Siva (soundtrack)

1989 soundtrack album by Ilaiyaraaja

Siva

Soundtrack album by

Ilaiyaraaja

Released| 1989
Genre| Feature film soundtrack
Length| 28:20
Language| Telugu
Label| Aditya Music
Producer| Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja chronology
| Geethanjali
(1989)  | Siva
(1989)  | Indrudu Chandrudu
(1989)

|
|

The five-song soundtrack album and background score of the Telugu-language crime action film Siva (1989) is composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film, directed by Ram Gopal Varma and produced by Annapurna Studios and SS Creations, stars Nagarjuna, Amala Akkineni, Raghuvaran and J. D. Chakravarthy. Veturi Sundararama Murthy and Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry wrote lyrics for the songs, while S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki, K. S. Chithra, S. P. Sailaja and Mano were the singers. The soundtrack was successful and was acclaimed as one of Ilaiyaraaja's best works in Telugu cinema.

## Background and production

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Initially, Varma wanted M. M. Keeravani to compose music for the film, since he assisted K. Chakravarthy on Rao Gari Illu (1988), where Varma worked as an assistant director. As Keeravani was inexperienced, he suggested a more seasoned technician to work on the film, which resulted in Ilayaraaja's inclusion.[1] Siva is Ilaiyaraaja's third collaboration with Nagarjuna, after he previously worked with Sankeertana (1987) and Aakhari Poratam (1988).[1]

Due to a strike in Madras, Ilaiyaraaja and Varma shifted to Mumbai for recording the background score.[2] The producers suggested Varma to use stock tunes instead for the score. Nagarjuna noticed this and asked them to provide what Varma asked for, and offered to pay the additional expenses incurred if any.[3] For an action scene, Ilaiyaraaja used moving string music; when Varma asked why, he answered: "They have come here to study and they are fighting. So I just felt sad for them".[4][5] Deepan Chatterjee was hired as the film's sound designer after Varma being impressed with his work in Sindhoora Puvvu (1988).[2] Ismail Darbar, who later composed the music for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002), worked with Ilaiyaraaja on Siva as a violinist.[6]

## Music video

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Mugur Sundar choreographed the film's songs;[7] "Anando Brahma" was filmed at the interiors of Borra Caves in Visakhapatnam and "Botany" was shot at the Keyes High school, near Secunderabad Junction railway station, where the college portions had been filmed there.[8] The remaining songs were filmed on sets at Annapurna Studios.[2] For the Hindi-language remake Shiva (1990)[9][10] all the songs were retained from the Telugu version, except "Botany" which was re-shot at the Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University in Rajendranagar.[8]

## Track list

[edit]

No.| Title| Lyrics| Artist(s)| Length

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1.| "Sarasalu"| Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry| Mano, S. Janaki| 05:07
2.| "Botany"| Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry| S. P. Sailaja, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam| 04:26
3.| "Anando Brahma"| Veturi| K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam| 04:29
4.| "Enniyalo"| Veturi| K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam| 04:18
5.| "Kiss Me Hello"| Veturi| K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam| 04:30
Total length:| 28:20

## Reception and legacy

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The film's music and the sound design received acclaim from critics, which was instrumental in the film's successful theatrical run.[11][12][13] Vikram Venkateswaran of The Quint described "Botany" as the "quintessential college song" where "Ilaiyaraaja got the tune just right".[14] Varma dedicated the background score of his Rowdy (2014), composed by Sai Karthik, to Ilaiyaraaja. Adapting the background score of the cycle-chase scene in Rowdy, Varma said that his main interest was "to bring back this composition to express the great idea of the genius [Ilaiyaraaja's] 1989 soundtrack (of Siva) to 2014".[15] The track was named under the title "Cycle Rowdy" as the seventeenth-track from the 22-track album containing the film's score released in March 2014.[16] Before his debut in film industry, music director Munna Kasi recalled that he was inspired by Ilaiyaraaja's work from the film.[17]

## Bibliography

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* Chinnarayana, Pulagam (August 2007). "శివ—సెల్యులాయిడ్ చరిత్రలో సహజావేశం" [Siva—A natural frustration in the history of celluloid]. Telugu Naadi (in Telugu). United States. ISSN 1559-7008. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.

## References

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1. ^ a b Chinnarayana 2007, p. 51.
2. ^ a b c Chinnarayana 2007, p. 52.
3. ^ Exploring Shiva after 25 years. YouTube (Motion picture). India: Annapurna Studios. 7 October 2014.
4. ^ Varma, Ram Gopal (20 March 2000). "The Psychological aspect of BackGround Music". Idlebrain.com. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
5. ^ "Shiva (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". iTunes Store. 1989. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
6. ^ "Ram Gopal Varma on Shiva". Sify. 21 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
7. ^ Shiva (Telugu). YouTube (Motion picture). India: Shalimar Telugu Movies. 6 December 2013.
8. ^ a b "Trivia about Ram Gopal Varma's Shiva". Sify. 21 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
9. ^ Nangia, Vinita Dawra (11 July 2010). "I chose life over Bollywood: Nagarjuna". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
10. ^ "Shiva (1990)". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
11. ^ Chinnarayana 2007, p. 54.
12. ^ "Nagarjuna's Shiva completes 25 years". The Times of India. 5 October 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023. "Ilayaraja's music and S Gopal Reddy's cinematography were e very instrumental in the film's success"
13. ^ "Movies that stirred, moved & shook us". Bangalore Mirror. 3 May 2013. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
14. ^ Venkateswaran, Vikram (29 August 2016). "Remember King Nag in 'Shiva'? He Was My First Love". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
15. ^ "RGV dedicates Rowdy's background score to Ilayaraja". The Times of India. 29 March 2014. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
16. ^ "Background Score of 'Rowdy' Tribute to Illayaraja: RGV". The New Indian Express. 29 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
17. ^ Kavirayani, Suresh (21 February 2014). "A dream come true for Munna Kasi". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

*[No.]: Number