Sooriya

1995

Melody Audio & Video Centre

Lebuh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

I remember going to the audio shop in Lebuh Ampang on one of my regular visits. I believe it was in 1995 as "Manitha Manitha" was released around that time by Alai Osai in Malaysia. I could only afford to buy a cassette in those days as I just had entered university in June of 1995. A cassette from Alai Osai or Mani Osai was selling for a recommended retail price of RM6.50. I remember Alai Osai placing advertisements in Tamil newspapers to promote the release of "Manitha Manitha". I vaguely remember the words "Thunderstorm music from A.R. Rahman" in the advertisement. I called the Hema Enterprise shop in SS5, Kelana Jaya every hour asking whether they already have received the shipment of the cassettes. The lady who answered my numerous calls must have regretted that day.  

From the cassette display cabinet in the audio shop, I remember seeing the "Beauty Palace" (released in Malaysia by Alai Osai), and "Sooriya" cassettes. The reason why I was attracted to these 2 cassettes was because of A.R. Rahman’s picture in a circle prominently displayed on the front sleeve of the cassettes telling everybody that the music is by A.R. Rahman.

I was already an A.R. Rahman fanatic back then, I bought the cassettes of "Fantasy" (released in Malaysia by Mani Osai), and "Set Me Free" (released in Malaysia by Warner Music). I did buy the "Beauty Palace" cassette but "Sooriya" was a missed opportunity.

I hope my memory serves me correctly but I believe that "Sooriya" was released in Malaysia by Mani Osai. Mani Osai was the exclusive distributor of Pyramid titles in cassette format in Malaysia. This means that "Sooriya" was a Pyramid release, and Pyramid must have released "Sooriya" in cassette or CD formats themselves for other territories. From the now defunct "www.pyramidaudio.com" site, the following Chapleton CD title was listed available for sale in the entire world including India:
C-017, 1994, Padagan/Suriya

I remember seeing the same photo of A.R. Rahman that Mani Osai used for the front sleeve of the "Indian" cassette for the "Sooriya" cassette. Vijayashanti was on the front sleeve of the cassette in an action pose.

I asked the shopkeeper to test the "Sooriya" cassette. He took out the cassette from the display cabinet, and unwrapped the plastic wrapping cover. I remember very clearly seeing a track by the name of “Kula Paikaa Pali” on the track list on Side B. He played the cassette, and I don’t remember how the songs sounded like but I was clearly not impressed. I told the shopkeeper I was not interested.

In 1995, the Internet was still in its infancy, and Netscape Navigator was the “King of the Browser”. After many years later, I found out from the Internet that A.R. Rahman did not compose the songs in the movie but only scored the background music for "Nippurava". The music for the songs was by Bappi Lahri, and Raj Koti (only for the song "Randi Kadali Randi"). The "Sooriya" Chapleton CD contains still shots from the "Timentha" song with dance choreography by Prabhu Deva. Of course, Bappi Lahri flatters to deceive but I really can't blame him for trying. Fans of A.R. Rahman will crucify me for saying this but A.R. Rahman adhered to the same formula for the songs in "Super Police" in terms of arrangement to suit the taste of the Telegu audience but of course his production is far superior.

Till this day, I regret not buying the "Sooriya" cassette from the audio shop that day.  It’s a wonderful marketing example of how audio companies took advantage of “A.R. Rahman’s Imperial Phase” back in the 1990s. Back in the 1990s after the success of "Roja", any cassette or CD with A.R. Rahman’s picture will sell, and make a profit for the audio companies – "Set Me Free" re-released by Magnasound in 1996 being a prime example.