#365DaysOfWriting – Day Eighty
I was listening to the soundtrack of The Last of Us.
It’s not a rock band. Not even a movie. It’s a video game. I’m listening to the soundtrack of a video game.
But this is no ordinary video game.
I haven’t even played it yet. But I’ve seen the entire walkthrough on YouTube at least 5 times. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world, where almost half the human race has been wiped out by a cordyceps fungus, and the ones left behind are ‘infected’. In this setting, Joel, a survivor, has to transport a little girl, Ellie (another survivor with a special gift) halfway across the country, dodging the infected and even hostile human survivors. I’m sure the gameplay is brilliant, but the story elevates it to another plane entirely. I suggest you look for the walkthrough, or if you can afford a PS4, play the remastered version. Even the DLC, The Last of Us: Left Behind, a prequel to the main game, is awe-inducing.
Another soundtrack I’m listening to right now is Dil Se.
Everyone universally agrees that this might be one of AR Rahman’s finest works. Funnily enough, not many think too highly of the movie. I believe this is one of Mani Ratnam’s bolder movies. Coupled with fine performances from Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, this is one of those films that have developed a cult following after flopping at the theatres. My two favourite songs in the film are Ae Ajnabi and Dil Se Re (one of AR Rahman’s best vocal performances). Watch the film and download the album if you can. It’s a treat.
You know what’s common between the two? They’re depressing, yet beautiful works of art. And I love both of them.
