Bala then made a fetching mark playing Tukaram’s little daughter in the bilingual of the same name. Tukaram (1938/ Central Studios) had the famed Musiri Subramaniya Iyer in the title role, and in the Telugu version, CSR Anjaneyulu played the lead role. Her father arranged for a Tamil tutor to teach Bala at home. She also had an Anglo-Indian lady teach her English and another teacher to drill into her the rudiments of conversational Hindi!
In 1940, Balasaraswathi acted with Rajeswara Rao in Illalu (Indira Devi Films), directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam. Incidentally, it was with Illallu that Rajeswara Rao made a mark as music director. Impressed with Bala’s voice and singing, Rajeswara Rao paired with her to record those signature non-film Telugu songs that are revered to this day as trendsetters of light music- Lalita Geetalu. ‘Aatotalonokati Aardhanalayamu’ written by Rajeswara Rao’s father Sanyasi Raju and sung by Balasaraswati has an appeal that transcends barriers of time and language.
And in Bhagyalakshmi (1943/ Sri Renuka Films), Bala made history when she sang for Kamala Kotnis on screen- I believe this was the first instance of playback singing in Telugu cinema. The song was ‘Thinne meedha sinnoda’, composed by Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao.
All of 15, Bala looked ensconced snugly as a much sought after actress and singer in both Telugu and Tamil Cinema. Her songs in Chenchulakshmi (1943), again for Kamala Kotnis – the 2 solos ‘Kanipinchithiva Narasimha’ and ‘Yeri Yeri Naa Sarisamunulikane’ and her duet with T.A. Moti ‘Madhuramuga Yentho Madhuramuga’ found immense widespread appeal. She went to Bombay and learned the basics of Hindustani Music from none other than Vasant Desai. She studied Western Classical Music in Madras. The future looked only brighter. But destiny had other plans in store….
More out curiosity, Bala accompanied her cousins to the Guindy Races one summer day in 1944. At the Madras Race Club, they met other family friends who took them to the Venkatagiri Stand, owned by the Maharajah of Venkatagiri. And it was there that she was introduced to His Highness Sri Sri Sri Rajah Rao Pradyumna Krishna Mahipathi Surya Rao Bahadur, the 4th son of the Maharajah. He was given the title Maharajah Saheb Meharban-I-Dostan and was adopted by the childless Maharani of Kolanka and was now the Maharajah of Kolanka. He was a front-ranking Polo player- it was he who commissioned the famous Kolanka Cup – India’s foremost Polo trophy. It is said to be the tallest sports trophy in the world and made wholly of pure silver. Besides being an avid sportsman, he was a hunting enthusiast and owned prize-winning race horses.
The Maharajah was instantly attracted to the demure and beautiful girl who conversed in impeccable
English. Enquiring about her later, he was intrigued to know of her talents and popularity. He lost no time in going to her house and sought her hand in marriage. Her family members were initially apprehensive, and not without reason. There was a huge age difference- Bala was but 15, while the Maharajah was 34. He was already married, with children. However, the magnificence of his personality eventually won the day, and Bala was soon married to the Maharajah of Kolanka. Did she like him? ‘Oh, he was so handsome, with large eyes!’ she said in an interview with her trademark guileless smile.
Bala was now far removed from Madras…she lived most of the year in a stately palace in the vast Kolanka Estate in East Godavari District. She gradually reduced her screen appearances- Radhika (1947/Sri Chatrapathi Pictures/Telugu) that was produced by her father and Bilhana (1948/Mubarak/Tamil) were perhaps the last such instances. Her husband did not take kindly to her forays in the tinsel town.
However, she did take up whatever singing offers that came her way during her biannual visits to Madras. Bhanumati was a great fan of Bala’s singing. Bala was related to Bhanumati’s husband Ramakrishna Rao and had even sung at their wedding. When Bhanumati and Ramakrishna embarked upon embarked upon their ambitious ‘Laila Majnu’ (1949/Bharani), Bhanumati cajoled Bala to sing and the song ‘Ela Pagaye’ in Telugu and its Tamil version ‘Veen pazhi thaano’ managed to defy the onslaught of the remaining songs sung by Bhanumati herself. Genius Composer C.R. Subburaman was said to be a great fan of Bala's voice. "It is truly unfortunate that he died so young!'' reflected Bala sadly in an interview.
Bala's enviable repertoire in Tamil includes songs of every genre, every mood. Perhaps her earlier stunt as an actress helped, for her songs are rich in expression. Some years back when I was in Chennai, a journalist friend wanted to write on Balasaraswati and I lent him my collection of her songs. And as we sat listening to some of them, we were amazed anew at the sheer variety of her numbers. “So why was she branded a mere lullaby singer?’ we were bewildered.
Want to lose yourself in religious fervour? Listen to Balasarswathi sing ‘Sri Jaya Saraswathi Devi thaaye’ (Bilhana) or the non-film devotional songs that she sang such as ‘Kaana Oraayiram kan vendum’ and ‘Aaduthu paar mayil aaduthu paar’.. (the latter is a particular favourite of mine as Bala utters my name ever so often in this song!)
For a glimpse of her soft romantic flourishes, listen to ‘O malaya maaruthame’, a fabulous duet with the renowned vocalist S. Rajam in the bilingual Manavathi (Music by Balantrapu Rajinikantha Rao). The song, like its Telugu equivalent (O malaya pavanama where Bala teams up with M.S. Ramarao) is a mesmerizing Malayamarutham. Or catch her stealing a treasured moment with Ghantasala in ‘Malarodu madhuramevum manam kaanum mohana ragam’ in Jayasimhan (T.V.Raju). How dreamy she sounds in ‘Kalaiyaadha aasai kanave’ (Rajarajan/KVM), and what a stark contrast she paints in the pathos version of the same song! The wistful ache that the night heralds finds exquisite delineation in ‘Paar muzhudhum irul parappum’ (Rajabhakthi/ Govindarajulu Naidu). The buoyant joys and hopes that a new found love brings in its wake tumble so tremulously in ‘Vaazhvu malarndhu manam veesiduthe’ (Nalla Kaalam/KVM). Also remember the mellow T.A. Moti- Bala duets ‘Maalai nila vara vendum’ (Thaai Ullam/V.Nagiah- A.Rama Rao), and ‘Kandukonden naane’(Kannin Manigal/S.V.Venkataraman).
Bala has excelled in dance songs as well. Take two such songs in Devadas (CRS/MSV), for instance. ‘Sandhosham vendumendraal inge konjam ennai paaru kannaal ’ and ‘Paaramugam yenayya en swami’ – such diverse delights! My favourite ‘Thangam pongum meni undhan sondham ini’ (Tenaliraman /MSV-TKR) is a ceaseless wonder – hark at her hit a highpoint afresh in every repetition of ‘Thangam’! (I bought the DVD just to see this song, but to my disappointment, the song did not find place in the DVD version) ‘Kannai thaan parikkuthu kaipaadatha mullaipoo’ (Aasai Anna Arumai Thambi/KVM) is another bewitching dance number, with the mullaipoo changing to rojappoo and then to sevvandhi in each repetition of the pallavi. ‘Thudikkum vaalibame nodikkul poividume’ (Marma Veeran) , with its baila-ish interludes is a feet-tapping Veda composition.
Thudikkum Vaalibame (watch from 0.30 onwards)
He thinks of his morn of life,
his hale, strong years;
And braves as he may the night
of darkness and tears
- Robert Bridges (Winter Nightfall)
Happened to watch an interview of singer Ravu Balasaraswati, and the above lines from Winter Nightfall came to mind, as they did even a decade back when I wrote about her in dhool.com. The 88 year old singer who had held an entire generation of listeners in her sway has been struggling valiantly with abject penury for a while. Despite some assistance received over the years, the venerable singer is finding it difficult to lead a dignified life.
I am sure many music lovers would be distressed to know the pitiable plight of Ravu Balasaraswati , the silken voice that serenaded serenity in the portals of Telugu and Tamil film music in the 50s.
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For those who are wondering who Balasaraswati is, this could come as a glorious revelation:
Charlie Chaplin’s silent movie City Lights was released in 1931, 4 years after the advent of talking movies. The film was a poignant portrayal of the love that a good-hearted tramp (Charlie) cherishes for a blind flower seller (Virginia Cherill), the travails he undergoes to prevent her from being evicted from her tenement and then the efforts he takes to restore her eyesight. The film is considered a classic to this day, for its sheer brilliance in a heartwarming study of the lives of the lowly in a big, brutal city.
Gemini Vasan perceived the intrinsic worth of the tale, and bade his crew to work on an adaptation set in an Indian milieu. Raji En Kanmani (1954) had an imaginatively reworked screenplay and dialogues by the Gemini Story Division, headed by Sangu Subramaniam. Directed by K.J. Mahadevan, the film starred T.R. Ramachandran, Sriranjini Jr, Sriram, S.V. Ranga Rao, Chandrababu, T.P. Muthulakshmi & others.
T.R. Ramachadran played the vagabond Ramu, while Sriranjini was the blind flower seller Raji. Ramu’s sympathy for Raji soon blossoms into love. He arranges for her eyes to be operated by a kind doctor (Sriram), and makes frantic efforts to get the required funds. But in the process, he gets into some trouble with a wealthy alcoholic and is unjustly imprisoned. The good-natured doctor then performs the surgery for free and Raji is now able to see. When she realizes that her wait for Ramu is futile, she accepts the doctor’s proposal and marries him. Years roll by, and they now have a son.
Ramu is finally released, and by chance rescues Raji’s child from being hit by a car. Seeing him injured, Raji takes him to her house. When she touches his face, old memories come cascading- for she had touched Ramu’s face long ago. Ramu does not wish to disturb the tranquility of her marriage, and though the doctor recognizes him, moves out, merging into the shadows of the city.
I heard from an old-timer who I once met in a recording store that the movie was well crafted, and the performances, especially that of T.R. Ramachandran, uplifting. But sadly, the movie was a commercial failure. What makes the film immortal though is the classic ‘Malligaipoo jaathi roja’. In City Lights, Chaplin had featured Jose Sancho Padilla's haunting 'La Violetera', which itself, I believe, seeks inspiration from ‘La Paloma’ (some of us would have learned this at school), as the BGM in some of the sequences. And taking the cue, the talented Master Dhanraj and R. Parthasarathi, who were working as part of the Gemini Music Troupe at that time under Hanumantha Rao (brother of Saluri Rajeswara Rao) created a classic with rich western interludes. The song (and its Telugu version, also sung by Bala ‘Malle poolu molla poolu’ /Raaji Naa Praanam) was a raging hit in its time. Even as the gentleman in the recording store was talking about it, his face lit up, and his eyes crinkled in nostalgic delight with memories of another day. And for a magic moment, I too caught a glimpse of the bygone 50s through his reverie!
‘Amma vaareero, anbodu paareero vanguveero, malarndha poovellaam kalandha maalaiye’ is another version of ‘Malligai poo jaathi roja’- another equally enticing call of the florist. The mood is sadder here though, fretting at the gathering clouds that threaten her serene sky, wondering if she would ever set her eyes on her benefactor, the song closes with a plaintive call ‘O Ramu..aah Ramu!’ ‘Sundara malare solliduvaaye' is another stunner song in the album, sung by the same velvet voice that wrought magic with the other songs.
‘Thoongaayo duraiye’ is another forgotten diamond from the same casket, polished with painstaking care by the same singer, singing now what Tamil Film Music celebrated as Bala’s forte, a lilting lullaby. And as though to make up for straying westwards in the other songs, the composer(s) return home in this one, and what a homecoming it is! Hark at the lines…she lulls her son to sleep…'Sleep my Lord, so that you may dream… At the edge of the rainbow, a beautiful brook flows…on the banks of the brook, a cricket sings….. hearing this song, a lovely flower blossoms …and at that moment you can hear the beat of a majestic drum…. So sleep on my lord, so that these vistas will enfold in your dreams’ she croons …. Aaha, beguiled with such an enticing prospect, which child would not sleep! Listen here:
The little girl who sang for HMV when she was barely six years old…the child star who acted and sang her own songs…the singer who created records with her non-film, light song albums…the first playback singer of Telugu Cinema…the Music Director of a Sinhalese film (Laila Majnu)…the wife of the Raja of Kolanka… the righteous woman who commanded the right to change the lyrics if she found them unsuitable…the singer who glittered amongst the galaxy of gifted artistes who were her contemporaries in the 50s…Indeed, Bala reflects a rich and vibrant legacy…
Nestling in the bosom of the ancient Bhavanarayanswamy Temple, Bapatla is a picturesque coastal town in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. Dramatist Sthanam Narasimha Rao, Engineer Padmabhushan Nori Gopalakrishnamoorthy, Biologist Modadagu Vijay Gupta, Singer Kalyanam (Eelapatta) Raghuramiah, Mathematician Komaravulu Chandrasekharan, Cardiologist I. Satyamurthy, Statesman Kona Prabhakar Rao are some of the eminent personalities who hail from this little known town. In this blessed soil was born Balasaraswati on 28th August 1928 to Parthasarathi Rao and Visalakshi Amma. Her father was a lover of fine arts, music in particular and apparently owned a theater hall in Guntur for a while. Stage plays were enacted and silent movies screened in this hall. Dramatists and singers used to frequent their house all the time, and the child Bala developed a natural flair for music. Acclaimed artistes such as Kapilavai Ramnatha Sastri and Stanam Narasimha Rao were much impressed with the bubbly little girl who exhibited a natural grasp of music, innate sweetness of tone and extraordinary memory.
On one occasion when Kapilavai Ramnatha Sastri wanted someone to render the song ‘Namaste naa praana naatha’ on stage, the entire hall was transfixed when this charming 4 year old girl volunteered to do so. And she went up with calm self-assurance and had the crowd give her a standing ovation at her flawless singing. That was her Bala’s first ever public performance. The little girl honed her skills listening to the gramophone records from her father’s collections and could repeat even the most intricate compositions without much ado. She also learned music from Allathuru Subbaya for a while. When she was 6 years old, she was discovered by lyricist-composer Koparappu Subbarao, who got the child an opportunity to get to sing for a gramophone company, the very first song of Bala that was recorded was ‘Dorike dorike naaku’. Her father was filled with pride at the achievements of his darling daughter.
Bala’s maternal grandfather was an advocate in Madras. When the child was staying at his house for a while, she received an irresistible offer to act in a movie. Despite misgivings of her orthodox family members, she had the active support of her father and soon ‘Baby’ Balasaraswati made her debut playing the celestial Ganga in the Telugu film Sati Anusuya & Bhaktha Druva (1936/ East India Film Co.) Director Chitajalu Pulliah made this ‘two mythologicals in one’ with a wholly child cast. Bala’s soulful song ‘Ethethethaari Naakachata’ in her very first film outing became hugely popular. She caught the attention of pioneer Tamil filmmaker K. Subramaniam and the Tamil films that she acted in the following years were Bhaktha Kuchela (1936), Balayogini (1937) and Thiruneelakantar (1939).
RKV, the alter ego of JK himself, watches Ganga getting into Prabhu’s car. Ganga and Prabhu are strangers to him, but he becomes one with them as he lets his imagination fill in the blanks. For as JK says, “A lot of things happen in life and there are newspapers to report them. I am not doing that. Based on something that happened, with all good intentions, I use my imagination to write a story. But I am not defending anybody or accusing anyone. I am telling a story.”
So after dwelling on the cataclysm, RKV finds a solution that cleanses and distils; Ganga thus continues her journey, unsullied.
But Ganga’s mother did not share RKV’s vision. And when years later he meets Ganga, he finds her still bearing the cross of the guilt. The conversations that RKV has with Ganga are interspersed with humour, sarcasm and wistfulness.
At the instigation of Vengu Mama, Ganga seeks out and traces Prabhu…RKV helps her in this pursuit. However, what happens thereafter is something that she did not reckon with... the sequences that follow depicting the blossoming of a rare, platonic relationship between Ganga and Prabhu are some of Tamil Cinema’s finest moments…the early morning walks, the long drives, the late night conversations... each day brings a joy hitherto unknown in her life... unfortunately such a relationship can never be given a formal tag, or pegged down to a label... she fights the system as much as she can... the end is inevitable...she is pushed to ask something that he can never give.. and she is then forced to give him up... what does the future hold for her... whither flows the Ganges?
The open end, with a lonely Ganga, hugging tightly a coat left behind by Prabhu, leaves the viewers with a lump in the throat.. And then there is this song: Ganga ruminates on her past, present and future...her life presents a question that has no ready answers... Vani invests the profound lines with the intensity they demand.. . she is brooding and bleak, forlorn and fragile...
And how daring of the makers to end the movie with a song!
For us, avid readers of JK, not a day goes by when even for a fleeting moment we do not turn to JK when a twist of phrase, a peculiarity of characterization, an attitude or a turn of events, or even a quizzical glance or a pregnant silence brings in a sense of déjà vu… for didn’t JK draw all his stories from life itself?
Having dwelt on Paathai Theriyuthu Paar, Yaarukkaga Azhuthaan & Kaaval Deivam earlier, let us resume our journey today tracing his tryst with Tamil Cinema… Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal…
With his earlier forays into cinema filling him with dissatisfaction and worse, disillusionment, JK took a conscious decision to steer clear of the tinsel town in the late 60s, and concentrated on his writing in the years that followed.. He never saw a movie in those years not did he keep himself abreast of the changing trends or the new generation of artistes and technicians.
Sometime in the early 70s, Director A. Bhimsingh had approached JK, through his son Hridayanath, evincing an interest to take up JK’s Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal for celluloid adaptation. Writer Poovannan also met JK with the same message from Bhimsingh. JK gave his acquiescence to the emissaries. However, Bhimsingh was preoccupied with his other ventures and this project was put on the backburner…
Everything happens only in its own good time… In the meantime, in an interview to Kumudam, director C.V. Rajendran showered encomiums on JK and his works and revealed that he was working on a screenplay for SNSM. Accompanied by actor Srikanth, who was part of JK’s friends circle, Rajendran even met JK at his residence in this connection. It was this turn of events that spurred Bhimsingh and his associates into action and they approached JK again for the rights to the story.
And it is at this juncture that I ask myself the question that has had me bewildered- what made Bhimsingh, of all persons, venture into what is known as 'parallel cinema', and then make such an exciting success of the experiment?! For Bhimsingh, the ‘Monrach of melodrama’ is more remembered for his sentiment-filled family epics, star-studded affairs presided by Sivaji, emotional conundrums that had the viewers sobbing happily and asking for more. Surely, Bhimsingh turning to Jayakanthan is one of Tamil Cinema's most exquisite ironies!
But was this change of mind as sudden as it seems? As I muse over Bhimsingh's life and times, I conclude that it could not have been so. For I recalled that even as the 'pa' series movies were petering out in the mid-60s, Bhimsingh set about making some pioneering off-beat movies. No, he didn't direct them himself, but elevated his assistants Thirumalai-Mahalingam to call the shots, satisfying himself with financing the projects (under a new banner 'Sunbeam Productions'), besides drafting the screenplay. Saadhu Mirandaal (1966) and Aalayam (1967) were interesting experiments in this line. Both were made within modest budgets and defied valiantly the vicious 'hero-heroine-love-family-villain-action-all is well that ends well' permutations.
Bhimsingh had heard a lot from others about what a difficult man JK was. And so, it was with some trepidation that he called upon JK at his residence to discuss the making of SNSM. But he was in for a pleasant surprise, JK welcomed him with warmth and affection and happily gave his nod for Bhimsingh to proceed with making SNSM the movie. He asked Bhimsingh to develop his own screenplay and to feel free to use the dialogues from the story.
Having given Bhimsingh carte blanche to develop his own screenplay, JK was not entirely happy. For, as he says in his ‘Oru Ilakkiyavaathiyin Kalaiyukaga Anubhavangal’, even while writing a story, JK would visualize each situation ‘frame by frame’, would see his characters move, converse and react, and only then put pen to paper. So he felt that a screenplay by someone else for his story would not have the same effect as what he had envisaged. So when Bhimsingh’s associates came back to him with the screenplay that the team had attempted, JK did not give it even a cursory glance. For nearly a month and a half, he kept aside all his other commitments and dictated the screenplay and dialogues, scene by scene to Thirumalai and Mahalingam.
Bhimsingh was delighted with the excellent shape JK had given to the screenplay and dialogues. Even the minutest details were written down and filed, which proved to be of immense help when the actual filming commenced. JK recommended Srikanth for the role of Prabhu and Lakshmi was the unanimous choice for Ganga. JK did not interfere with the choice of the rest of the cast and crew. He penned the two songs and then left it all to Bhimsingh. Bhimsingh recounts JK’s reaction upon seeing the movie: ‘idhanai idhanaal ivan mudikkum endraaindhu adhanai avankan vidal’, a contended JK quoted an apposite Thirukkural, filling Bhimsingh with unsurpassed elation.
Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal, the movie (1.4.1977/ ABS Productions) won critical acclaim for its sensitive adaptation of the novel. A National Award winning, heartwarming performance by Lakshmi was backed by stupendous performances by Srikanth, Nagesh, YGP and Sundaribai. A realistic look at middle-class values, on-screen characters whom we meet in everyday transactions, scintillating conversational dialogues, (some entirely in English!), effective use of silence, brilliant black & white frames, taut editing and two unforgettable songs… they all added immense value. The film remains among the best Tamil movies ever made, and surprisingly for its genre, was a modest commercial success as well, crossing 100 days in the urban centers.
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Recalling again the famous JK quote on what a writer does:
“Nothing has a right to live without a purpose. We don’t create our lives, but we create in our lives. Sometimes people may not be able to articulate the purpose in their lives. That's what a writer does. He gives... voice to those who can't speak; eyes to those who can't see; a mind to those who can't think; a heart to those who can't feel….”
And so JK gives himself a role in the proceedings of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal. R.K.Viswanatha Sharma (played by Nagesh with nonchalant brilliance) a library attender who is a writer as well, notices a college girl accepting a lift from a stranger on a rainy evening. Thereafter his imagination takes over; he spins a story of what could have happened, and with a rare catholicity, gives his surmise a cathartic conclusion; a solution that is an exercise in compassion, common sense and courage. He titles his tale ‘Agnipravesam’, for he deems his heroine’s redemption a trial by fire…
But is that what actually happened? Did Ganga’s story really have this happy ending? Years later, Ganga happens to read the tale and is riveted by the startling resemblance it bears to what had happened to her, though she was not as fortunate as the girl in the story. She seeks out RKV, and thereafter commence some of the movie’s delectably poignant moments.
The raconteur himself playing a part in his parable is nothing novel- it is as ancient as our ancient epics, but Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal remains the only instance in Tamil Cinema wherein the writer slips into the story as one of the characters, and ensures that the movie has adequate allusions to its wellspring.
For Agnipravesam was the short story that JK wrote in 1966, and it appeared as part of Suyadharisanam, a collection of JK’s sort stories (1967/Meenakshi Puththaga Nilayam) I believe that the revolutionary ending of the story evoked some protests. As though bowing to popular demand, JK altered the ending to a conventional, convenient conclusion, but had the last laugh as he developed the story further into a remarkable novel spanning situations that are far from conventional or convenient. Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal (1970/Meenakshi Puththaga Nilayam) won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1972.
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As a child, movie outings were very rare for me, but I did manage to tag along with my parents when they went to watch a late night show of Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal at Leo Theater, Chennai ( then Madras). Quite naturally, I did not understand the proceedings at all and soon went to sleep. But I woke up at this song, and even now recall laughing aloud at Nagesh’s antics….he sits in a park with a sheaf of papers, and a sudden gust of wind blows some of them away…as he runs to retrieve them, it is the turn of the papers he has left behind on the bench to fly…. and he now runs behind these with an expression of comical dismay…What a gifted performer he was!
M.S.Viswanathan wisely sings JK’s profound lines himself, for his mystic voice rings as the voice of the soul, the voice of the conscience within that seldom manages to get heard without…the guitar strings lending their approbation throughout, the violin and whistles painting a melancholic hue into the interludes, the unobtrusive percussion providing scintillating support…the master is in his elements here… https://youtu.be/dtWMrA98Gjs
Having enjoyed a vintage marvel from the 50s sung by KVM himself, let us now look at a less-chronicled part of KVM’s career- his works in the 80s….
After a glorious innings in Tamil cinema throughout the 50s and 60s, KVM found himself gradually sidelined in the 70s. The advent of talented newcomers and exciting changes in the trends had cast him aside with scant ceremony. And by the 80s, KVM was almost forgotten…
Almost, I said. But not quite. For there every now and then movies came out that had songs composed by KVM and found fleeting popularity. I am certain there would be some among us who would still give a pleased sigh of recognition at the mention of numbers lost in the swirling mists of time such as ‘Vaanavillenum varnajaalangal’ (Naan Naanethaan/1980), ‘Nadhikkaraiyorathu Naanalgale’ (Kadhal Kiligal/1980), ‘Ponni nadhi orathile’ (Kuruvikkoodu/1980), ‘Manmadha rathangal’ (Manmadha Rathangal/1980), ‘Nalla naalum pozhudhumaa’ (Malargindra Paruvathile/1980), ‘Engengum aval mugam’ (Neruppile Pootha Malar/1981), ‘ Azhaithaal varuvaal’ (Mouna Yudham/1981), ‘Thirumaale’ (Deiva Thirumanangal/1981), ‘Ethipaarthen ilankiliya kaanaliye’ (Andha Rathirikku Satchi Illai/1982), ‘Endha iravu mudhal iravu’ (Chinnanchirusugal/1982), ‘Pudavai kattikondu’ (Simma Soppanam/1983), ‘Maari thirisooli’ (Mel Maruvathur Aadhiparasakthi/1985), ‘Ranganathan thangachi’ (Samayapurathaale Saatchi/1985), ‘Maaligaiyaanaalum malarvanamaanaalum’ (Asha/1985), ‘Magarandham Kaadhodhum’ (Mahasakthi Mariyamma/1986), ‘Eerathamaraipoove’ (Paaimarakkappal/1988)….
To resurrect to memory KVM’s works in the 80s, here is a forgotten little classic...
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He is an aspiring musician in a small town. She is a neighbourhood girl who has unstinting faith in his capabilities. They are in love with each other, but how long can she wait for him to find his moorings?
As a last resort, he goes to Madras, to try his luck in the film studios there.
After months of struggle, his efforts bear fruit and he gets a good opening. With resplendent dreams of their joyous future together, he boards a train to surprise her with an unannounced arrival, delight her with the wonderful tidings, and take her back with him to Madras.
Meanwhile all is not well with her- acrimonious exchanges with her parents and unwanted attentions of another suitor make life unbearable. Unknown to him, the very night he is traveling back to his hometown, she boards a train to Madras.
He falls in with a group of musicians in his train compartment. One thing leads to another -and they urge him to sing.
Alas, for her, in her hurried escape from home, she enters a deserted compartment, wherein there are only two men in an inebriated state. They look at her with sudden lust, and emboldened by their isolation, accost her. She cries out her lover’s name in fright…
…and in that very instant their trains cross each other, as he, in his train, commences his song "Nee azhaithathuppol oru gnaabagam"
Thus the song unfolds, with the shots alternating between the interiors of the compartments of the two trains speeding in opposite directions, the aalaapanai in one, the assault in the other…
How much longing he pours into his song….his hopes of a bright morrow for both of them glisten in his lines…little does he realize that as the trains are racing into the night, their very future is being derailed!
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It was in 1980 that K.V. Mahadevan (and his loyal assistant T.K. Pugazhendi) discovered for us that S.P. Balasubramaniam, though bereft of formal training, could be coached to deliver winning notes in classical shades, and Shankarabharanam was a stunner in every sense. They have extended that enriching experience here in this song. SPB delivers the goods, and how! The hero's aspirations and longings find evocative expression in SPB's song. And the swift and spellbinding swara passages that punctuate the song, especially in the cascading climax are something to cherish.
Conveniently for KVM, the hero befriends a troupe of traveling musicians with all their accompaniments, and the song thus attains a realistic hue. No doubt the interludes do sound a trifle passé (even for 1983), but this 'dated' sound has a quaint charm. The violin bits bring out so heartrendingly the wretched irony of the situation - moving frames of the girl beseeching the scoundrels to spare her, of frantically attempting to evade their advances, of trying vainly to reach for the emergency chain… Hark at the chugging of the train that is heard throughout the song as the rhythmic backdrop.
This was perhaps his last worthy attempt in mainstream Tamil Film Music. And like the last leap of a tongue of flame before the embers die, like the sudden small shower of rainwater from leaves swaying in a gust of wind long after the rain, this song kindles memories of a bygone era of film music. Krishnankovil Venkatachalam Mahadevan has given us much to be grateful for. This song is among his smaller bequests.
JK & Tamil Cinema Part 3: S.V.Subbiah & Kaaval Deivam (Continued)
So this was the story that Subbiah desired to take up for celluloid adaptation. JK agreed to give Subbiah the rights to the story, with the disclaimer that he would not involve himself in writing the screenplay or dialogues. JK himself changed the title to ‘Kaaval Deivam’. A befitting title, considering the remarkable characterization of Superintendent Raghavan. This, juxtaposed with the Aiyanaar statue, considered to be the guarding deity in the village, which plays a silently evocative role in the story, must have inspired JK to come out with the apposite title of ‘Kaaval Deivam’.
Subbiah enjoyed the goodwill of all in the film fraternity, and many of them came forward to appear in guest appearances in his ‘Kaaval Deivam’.
Thus the movie boasted of stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan, Muthuraman, T.S. Baliah, Nambiar, Nagesh and V.K. Ramasami who all appeared in well-etched roles. Subbiah played the pivotal role of the benign Superintendent Raghavan; yet in the titles, the humble artiste chose to place his name way below that of Sivakumar (Manickam) and Ashokan (Marimuthu). Sowcar Janaki essayed the role of the jailor’s understanding wife Alamu, while Lakshmi played the role of Kokila. V. Gopalakrishnan, Sriranjini and G. Sakuntala were the others in the cast.
Vijayan did a magnificent job for a first-time director. The narration never sags, and the movie seems to have been refreshingly off-beat for its time. The jail settings, by Art-Director B. Nagarajan are realistically conceived. Considering the rural milieu, Vijayan inserts bits of folk arts such as Karagam by Kalaimani & Party, and Naiyaandi Melam by Madurai Aavaiyapuram P. Sundararaj & Party in the sequences showing the rural fair. And Vijayan added an astute touch by inserting the Prahalada therukkoothu depicting the ‘Narasimha Avataram’ episode by Purisai Natesa Thambiraan & Party in the sequence where Chamundi escapes from his cell and kills his daughter’s molester. The prison guards desert their posts and slip out to watch the play being staged in the adjoining street, and Chamundi makes use of this opportunity to seek his revenge. Playing the radical jailor Raghavan, Subbiah’s performance was simply brilliant. Eschewing flamboyant histrionics, Subbiah brings across a rare dignity in his delineation.
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For composing the songs of ‘Kaaval Deivam’, Subbiah did not go the reining composers of Tamil Cinema; instead he sent for G. Devarajan. And assisted by R.K. Shekhar, Devarajan Maash made a grand entry in Tamil with ‘Kaaval Deivam’. Subbiah’s choice of lyricists was also way off the beaten track- he roped in Mayavanathan, Thanjaivaavan and Nellai Arulmani. There are 4 songs in the album. The ‘Aiyanaaru’ villupaattu, beginning with ‘AiyennenbOm appanenbOm’ written by Thajaivaanan and performed by Kuladeivam V.R. Rajagopal & Party is a rare rustic delight. For a sequence depicting an evening of entertainment for the prison inmates, Vijayan inserted a Bharatanatyam performance by danseuses Sarala and Kanaka, choreographed by K.J. Sarasa. For this sequence, Devarajan chose the Muthuthandavar piece ‘Maiyal migavum meerudhe’ and got the dulcet-voiced (Radha) Jayalakshmi to render it. Another song is the brooding ‘Porappadhum poradhum iyarkkai’ which Chamundi (Sivaji Ganesan) sings on the eve of his hanging. Written by Nellai Arulmani, the song is rendered by TMS accompanied by chorus voices.
The most popular song in the album is the duet ‘Aiyanaaru neranja vaazhvu kodukkanum’ written by the forgotten Mayavanathan. Manickam and Kokila gambol along the fields and meadows, and sing a song of hope for their future. They dream of the joys of marital life that seem to beckon to them. The future looks tranquil and blissful, and it is this mood of a serene happiness that Devarajan infests the song with. Dharapuram Sundararajan was indeed a good choice for this caressing pastoral delight and Suseela is a treat as always.
There are several interesting incidents associated with ‘Kaaval Deivam’; let us look at some of them revealed by different celebrities in their memoirs.
JK reveals that Subbiah had originally asked him to write the lyrics for the song to be filmed on Chamundi on the night before his execution. JK wrote the song with suitable philosophical lines. Even in the novel, JK had depicted Chamundi murmuring a folk song beginning with the lines ‘Kullanchaavadi sandhai, naan kooththu parka vandhen’. But when the movie was nearing completion, JK heard that his song was replaced by one written by Nellai Arulmani, as Subbiah had found it more suitable for the sequence. The short-tempered JK rushed to Subbiah’s house and reprimanded him in harshest tones. JK admits in his memoirs that he hardly knew what he spoke, but he recalls the gentle Subbiah’s eyes filling with tears at this verbal assault. Subbiah got into JK’s car and traveled with JK back to JK’s house, all the while pacifying him with profuse apologies. Subbiah’s car followed them. After reaching home, JK realized what he had done, and apologized to Subbiah for his outburst. They agreed to forget this unpleasant incident, and Subbiah returned home, his mind at peace.
Next we have AVM. Saravanan reminiscing on ‘Kaaval Deivam’. AVM. Saravanan counted among his close friends only 2 actors- one was Ashokan, and the other was S.V. Subbiah. Saravanan recalls that Subbiah’s ‘Kaaval Deivam’ and AVM’s ‘Uyarndha Manithan’ were being made at the same time.
Subbiah wanted Sivaji to spare few days for completing his scenes in ‘Kaaval Deivam’, but Sivaji was too busy to comply with Subbiah’s request at that time. AVM. Saravanan know that this delay meant mounting financial costs for Subbiah, and so when Subbiah pleaded with him to speak to Sivaji on his behalf, Saravanan did so willingly. He volunteered to give away a few days from the days that Sivaji had allotted for ‘Uyarndha Manithan’, and it was thus that Subbiah got Sivaji to complete his portion in ‘kaaval deivam’.
The story does not end there. It seems that Sivaji had not asked for any particular amount as his remuneration for ‘Kaaval Deivam’. After Sivaji had completed his portion in the movie, Subbiah sent him a tiffin-carrier one day, with the message that he had packed some home-made delicacies for Sivaji in it. True, the upper section of the box did contain some snacks, but the lower section was crammed with rupee notes amounting to Rs. 15,000! Sivaji was startled at this, and called Saravanan to look into it. They sent for Subbiah, who came to the studios and explained that since he did not know how and how much to pay to Sivaji, he did so in this manner. Sivaji exploded with anger, telling Subbiah that his current remuneration was 10 times that amount, and he never expected to be paid for his work in ‘Kaaval Deivam’. Sivaji returned the money to Subbiah even as an overwhelmed Subbiah expressed regret for any unintended affront.
In his ‘Idhu Raajapaattai Alla’, actor Sivakumar too recalls happy memories of working in ‘Kaaval Deivam’. He recalls that the day ‘Kaaval Deivam’ was released, he went to the Globe Theater (known later as Alankar after renovation) in Mount Road to look at the banners. Seeing the banners giving his face giving equal prominence to that of Sivaji, the young and upcoming actor was thrilled. He recalled his childhood fascination with movie hoardings and posters, and how he had nursed an ambition to be a banner painter. Later he had even undergone training for painting banners in ‘Mohan Arts’ before enrolling in the Madras School of Arts. Now observing his own face painted by his friends in ‘Mohan Arts’, Sivakumar was filled delirious joy.
Sivakaumar also recalls the favorable reviews in the magazines. Commenting on the Sivakumar-Lakshmi pair in ‘Kaaval Deivam’, the Kumudam reviewer said ‘kizhakkattaigaLaiyE paarththu aluththu pOna kaNgaLukku, uNmayilEyE iLamaiyOdu irukkum iraNdu iLam uLLangaLin aLavaana uRavaadalgaLai paarkkumpOthu ivargaL nandRaaga irukkattum endRu vaazhththa thOndRugiRadhallava?’
Sivakumar goes on to express his admiration of the qualities of head and heart that Subbiah was known for. He ends his reminiscences on a sad note- he recalls attending the funeral of Subbiah- as Subbiah’s mortal remains were being buried in his farm, Subbiah’s little son Saravanan shrieked that his father would feel suffocated if they covered him with soil…
Time marches on it its remorseless stride. Subbiah’s son Saravanan appeared in the TV serial ‘Suryavansam’. And revealed that he has inherited his father’s thirst for doing something different- he produced and acted in ‘Vidya’, a 30-minute short film that had an interesting take on the relationship between a manager and a subordinate.
* * * **
The movie was a modest success, and earned favourable reviews. Even the fastidious JK expressed overall satisfaction at Vijayan’s adaptation of the novel. In his ‘Oru ilakkiyavaadhiyin kalaiyulaga anubavangaL’, JK reserves warm words of praise for the performances of Subbiah and Sowcar Janaki.
Encouraged by the favorable outcome of ‘Kaaval Deivam’, S.V. Subbiah set about his next venture- this time he picked JK’s ‘Brahmopadesam’, and titled the movie version ‘Guruve Deivam’. Subbiah acted as Sankara Sarma and Sivakumar acted as an Odhuvaar. However, after completing few schedules of shooting, Subbiah could not continue with the movie due to various insurmountable hurdles.
Nevertheless, ‘Kaaval Deivam’ stands testimony to the determination of Subbiah to dare to be different and to succeed at that…
Song # 1: ‘malligai poo vaangi vandhEn’ from paalkudam
Sung by SPB & P.Suseela
Lyrics by Vaali
Music by M.S.Viswanathan
14.1.1969. suba dhinam (Vinayaka Films), paal kudam (Manijeh Cine Arts), thanga malar (Ganga Productions), kuzhandhai uLLam (Sri Savitri Productions) and the Malaysian venture raththappEi (Moopen Productions) were released for Pongal, and SPB’s voice was heard for the first time in tfm in two of these albums.
Produced by the famed Dinshaw K.Tehrani under his ‘Manijeh Cine Arts’ banner, paal kudam was based on a stage play. Thooyavan wrote the dialogues. Pattu was the director. The film starred AVM. Rajan, Sivakumar, Pushpalata and others.
MSV set Vaali’s lyrics to tune. P.Suseela’s ‘muzhu nilavin thirumugathil kaLangam illaiyO’ was a song that was often aired even in the late 70s. ‘en vaalibam ennum maaLigaiyil ivaL thaan iLavarasi’ was a frolicsome duet that LRE crooned with TMS, with a chorus that went ‘1969….Baby, you are fine!’ I remember vaguely a rousing TMS solo too (was it ‘thuNindhu nil, thodarndhu sel’?)
And for a duet for which PS had been booked, MSV brought in SPB as the male voice, perhaps to bring some refreshing variety to the album.
‘malligai poo vaangi vandhEn… punnagaiyin ninaivaaga; shenbagathai vaangi vandhEn…peNmugathin ninaivaaga’ SPB commences with these lines of passionate wooing, ‘unakkaaga, anbE…naan unakkaaga’ being the highpoint of the irresistible appeal. The charaNam lines continue with lines highlighting the sanctity of his love and urging its acceptance, ‘neerinil thOndRiya nizhal alla kaadhal, ninaivugaL theettiya kaaviyappaadal unai ethirpaarkkum manamenum oonjal, indRE nee varuga....idhayam nalam peRavE idhazhaal thEn tharuga..unakkaaga....anbE....naan unakkaaga’… lines that tumble in haste as though so accentuate the depth of the emotional plea… PS makes a whispery entry and goes on sing the second charaNam…interestingly her lines too seem to continue his petition to the unbending female! This, and the villainous laughter that is heard midway are imponderables could perhaps be better understood if we knew the context of the song in the proceedings. MSV crafts the two charaNams in two enticingly different moulds. And to actor Sivakumar fell the honour of appearing for SPB’s first Tamil song to hit the screens.
Like in Telugu, P.Suseela was the lucky talisman who escorted SPB into tfm, and the 70s, the first half of the decade in particular, resounded with delightful duets by the duo. SPB maintains to this day a high regard for this venerable veteran…in a TV show at the beginning of this year that featured both of them, SPB paid repeated panegyrics to PS, which the living legend accepted with a blushing smile.
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Song # 2: ‘muthu chippikkuLLE oru poovaNdu’ from kuzhandhai uLLam
Sung by SPB & P.Suseela
Lyrics by Kannadasan
Music by S.P.Kothandapani
V. Sarojini, wife of director V.Madhusudhana Rao, embarked upon an enterprising Telugu movie titled ‘chinnaari paappalu’ in the late 60s- it had an all-woman technical crew. Actress Savitri was the director, Sarojini produced the movie, I believe she wrote the lyrics for the songs as well. P.Leela composed the music for the songs. Mohana was the Art Director. ‘chinnaari paappalu’ (1968/ Sri Matha Pictures Pvt. Ltd) was a hit and went on to bag the ‘Silver Nandi’ in the Andhra Pradesh State Film Awards for 1968.
Emboldened by the success of this experiment, Savitri decided to remake the movie in Tamil, producing and directing it herself. kuzhandhai uLLam (Sri Savitri Productions) had Gemini Ganesh, Sowcar Janaki, Vanishri, Manohar, S.V.Ranga Rao, Shantakumari, Baby Rojaramani and Baby Shakeela in its cast. Dialogues were by Ma. Lakshmanan, editing by M.S.N.Murthy and cinematography by Shekhar- Singh.
S.P. Kothandapani set Kannadasan’s lyrics to tune. ‘poo marathu nizhalumuNdu, ponni nadhi paattumuNdu’, a gentle lullaby by P.Suseela and S.Janaki is easily the pick of the album, and found abundant airtime. I remember listening to it on vividh bharathi even in the 80s. ‘aathangkarai kaathukku vayasu adippOdudhu iLavatta manasu’ (PS), ‘kudagu malai magaLE’ (Seergazhi Govindarajan & PS), ‘angum ingum ondRE raththam’ (PS & Renuka) and ‘O dharmathin thalaivanE’ (TMS) are the other songs in this album.
His mentor being the music director, it seems only natural that SPB’s name finds place in the list of playback singers; but actually it was not through Kothandapani’s recommendation that SPB was offered this song in kuzhandhai uLLam. Immediately after ‘Hotel Ramba’, MSV was composing music for ‘shanthi nilayam’, and he called SPB to sing ‘iyaRkaiyenum iLayakanni’. The song was filmed on Gemini Ganesh. Gemini Ganesh was instantly hooked by the new singer’s voice, and he urged Savitri to give SPB a song in ‘kuzhandhai uLLam’.
‘muthu chippikkuLLE oru poovaNdu, kudi koNdadhE inba thEnuNdu’ is the song that SPB got to sing in the album. The young SPB’s voice is a treat in this forgotten number.
In those initial years, whenever SPB had misgivings about his decision to forsake his studies for a career in music, it was Kothandapani who instilled optimism and self-confidence in him. “If you take up singing, you will reign high for more than 40 years!” he is supposed to have predicted. This is SPB’s 40th year in the field, and how farsighted have the sagacious Kothandapani’s words been! SPB’s biggest regret is that Kothandapani is no longer in this world to see his prophesy for his protégé come true. But SPB has kept alive the sacred memory of his Guru by building a state of the art recording studio and naming it ‘Kothandapani Audio Laboratories.’
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Song # 3: aayiram nilavE vaa from adimaippeN
Sung by SPB & P.Suseela
Lyrics by Pulamaipiththan
Music by K.V.Mahadevan
‘adimaippeN’ was MGR’s dream project. Mounted on a lavish scale, the original adimaippeN starred MGR, Sarojadevi, K.R.Vijaya, Jayalalitha, Rathna, Nambiar and others, and was directed by MGR himself. P.N.Sundaram handled the cinematography and Sakthi Krishnaswami wrote the dialogues. The shooting commenced, and the magazines carried pictures of some of the scenes canned; the opulence of the settings and grandeur of the costumes were of a kind seldom scene before. It was at that time that in the course of the shooting, Rathna fell from a horse and was grievously injured. Upset at this unfortunate mishap, MGR put off the shooting for a few days. The TN Assembly polls were announced just then, and the shooting got further delayed as MGR was himself a candidate from St. Thomas Mount. January 12, 1967 saw a different kind of shooting, and MGR was admitted to the Royapettah Hospital with bullet injuries. In the meantime, Sarojadevi got married.
When adimaippeN was taken up again, it was with a modified story, and a fresh crew and cast. K.Shankar was the director, and only Jayalalitha remained from the original team. Jayalalitha now had the rare distinction of appearing in a dual role in a MGR movie- her performance here in the characters of Jeeva and Pavalavalli, especially the latter, won widespread praise. Ashokan, Manohar, Pandaribai, Jyothilakshmi, Chandrababu, Cho and others were brought in now. Ramamoorthi handled the camera. Sornam wrote the dialogues. Most of the movie was shot in rich locales in Rajasthan and Hogenekkal. adimapaippeN (Emgeeyar Pictures) was released on 1st May 1969, and was a colossal success.
K.V.Mahadevan was the music director, and the album had 6 unforgettable songs; with 3 of them written by Vaali; and Alangudi Somu, Pulamaipiththan and Avinasi Mani getting one song each. ‘thaayillamal naanillai’ (TMS/ Alangudi Somu), ‘yEmaatRaathE yEmaatRaathE’ (TMS/Vaali), ‘unnaipaarthu indha ulagam sirikkiRathu’ (TMS/Vaali), ‘amma endRaal anbu’ (Jayalalitha/ Vaali), ‘kaalathai vendRavan nee’ (P.Suseela & S.Janaki/ Avinasi Mani) and ‘aayiram nilavE vaa’ (SPB & P.Suseela/ Pulamaipiththan)
How SPB bagged this magnificent opportunity to sing for MGR is a heartwarming anecdote, and goes to show the innate goodness of the makkaL thilagam.
It was sometime back, and SPB was just then getting a few offers in Telugu. One day he was rehearsing his lines in a recording theater, when MGR who was passing by happened to hear him. The great connoisseur of music that he was, MGR paused and listened in delight at this youthful, refreshing voice. He bade his assistant find out who this new singer was. Soon after, MGR listened to SPB singing his songs in Telugu for the dubbed version of ‘kudiyirundha kOyil’, and desired to give SPB a song in adimappippeN. He recommended SPB to KVM and informed him of his decision. When the unexpected call came, SPB was caught unawares and his joy knew no bounds. Within a few days, SPB was given the lyrics of the duet that he was to sing with Suseela, and with the much-awaited permission to shoot the song in the Jaipur palace coming through, rehearsals commenced with urgency. It was then that SPB fell ill; he couldn’t sing his lines and went home in disappointment. His condition worsened overnight, and when the car came to pick him up the following morning, he informed the driver of his inability to make it to the studio. Looking at him pityingly, the driver remarked that SPB was losing the chance of a lifetime.
It was a long convalescence for SPB, and his thoughts during this time were far from happy. He cursed his fate that had played such a cruel trick on him, he thought of the song that must have been filmed by now in the Jaipur palace, he imagined TMS replacing him in the recording…His only consolation was that MGR might call him for a future film.
More than a month had passed by, when a car stopped by SPB’s house. Imagine SPB’s amazement when a production assistant enquired if he had recovered enough to come to the studios and sing ‘aayiram nilave vaa!’ SPB had not wholly recovered from his illness, he was still feeling slightly feverish, but this time he would not let go of the opportunity. With resurrected hopes he climbed eagerly into the car, his father accompanying him. The assistant smiled at SPB’s excitement, and informed him that the song was yet to be recorded, as MGR was particular that only SPB should sing it. When SPB entered the AVM studios, he found MGR with a group of journalists- MGR smiled at him, and after enquiring about his health, introduced SPB to the press people. “He is Balasubramaniam who is going to sing for me in adimaippeN..”
The recording commenced. SPB was so excited, and still being weak, took 11 takes before KVM was satisfied. MGR sat watching the recording with an indulgent smile.
Exhausted by the strain, yet filled with happiness, SPB gathered the courage to ask MGR why had they waited for him, for with the shooting schedule already set, the movie had now got unnecessarily delayed. MGR’s gentle reply was he had waited for SPB to recover, because this was SPB’s first big break, and SPB must have already informed his family and friends proudly that he was singing for MGR. After all this, if the song was sung by someone else, SPB might become the object of their derision. And more important, his career would be in jeopardy as word may go around that his singing was not satisfactory and that was why he was replaced. Words failed SPB as he stood choked with emotion at the large-heartedness of MGR; his eyes brimmed with tears of gratitude. A smiling MGR shook his hands, and took leave of SPB, wishing him well in his future endeavours. To this day SPB salutes the memory of the charismatic leader with admiration and love.
And as for the song, need I emphasize on its singular beauty, or its timeless popularity? Pulamaipiththan’s lines are soaked in sensuous poetry, and KVM creates a tune of arresting allure. The splendour of the Jaipur Palace, the sizzling on-screen chemistry between MGR and Jayalalitha, the dulcet PS and honeyed SPB adding to the spell with their light brigha-filled rendition… magic in the air….
Song # 4: ‘iyaRkaiyenum iLaya kanni’ from shanthi nilayam
Sung by SPB & P.Suseela
Lyrics by Kannadasan
Music by M.S.Viswanthan
The titles of shanthi nilayam (Gem Movies) credit the story to Mrs.Neeladevi. However it no secret that the story was a clever concoction of two well-known tales- the story of the Von Trapp family as adapted by Ernest Lehman for the musical ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965/Robert Wise Productions) and Charlotte Bronte’s 19th century classic, Jane Eyre.
Bhaskar is a strict disciplinarian, but for all his stringent measures, his wards, the group of kids in the sprawling ‘shanthi nilayam’ let loose a reign of mischief and incorrigible disobedience. Governess after governess have come and gone, giving up the responsibility in despair. It is then Malathi enters the house as their latest tutor, and she is able to achieve the impossible, not by stern injunctions, but by patience, understanding and love. In due course Bhaskar himself falls for Malathi, and they seem all set to enter a life of marital bliss. The story that follows ‘The Sound of Music’ till now, meanders thereafter to trace the course of Jane Eyre from the second half; the events that then occur in ‘shanthi nilayam’ bear marked similarity to those that occurred at Mr. Rochester’s Thornfield Hall.
Gemini Ganesh and Kanchana were just right for the roles of Bhaskar and Malathi. Nagesh, Balaji, K.Vijayan, Vijayalalitha, Pandaribai, the kids led by Ramaprabha(!), followed by Manjula, Master Prabhakar, Master Shekhar, Rojaramani, Mythili and Sumathi were all appropriately cast. ‘Chitralaya’ Gopu drafted the screenplay and wrote the dialogues. The movie was directed by G.S.Mani. Released on 23rd May, 1969, ‘shanthi nilayam’ was a thumping success.
With a great story like this filled with wonderful song sequences at every turn, MSV and Kannadasan came out with winner after winner. ‘iRaivan varuvaan, avan endRum nalvazhi tharuvaan’, ‘selvangaLE , deivangaL vaazhum nenjangaLE’ and ‘kadavuL orunaaL ulagai kaaNa thaniyE vandhaaraam’ were all songs that P.Suseela, accompanied by chorus voices, brought to vivacious life. TMS made merry with ‘bhoomiyil iruppathum vaanathil paRappathum avaravar eNNangaLE’. L.R.Eswari bestowed her characteristic exuberance upon ‘peNNai paarthum yEn pEchchu varavillai’ and ‘kaNgaL thEduvadhu uLLam naaduvadhu.’
‘iyaRkaiyenum iLayakanni’ is of course, the dazzling jewel of the crown. If the rich and colourful visuals, with the beautiful Kanchana at her stunning best, linger long in the memory, the accompanying audio track is simply unforgettable.
The song opens to a lilting humming by P.Suseela with an answering call by SPB, and following their celebration in unison, MSV leads them to the pallavi. And as for the pallavi…the charming elongation of each line therein is something so typical of the master’s handiwork. Kannadasan fills the lines with playful banter so natural for those besotted in love; and as always, there are adept analogies in abundance, this time the bard brings nature and her wonders into the context. MSV’s interludes are top class as always, and the ‘ha ha ha’ humming is something that we would instantly recognize anywhere, anytime. The song, I believe, remained at the top of the charts for a long, long while; and rightfully so.
Though my mother is not normally inclined to film music, this song is a great favorite of hers; she slips into a reverie whenever it is shown on TV, she remembers the early years of her marriage- my father was posted in Madurai then, and they used to wake up almost every morning to this song being played from a neighbourhood eatery…
Song # 5: ‘pournami nilavil pani vizhum iravil’ from kannippeN
Sung by SPB & S.Janaki
Lyrics by Vaali
Music by M.S.Viswanthan
kannippeN (11.9.1969/Sathya Films) was produced by R.M.Veerappan. Jaishankar, Sivakumar, Vanishri, Lakshmi, ‘veNNiRa aadai’ Nirmala, Major Sundararajan, Senthamarai, Manohar and G.Shakuntala were in the cast. The story was by the ‘Sathya Movies Story Team’, comprising of S.Jagadeesan, Vidwan Lakshmanan and RMV himself. The screenplay was also credited to RMV. Dialogues were by R.K.Shanmugam. The film was directed by veteran A.Kasilingam. Veerappan’s Sathya Movies/ Sathya Films bannners, though primarily formed to make MGR starrers, did produce some small budget movies with other actors in between. kannippeN was one such venture. Jaishankar had developed a sizeable fan following since the beginning of the ‘Bond’ series, and most of his movies assured producers of modest returns. Hence RMV roped in the popular young actor and embarked upon this project. Vanishri’s star was on the ascent then, she was being paired with the top stars of the time. Lakshmi had made her debut just the previous year; here she played the kannippeN that the title referred to. Being RMV’s movie, MGR attended the song recording and the first day’s shooting, offering the team his best wishes.
MSV came up with some worthy songs as always. ‘oLi piRandhapOdhu mannil uyirgaL piRandhadhamma’, by TMS & LRE, glistens with the poetic flourishes of Avinasi Mani. ‘adi yEndi asattu peNNE’ is a playful female duet by P.Suseela & L.R.Eswari. ‘aththaikku oththakkaNNu indha pakkam thaan’ is a fun-filled ditty, where TMS and P.Suseela bemoan the lack of privacy that a newly married couple have to put up with. TMS had a solo that went ‘iRaivan enakkoru ulagathai padachu’. LRE’s ‘dharmam ellaam uruvamaaga’ and Seergazhi Govindarajan’s ‘uLLaththai neruppilittu’ are the other songs in the album.
And for a duet to be filmed on Sivakumar and Nirmala, MSV came up with a bewitching tune and sent for SPB and Janaki to do the honours.
The whole of the 60s saw Janaki struggle for recognition in tfm. Though she enriched each song that came her way with dainty touches and inventive improvisations that showed her class, save some rare exceptions, she had to be content to remain in the sidelines. It was only at the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s, that tfm finally opened to her. And of course with IR anointing her as his prima donna, she rose to invincible heights in the latter half of the decade. Janaki, of course, was no stranger to SPB. As we have seen earlier, it was Janaki who first predicted to the high-school student that he would become a singer of renown one day, and it was her forecast that sowed in the impressionable teenager the seeds of motivation to make it big.
It must have been a wonderful moment when MSV decided to bring together SPB and Janaki to sing this song. Could the master have known that he was tethering together a tantalizing team, a pair of singing birds that would together rule the roost in the not so distant future? Would the sorcerer have supposed that he was setting the stage for a soiree whose entrancement would defy ravages of time and vagaries of taste?
Moonlight, in all its silvery splendor. The silky sands that line the turbulent waves. The lovers whose urges surge in greater turbulence. A setting that incites the master to craft a song of chiseled perfection…and the newly paired singers strike an instantaneous rapport and discover a comforting camaraderie that cajoles them to together strike cupid’s arrows on the on-screen lovers. The cool cadence of the moonlight, the urgency of the rising waves, and the pleasurable pain that only hearts athirst with love would recognize…..they are all right there…..have a listen..
There is a tide in the affairs of men-
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune…
- William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)
This then was SPB’s first year in tfm, and these then, were the five songs that heralded his debut therein. And SPB marked his arrival in style- he was adjudged the ' Best Playback Singer' in the TN State Film Awards for 1969 for his 'aayiram nilavE vaa' and 'iyaRkaiyenum ilaya kanni'! What an epoch-making entry, and how propitious a progress! The 70s beckoned to him with beatitude; tfm would never be the same again....
The Maharajah was instantly attracted to the demure and beautiful girl who conversed in impeccable 
