Lyricist Madhan Karky revealed that he was aware of Thalapathy Vijay's political aspirations and wanted the song Whistle Podu to reflect that.
Thalapathy Vijay in Whistle Podu song.
The first song, Whistle Podu, from the upcoming movie The Greatest of All Time , was released earlier this week to mixed reactions. Many expressed sheer disappointment that the song didn't meet their expectations, while others claimed that they were starting to find the song more appealing after listening repeatedly.
The song also sparked debate about its connection to Thalapathy Vijay's recent political entry. A few months ago, Vijay announced his own political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, taking the country by surprise.
Lyricist Madhan Karky revealed that he wrote the song way before Vijay announced his political party. However, he was aware of Vijay's political aspirations at the time and wanted the song to reflect that.
ALSO READ: The Greatest Of All Time first song Whistle Podu: Thalapathy Vijay's party anthem gets mixed reviews
"Venkat Prabhu had told me that Vijay sir may launch his political party soon after this film. So I thought adding these lines would make the song more relevant," Madhan Karky told Behindwoods.
The song begins with Vijay asking people "Can I start a party, begin the campaign and pick up the mic." If the song had been released before Vijay launched his political party, it would have been just another song that teased fans and added to the 'will he or won't he' debate. For example, the Naa Ready song from Leo belongs to the latter category as in it Vijay tells his fans that 'he's primed and ready to launch', leaving room for interpretation.
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However, with Whistle Podu, there is no room for ambiguity as Vijay has already taken his political plunge.
Even though the song seems to pack a lot of political meanings, Madhan Karky clarified that the song doesn't pass commentary or target any particular political party or leader. "This song actually promotes love. The line 'steal your enemy's heart' suggests that once you know what's the source of conflict, it becomes easy for you to understand your enemy. This song talks about love, self-realization, and individuality," he explained.
Madhan Karky also noted that he wanted to steer clear of all controversies by writing a song that was deemed safe for people of all age groups. Vijay's Naa Ready song faced a lot of trouble as it was accused of glorifying bad habits. However, Whistle Podu has no such problem.
"I was very cautious about not allowing any space for misunderstanding. Especially, when a huge star like Vijay is performing it, it might have a bigger impact on the audience," he added.
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