"Mental Manadhil" goes viral. That's Mani Ratnam-AR Rahman magic for you

Madras Talkies decides to roll out a single from Oh Kadhal Kanmani - Mani Ratnam's upcoming film - on the midnight of March 16 and by noon next day, the song has garnered more than one lakh views on YouTube. Not to mention of the 500 comments wowing the music.

And that says all about the magic Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman weave when the work together.

AR Rahman has crooned for this peppy number "Mental Manadhil" along with Jonita Gandhi. What more, Rahman has penned the lyrics along with Mani Ratnam. This will be Rahman's second venture in penning lyrics after co-writing an intense number "Nenje Ezhu" with Kuty Revathi for the film Mariyaan. 

From an intense "Nenje Ezhu" to a peppy and rich "Mental Manadhil", critics feel Rahman is also evolving as a lyric writer.

Ever since Mani Ratnam discovered Rahman to compose music for his 1992 film Roja, the two have been making waves in Tamil cinema and beyond. For more than two decades now beginning with Roja the duo had never disappointed the film buffs. "Not once. I have always wondered how they can come up with mind-blowing numbers for every film. Even within a film, Rahman has been versatile. From intense to light, his songs are just a variety fare. I am waiting for the next number from Oh Kadhal Kanmani. Mani Ratnam's films might disappoint as a movie but never as a musical" says Vijay Sarathi, an avid film buff.

But going by the teasers and trailers, looks like Oh Kadhal Kanmani might not disappoint as a movie either. After dabbling with thriller and drama, Mani Ratnam returns to his much familiar turf of romance with Oh Kadhal Kanmani.

His Mouna Raagam released in 1986 with Karthik and Revathi in the lead enjoys a cult status in Tamil movies for being a spontaneous romance. Fans hope Mani Ratnam would recreate the magic of Mouna Raagam with Dulquer Salman and Nithya Menen in his Oh Kadhal Kanmani.

With both Raavanan and Kadal - the earlier films of Mani Ratnam - not doing well in box office, the critically acclaimed director is pinning his hopes on Oh Kadhal Kanmani. Whether this Kanmani (Darling) will also win the hearts of the audiences, we will know by second week of April.