Mounathil vilaiyaadum manasaatchiye- Noolveli 1979

Genius Series - Dr.Balamuralikrishna - Part 2

- Saravanan Natarajan

Last week we dwelt on BMK’s entry in Tamil cinema and the recalled the songs that came his way in the 1960s. Despite his two fetching songs in Kanmalar (1970) there were seven long years of drought in opportunities. And then, it seems to have rained and poured in 1977! Three music directors seemed to suddenly wake up to the magic of his voice ….Shankar Ganesh employed his vocals to soulful effect in ‘Ramanum neeye Krishnanum neeye’ (Uyarndhavargal). Kunnakkudi Vaithyanathan made him sing for MGR ( Kuruvikkara machaane & Paluka kanda sa) in Navarathinam. And Ilayaraja capped it all with ‘Chinna kannan azhaikkiraan’ and ‘Aayiram kodi kaalangalaaga’(Kavikkuyil).

In this second innings, MBK went on to sing some memorable songs in the following years. ‘Mounathil vilaiyaadum manasaatchiye’ ranks foremost amongst them.

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The unusual plot of I.V.Sashi’s Malayalam film Aa Nimisham (1977/Cherupushpam Films) written by Sheriff caught KB’s fancy and he set forth to adapt the core plot. Adding his inimitable deft touches, he presented it as Nool Veli (1979/ Kalakendra Movies). Sridevi had won laurels for her performance in the Malayalam original, and in Tamil, Saritha walked away with the honors. Sujatha was equally impressive in a brilliant, subtle performance. Saratbabu, Narayana Rao, Ramanamoorthi and Anumanthu were the others in the cast. 

A happily married man, in a mad moment of weakness, seduces a girl who is their ward. His wife unexpectedly witnesses the despicable act. The happenings in the aftermath form rest of the story. The film was strengthened by KB’s seasoned handling of a sensitive theme and powerful performances by the three lead players: Saratbabu in the role of the remorse-torn architect Babu, Sujatha in the role of his wife- the writer Vidya, and Saritha in the role of Baby- the innocent, playful girl-next door who grows up overnight to a woman wrecked by guilt.

MSV and Kannadasan, as usual for a KB venture, came up with a set of memorable songs:

Naana paaduvadhu naana- SPB, Vani Jairam & L.R. Anjali

Therottam ananda shenbagapoovaattam- SPB 

Veenai sirippu aasai azhaippu- SPB & Vani Jairam

Mounathil vilaiyaadum manasaatchiye- MBK

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Launch forth, my soul, into a main of tears, 

Full-fraught with grief, the traffic of thy mind; 

Torn sails will serve, thoughts rent with guilty fears; 

Give care the stern, use sighs in lieu of wind: 

Remorse thy pilot; thy misdeeds thy card; 

Torment thy haven, shipwreck thy best reward.

- Robert Southwell (St. Peter's Complaint)

The deed is done; the perpetrators have been witnessed in action. The picture perfect household falls headlong into turmoil...Can things be the same ever again? A husband filled with shame and sorrow, a wife whose each glance is replete with reproach and scorn, the other woman shattered physically and mentally…. Penitence is barred; the torturing, gnawing consciousness of guilt is the horrendous punishment …guilt that pursues inexorably, armed with whips and stings.

‘ragasiya churangam nee, naadaga arangam nee, 

sOdhanaikkaLam allavaa.. nenjE thunbathin thaayallavaa.. 

oru ganam thavaraagi, pala yugam thudippaayE, 

oomaiyin paribaashai kaNgaLil vadippaaye....'

Kannadasan’s mighty pen flies furiously, as the lines beckon the wretchedness of the havoc wrought by a stern, questioning conscience…BMK brings a remarkably pensive delineation…. MSV conjures up a saga in Sama...

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Learning that Kannadasan was not keeping well sometime in 1981, BMK decided to call on him. And by the strangest of coincidences, the Kaviyarasar was at that very moment listening to ‘Mounathil vilaiyaadum manasaatchiye’. Kannadasan’s eyes lit up when they sighted the singer at his bedside and he grasped BMK’s hands, as emotion-choked words of praise came pouring out. It was an unforgettable moment for BMK.

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In the years that followed, BMK sang some more movie songs, many of them linger on in memory. Sample these instances that come to ready recall:

Arutjothi deivam from Thisai Maariya Paravaigal (1979/MSV)

Suprapadham from Devathai (1979/Shyam)

Thangam vairam navamanigal from Deiva Thirumanangal (1981/MSV)

Ananda Sangeethame from Ninaithen Vandhaai (unreleased/ B.A. Chidambaranathan)

Ketten kannanin geethopadhesam from Vadaimaalai (1982/MSV)

Pachchai mani poonkodiyaaL from Pathinettaam Padi (unreleased/ Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan)

Gnana mazhai mugile from Thaai Mookaambikai (1982/ Ilaiyaraja)

Ithu kettkka thigattatha gaanam from Mirudhanga Chakravarthi (1983/MSV)

Kalai nila aadinaal- Kaaman Pandigai (1983/ Shankar-Ganesh)

Malairajan magale- Kaaman Pandigai (1983/Shankar-Ganesh)

Raghuvara ninnu from Isai Paadum Thendral (1986/ Ilaiyaraja)

Magarantham kaathoodhum from Mahasakthi Mariamman (1986/KVM)

Paanchaali katharugiraal from Sigaram (1991/SPB)

Nagumo from Indhu (1994/Deva) 

Anbaale azhagaagum veedu from Pasanga (2009/ James Vasanthan)

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