Saravanan Natarajan writes:
Part 2
It was then that producer Asandas and director Manik Lal Tandon hit upon the idea of casting KBS in the title role in the celluloid adaptation of Gopalakrishna Bharathiar’s நந்தனார் சரிதம் that were planning to shoot. KBS was offered a staggering Rs. 1 Lakh to play the role. How this came about remains a matter of conjecture. One version says that KBS was determined to refuse, and hence demanded this fantastic sum with the hope that Asandas would stop pestering her then. And she had no option but to agree when Asandas readily agreed to pay the amount!But in an interview ( Bommai/1970), KBS related that when Asandas, along with Congress leader Satyamoorthi, had come to make his offer, she was not at home. And when her uncle had asked in jest if Asandas would pay KBS Rs. 1 Lakh, Asandas agreed and promptly handed over a cheque for an advance of Rs. 25,000. And with Satyamurti too cajoling her to accept the offer, KBS was forced to play along. Whatever may have been the forces at play, KBS made history as the first ever artiste of Tamil cinema to be paid such an astronomical sum, and the first woman to play a male role on the Tamil screen.
Besides KBS, பக்த நந்தனார் (1935/ Asandas Classical Talkies) had Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in his only celluloid outing. KBS sang a whopping 19 songs for the movie, including immortal classics such as வருகலாமோ, பித்தம் தெளிய மருந்தொன்று, உத்தாரும் தாருமய்யே and வழி மறைத்திருக்குதே in the movie. While Kalki panned the movie with the harshest terms in his review, (he even said caustically that the trees and animals shown in the movie acted better than the humans), the songs did become popular. Unfortunately, neither a print of the movie nor the songs are available today.
The next movie to come with KBS in its cast was மணிமேகலை (1940/ T.K. Productions). Produced by Tasilram Kishenchand and directed by the famed Bomman Irani, the film had KBS in the title role, supported by Kothamangalam Seenu, NSK, T.A.Mathuram and others. The brothers Papanasam Sivan and Rajagopla Iyer were in charge of the songs. மாசின்றி குலமாதர், சிறைச்சாலை என்ன செய்யும் and பாவி ஏன் பிறந்தேன் were among the 21 songs that KBS sang in the movie.
After a full 13 years came the classic அவ்வையார் (1953/Gemini), offering KBS the role of a lifetime. And she lived the role of the saint on screen. Directed by Kothamangalam Subbu, the film was some years in the making. Vasan had originally commissioned the legendary Pudhumaipithan to work on the script. However, Vasan later entrusted the screenplay and dialogues to his in-house writers Kothamangalam Subbu and Ki. Ra, advising them to incorporate some commercial elements like comedy and dance into the narrative.
Baby Sachu appeared as the child Avvai, Kusalakumari played the young Avvai and KBS played the aged Avvai. M.K. Radha, Gemini Ganesh, T.V.Kumudini, Balaji and Sundaribai were part of the huge cast. The grandeur of the rich visuals and the meticulous screenplay, topped by the sagacious presence of KBS made the movie a great success. Besides the traditional songs by Avvaiyar, the film had songs written by Papanasam Sivan and Kothamangalam Subbu. Music was by Mayavaram Venu, M.D.Parthasarathi and Anantharaman. KBS lives on in songs like கற்றது கைமண்ணளவு, முத்தமிழ் தெய்வமே வா, ஐயனே அன்பர்க்கு மெய்யனே, அறம் செய்ய விரும்பு, மயிலேரும் வடிவேலனே...The performance and songs of KBS were the highlights of the movie that went on to ring in the cash registers wherever it was screened. A hoarding resembling a temple gopuram was erected at Wellington Theater in Madras, for watching the movie was considered akin to a sacred pilgrimage. Even non-Tamils thronged the Basusree and Broadway halls in Calcutta and Bombay- the pious and stirring presence of KBS cast such a spell that transcended mere barriers of language. After watching the movie at its inaugural show in Ceylon, a deeply moved Viscount Soulbury, then the Governor General of Ceylon remarked that this movie was sufficient to make truth, justice and ethics flourish on this earth. Even Kalki could not help being effusive in his praise for the sheer magnificence of the movie and the enticing persona of KBS. Gundoosi Gopal declared that he wished KBS would not appear in any more movies…he did not want to part with her image as Avvaiyaar!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11_ps9Hf6Bk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFc8JCjWD0U
After a long absence, KBS made a comeback to the silver screen in 1964 with பூம்புகார் (1964/ Mekala Pictures) directed by P. Neelakantan. Having decided on rest of the cast, Karunanidhi and SSR wondered who could play the role of Kavunthi Adigal. The 1942 version had U.R.Jeevarathinam playing the role, and her songs மாநில மீதில் and பூதளம் புகழும் ஜோதி were very popular in the 40s. After much deliberation, they felt KBS was the most suited person to play the role.They sent word to KBS that they would be coming to Kodumudi to meet her. KBS is said to have declared joyfully that her sons were coming to meet her and had a sumptuous meal ready when the two arrived. 'எங்களுக்கு அளித்த வரவேற்பு, வழங்கிய உபசாரம், 'மகனே' என்று அழைத்தது.....மறக்க முடியாத தாயாகி விட்டார்கள்!' reminisces Karunanidhi.
When they told her of their movie and placed before her their request that she play the role of Kavunthi Adigal, KBS replied that she had not acted in any movie after Avvaiyaar, and was content to sing in concerts. Moreover, she was a staunch supporter of Congress, and a deeply religious person. So how could she act for atheists and rationalists, she asked. ‘நாங்கள் எடுப்பது கடவுள் படமோ, கட்சி படமோ அல்ல. கற்ப்புக்கரசி கண்ணகி பற்றிய படம். நீங்கள் நடிப்பது சமணத்துறவி வேடம்' explained Karunanidhi. SSR expressed his ardent desire to act with KBS. After much persuasion, KBS replied that she would go to Pazhani and seek the guidance of the Lord before coming to a decision. Karunanidhi is said to have replied playfully that Murugan would not refuse if she told Him that it was Karunanidhi who had requested her to act! With that SSR and Mu.Ka. left Kodumudi, not wanting to pressurize KBS further.
After a few days, KBS sent word that Lord Murugan had given her the go-ahead. And so KBS came to play the role of Kavunthi Adigal and also sang some brilliant songs for the movie. Then there was another hitch- KBS refused to appear with her forehead bereft of sacred ash, and Karunanidhi was unhappy at this as Kavunthi Adigal was a Samanathuravi. KBS was firm’ ‘திருநீறு இல்லாமல் வெறும் நெற்றியுடன் இருப்பத்தில்லை!’ she declared. At length, they reached a compromise that she could draw a fine line of vibhoothi like a namam on her forehead; and it was thus that KBS played Kavunthi Adigal.
Kovalan returns to Kannagi after losing all his wealth. Kannagi consoles him and together they decide to go to Madurai to earn a living. On the way, they meet Kavunthi Adigal and she travels with them. And as they as cross the Vaigai on a boat, the aged savant sings a song, philosophizing on life and the lessons it teaches. For this situation, Karunanidhi wrote a song while traveling in his car from his house to the studio- வாழ்க்கையெனும் ஓடம் வழங்குகின்ற பாடம் set in Sindhu Bhairavi ranks among the best ever film songs of KBS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1cVrNWWrHA
Another situation. Kovalan is wrongly accused of stealing the queen’s anklets and is executed. Kavunthi Adigal condemns this gruesome travesty of justice. Mayavanathan came up with the lines ‘அன்று கொல்லும் அரசின் ஆணை வென்று விட்டது...நின்று கொல்லும் தெய்வம் எங்கே சென்றுவிட்டது?’ KBS refused pointblank to sing the lines and Mayavanathan not being in town, Karunanidhi changed the line to ‘நின்று கொல்லும் தெய்வம் இங்கே வந்துவிட்டது!’
The other songs that KBS sang in the movie are தப்பித்து வந்தானம்மா, துன்பமெல்லாம் நம் மனதை சுத்தம் செய்யத்தான் and the couplet தொட்டவுடன் மலரொன்று.
With the resounding success of Poompuhar, KBS found regular film offers coming her way..
- To be concluded.
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1350578841640505/
Part 1 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1349726998392356/
Part 3 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1351635404868182/
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