3 is the debut directorial effort of Aishwarya Dhanush starring her husband and her contemporary Shruti Haasan. The involvement of the family members of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, the presence of the National Award winning Dhanush fresh from his knockout performance in 'Mayakkam Enna', the super-hot lead pair and of course the 'Why this Kolaveri' rage have all made 3 among the most anticipated films of 2012. Let's see how Anirudh, the most noted debut composer in recent times, has fared with '3'

A Life full of Love – Theme Music...  

Totally haunting theme music bit featuring a symphony of violins. Reminiscent of the great western classical musicians of the past. What a way to kick start one’s film career! Sure to give goose bumps to listeners from all age groups. A royal salute to Anirudh

Come on Girls...  
Nadisha Thomas, Malavika Manoj
Dhanush

Some funky, out-of-the box singing with a catchy chorus line “la la la la”. Lots of random usage of instruments like nadaswaram and Carnatic alaps. Will depend on the visuals for greater impact. Targeted at the young hep crowd all the way.

Idhazhin Oram...
Ajesh Ashok, Anirudh
Aishwarya Dhanush

The tune, the chorus, the funky sounds and the beats are so similar to Yuvan’s signature style. The lyrics talk about the hero’s love for his girl, as expected. Aishwarya Dhanush’s debut effort at lyric writing. Somehow, a heard before feel, all over this song. Sounds good, though!

Kannazhaga...  
Shruthi Haasan, Dhanush
Dhanush

Dhanush’s voice sounds very different in this song. It has some lovely flute, string and violin bits. The theme music of the movie is also beautifully integrated in the instrumentals of this song. Shruthi’s husky style of pronunciation sits well on this song too.

Nee Partha Vizhigal...  
Vijay Yesudas, Swetha Mohan
Dhanush

The song begins with a stylish yet old world charm, associated with the ‘Raja’ clan. Ilayaraja style composition, nice unhurried singing from the lead singers combined with some trendy mixing gimmicks, make this song an aural treat.  

Po Nee Po...  
Mohit Chauhan, Anirudh
Dhanush

The men behind the 2 flavors of the season ‘Saadda Haq’ and ‘Kolaveri ‘join hands for this song. The song begins with a nice piano bit that sets the mood for the rest of the song. Mohit infuses a lot of feeling into his rendition for this song that talks about the pain of separation at love. His pronunciation is average. Somehow the ‘Rockstar’ hangover is still there in his voice that sounds like Adnan Sami’s earlier attempts at Tamil like ‘Oru Kal’ and ‘Hey Inda Kadhal’.

Po Nee Po remix – The scream of love...
Sathya Prakash, Harish Swaminathan

The heavy metal elements are the highlight of this song. This genre of world music is quite new to Tamil film music. And when heavy metal is infused with flute, it is a nice pleasant surprise. The song really picks-up after a typical remix-like start.

The Rhythm of Love – Theme Music
Naveen Iyer

The starting beats of this theme are like the 'Ram Ram' song from 'Hey Ram'. A nice fusion of classical flute, electric guitar and rustic beats. Sounds quite chaotic. An offbeat attempt on the whole.

Theme of 3
Mandolin Seenu, Aathan

This theme has the Arabic touch to it. The idea behind using mandolin is laudable. An uplifting experience. 

Why this Kolaveri Di...  
Dhanush
Dhanush

Much discussed, much loved and a matter of national debate for well over a month. The usage of English words in such an informal manner, Dhanush’s drunken style rendition, his constant friendly banter with the music composer, his natural ease at expressing feelings, the rustic beats and nadaswaram (pa pa pa) etc. etc. There is so much going for this song. The term ‘soup boys’ is like a big legend now. Can’t wait to see this song on screen. 3 will earn big bucks in the opening weekend on the strength of this song alone.

Verdict: Anirudh Ravichander has delivered so much variety in his very first album. Such a promising debut by a composer hasn't been seen in recent Tamil cinema history. 'Kolaveri' took the initial honors but there are so many other melodic treats that 3 offers. On the whole, an album that will sell like hot cakes.