KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Mani Ratnam is a name largely credited with transforming the face of Tamil cinema. Soft spoken, media shy, and a man of few words; Ratnam has built an aura that completely contradicts his demeanour as an individual.

The incoherence in his public speech is a sharp contrast to how eloquent his screenplays have been over the years.

Take a moment to appreciate the genius of Ratnam as you count the number of films he has actually done. With Kaatru Veliyidai (Breezy Expanse), he reaches what is actually his first notable milestone: it is his 25th film, some 34 years after he debuted as a film-maker.

KV is only Ratnam’s seventh film since the turn of the millennium and only three of his six previous ventures had been successful. But the fact that his name alone draws such a following in an industry that often needs the names of actors and superstars to identify the value of a movie speaks volumes.

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KV’s release also marks 25 years since AR Rahman, the man Ratnam brought into the music scene in 1992, made his debut.

Rahman’s indisputable genius is able to bring extra flavour and authenticity to the musical score whenever he works with Ratnam, and with KV, his first original album of 2017, the expectations do not seem to be misplaced.

Nalla Allai (Sathya Prakash, Chinmayi)

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The album starts with a bar raised high enough to cause a musical nosebleed. Just like "Moongil Thottam" (Kadal) and "Parandhu Sella Vaa" (OK Kanmani), Rahman delivers another poisonous ballad with an element of journey with "Nalla Allai."

Sathya Prakash, who shot to recognition after singing the delectable and hugely memorable "Raasali" last year for Rahman, does an exceptional job with the vocals, accompanied by delicious percussions and sound arrangements including the perfectly tuned strumming of the guitar in the background.

Chinmayi makes one of the best vocal cameos one can make without singing a single line — her humming in the middle stanzas elevates the melody of this number. Vairamuthu, as he has done so many times, pens lyrics with excellent depth and beauty.

Oligalil theedal enbathellam mounathil mudigindrathe, mounathil theedal enbathellam gnaanathil mudigrindrathe.

"Nalla Allai" is however only four minutes long, and with such flawless arrangements, ends as soon as it starts. A breezy expanse is encapsulated with the start of this album.

Azhagiye (Arjun Chandy, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi)

The romance gears up into modern, playful territory with “Azhagiye,” but with equally addictive results. “Azhagiye” gets going with an energetic guitar base and the tone is set the vocal imitation of birds and the “bang bang” chorus. Rahman sumptuously balances the art of fusing energy and the same time retaining a heavy dose of melody with this song- building up nicely with the infusion of English words such as “marry me,” “flirt with me” and “get high with me.”

And right at the middle stanza, Punjabi folk music makes a surprise entrance, and Rahman transcends immaculately to Jonita Gandhi’s slow hum, setting the tone for some beautiful poetry and melody in the middle stanza.

Thulli kaalam ketten, thulli kaadhal ketten, thulli kaamam ketten.

Madhan Karky has written lyrics for this number and does an admirable job infusing the modern juggernauts in the opening lines while at the same time, doing some seriously good writing in the middle stanzas. Arjun Chandy and Haricharan’s vocal combination works so well it is difficult to tell who is leading the singing at any one point of time.

Definitely the song for the upcoming wedding season, or even a few proposals.

Just like “Nalla Allai,” however, “Azhagiye” is just under four minutes long and makes for a breezy and effortless listen.

Vaan Varuvan (Shashaa Tirupati)

AR Rahman is known for his slow poison numbers; songs that seem too ordinary at first but grow on you years, or even decades later. But "Vaan Varuvan" is a little different -- its poison that works pretty fast by his standards. Three or four listens in, the full appreciation of this beautiful composition comes easily to the fore.

Sashaa Tirupati who has been behind the vocals of some of Rahman’s best numbers in recent years — including "Naane Varugiren" from Ratnam and Rahman’s previous collaboration OK Kanmani — does not get a single vocal chord wrong and carries this song almost entirely with her beautiful voice.

The film’s setting in the chilly northern hills of India can almost be felt in the way "Vaan" was composed; paced not an inch too slow nor inch too fast.

Rahman starts with a soothing piano base before introducing the flute, and then infuses the middle parts with ever-so-subtle techno beats. This is the kind of song that Rahman often speaks about... where you feel a certain “connection.”

Something that definitely should be done in a Coke Studio setting, similar to what Rahman did with “Nenjukulle” for Kadal (2013), another Ratnam film.

Saaratu Vandiyila (AR Raihanah, Nikitha Gandhi, Tippu)

Can a semi-erotic piece of poetry be a wedding song?

That appears to be what Vairamuthu, Rahman and Ratnam have done here with some phenomenal results. A special mention has to go to Ratnam for the way wedding songs have been picturised in his films over the years.

Ratnam’s films are known to include songs that celebrate the act of lust, and shot ever so sumptuously. After the likes of “Yaaro Yaarodi” from Alaipayuthey, he has clearly recreated that playfulness and mischievousness with “Saaratu Vandiyila.”

Rahman walks a fine line; at times, this is like a throwback to the 1990s AR Rahman which an entire state grew to love and adore. But he makes sure there are enough tweaks and little surprises to take the listener on a fresh journey.

Rahman’s sister AR Raihanah brings her unique voice to the table, accompanied by Tippu, who returns to the mic after a notable absence, and brings his own playful flavour to the song.

The real winner here is however Rahman’s sound arrangement: the use of traditional percussions, including flutes and tablas, to set a wonderful wedding atmosphere.

Vairamuthu accompanies that mastery with a semi-erotic assortment of lyrics, the kind that can make you baulk if you realise the meaning behind a series of beautifully arranged words. Vairamuthu and Ratnam have done this before and as recently as “Parandhu Sella Vaa” in OK Kanmani.

Vairamuthu proves yet again how the beauty of poetry can elevate even the most mundane act into a grand celebration.

He says: Ratham sudu kolla paathu nimisham thaan raasathi,

And then she says: Aanuko pathu nimisham thaan, ponnuko anji nimisham.

This is truly the AR Rahman-Mani Ratnam “Baani” (style).

Tango Keelayo (Haricharan, Diwakar)

A salsa-melody (as the title implies), "Tango Keelayo" sounds experimental in the first few listens, but is a gem that has some exceptional act of fusion that displays Rahman’s musical range. The number starts with a heavily influenced usual tango music, with the initial parts handled ably by Diwakar. But soon Haricharan enters to infuse a little melody with lines like “Unnai Pirindhaal” and “Nee Ennai Maravai.”

And at 2:50, a little bit of magic happens — tango beats accompany Haricharan as he stretches his vocals to his melodic best setting the listener onto a pretty quaint zone. And suddenly, what initially sounded experimental, now looks like a deliberate work of genius.

Probably there’s very thin line between being experimental and being a genius. Rahman constantly treads this line and has made a career out of being able to come out of it being the latter and not just the former.

It takes two to tango and here Rahman’s musical sensibilities pairs that tango with the sensibilities of the avid listener. An underrated number in an album filled with superlative songs.

Jugni (AR Rahman, Tejinder Singh, Raja Kumari)

Just like “Tango Keelayo,” “Jugni” (Firefly) does not immediately fall into place. Sung mainly by Rahman itself, the song however clearly seems to be the most important pivot for KV’s plot, describing the polarisation of both the protagonists.

“Jugni” does not have much in terms of lyrics. It is mainly filled with minimal Hindi lyrics, with two lines sung by Tejinder Singh. More of a journey song, Rahman also mostly repeats two lines: ha-chalengi ha, na-chalengi na.

Just when it seems to become a little monotonous, Rahman ropes in Raja Kumari, the American-Indian rapper, with fantastic results. Raja Kumari elevates the middle stanzas with her subtle rapping: You’re there, you’re not there.

Though clearly a number that would carry the mood of the movie, the song's juxtaposition of a little bit of Punjabi music, rap and techno beats is delectable to the ears.

Kaatru Velliyidai continues in the vein of every Mani Ratnam-AR Rahman combination, setting higher than usual standards and offering songs that each in their own right could develop a cult following. Only six songs, and none too long but when four of them are absolute masterpieces, you can only call the album one thing: Gorgeous.

Now, to wait for the movie.