As filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon celebrates his 53rd birthday today, it's the perfect time to look at his approach to musical storytelling. A prominent figure in modern romance, Menon has spent over 25 years in the industry, often using song sequences to narrate the story rather than just for entertainment. In a GVM film, the music often gives away the story’s emotional arc before dialogue is spoken.
Here are some of his songs that remain in the audience’s memory, acting as the script core:
The 'Oh Shanthi Shanthi' track showcases how a crush turns into a life-defining obsession. Through the vigorous playing of guitars and high-energy synths, Gautham Vasudev Menon conveys Surya’s (Suriya) sudden life spark for Meghna (Sameera Reddy). It tells the story of a young man ready to cross continents for love, signalling that his life has transitioned into a romantic adventure.
'Yennodu Vaa Vaa' is a time frame of a lifetime. By blending Ilayaraaja’s fluid transitions with visuals of Varun (Jiiva) and Nithya (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) growing up. Gautham Vasudev Menon reveals the film's core in the song, describing their love as a constant loop of attraction and ego. The lyrics indicate that no matter how many years pass or how many misunderstandings occur, their souls are permanently tied to each other.
The Ondra Renda' song sequence cracks the tough cop persona of Anbuselvan (Suriya). It conveys the shift from a man who lives for his IPS badge to a man who has finally found a reason to come home. By focusing on Maya (Jyothika), the song tells us the story is no longer just about a police procedural. It's now a high-stakes vulnerability.
'Manipaaya' is more than a melody; it’s a confession. It conveys the guilt of Jessie (Trisha Krishnan) and the desperate hope of Karthik (Silambarasan TR). Through the shift in vocals, GVM tells the audience that their romance is ‘divine yet difficult’. It follows that while they are soulmates, the reality and Jessie's hesitation will eventually become the story’s miserable turning point.