Rakita Entertainment has marked the beginning of its musical journey with the release of ‘Mannaru’, a vibrant musical collaboration featuring singer Mannar Muthu and composer Santhosh Narayanan.
Released on August 8 across major music platforms, ‘Mannaru’ brings together Mannar Muthu’s distinctive vocals and Santhosh Narayanan’s music, programming and creative vision. The song has been conceptualised by Santhosh Narayanan and directed by Ken Royson, with energetic visuals designed to complement its lively musical character.
The song features lyrics by K. Kaattiyan and Gana Francis, with Santhosh Narayanan handling the music, programming and concept. The musical team includes bass guitarists Naveen Napier and Rubendhar Venkatesh, keyboardists Aditya Ravindran and Bhuvanesh, Buddhar Kalaikuzhu on tapes, drummer Siddharth Nagarajan, dholak player Kacha Venkat and side drummer Muniya.
Recorded at Future Tense Studios, Chennai, the track was mixed by Santhosh Narayanan, with additional mixing by Rubendhar Venkatesh and mastering by R.K. Sundar. Meenakshi Santhosh is credited with music management.
The video, directed by Ken Royson, features cinematography by Jagadesh Jeyamani and editing by Abhijeeth Lakshminarasimman. The visual team also includes associate director Devika Suresh, associate cinematographer Karthikeyan and steadicam operator Rajaram, among others.
Adding a community-oriented dimension to the project, the video features children from Vyasarpadi J.J.R. Nagar, members of the Vyasarpadi SC STEDS Football Team, and children from Vyasarpadi Sathya Moorthy Nagar Blocks 51, 52 and 53.
The cast also includes Jimikki, Pachakili, Francis, Sappa Thala, Abelo, Muniya, Santhosh, members of Devaraj Music Band, Krishnamoorthy, Akash, Swathi, Dharani, Haircut Murugan and Gopi.
With its combination of an energetic musical style, distinctive voices and a strong visual identity, ‘Mannaru’ sets the tone for Rakita Entertainment’s new musical venture, while bringing together established creative talent and performers from the Vyasarpadi community.