Akhanda: The title track of Balakrishna-Boyapati's next is intense and spiritually uplifting

Akhanda, the much-anticipated collaboration between actor Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Boyapati Srinu, has finished filming and is gearing up to hit theatres shortly. The action entertainer stars Pragya Jaiswal as the leading lady and will feature Balakrishna in three different avatars. After receiving a unanimous response for the film's first single Adigaa Adigaa, a melody, the team of Akhanda has released the title track, sung by the father-sons trio Shankar Mahadevan, Shivam Mahadevan and Siddharth Mahadevan. Ananth Sriram has penned the lyrics for the same.

"Kham kham khangumandhi shankham, Kadagamandhi pankam, Chaavukaina jankam, Dham dham dharmabheri shabdham, Cheyyamandhi yuddham," the opening lines start with a bang. Composer S Thaman besides the established singers do a terrific job of sustaining the intensity and the momentum. The beauty of the number is its restrained quality. There's a newness to it, it's not loud and yet massy enough to appeal to the sensibilities of Balakrishna's fans. If one has to name the number's unsung hero, it's Anantha Sriram without a doubt, whose word-play in a wide array of musical genres continues to be admirable.

The song impresses because it's not merely designed as a mass number. It's spiritually uplifting in more ways than one where Balakrishna's fiery side as an aghora is compared to Lord Shiva. Boyapati Srinu is a filmmaker who understands Balakrishna's strengths and body language perfectly; here, he utilises his on-screen rage perfectly in a new avatar. The title track of Akhanda is ideally meant for the big screen experience and one can't wait to watch the powerful situation in which the song will play along in the film.

The use of dhol, percussion instruments and the guitar create a solid impact in the Akhanda title track. The chorus singers and the lead vocalists pack a punch. Akhanda is produced by Miryala Ravinder Reddy under Dwaraka Creations. Ram Prasad has cranked the camera for the film for which AS Prakash is the art director. Srikanth is cast as an antagonist.