of techno music in Enthiran must have had an influence in this song being featured in the album.

Dhimu Dhimu…(Karthik)
A slightly revamped version of Nenjukul Peithdum Poomalai but Karthik is way too good to ignore. Typical Harris guitar interludes with mild and heavy bass beats in the background fill the speakers while Karthik provides the neccessary impetuous.

Engeyum Kadhal(Aalaap Raju Devan, Ranina Reddy)
The title song is also the pick of the album. The song reminds me of June Ponaal but I should admit that it is a slightly better version of the hit song. Harris has this uncanny knack of picking up singers who have a unique voice. His preference towards husky and deep female voices is a well known fact now. Thamarai is as usual brilliant with her lyrics. The lyricist is my favorite now and she will leave a lasting impression with the tamil audience if she focussed all her energy only on writing beautiful lyrics , something she is really good at.

Lolita…(Karthik, Prashanthini)
A regular Harris number made more memorable by Karthik and Prashanthini. There is nothing outstanding about this song but it is hard to dislike it.

Nangaai…(Richard, Rahul Nambiar, Naveen Madava)
Harris will accept that the king of pop was the inspiration behind the song. He has definitely worked hard to Indianize the song.Richard fits the bill perfectly and delivers a neat performance. The song shifts constantly between the traditional fare and western . It is worth a listen !

Nenjil Nenjil(Harish Raghavendra, Chinmayi)
A classical song which has its roots on very serious melody. Harish and Chinmayi are tailor made for this genre. Watch out for the flute and the mridangam interludes. I cannot recall a single song that Harish has sung for Harris which has not made it to the top of the charts. One of the best songs of the album. Switch off the lights and enjoy this piece.

Thee Illai(Naresh Iyer, Mahathi, Gopal Rao)
Another romantic melody . The Violin has been used to hold the song together. Naresh is as usual pleasing to the ear and Mahathi gives him good company. The chorus in the background also fits the bill perfectly.

A must buy if you are a Harris fan !

Varanam Ayiram was a terrific musical hit and Ayan is the next movie for Harris Jayaraj and Surya. There must have been obviously a lot of pressure on Harris to deliver the goods. Vairamuthu has penned the lyrics for all the songs.The one issue that the detractors of Harris throw at him is his inconsistency.Harris has played it safe with this album but he could have done better. He has to maintain high standards if he is to keep up with his now internationally famous counterpart.

The cast :

Starring: Surya, Prabhu, Tamanna

Director: K.V. Anand

Music Director: Harris Jeyaraj

Producer: M. Saravanan, M.S. Guhan, Aruna Guhan, Aparna Guhan

Honey Honey (Devan, Sayanora Philip)
A heavy bass oriented song with deep African beats. Sayanora’s voice is different to say the least. There are some nice moments in the song but I really did not know what to make of this song.The impressive part of the song is the nice change in pitch from high to low in the middle , with the violin playing a major part.

Nenje Nenje (Harris Ragavendra,Malathi)
This is a terrific song with the typical Harris magic written all over it. The lyrics are clear and precise. There is a nice little contest between the violin and other instruments in the middle which is very interesting. Malathi has the same intense voice as Jeyashree . Harris suits the song perfectly. You would think that you have heard pieces of the song before but that is expected of Harris. This song will be a sure hit.

Oo Aayiye Aayiye (Benny Dayal,Hariharan,Chinmayee)
This is a nice and cool peppy song.Benny Dayal is becoming a permanent fixture in albums of high profile music directors. Even though the song is good but does not really blow you away. There is a nice rhythm to the song.Hariharan and Chinmayee as usual give their best efforts.

Pala Pala (Hariharan)
A fun song with a heavy Spanish influence. Hariharan is a surprise choice and he does not let us down.The song is fast paced with easy lyrics and has the potential to be a blockbuster .

Vizhi Moodi ( Karthick)
This is the best song of the album. It looks like Harris has tried a new style with this song. He must have chosen the beat and then laid his tune around it. The end product is very impressive with the beat remaining the same from start to end. The lyrics is another strong factor.

The album is nowhere close to Varanam Ayiram but still good enough to buy. You can listen to the songs Here.

The golden combination of Gautham and Harris are back and the album simply rocks. Gautham has always managed to get the best out of Harris and this album is no exception. Harris has still not stepped out of this comfort zone but has managed to innovate within his self imposed boundaries.It will be impossible not to praise Harris for an excellent album. Thamarai has written the lyrics for all the songs except one which is penned by Na. Muthukumar. The strong emphasis on lyrics and melody is the forte of Harris and he has arguably been very much responsible in reinstating melody and emphasis on the vocals back in Tamil music.Harris has relied heavily on the guitar and has made the best use of it in this album

Nearly all the songs are sure to rule the charts for a long time to come.

Adiyae Kolluthey (Krish, Benny Dayal, Shruthi Hassan)
A typical Harris Jeyaraj Song with a heavy metal guitar interlude. Shruthi Hassan is the surprise package . She has a unique voice and that adds an exotic flavor to the song. Krish is another talented new comer and he actually sets the platform for Shruthi to build on. This song is sure to be a rage among the youth audience.The best thing about this piece is my American friend who is a avid heavy metal enthusiast enjoyed the song and wanted to listen to it again even though he did not understand a single word in the lyrics.

Nenjukkul Peidhidum(Hariharan, Devan, V.Prasanna)
A very impressive song sung by the evergreen Hariharan.The lyrics are as usual very prominent.The song has a nice rhythm to it.Hariharan has taken the song to greater depths with his amazing ability to control his rendition even at a high pitch. Make sure you don’t miss the haunting interlude in the middle.This song is sure to be a big hit.

Yethi Yethi (Benny Dayal, Naresh Iyer, Solar Sai)
A fast paced song with an Arabic feel to it. Harris has composed this song for the dance floors and has done a terrific job with the tune and the music arrangements. It is refreshing to see Harris experiment a bit with his arrangements.

Mundhinam (Naresh Iyer, Prashanthini)
The awesome Naresh Iyer gets to sing the best song of the album. Prashanthini , another new comer is another impressive singer and matches Naresh to make this song very memorable.The guitar piece in the background sums up the mood of the song. The lyrics as in any Harris composition take center stage. The music arrangements help this free flowing song to keep the pace. The overall rhythm reminds me of the George Michael hit “Faith” although there is absolutely nothing else is common

Oh! Shanthi Shanthi (Clinton, S.P.B.Charan)
Another impressive song. This sounds like a faster version of Nenjukkul Peidhidum. There is a delightful rhythm to this fast paced but melodious song. Charan reminds us of his illustrious father. Clinton acts as the perfect foil to charan. He gets the chance to hum to the heavy metal guitar and he has done a commendable job.

Ava Enna (Karthik, V.Prasanna)
The Kuthu song of the album.I am really not sure what Harris or Gautham were thinking but this must be to satisfy the masses. It is neither fast or appealing so this must be one of those experiments which failed . This song could still be a hit with the Gana crowd.

Anal Maelae(Sudha Raghunathan)
A slow and melodious song. The music arrangements reminded me of the 80’s in a good way. Sudha has such a terrific control over her voice and she sustains it throughout the song. She is also able to express the anguish and sorrow of the character clearly with her voice. Harris deserves a lot of credit for trusting Sudha to perform with minimal music arrangements.

Buy two copies ! This album is a must have for any avid music lover.