Kumaraswamy Sundar writes:
In my tribute to singer Andal that I posted last week, I mentioned, inter alia, thus:
“Some of us would remember a delectable Kaanada song ‘வானம்பாடிகள் போலே பிரேம கானம் பாடி மகிழ்வோம் ’ sung by A M Raja and Andal. This song appeared in the TKS Brothers’ successful drama ‘Kalvanin kaadhali’ and a gramophone record was also released owing to its popularity. But when the drama was made into a film by Revathy Productions with Sivaji Ganesan and P Bhanumathy, this song was cut and ‘veyyilukkaettra nizhal unndu veesum thendral kaattrunndu’ rendered by PB and Ghantasala was replaced. Felt ‘Vaanambaadigal… ‘ is more melodious and had that been retained in the film Andal would have had better fortune”.
But I did not elaborate there about the lyricist and music composer behind that song.
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There was this announcement in Vividh Bharathi some time in 1974:
'புதையல்' படத்துக்காக சி.எஸ் ஜெயராமன் , பி . சுசீலா பாடியுள்ள பாடல்
இசை : விஸ்வநாதன் - ராமமூர்த்தி
பாடல் : ஆத்மநாதன்
That was the first time I heard the name ‘Athmanathan’ – ‘an unknown lyricist for a well-known song’, so went my thought.
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M K Athmanathan(MKA) was both an under-rated lyricst and a music composer in spite of his extraordinary talent. MKA had his baptism as a theatre artist and when TKS Brothers visited Karaikkudi with their troupe MKA manged to impress ‘Avvai’ T K Shanmugham and from then on MKA became an integral part of their troupe who wrote all the songs and composed them. For their ‘Kalvanin kaadhali’ drama this song was both written and composed by MKA. This one song is enough to gauge how acute his mind has been musically bent.
Listen : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfKt9B0uyOU
(Song courtesy: Kandasamy Sekkarakkudi Subbaiah pillai)
A very cute song! How sweet a melody! Set in Durbari kaanada, the song opens with a dialogue in the link:
“கல்யாணி, அதோ பார் , வானவெளியில் வட்டமிடும் பறவைகளை
நமக்கும் இறக்கைகள் இருந்தால் நாமும் பறந்து செல்லலாம் அல்லவா”….
….even this dialogue sounds musical!
வானம்பாடிகள் போலே
பிரேம கானம் பாடி மகிழ்வோம்
நாணற் கானிலே தென்றல் உலாவ
நாதம் பிறந்திடுதே
வானிலே முகில் கூடிடவே
மாமயில் ஆடிடுதே - நடனம்
மாமயில் ஆடிடுதே ..நாமே
வானம்பாடிகள் போலே
பிரேம கானம் பாடி மகிழ்வோம்
மெல்லலை துள்ளும் கொள்ளிட பெண்ணாள்
வீணையை மீட்டுகிறாள் - இதய
வீணையை மீட்டுகிறாள்
அன்னை காவிரி செல்வி இவள்
அன்பினை வாழ்த்துகிறாள் - நமது
அன்பினை வாழ்த்துகிறாள் -நாமே
வானம்பாடிகள் போலே
பிரேம கானம் பாடி மகிழ்வோம்
The honeyed voice of young A M Raja and the seasoned voice of Andal with a soothing orchestra make the song a veritable vintage treat . On listening to Andal’s stress at ‘நாதம் பிறந்திடுதே … ‘ her style reminds me of her tutor N C Vasanthakokilam. Also her style reminded me of T V
Rathnam’s singing in “swamy…kaadhal poyigaiyil moozhgi sugamadaindhe magizhvom’ (‘Aaruyire prema amudha variyil…’ with G Ramanathan in ‘Ponmudi’). But it is really unfortunate that this song did not find a place in the film. I wish to reiterate that had this song been there in the film both MKA and Andal would have been immensely benefitted. The lyrics in this song look simple but poetic.
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When TKS Brothers decided to make their popular play ‘Raththapaasam’ into a film, they chose MKA to be the composer, ruling out suggestions of famed names. MKA did not disappoint them and particularly the song ‘Nilaiyaana inbham manavaalan anbey’ rendered by MLV is a classic.
MKA was also the lyricist-composer for all of S V Sahasranamam’s Seva stage and Seva Screens productions. When Seva Screens produced ‘Naalu veli nilam, the first realist film in Tamil, a T.Janakiraman’s story directed by Muktha V.Srinivasan, K V Mahadevan and MKA shared the credits for the film’s music. The film had two new singers in Andal (Nambinar keduvadhillai with A L Raghavan) and one Nellai Jayaraman (Inbha kavidhai paadudhu with S Janaki).
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The majority in the unit of ‘Pudhaiyal’ felt that ‘Vinnodum mugilodum’ was of a high-flown literary style and might not touch the masses. But Krishnan-Panju and M Karunanidhi insisted to retain the lyrics, which went on to become a hugely popular unforgettable melody of MSV-TKR’s early compositions.
தேடாத செல்வசுகம்
தானாக வந்ததுபோல்
ஓடோடி வந்த சொர்க்க போகமே
காணாத இன்பநிலை கண்டாடும் நெஞ்சினிலே
ஆனந்த போதையூட்டும் வாழ்விலே வாழ்விலே ...
சங்கீத தென்றலிலே
சதிராடும் பூங்கொடியே
சந்தோஷம் காண உள்ளம் நாடுதே
மங்காத தங்கமீது மாறாத வைரமிது
ஒன்றாகி இன்பகீதம் பாடுதே வாழ்விலே..
I am not aware of his political leanings but MKA was a favourite of MK and C N Annadurai that in almost all the films that they produced or co-produced till the 1960s MKA wrote lyrics – Ammaiyappan, Raja raani, Rangoon Radha, Pudhaiyal, Nallavan vaazhvaan, Edhaiyum thaangum idhayam and Avan piththanaa. Other films include Maheswari, Amaradheepam, Tenaliraman, Kuladeivam, Mallika, Thirumanam, Nadodi mannan, Thaedi vandha selvam, Naattukkoru nallavan, Pettra manam, Vijayapuri veeran, Kalathur Kannamma, Vikramadithan and Thirudathey.
A few other songs where MKA’s lyrics sparkle include ‘engey selvaayo‘(Raththapaasam), ‘thadukkaadhey ennai thadukkathey’ (Nadodi Mannan), ‘azhagu nilaavin bhavaniyiley (Maheswari), ‘thanga mohana thaamaraiye’(Pudhaiyal), ‘en ennam inippadhaeno’(Thirumanam), ‘neela vanna kannaney’ (Mallika)-[original ‘Jaa re saanwale salone natkhat banwaari’ (Paayal)-Hemantkumar?], ‘ullam thaedaathey endru solludhey’,’unakkum enakkum vegu dhooramillai (Edhaiyum thaangum idhayam), ‘aandavan oruvan irukkindraan, kuththaalam aruviyiley (Nallavan vaazhvaan) and ‘aayiram muththam tharuvaen’ (Avan Piththana).
A close look at the lists would show that MKA had collaborated with music director T R Pappa the most.
When he had finished writing the pallavi “kuththaalam aruviyiley,’ director P. Neelakantan asked him to change the pallavi (for the simple reason) that it opened with a shortened syllable (kuril) and hence was not auspicious. Annadurai, however, brushed aside the objection and approved the lyrics.
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It was very appropriate that in the centenary year of TKS in 2012, veteran MKA was conferred the Hamsadhwani R. Ramachandran Drama Award on 28th Jan 2012. The award carried a scroll of honour, a cash award of Rs.15,000 and a shawl.
MKA considered the Tamil Conference held in Madurai in 1981 a highlight of his career. He had to compose music for ‘Maduranayaki’, a dance-drama, for which Kannadasan had written the lyrics. The production saw J Jayalalitha taking the stage as a dancer after a long hiatus. Jayalalitha had choreographed the dance-drama and shown special interest in the sets and costume. Generously appreciating his contribution, Jayalalitha presented him a wrist watch. MKA preserved the watch and the newspaper clipping that carried a detailed report of the event. His wish to meet her after she became the Chief Minister, however, remained unfulfilled.
MKA gave equal importance to cinema and stage. He wrote lyrics and composed music for over 250 stage plays including Seva Stage’s ‘Thaerotti Magan,’ and ‘Kavichakravarthi Kambar.'
Having worked for 4 chief ministers of Tamilnadu, did he receive any award? Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram was very responsive when I called them to check this- Atmanathan was conferred the ‘Kalaimamani’ award for ‘Naadaga paadalaasiriyar-isaiyamaippaalar’ for the year 1977-78.
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I knew about the death of MKA only during the later part of the year 2013. I called his family and learnt that it was on this day in 2013 that Atmanathan passed away. Today is his 3rd death anniversary.
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1274308882600835/
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