KUALA LUMPUR: They say Gautham Vasudev Menon’s films shaped the way an entire generation loved. Decades later, the songs from those films can still bring all those feelings rushing back.
On Saturday, “Ondra Renda - 25 Years of GVM” brought that nostalgia to Kuala Lumpur, revisiting some of the most memorable music from the filmmaker’s 25-year career. The concert took its title from “Ondra Renda”, a song from his 2003 film “Kaakha Kaakha”.
Held at The Arch Galeries on Jalan Tun Razak, the event drew more than 4,500 people to celebrate a journey that began with GVM’s directorial debut, “Minnale”, in 2001.
Organised by MyEvents International in partnership with Radaan Mediaworks, the proceedings departed from the format of a conventional concert. Rather than putting the singers alone in the spotlight, it placed GVM at the heart of the evening, interspersing live performances with conversations about his films, songs and creative process.
The filmmaker rarely left the stage during the three-hour show. He opened by quoting a line from Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” - a fitting choice for a director known for carving out his own distinctive storytelling style.
The repertoire ranged from romantic ballads and stirring melodies to high-energy numbers, with songs from “Minnale”, “Kaakha Kaakha”, “Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu”, “Vaaranam Aayiram”, “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa” and “Neethaane En Ponvasantham” featuring prominently.
A lineup of popular playback singers brought the songs to life, including Karthik, Krish, Saindhavi and Sathya Prakash. Karthik delivered upbeat favourites such as “Thooriga”, while Krish transported the crowd back to 2006 with “Manjal Veyil”.
Shruti Haasan made a brief but electrifying appearance for “Adiyae Kolluthey”, while Paal Dabba brought a different energy with “His Name Is John” from GVM’s yet-to-be-released film “Dhruva Natchathiram”.
GVM himself also took the microphone, singing songs from his movies and paying tribute to some of his influences, including composer Ilaiyaraaja and filmmaker Mani Ratnam.
During the performances, scenes from the corresponding films played on screens behind them, reconnecting the music with the moments and characters audiences remembered.
GVM even referenced Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s rendition of “Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat” at the BRICS summit in India last month, before sharing one of his own favourite Hindi songs.
Beyond the performances, the evening offered glimpses into GVM’s creative process as he reflected on his collaborations with composers Ilaiyaraaja, Harris Jayaraj and AR Rahman.
For audience member Alysha Edward, those anecdotes were a highlight. “My favourite moments were whenever GVM spoke about how each song came about and his inspiration behind it,” she told FMT Lifestyle.
Music has long been central to GVM’s filmmaking, with the director sometimes conceiving a song or soundtrack before visualising the scenes that would accompany it. For Pooja Harikrishnan, seeing that relationship between music and cinema unfold onstage made the experience deeply personal.
“This wasn’t just a concert for me - it felt more like a journey through the 13 years of being his fan," she shared.
"My days rarely go by without his songs, watching film scenes or interviews, so being at the concert felt like another manifestation of my dream to one day have a conversation with him."
Pooja said the entire evening felt special, particularly whenever GVM sang and during performances of songs from “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa”, her favourite of his films.
The night ended on an exuberant note, with the audience rising to its feet and dancing to “Ava Enna” from “Vaaranam Aayiram”.
GVM then brought the celebration to a close with a reflection on the enduring place of art in people’s lives.
“Medicine, engineering, all that is important for the human race. But poetry, art, music - this is what we live for. And I truly believe that music and lyrics can change the world,” he said.