மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 30
ஆறுகள் தோறும் நீர் வரும் காலம்.......
Ilaiyaraja has often suffered the misfortune of some of his painstaking works being squandered on movies that were never released. M.S. Viswanathan, on this count, was largely fortunate, except for stray instances in later years such as முன் ஒரு காலத்திலே (remember ‘மங்கை ஒரு திங்கள்'?) and Plus 2 (recall ‘நினைவுகளின் ஊர்வலங்கள்’?), besides a couple of MGR non-starters.
Of course, in MSV’s halcyon days in the 60s, the number of movies that were released was significantly lesser; only established veteran producers were in the fray, and all the projects that were embarked upon were completed and released in due course.
In the light of this, it came as a surprise to me to know of this movie from the 60s- ‘ஞாயிறும் திங்களும்’ that was was inexplicably abandoned midway.
* * * * * *
I happened to listen to this song just once many years back on Radio Ceylon’s மந்த மாருதம். The announcement was just ‘அடுத்த பாடல் ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் படத்தில் ஜானகி பாடியது’. The lovely song persisted to linger on in memory and I kept returning to Lata’s Albela number ‘Dheere se aaja’, but I couldn’t glean any further information about the movie.
The next I heard this film’s name was when actress Devika mentioned it in an interview. When asked about the best roles that came her way, she mentioned நெஞ்சில் ஓர் ஆலயம், நீல வானம் and மறக்க முடியுமா. She then went on to reminisce on ஞாயிறும் திங்களும். Apparently she had a dream role in the film whose other actors were Sivaji Ganesan, Muthuraman & K.R.Vijaya; to my joy, she even recalled this song ‘பூமகள் மேனி’ filmed in the beautiful Berijam Lake above Kodaikanal.
Years later, in a recording center in Chennai, I met an old-timer who had come there seeking songs of K.B. Sundarambal. We fell into conversation about the film songs of KBS, and from that gentleman I was startled to learn that KBS was roped in to play a pivotal role in ஞாயிறும் திங்களும். Even more startling was his nonchalant addendum that MSV had recorded 3 songs with KBS for the film, for I had hitherto been under the naïve assumption that MSV was one composer for whom KBS had never sung! I was still in an incredulous daze at this discovery, when the aged gentleman added to my amazement that he thought that ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் might have been a project of Director Sridhar!
I was now more eager than ever to lay my hands on this intriguing album. I reached out to friends even in distant Colombo and Kuala Lumpur. But the hunt, dogged though it was, was leading nowhere. This album seemed to me to be one of Tamil film music’s best-kept secrets!
At long last it was at the cunning little recording center down South in Virudhunagar, which proved to be a beguiling cornucopia of mythical treasures, that this search too found its elusive goal. The taciturn gentleman in charge made me speechless with joy by pointing out two records of ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் - one LP and one EP. The year of manufacture was mentioned as 1965. The LP had 7 songs (Traditional / Kannadasan): ‘வகுத்தால் வகுத்த பகை'- a soulful virutham by KBS, ‘பட்டிலும் மெல்லிய பெண்ணிது- a great duet by the evergreen TMS/ P.Susheela duo, ‘பன்னீர் பூவே பாதி நிலாவே’-a breezy G.K.Venkatesh/ L.R.Easwari duet, the serene ‘சீறு தமிழ்ப்பாலுண்டு வெற்றிக்கு வேல் கொண்டு’ that progresses into a stirring 'ஓங்கார குடிக்கொண்டு’ (KBS), ‘கானகத்தில் நீரெடுக்க’- a poignant TMS/ P. Susheela duet, ‘நினைவுகளே நில்லுங்கள்’- a reflective TMS solo, and ‘கேட்ட வரம் கொடுக்கும்’- another KBS gem. I realized that I had the last song in a HMV cassette of KBS film hits titled ‘பழம் நீயப்பா’—mysteriously credited therein to காரைக்கால் அம்மையார்!
The EP had this lone ‘பூ மகள் மேனி' on either side ('இருப்பக்க இசை' in Radio Ceylon parlance)
When I first posted this song in Tamil Film Music Page way back in 2004, the response was
overwhelming, with many a film song aficionado delirious with joy at this treasure being unearthed. Today, of course, this song, like many other obscure ones, can be found at the click of the mouse…
During a conversation with good friend Murali Srinivas sir, who is a great fan of Sivaji Ganesan, we got talking about this movie. He informed me that the movie was nearly completed when it was given up due to reasons unknown. Even his enquiries in this regard with Ramkumar, son of the thespian, were futile.
However, Murali sir was able to lay his hands on some old issues of ‘பேசும் படம்’ that had information on ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் and was kind enough to forward the relevant pages to me. The project, apparently, was produced by ‘Sakthi Productions’ and directed, not by Sridhar, but by R. Sadagopan, who had worked as Director Bhimsingh’s assistant. The movie was scripted by Valampuri Somanathan. The project was initially announced with Gemini Ganesh playing the second male lead with a newcomer called Sashirekha. However, due to unknown reasons, they were replaced by Muthuraman and K.R. Vijaya. Again, Viswanathan & Ramamoorthi were initially entrusted with the sound-track, but by the time the project actually commenced, the duo had parted ways and the album went to MSV.
So, listen on to this stillborn song; hark at the master music-smith conjuring up vistas of a brook bubbling prettily amidst verdant valleys. While the flute evokes the mystic magic of the mountains, the santoor sprays over the listener the silver slivers of the streams… the lines are all about the joyous beauty of Spring, how flowers blossom heralding the arrival at of Spring, and bees that hover over the flowers for nectar…. The lines then speak of a young girl for whom the Spring brings in its wake the joys and the ache of falling in love…... Janaki’s lines are filled with youthful longing, each repetition of her ‘வசந்த காலம்’ gets bedecked in vivid, vibrant hues- wistfulness, an angst whose very pain is pleasurable, a pensive melancholy, languorous yearning, forbidden fantasies….. The remarkable songstress happily weaves magic for a composer who never gave her rightful due…..
Song: Poomagal meni
Film: Gnayirum Thingalum (Unreleased)
Vocals: S. Janaki
Lyrics: Kannadasan
Music: M.S.Viswanathan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Y0JqxdKGc&feature=youtu.be
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/2003657862999263/
ஆறுகள் தோறும் நீர் வரும் காலம்.......
Ilaiyaraja has often suffered the misfortune of some of his painstaking works being squandered on movies that were never released. M.S. Viswanathan, on this count, was largely fortunate, except for stray instances in later years such as முன் ஒரு காலத்திலே (remember ‘மங்கை ஒரு திங்கள்'?) and Plus 2 (recall ‘நினைவுகளின் ஊர்வலங்கள்’?), besides a couple of MGR non-starters.
Of course, in MSV’s halcyon days in the 60s, the number of movies that were released was significantly lesser; only established veteran producers were in the fray, and all the projects that were embarked upon were completed and released in due course.
In the light of this, it came as a surprise to me to know of this movie from the 60s- ‘ஞாயிறும் திங்களும்’ that was was inexplicably abandoned midway.
* * * * * *
I happened to listen to this song just once many years back on Radio Ceylon’s மந்த மாருதம். The announcement was just ‘அடுத்த பாடல் ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் படத்தில் ஜானகி பாடியது’. The lovely song persisted to linger on in memory and I kept returning to Lata’s Albela number ‘Dheere se aaja’, but I couldn’t glean any further information about the movie.
Years later, in a recording center in Chennai, I met an old-timer who had come there seeking songs of K.B. Sundarambal. We fell into conversation about the film songs of KBS, and from that gentleman I was startled to learn that KBS was roped in to play a pivotal role in ஞாயிறும் திங்களும். Even more startling was his nonchalant addendum that MSV had recorded 3 songs with KBS for the film, for I had hitherto been under the naïve assumption that MSV was one composer for whom KBS had never sung! I was still in an incredulous daze at this discovery, when the aged gentleman added to my amazement that he thought that ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் might have been a project of Director Sridhar!
I was now more eager than ever to lay my hands on this intriguing album. I reached out to friends even in distant Colombo and Kuala Lumpur. But the hunt, dogged though it was, was leading nowhere. This album seemed to me to be one of Tamil film music’s best-kept secrets!
At long last it was at the cunning little recording center down South in Virudhunagar, which proved to be a beguiling cornucopia of mythical treasures, that this search too found its elusive goal. The taciturn gentleman in charge made me speechless with joy by pointing out two records of ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் - one LP and one EP. The year of manufacture was mentioned as 1965. The LP had 7 songs (Traditional / Kannadasan): ‘வகுத்தால் வகுத்த பகை'- a soulful virutham by KBS, ‘பட்டிலும் மெல்லிய பெண்ணிது- a great duet by the evergreen TMS/ P.Susheela duo, ‘பன்னீர் பூவே பாதி நிலாவே’-a breezy G.K.Venkatesh/ L.R.Easwari duet, the serene ‘சீறு தமிழ்ப்பாலுண்டு வெற்றிக்கு வேல் கொண்டு’ that progresses into a stirring 'ஓங்கார குடிக்கொண்டு’ (KBS), ‘கானகத்தில் நீரெடுக்க’- a poignant TMS/ P. Susheela duet, ‘நினைவுகளே நில்லுங்கள்’- a reflective TMS solo, and ‘கேட்ட வரம் கொடுக்கும்’- another KBS gem. I realized that I had the last song in a HMV cassette of KBS film hits titled ‘பழம் நீயப்பா’—mysteriously credited therein to காரைக்கால் அம்மையார்!
The EP had this lone ‘பூ மகள் மேனி' on either side ('இருப்பக்க இசை' in Radio Ceylon parlance)
When I first posted this song in Tamil Film Music Page way back in 2004, the response was
During a conversation with good friend Murali Srinivas sir, who is a great fan of Sivaji Ganesan, we got talking about this movie. He informed me that the movie was nearly completed when it was given up due to reasons unknown. Even his enquiries in this regard with Ramkumar, son of the thespian, were futile.
However, Murali sir was able to lay his hands on some old issues of ‘பேசும் படம்’ that had information on ஞாயிறும் திங்களும் and was kind enough to forward the relevant pages to me. The project, apparently, was produced by ‘Sakthi Productions’ and directed, not by Sridhar, but by R. Sadagopan, who had worked as Director Bhimsingh’s assistant. The movie was scripted by Valampuri Somanathan. The project was initially announced with Gemini Ganesh playing the second male lead with a newcomer called Sashirekha. However, due to unknown reasons, they were replaced by Muthuraman and K.R. Vijaya. Again, Viswanathan & Ramamoorthi were initially entrusted with the sound-track, but by the time the project actually commenced, the duo had parted ways and the album went to MSV.
So, listen on to this stillborn song; hark at the master music-smith conjuring up vistas of a brook bubbling prettily amidst verdant valleys. While the flute evokes the mystic magic of the mountains, the santoor sprays over the listener the silver slivers of the streams… the lines are all about the joyous beauty of Spring, how flowers blossom heralding the arrival at of Spring, and bees that hover over the flowers for nectar…. The lines then speak of a young girl for whom the Spring brings in its wake the joys and the ache of falling in love…... Janaki’s lines are filled with youthful longing, each repetition of her ‘வசந்த காலம்’ gets bedecked in vivid, vibrant hues- wistfulness, an angst whose very pain is pleasurable, a pensive melancholy, languorous yearning, forbidden fantasies….. The remarkable songstress happily weaves magic for a composer who never gave her rightful due…..
Song: Poomagal meni
Film: Gnayirum Thingalum (Unreleased)
Vocals: S. Janaki
Lyrics: Kannadasan
Music: M.S.Viswanathan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Y0JqxdKGc&feature=youtu.be
Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/2003657862999263/
