Music Review: Anjali CBI

Album: Anjali CBI
Genre: Tollywood
The Tamil crime thriller Imaikkaa Nodigal, starring Nayanthara, Anurag Kashyap, Atharvaa and Raashi Khanna in lead roles, is releasing in Telugu dubbed as Anjali CBI, after the protagonist’s character in the film. But let’s just say that the songs that were composed by Hiphop Tamizha, who also composed for the Telugu OST, have all been ‘lost in translation’.
First up is the Nuvvu Nenu Cheri, the Telugu version of the hit song Neeyum Naanum Anbe, with lyrics by Vanamali and crooned by V Prasanna and Jithin Raj.While Raghu Dixit, Sathyaprakash D and Jithin Raj did a stupendous job in Tamil, the life seems to be sucked out of the Telugu version, with Prasanna’s rendition nowhere matching Raghu’s deep baritone. The music of course remains the same, with Tamizha doing a stupendous job with it. If only the version had some life in it.
Jithin Raj also croons Preminchoddu Manase penned by Bandaru Hanumaiah. This number too sees the singers changed while Hiphop Tamizha and Kaushik Krish helming the original, Kadhalikathey. Despite that, Jithin does a good job of keeping the massy essence of the song intact. Preminchoddu Manase is a fun enough listen, with the music elevating it where the lyrics have nothing much to offer.
Cheli Cheyyi sung by Santosh Hariharan and penned by Vanamali seems to be a new addition to the OST which is missing in the Tamil version. A peppy number where the music takes precedence over the vocals and lyrics, this one is an okay listen. The music almost overshadows the vocals in most parts and the lyrics have nothing much to write home about. But Tamizha brings life into an otherwise flat and super short number with his arrangement.
Last on the album is the Hyena Story, titled Lion vs Hyenas in Tamil, consisting of the dialogues where Anurag Kashyap’s character, a serial killer, who is being hunted by Nayanthara’s character, a CBI officer named Anjali, compares himself to a hyena and her to a lion. The Tamil version sees Magizh Thirumeni, who dubbed for Anurag, deliver his dialogues with flair, something that’s missing from the Telugu version. What’s more disappointing is the famous, rousing music that backs the original dialogues are missing in the rendition which sees no music at all.
The OST of the film consisted of six numbers in Tamil but the Telugu version falls short by Rudra’s Symphony, Vilambara Idaiveli and Kadhal Oru Aagayam — all stupendous songs — mysteriously missing. Give this dubbed version a miss and just listen to the original Tamil jukebox, irrespective of the language barrier. We promise you’ll enjoy it better.