Karunya finally gets his due with Ante Sundaraniki’s single Rango Ranga

Barring an exception or two, one wonders what makes most Telugu composers aggressively chase singing talents from other states who barely have a sense of the language, film after film. Youtube hits? Vocal range? Can’t our singers manage both? It’s a travesty that someone as capable and under-utilised as NC Karunya has to wait so long to sing for a major mainstream film like Ante Sundaraniki.

All we have to say about him crooning for Rango Ranga, the third single in the film, is ‘Thank You Vivek Sagar’ (composer). The number, depicting the many ironies in the life of Ante Sundaraniki’s Sundaram, who happens to hail from a conservative Brahmin family, is brilliant mix of smart orchestration, catchy lyrics and an apt choice of singer (making good use of Karunya’s versatility).

“Anukundoti ayindoti…Rango ranga rango ranga….Mokkindoti dakkindoti….Rango ranga rango ranga…Nikundi nikkacchi picchi…..Kalamki nee payine kacchi,” the song, lyricised by Sanapati Bhardwaj Patrudu, takes off with a catchy hook. The well-shot lyrical video also features the singer himself in addition to some fun-BTS moments during the shoot of Ante Sundaraniki.

The other songs from the film, The Panchakattu song and Entha Chitram have turned out to be a wonderful showcase of Vivek Sagar’s versatility. There’s so much one can do by breaking commercial conventions and the album is certainly proof of it.

Directed by Vivek Athreya, the film stars Nani and Nazriya Fahadh in the lead. Nadhiya, Harshavardhan, Rahul Ramakrishna, Suhas and others too play important roles. Cinematographed by Niketh Bommi, edited by Ravi Teja Girijala, the film is bankrolled by Y Ravi Shankar and Naveen Yerneni under Mythri Movie Makers.