Ek Niranjan Audio Review

Everyone has form slumps. If you take a cricketer, for example, they may hit five tons in row but they may also get five ducks in a row. But they will still be remembered as a great cricketer if they come back after five ducks to score more centuries. The same applies in the movie industry. Mani Sharma has been in a form slump of sorts for the last couple of years. He really needs one rocking album to come back. Ek Niranjan is the next offering from Puri Jagannath with Prabhas in the lead. Let's see if Mani is back in form.

01 - Ek Niranjan
Singers : Ranjith
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
One of the best title songs in recent times. The rendition by Ranjith is perfect and shows the hero's characterisation in his expression. The lyrics are catchy and the tune is immediately hummable. The introduction tune gives a new feel to song and beat is superb. No doubt that this song will be a chartbuster.
Rating: 3.75/5

02 - Gundello
Singers : Hemachandra, Geetha Madhuri
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry
Hemachandra has been featuring in Mani Sharma's albums for the last couple of years and almost all the songs he has song are hits. Prabhas-Mani Sharma-Hemachandra combo was seen in Prabhas' last movie Billa in the song "Bommali". The same magic didn't quite repeat this time but it is not a bad number. Hemachandra is good as usual, as is Geetha Madhuri. The lyrics are OK, but the main feature of the song is the tune. The pallavi after the first charanam is good as the vocals are mixed with a guitar which gives a feel to the song. But overall, it is just an average song because it has similarities to Mani Sharma's earlier songs.
Rating: 3/5

03 - Sameera
Singers : Karthik
Lyrics : Ramajogayya Sastry This song immediately reminded me of "Devuda" from Pokiri. The feel of the song is the same, but the rendition is a lot softer. There are always songs like this in Puri Jagannath movies, remember "Choopultho Guchchi" from Idiot and "Ninne Ninne" from Desamuduru. It is another hummable number, but lacks the catchy lyrics that the other songs I mentioned have. Karthik is good as usual.
Rating: 2.75/5

04 - Evaru Lerani
Singers : Malavika
Lyrics : Bhaskarabhatla
Hasn't it been a long time since we heard a slow melody from Mani Sharma? This one is a soothing melody number which brings back memories of Mani Sharma's older tunes for movies like Okkadu and Khushi. Malavika does a good job and Bhaskarabhatla's lyrics are also good. This one is not for the people who like fast dance numbers but it will be liked by melody lovers.
Rating: 3.25/5

05 - Mahammari
Singers : Kalyan Vasanth, Geetha Madhuri
Lyrics : Bhaskarabhatla
This is another mass number with an interesting use of a trumpet in the introduction. You remember Kalyan Vasanth from various singing shows on TV, he gets his chance with this song. It is very similar to "Choododdu Antunna" from Pokiri. The lyrics are alright. Not a bad number but not the best either.
Rating: 2.75/5

06 - Nartanatara (A Tribute to Michael Jackson)
Singers : Ranjith, Nilayini
Lyrics : Vishwa
A tribute to Michael Jackson from the Telugu industry. It is pretty good number, but the only drawback is the lack of lyrical clarity in the female singer. The musical interludes given by Mani are superb, especially the second interlude when the tune and beat of Michael Jackson's Billy Jean is used. The lyrics are good by Viswa who is good at incorporating English lyrics into Telugu (for example the Athadu introduction song). It's not a chartbuster but not a bad number either. What I want to know is, how they are going to picturise it and how they are going to fit it into the movie. In the credits perhaps.
Rating: 2.75/5

Overall Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Last Words: It is not just Mani Sharma that needs to get back into form, it is also Puri Jagannath and Prabhas. For all three this is a crucial movie. As far as the audio is concerned, it is pretty good and will help the movie's openings. I wouldn't say Mani is in full form yet, but definitely on his way back.

My Pick: Ek Niranjan