Saravanan Natarajan writes:
Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil MeinV
Who would have thought of a classical interpretation of ‘Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein’ and a Carnatic one at that! The very idea defies imagination, doesn’t it? Well not so, at least for Ilaiyaraja. Nothing seemed impossible for the young and upcoming Maestro and he did just that in the 1977 Tamil movie அவர் எனக்கே சொந்தம்.The situation is this. An impoverished and unassuming Bagavathar (V.K. Ramaswamy) has been engaged to give a classical concert for the inauguration of a cultural ‘Sabha’. His concert is to be followed by a performance of film songs. To his dismay, he finds that his accompanists have not arrived and it is time for the show to begin. Much against his wishes, he is persuaded to sing with the ‘light music’ instrumentalists accompanying him. What follows is a sheer laugh riot!
Ilaiyaraja invites veteran T.M. Soundararajan to do the honors here.While it is well known that TMS never enjoyed a comfortable relationship with Ilaiyaraja, the songs that he did get to sing for Raja are are all a connoisseur’s delight. I have with me all the TMS-Ilaiyaraja collaborations in a CD, collected over many years from different sources. Yes, right up to the elusive கோலமயில் ஆடுவதை (கவரிமான்) and the TMS version of என்னோடு பாடுங்கள் (நான் வாழவைப்பேன்)! The philosophy tinged with poignancy in நல்லவர்கெல்லாம் சாட்சிகள் ரெண்டு, the understated majesty in அந்தபுரத்தில் ஒரு மகராணி, the strident sorrow that is just what அம்மா! நீ சுமந்த பிள்ளை needs, the abject sense of loss and the vengeful determination in நண்டூருது நரியூருது, the mischievous mien of ஐம்பதிலும் ஆசை வரும்… are but instances of piecemeal distribution from a prematurely dissolved partnership; each piece is for us to pick and savour! This fallout combined with the fact that his voice had aged by the late-70s, TMS found himself gradually sidelined as SPB, Yesudas, Jayachandran and Malaysia Vasudevan took center stage.
However, here, TMS is clearly in his elements and joins the fun in right earnest. Ilaiyaraja selects the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Toli Nenu Jeyu Poojaapalamu' as the song the Bagavathar opens his account with. It is supposed to be a poignant composition of Saint Tyagaraja where he sorrowfully accepts the indifference of Lord Rama and laments that his good deeds have not been adequate to capture the attention of the Lord. However, the sorrow transforms to irreverent merry making here with the ‘light music’ accompanists having a blast at the Bagavathar’s discomfiture.
Thankfully, the Bagavathar’s accompanists arrive midway and spare him from further ordeal. He is now happily set to perform a proper cutchery and starts with a stretch of a soulful Kalyani.
Alas, he is now booed by the audience who demand that he sing popular numbers from Yaadon Ki Baaraat and Julie! The wretched man is at his wit’s end, when by a stroke of luck he recalls a song he had heard in the street and launches into ‘Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein’… Lo and behold…. Khayyam’s composition transforms into a Carnatic Kriti by a mere wave of Ilaiyaraja’s wand…. Hark at the Bagavathar’s co-singers request for ‘Coffee, Coffee’ when he asks them to repeat ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ :)
TMS is at his mischievous best- he simply freaks out in the swift classical passages culminating in a delightful dappankuthu. As a fitting finale, the penitent Bagavathar seeks forgiveness from Saint Tyagaraja as he beats a hasty retreat at the completion of the song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzxVaAj7Y_Y
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1391746537523735/
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