Attakathi (soundtrack)

Attakathi is the soundtrack album to the 2012 film of the same name directed by Pa. Ranjith in his directorial debut and produced by C. V. Kumar, starring Dinesh and Nandita Swetha. The film's musical score and soundtrack are composed by Santhosh Narayanan, in his debut as a film composer. The seven-song soundtrack featured lyrics written by Kabilan, Muthamil, Gana Bala, Pradeep Kumar and Ayinjivaakkam Muthu. Much of the film's songs were based on the gaana genre which is also fused with world music elements.

The album was released on 9 January 2012 under the Think Music label. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with praise for its composition and soundscape that combined with the rural elements. Bala won the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, while the album received a Mirchi Music Award South—Upcoming Male Vocalist of the Year for Pradeep—out of six nominations, and two Vijay Award nominations amongst other accolades.

Attakathi proved as a breakthrough for Santhosh who emerged as a leading composer in the South Indian cinema. Bala and Pradeep, who debuted with this album, also went to become leading singers-songwriters. Attakathi was also noted for the resurgence of the gaana genre, one of the popular music genres in the 1990s, that became obsolete in the 2000s.