Down Memory Lane with G.K.Venkatesh- Part 4

காலம் வந்தது....கதை முடிந்து போகிறேன்..
Down Memory Lane with G.K.Venkatesh- Part 4
-Saravanan Natarajan

Again, though he had earlier made a mark in songs for films like Naatakala Raayudu-1969, it was in these intermediate years that GKV made a significant impact in Telugu cinema as well - his compositions in films like Zamindarugari Ammayi-1975, America Ammayi-1976, Tharam Marindi, Chakradhari-both 1977 and Ravanude Ramudaite- 1979 became immensely popular.
GKV had to wait for four years for another opportunity in Tamil to come his way.

We see him venture into Tamil again in 1979 with Pallavi Enterprises’ மல்லிகை மோகினி featuring ‘Julie’ Vikram and Latha in the lead roles. The Mohini has long vanished into the nether world of oblivion, but the entrancing fragrance of her Malligai lingers on to this day, in the form of her songs- indeed GKV had surpassed himself here- each song is a glittering diamond...

மேகங்களே வாருங்களே by SP Balasubramaniam was played by Radio Ceylon ever so often, while the elegant S. Janaki- Poornachander duets நான் கேட்டேன் தெய்வ கானம் & ஸ்ருஙார சங்கீதமே found frequent air time as well. The joyous qawwali காதல் ஒரு கோயில் where Kannadasan pens some interesting lines, rendered by Janaki (listen to her aalaaps) and SPB has been an all-time favourite with me. The 2 versions of ஒரு பாடலை பல ராகத்தில்- one by SPB and the other by Poornachander remain entrenched in our memories for their sheer melody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OqjQ_M2yY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYZvhiDdiVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ohiH-DVC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHZHSQlLLP8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNF8Kqk3ju

மேகங்களே வாருங்களே was the song that became the most popular number, the ‘first among equals’ from the album, and it richly deserved the honour. GKV and SPB come together here to strike terror at the hearts of the listeners, but the terror is so beguiling, that much like the clouds whom the hero beckons to help him search for his elusive beloved, we find ourselves drawn irresistibly into the vortex of the intriguing proceedings. And the roller coaster ride begins- Hang on, and be transfixed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIAtz1fe8_c

It was in this timeframe that G. K. Venkatesh, along with his friend Ashok, decided to produce a small-budget bilingual and approached Chitralaya Gopu to write and direct the movie. Gopu came up with a light comedy with some interesting twists. தைரியலட்சுமி (Vijayavani Combines) was the name of the project, and Lakshmi played the title role in both the Tamil and Kannada versions. Anant Nag and Ambarish were her co-stars in Kannada while Jaishankar and Srikanth were her co-stars in Tamil. While the well- crafted movie was a modest success in Kannada, it failed to set the cash boxes jingling in Tamil, primarily because of inadequate marketing. For his part, GKV came up with some melodious numbers.

Listen to the mesmeric Janaki as she lets tremulous, hushed longings awaken in மலர்ந்தால் வாசம் வேண்டும்:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzvWVEZ2HPY

GKV was one of the 5 composers for his old friend A.L.Raghavan’s 1980 film கண்ணில் தெரியும் கதைகள் and the haunting song that he composed நான் பார்த்த ரதிதேவி எங்கே did his friend proud. Raghavan renders the song himself, and we sigh anew at this underutilized singer’s prowess….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf-3tBxyqyI

Sunrise Enterprises சின்னஞ்சிறு கிளியே was another 1980 film that came out with GKV’s music. Out of the four songs in the album- all Malaysia Vasudevan- Janaki duets, it was வைகை நீராட that claimed attention on the radio in the early 80s. An unhurried song; pulsating in its strain, pathos in its vein. Gangaiamaran has poured in his lyrics the anguish of a love that seems unlikely to win in wedlock. Vasu and Janaki so movingly portray the despair of the lovers whose love has suddenly culminated in a woeful ban, when they were happily awaiting their wedding banns. Yet they sing, dreaming of another birth, when they hope to reunite.

Another fine effort by GKV, wasted on a film that sank without a trace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-MIQzwx1SU

We notice that the Tamil Gods seemed to have smiled benignly upon him in 1981, and let 3 films fall into his hand. GKV joyously went about working on their score, for he knew that such abundance was a rare visitor at his door….

Annapurna Art Pictures’ பெண்ணின் வாழ்க்கை starred Sudhakar, Aruna & Rathi, and its album comprised of 4 memorable P.Susheela duets- One with SPB- ஜனகன் பொன்மானே and three with Jayachandran: மாசி மாதம் முஹூர்த்த நேரம், மல்லிகைப்பூவில் இன்று and lastly, my favorite வீடு தேடி வந்தது, where GKV’s music, Vaali’s lyrics and the euphonious enchantment of Susheela & Jayachandran come together to cast a wondrous spell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcPVlvpzZEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_daRzcz7t7g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTixECc0YYM



Solar Combines’ தெய்வ திருமணங்கள் has a unique place in the history of Tamil Cinema. It was actually 3 separate films- each one with a separate crew and cast. Meenakshi Thirumanam was directed by P. Neelakantan and had music by K.V.Mahadevan. Valli Thirumanam was directed by K. Kameswara Rao and had music by GKV. Srinivasa Thirumanam was directed by K. Shankar, with music by MSV. Kannadasan’s dialogues and lyrics were the common factors for the three parts. GKV’s work included songs like கந்தன் வந்தான் (S.Janaki), ஏச்சிப்புட்டேனே வள்ளி (SPB/S.Janaki) and the short வள்ளி தெய்வானையுடன் (K. Veeramani). These simple folksy songs were not in the same league as the classic creations of KVM and MSV; nonetheless, the memory of pretty Sridevi (who played Valli) warding off the birds, singing வெத்தலக்கிளியே சொல்லாதே வெளியே ( S. Janaki) also endures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX_9RKYuc58
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ9Wu5osZY8

It was also in 1981 that GKV composed music for Santosh Art Films’ நெஞ்சில் ஒரு முள். Inspired from Shakti Samanta’s Kati Patang, Nenjil Oru Mul starred Pratap Pothen & Poornima Jairam and was directed by Mathioli Shanmugam. GKV came out with some memorable numbers.
நேராகவே கேட்க்கிறேன் by Deepan Chakravarthi & Vaini Jairam is a lingering duet which traces its origins to GKV’s Kannada composition ‘Ravivarmana Kunchada’ and the Telugu version ‘Ravivarmaki andani’…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSWW_kB8PlU

My pick is the caressing ராகம் புது ராகம் by Deepan Chakravarthi and S.P. Shailaja, based on GKV’s own Kannada composition ‘Raga anuraga’ sung by Rajkumar & Janaki for Sanaadi Appanna. Listen to this lovely song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRrCN2dPDsU

You would perceive that on the same foundation, GKV has raised two marvellous monuments—both strikingly similar but structurally different, each one an elegant edifice with mutually exclusive appeal. GKV has reworked rewardingly on ராகம் புது ராகம் so that it boasts of a special prelude that ‘Raga anuraga’ did not have and the interludes are dazzlingly different. Again, the charanams are longer in the Kannada original, and it has a third charanam too which varies uniquely from the first two. Being an acclaimed Veenai player himself, GKV has masterfully retained it as the mesmerising mainstay in both the versions. Hark at his Veenai caress your ears in the second interlude- so perceptive of GKV, for the charanam begins with the lines மேனி வீணையொன்று அதை மீட்டி பார்க்கவோ!

ராகம் புது ராகம்..இதை நாளும் கேட்க்கலாம்..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL6xCI4w4Do

GKV continued to be in demand in the Kannada circuit in the early 80s and his works in films like Haavina Hede and Hanabalavo Janabalavo-both 1981, Haalu Jenu-1982, Eradu Nakshatragalu-1983 and Adhe Kannu-1985 became popular hits. However, the emergence of newcomers like Hamsalekha and Vijayanand, coupled with the sustained presence of stalwarts like Rajan-Nagendra, Upendrakumar and M. Ranga Rao saw fewer and fewer films coming his way as the decade progressed.

Chitrapriya’s காஷ்மீர் காதலி released in 1983 was GKV’s next Tamil album. Directed by Mathioli Shanmugam, the film had Rajkumar & Rajini Sharma in the lead. Both சங்கீதமே (Jayachandran & P. Susheela) and அழகிய செந்நிற வானம் ( SPB & S. Janaki) are delectable duets, replete with rich interludes and intriguing sequences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkhVhE9r7vc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDiwXWkMU0M

1984 saw the belated release of Seshasayee Films’ அழகு, which was years in the making. The film holds the distinction of being Nadigaiyar Thilagam Savithri’s last film to be released. Its other distinction was, of course, Radio Ceylon’s favourites like தேவி வந்தாள் by SP. Balasubramaniam & S. Janaki and மவுனமல்ல மயக்கம் by Jayachandran & S. Janaki.
Listen to the long forgotten மவுனமல்ல மயக்கம், a lovely duet with GKV’s orchestral skills in full flow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzsoZr0WBu8

இணைந்த கோடுகள் released in 1985 was GKV’s last film in Tamil. அழகிய மலர்க்கொடி sung by Yesudas & Vani Jairam was featured in Radio’s Ceylon’s மந்த மாருதம் parade in the evenings.

When MSV and Ilaiyaraja came together to make history in AVM’s மெல்ல திறந்தது கதவு- 1986, GKV acted in the role of Mohan’s musician father. His nonchalant cameo won favourable reviews. Ironically enough, his dialogues were dubbed by V. Gopalakrishnan!

Left with few opportunities, in 1987 he made the big blunder of turning producer, and the alarming failure of the Ramarajan-Revathi starrer கிராமத்து மின்னல் landed him in debt and despair.
Ilaiyaraja took his Master into his fold now and GKV remained an essential element of Ilaiaraja’s ensemble till 1993, when years of bacchanalian indulgence finally took their toll. GKV made his final bow on 13 November 1993. I can even now remember the images of MSV, TKR, Ilaiyaraja and Gangai Amaran, all looking genuinely grief-stricken, leading the mourners as GKV departed on his final voyage…

GKV used to visit the house of my family friends in my street who were his relatives. I have met him and spoken to him on a few occasions when I happened to be at my friend’s house during his visits. He was bull of bonhomie, his laughter was infectious and his jokes were wicked! He was the life and soul of any party and charmed all those present with his charisma.

Singer-Music Director- Actor….GKV has left behind his firm footprints in the varied sands of time. ‘A highly talented composer, dynamic and imaginative in his arrangements’ said PBS, who notched up a significant tally of songs under GKV’s baton. Vani Jairam echoes the same sentiments ‘An unassuming man, he was also a technical wizard- even in his last years in Ilaiyaraja’s troupe, he was in charge of ‘balancing’ in which he was an acknowledged expert’ she recalls.

20 odd Tamil films, and save two, all were colossal catastrophes. These were the cards that destiny dealt him, but hey, GKV did play his hand well…

I leave you with GKV shrugging off the imponderables that make up life in this song that he sang in 1981 for the unreleased நூலறுந்த பட்டம் under the baton of Stalin Varadarajan…

http://www.saavn.com/s/song/tamil/Noolaruntha-Pattam/Vaazhkkaiyenum/MRkKSAVAR1A

வாழ்க்கையெனும் பாதை தனிலே
கான்பதெல்லாம் கனவுகள் தானோ
காலம் மாற நேரும் போது
கனவெல்லாம் கற்பனை தான்....

- Concluded.

Part1 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1332975003400889/
Part 2 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1333830509982005/
Part 3 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1334883879876668/