Imposition – A hard-hitting and energetic Tamil Anthem – Score Indie Reviews
Pravin Mani is an all encompassing musician, predominantly, a composer, producer and extraordinaire rapper. He has been in the industry for over 30 years working alongside other legendary musicians across generations. A long time friend and colleague of ARR sirs, Pravin Mani has not only contributed to many of ARR’s tracks but has also composed for several English, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu language films.
It is not easy to completely switch off from the commercially attractive film industry and enter the emerging albeit slow growing Indian independent scene but here we have Pravin setting an example for others to follow. After a break, he is back in action with a trap-independent single called Imposition. Not only has he composed and produced it but has also rapped and sang, offering us something completely different from any of his previous works. His ravishing and viscous vocals alongside subtle layerings of Michael Murray’s guitar pieces definitely serve to enrich the sound.
The song is a personification of Tamil culture, specifically, the language. Whilst it may appear to be contentious and have certain political implications, the primary objective is only to advocate rights for the Tamilians who have only been exposed to the Tamil language. It embeds a subtle yet powerful social message alluding to the importance of the Tamil language being acknowledged and appreciated as a language on and of its own in the Indian subcontinent. Navin, a renowned lyricist, has penned the lyrics in such a beautiful manner. Essentially, imposing one language onto any language for that matter isn’t ethical.
In order to visually communicate the message, the flair of the anthem and the hard-hitting nature of the song, Richard Noel and Ranjith Anand were brought in for video direction and choreography respectively and they have delivered beyond expectations. The hip-hop scene has taken off in certain regions in India but is yet to revolutionize in the South. This song is a mere testament to that. The dancers in the video have also done a spectacular job really portraying the relevant emotion.
Imposition has the potential to transcend boundaries. The song features contributions from around the globe from Toronto, to London and of course to our home, Chennai. This undertaking was made possible through great collaborative spirit with a myriad of methods from phone calls, to emails and zoom conferences across time zones.
Verdict – Ravishing, relevant and a real work of art
