Sadly, No Dr*gs From Anirudh This Time!

Music director Anirudh Ravichander, often hailed as the most happening composer in Indian cinema right now, has hit an unexpected low. Within just two weeks, two of his highly anticipated projects, Kingdom (July 31) and Coolie (August 14), released in theatres. Fans expected chartbuster albums and powerful background scores, but the response has been underwhelming.

For Kingdom, the audio album already carried limited commercial appeal because of the film’s theme. To make matters worse, the much-anticipated Hridayam Lopala track was removed from the final cut. While Ragile Ragile managed to stand out and played an important role in the climax, the rest of the songs and BGM felt flat and lacked Anirudh’s trademark energy.

Expectations were much higher for Coolie since it marked Anirudh’s collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj and Rajinikanth. The pre-release single Monica became a popular hit, but in the film its poor placement ruined its impact. A brief interlude during Nagarjuna’s entry showcased flashes of Anirudh’s brilliance, yet the same Powerhouse theme was recycled throughout the film. Beyond that, the soundtrack felt uninspired and relied on generic filler music.

Usually, fans joke that an Anirudh album is like a “drug” they cannot stop replaying. This time, both Kingdom and Coolie left audiences disappointed. The talented composer, who has delivered iconic tracks in the past, missed the chance to leave his signature stamp on these two big releases.