With two of South Indian cinema’s most illustrious film composers—who also happen to be father and son—collaborating for the first time, it’s little surprise that their soundtrack to Maamanithan is nothing short of musical magic. On the folksy, easy-going ditty “Thattiputta”, Ilaiyaraaja’s unmistakable voice complements instrumentation rooted in tradition. Elsewhere, with the poignant, Yuvanshankar Raja-led ballad “Ye Rasa”, it’s Isaignani’s lyrics of hope for difficult times that constitute its life-affirming core.