Song: Kadhal Anukkal
Movie: Enthiran
Composer: AR Rahman
Artistes: Vijay Prakash, Shreya Ghoshal
Lyricist: Vairamuthu
‘Kadhal Anukkal’ is a timely song for this day, if only to remind us of that scene in which Rajinikanth has a slo-mo walk in the desert. Former Miss World Aishwarya Rai is not the eye-candy here. It is Rajinikanth’s Vaseegaran. His hair giving into the breeze, his smile that blocks out the scorching Brazilian sun, and the beautiful guitar that rolls out the red carpet for dear old Rajinikanth. You watch this scene and think – man, the dude’s still got it.
2.0 has little of Vaseegaran and that’s a shame.
The rest of ‘Kadhal Anukkal’ is dedicated to Aishwarya and her blue eyes. She is the sum total of all beauty. Vairamuthu reserves his warmest praise for Rai and yet, Rajinikanth, as is his way, steals the show. Some (fake) guitar strumming here. A little introspection about ‘Sana Sana Ore Vina’ there – comfortably under a tent we must add, while poor Rai labours in the heat. Rajini ensures that the spotlight is on him.
Vijay Prakash sings like a dream in this song. There’s the exuberance of love – a scientist who finally leaves behind the burden of his work in order to spend quality time with his love. He sheepishly acknowledges through song that his work has restricted his time for his partner.
‘En pizhaippil kooda kaathalin neram ilaithu vittadhe…‘
Enthiran also had slightly more age-appropriate romance. It was not cringe max to see Rajini dance around with Aishwarya. That is not the case with Amy Jackson, however.
And so, to wash off that odd taste left behind by the odd romance in 2.0, let us feast our eyes once again on ‘Kadhal Anukkal’. An upbeat romantic number that had its priorities straight. It was Rajini all the way.