Kabali’s OST is...Wait a Second!

I started off reviewing Kabali’s OST. And then I hit on an earth-shattering revelation. Kabali is actually...

I listened to the songs in loop. I binge watched the trailer. And then it hit me, the earth shattering revelation. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube)

Kabali’s music is fresh and completely non-masala. I mean this in the sense that it seems to cater to the narrative of the movie rather than to commercial demands that have nothing to do with the movie.

Marketing gimmick in disguise? I don’t think so.

The music is too varied for categorisation. There’s this existential song that is deeply impressive (Maya Nadhi Ondru…). And on the flip-side, parts of two of the songs have English rap sequences, which sound like bad translations of Tamil lyrics. For your kind consideration:

lend me your ears
I’ll slice em all off
with the same pair of scissors
my momma used to cut cloth

Lyrics are Familiar but Subtler

Listen to this, and we’ll talk some more...

The lyrics have the customary ‘fearless leader’, ‘immortal leader’, ‘he’s come to remove the avaricious rulers’ kind of import. The songs have always been anti-Jayala....erm...you know who. Heck, the blockbuster Padayappa is a two-hour metaphor. His nemesis ‘Neelambari’ is a woman who commands power, great desire (for Rajini, of course) and a deep grudge.

But this time round, even the lyrics are more subdued than usual.

My Magizhchi Moment

There’s this really cool electric guitar/siren sound. It dominates the title song, but does a cameo in all of the other songs. Sounds like the ‘scream’ in Ridley Scott’s Alien. It made me aware of this weird feeling I kept having as I listened to the songs in loop. I first thought it was the fact that I was seeing something new in a Rajini film. And then I realised it was Deja Vu!

FACT (my theory, which I strongly think is right)

Kabali is actually Kaali, a character Rajinikanth played 38 years ago! Before he became a Super Star.

How Kaali Was Born

38 years ago, J Mahendran, a scriptwriter in Tamil cinema wanted to direct a movie, for the first time, with Rajinikanth in the lead. The producer, Venu Chettiar, was dead against this. Why? Because Rajinikanth was too dark. And, he was already typecast as a villain (Avargal. Sadistic ex-husband. I fell in hate with the character).

Chettiar agreed with much reluctance at the debut director’s insistence. But every time he came to the shooting spot, he’d find Rajinikanth an eyesore, and he would mutter, ‘ridiculous’ and leave.

Rajinikanth was touched to the quick. He vowed to give this role his all. And so, ‘Kaali’ was born. The movie was called Mullum Malarum (thorns and blossoms).

Kaali was Rajini

‘Kaali’ is a wynch operator in a village in the hills. His sister and he are orphans. He’s the thorn (Mullum) that protects his sister (Malarum).

I’ll pass on the story narration. What I’d like to draw your attention to, is the character himself. You cannot describe Kaali in a character sketch. He is flawed and confrontational, but also has a good side. He is quick to anger but cools down fast. And yet, he can hold a serious grudge. Rajinikanth didn’t act as Kaali or essay the role. He simply interpreted it with whatever was inside him.

Rajinikanth would reprise the character of Kaali two years later (1980) in a bilingual revenge movie of the same name. Pa Ranjith, the director of Kabali seems to have a crush on this guy.

Mullum Malarum Broke Something, and it was Good!

There is no melodrama in this 1978 classic. There is no over-the-top acting. There are no 2D characters. No hero-heroine running around trees (‘looking like drunken monkeys’, according to director Mahendran).

All of the songs actually fit into the narrative, with some of them forming the backdrop for a sequence of scenes. This is a feat that even movies today struggle with. Mullum Malarum broke all of the cinematic tropes of its times. And it was beautiful to watch.
Huge credit to Balu Mahendra (one of the holy trinity of directors of Tamil cinema), who assisted Mahendran in literally every aspect of the movie.

Why I Think Kabali is Kaali

Rajinikanth’s body language was different in the trailer (which, by the way sucks. Here’s why).

It wasn’t a ‘put on’ style, like in his super-duper-bumper hit Padayappa. He was casual, even when he says ‘Kabali Da!’. He was natural. Just like when he played Kaali. There’s the same swagger, the way he moves his lips when he says certain words...you’ve got to watch the old movie to get how close I think the two characters are.

If I’m right, I think we’re in for a singular treat from the super-star after almost four decades. Even if I’m wrong (about Kabali Being Kaali), I’m sure it’s com-plete-ly different from Lingaa. And that, in itself, is great news!

Also Read: Rajinikanth’s ‘Kabali’ Audio Released, New Teaser Postponed