The first song titled “Neeli (Mohada Banna Neeli)” from the Kannada music album Matte Modalinda was released recently on the Panchrangi Audio YouTube channel. Directed and written by Yogaraj Bhat, this song marks the beginning of the album’s musical journey.
With lyrics penned by Yogaraj Bhat, Vijay Prakash has lent his voice for the song, while the music composition is by Aniruddha Shastry. The song is part of an album that features four original Kannada songs, each handled by a different composer and singer.
The video for “Neeli” features debutant actor Sanjan Kaje, introduced through this album by Yogaraj Bhat, and actress Nidhi Subbaiah. The visuals highlight the fresh pairing and set the tone for the album’s theme, combining elements of melody and visual simplicity.
Speaking about the song, Vijay Prakash shared that rendering “Neeli” required extra care compared to regular film songs. He spent time understanding the lyrical depth and recorded it only after thoroughly absorbing the song’s mood and meaning. The track’s poetic nature and sensitivity were cited as reasons for this careful approach.
Composer Aniruddha Shastry mentioned that working on this song was his debut collaboration with Yogaraj Bhat as a music director. He expressed satisfaction at having contributed to an album that also features compositions by senior music directors like Mano Murthy, V. Harikrishna, and Chetan-Davi.
At the release event, writer and historian Dharmendra Kumar Arenahalli launched the song and appreciated the effort to revive the genre of Sugama Sangeetha and Bhavageethe in Kannada music. He recalled old Kannada lyrical traditions and emphasized the importance of such creative works in the current music scene.
Director Yogaraj Bhat shared that Matte Modalinda is a distinctive album featuring four songs with four composers, four singers, and four heroines. All the lyrics and direction for the songs have been handled by him. The remaining three songs from the album will be released in phases on the same YouTube platform.
Produced by Yogaraj Bhat, Srinidhi, and Prasanna, Matte Modalinda aims to introduce fresh talent while combining experienced artists and technicians. The cinematography and video execution of the album have been handled under the supervision of Gadda Viji and Amol Patil, who were also acknowledged for their contribution.
The release of “Neeli” marks a significant step in promoting original Kannada music albums, an area that remains rare in the industry’s current landscape.
