V. Dakshinamoorthy - Swami's tryst with Tamil Cinema Part 1

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

Swami's tryst with Tamil Cinema- Part 1

It was the birth anniversary of the great Dakshinamoorthy Swami on December 9. Presenting today the first of a two-part tribute to the unassuming genius:
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How excellent to bear into old age
The poet’s ardor and the heart of youth;
To keep to the last sleep the vow of truth,
And leave to lands that grieve a glowing page!

- Florence Earle Coates (Tennyson)

In the august assembly that had gathered for the release of Ilaiyaraja’s Tiruvasagam in Symphony in 2005, not many noticed a frail old man seated unobtrusively on the dais. But when he was called upon to release the ‘Making of the Album’, he became the focus of attention that brief glittering moment.

It was the same gentleman who had the happy privilege of releasing M.S.Viswanathan’s biography the previous year, and the legendary Naushad appeared overcome with emotion as he received the first copy at the hands of Venkateswara Dakshinamoorthi, the beloved doyen of music, venerated by all music directors of the south.

V. Dakshinamoorthi, called respectfully as ‘Swami’ by the film faternity, was born on 9 December 1919 in Aalapuzha to Venkateswara Aiyer and Parvathi Ammal. By just listening to his mother and sister sing, Swami mastered 27 Tyagaraja Kritis when he barely 6 years old. Later, with formal training under Guru Venkatachalam Pothi, Swami gave his first public concert when he was 13 years old. He came to Madras in 1942 to participate in an All India Radio programme. The first movie that Swami composed music for was the 1948 Malayalam film ‘Nalla Thanka’. Thereafter, Swami strode Malayalam Film Music like a colossus, reining supreme there as the pioneering patriarch for over 4 decades.

Chandrika (1950/ Sri Krishna Productions) came out as a Malayalam-Tamil bilingual starring Thikkurusi Sukumaran Nair, T.S.Baliah, Lalita & Padmini. The music was credited jointly to Govindarajulu Naidu & Swami. Swami’s first independent Tamil film was K & K Combines' 'Jeevitha Nowka' or 'Pichaikkaari' directed by K.Vembu that was made simultaneously in Malayalam and Tamil in 1951. Shot at Udaya Studios, the film had Thikkurusi Sukumaran Nair, B.S.Saroja, Sebastian Kunju Kunju Bagavathar and Pankajavalli in its cast. Under pressure from the producers to adopt popular Hindi tunes, Swami had to come out with numbers such as ‘Joraaga uduthen naane’ by P.Leela based on Lata’s ‘Hawa mein udutha jaaye’ and ‘Sahayam yaarum allada’ by Tiruchi Loganathan, based on Rafi’s ‘Suhaani Raat dal chuki’. Vanaraniye, a soft romantic number sung by Mehboob & P.Leela was the popular number in the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLf7l2jmsIU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aSxisdSL6s

Swami’s next Tamil film was 'Amma', released in 1952, also directed by K.Vembu. The film was produced simultaneously in Tamil & Malayalam by T.E.Vasudevan under his Associated Producers banner. The film had Thikkurusi Sukumaran Nair, Lalitha, B.S.Saroja, Shantakumari and others in its cast. Swami’s songs such as ‘Idhai yaarodum’ by T.A. Mothi & Gananamma David, ‘Ammave deivam ulaginile’ by Jikki and ‘Varuvaai aasai kiliye’ by Gokulapalan & Jikki found popularity and were aired regularly by Radio Ceylon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvjL7uWWk6s

Swami’s next Tamil venture was again Associated Producers’ TE Vasudevan’s Tamil- Malayalam bilingual titled 'Aashadeepam' in Malayalam & 'Aasaimagan' in Tamil. Released in 1953, the film starred Gemini Ganesh, Padmini, Sathyan & B.S.Saroja. Lyrics were by Kuyilan. The lilting A.M.Raja- P.Leela duet ‘Odam eri sendre’ and Jikki’s ebullient solo’ gramathin idhayame’ are unforgettable songs composed by Swami in this forgotten movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK0CSjOeIUY

Listen to the MLV-P.Leela classical number ‘Kalaigal miguntha engal Thamizh vaazhgave’ from Aasaimagan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd5ll24Oz4M

Another obscure gem from Aasai Magan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9a2L9S2i4g

In 1954 came 'Kanavu' (KRK Productions) starring 'Valayapathi' Muthukrishnan, Lalita & Pollachi Kamala. The music was jointly composed by G.Ramanathan & Swami. We next find Swami in the 1959 movie ‘Arumai Magal Abirami’, produced and directed by V.Krishnan under the banner Aravind Pictures with Prem Nazir & Rajasulochana in the lead. The lovely PB Srinivas- P.Susheela duet ‘Thanga niram idazh sempavazham’ composed by Swami was very popular at the time. ‘Inai solla mudiyaatha’ by Seergazhi Govindarajan, ‘Nalla pillai endru solli’ by Ravu Balasarsawathi and ‘Joraana kattazhagu penne’ by Jamunarani were the other noteworthy songs in the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipWbd64Q2H8

It was only in 1968 that another Tamil film came Swami’s way. And that too because it was a remake of the Malayalam magnum opus 'Kavya Mela' in which Swami’s music was the scintillating mainstay. Titled ‘Devi’, produced & directed by A.K.Velan under his Arunachalam Pictures banner, the film had Muthuraman playing a visually impaired singer and Devika as his pair. A little-known Palladam Manickam wrote the lyrics for the Tamil songs. The videos of the songs are not available anywhere. I have uploaded short audio clips here:

Thithikkum Muthamizhe:
http://youtu.be/WEm7vtUL52s

Devi Sridevi:
http://youtu.be/s7jHtYarxLk

Chinna Kuzhandhai:
http://youtu.be/lN5BfoRq2Ec

And P. Leela, PBS, Yesudas, MBS and Swami appearing on screen and singing in Kavyamela:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCaLvV7oSGU

Swami then composed music for Vinayaka Films’ 'Jeevanaadi' starring Ravichandran & Lakshmi, directed by A.K.Subramaniam. Listen to this lovely Yesudas- Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi duet composed by Swami.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NUVX7md8ZA

- To be concluded.

Part 2 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1423983820966673/