Saravanan Natarajan writes:
The King’s Treasuries- Part 13
ஓராயிரம் பாடலும் பாடுமே...
In this edition of The King’s Treasuries, we continue to look back upon Jikki’s second tryst with Tamil Cinema….
Vattathukkul Sathuram (1978/ MAM Films) had Latha, Sumitra, Saratbabu, Srikanth and Savitri essaying the lead roles. The film was produced by N.S.Mani and directed by S.P. Muthuraman.
It was a trend at that time to adapt popular novels for celluloid, and Maharsihi was one writer whose works were in demand just then. Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri, Saaindhadamma Saaindhaadu, Nadhiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal were all his stories.
Vattathukkul Sathuram was based on Maharishi's story as well. The film explored a theme unusual for Tamil cinema- female bonding, and the ultimate sacrifice that Anu (Latha) makes, all for the sake of her friend Malathi (Sumitra). Sridhar's Avalukkendru Or Manam did traverse this path earlier, though the situations and sequences were wholly different.
Babu's camerawork in Vattathukkul Sathuram was of particular appeal; the angles were innovative and the black & white frames austere and telling. Sure the proceedings had their fair share of melodrama, but the subtle and refined performances, especially that of Latha (fetching her the Filmfare Award) saved the movie from remaining yet another tearjerker.
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Ilaiyaraja's music was, of course, another highpoint of the movie. Since the story revolved around the two female leads, all the 4 songs were by female singers. 'Itho itho en nenjile', the flagship number, remains a timeless ode to friendship. Tracing the years rolling by as Baby Indira and Baby Sumathi grow up to Latha and Sumitra, the opening lines are sung by Umadevi and Indira, and then S. Janaki and B.S.Sashirekha take over in scintillating style. 'Aada sonnare ellorum' is a breezy club dance number that Jency crooned in her very first year in Tamil film music. 'Perazhagu meni konden' is another club song, but the pathos which was just hinted at in 'Aada sonnare' becomes palpable in this song, rendered by Janaki with characteristic understanding.
* * * *
I sing to use the waiting,my bonnet but to tie,
And shut the door unto my house;
no more to do have I..
Till, his best step approaching,
we journey to the day,
and tell each other how we sang
to keep the dark away.
-Emily Dickinson (Time and Eternity)
Anu falls in love with Malathi's brother. But he is disdainful of her dubious parentage and wards off her overtures callously. A smitten Anu refuses to see the writing on the wall and asks him to meet her at nightfall in the village outskirts. The unfeeling fool doesn't care for her tryst, and even worse, he doesn't care for her trust. For he complains to his mother of Anu's behaviour. The highly incensed mother draws the village elders and the group of indignant people march towards the riverbank where Anu is awaiting him with growing impatience.
So as she waits at the rendezvous, this is the song that Anu sings softly to herself, blissfully ignorant of the approaching humiliation and the calamitous path her life would take henceforth. She sings, with her heart overflowing with love, her dreams filled with happy tidings of their marriage, her eyes searching restlessly for the sight of her man.
Right from the opening humming, Jikki brings to life the myriad musings that the song evokes. How poignantly the longings of a love struck heart find portrayal in her caressing rendition! And Ilaiyaraja shows his class in style, for even as the lines are sung tenderly as they ought to be, he fills the interludes with hurried, suspense-filled moments as the angle shifts to the gang of the infuriated villagers marching towards Anu, while a lone flute brings us back to the pining girl waiting in the woods…
Let us too revel in this captivating calm before the storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apzH-KcDmIg
* * * * *
Who knows what made Ilaiyaraja think of Jikki and summon her to sing this song? By 1978, Jikki's glorious second innings was showing signs of waning; her last song at that point of time was perhaps way back in 1975- 'Manathukku theriyum' for A.M .Raja in Enakkoru Magan Pirappaan.
So when it seemed that Jikki was being banished to oblivion yet again, Ilaiyaraja escorted her back to the limelight, and gave her second innings a rejuvenating extended lease. And….serendipity did happen- the veteran chanteuse did justice to the trust placed on her. The voice that ruled the 50s with unassuming majesty was dulcet as ever in 1978- ravages of age had not withered much the charm. This haunting song and the popularity it enjoyed showed that Jikki could not be written off so easily. While it wasn't as though she was inundated with work, some memorable songs did come her way in the subsequent years.
And while Ilaiyaraja was the composer who kept her career afloat, there were others who employed her vocals in the coming years, though sparingly. 'Naan unna nenachen' (Kannil Theriyum Kathaigal/ 1980/ Shankar-Ganesh), 'Andha ramanum indha seethaiyuim' (Paakku Vethalai/ 1981/ Malaysia Vasudevan), 'Raathiri pooththau kaattu roja' (Dhaayam Onnu/1988/ Ilaiyaraja), 'Ninaithathu yaaro nee thaane' (Paattukku Oru Thalaivan/ 1989/ Ilaiyaraja), 'Poovodu kaathu vandhu' (Dharmam Vellum/ 1989/ Ilaiyaraja), 'Oththaiyadi paadhaiyile' (Aatha Un Kovilile/ 1991/ Deva), 'Iravu naadagam iraval poo mugam' (Annan Ennada Thambi Ennada/ 1992/ Gyan Verma), 'Selvame chithirame poonthere' (Pangaali/ 1992/ Ilaiyaraja), 'Vanna vanna solleduthu' (Senthamizh Paattu/ 1992/ MSV-IR), 'Chinnamuthu chinnamuthu' (Chinnamuthu/ 1994/ Deva) are some songs that Jikki sang in the last phase of her illustrious career in Tamil film music. She had some memorable songs in Telugu as well in this period, like 'Jaanaavule' in Aaditya 369 (1991) for Ilaiyaraja…. Lustrous flashes from dying embers….
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1471860276179027/
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