மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 11

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 11

இனிய காதல் நினைவு....

Full many a gem of purest ray serene
the dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
and waste its sweetness on the desert air.

- Thomas Gray (Elegy in a Country Churchyard)

In this chapter from the series of songs from movies that never reached the cinema halls, I bring to you a jewel crafted by a musician duo who are often maligned for their mediocrity. Yet, there are fleeting instances such as this- occasions where they stirred out of their self-imposed limitations and ushered in music of the highest order.

I heard the song one lazy afternoon as a child in தமிழ்ச்சேவை இரண்டு, and it was love at first listen. Unfortunately, it proved to be my last listen as well… at least for a great many years. It was on my wish list for ever so long, I searched for it everywhere, yet the song remained maddeningly elusive. So much so that I started doubting if I had heard the beginning lines right, or got the movie’s name wrong. I would not give up, though, for the magic cast that unforgettable afternoon was still intact. Imagine my rapture when a Srilankan friend got the song for me finally! I am not ashamed to reveal that my eyes were moist when I listened to it again after so many years.

There are some songs that stir up something inexplicable deep inside, and for me, this song does exactly that. I am a novice in classical music, and cannot comment much on the nuances of the composition. I leave the analytical appreciation to you. But I can state with authority that this is among the finest efforts of Shankar-Ganesh; for to have envisaged and summoned to life such enchantment is surely no mean achievement. The honeyed Jayachandran is in his elements here, and as for the blessed, blithe Janaki… little would the unpretentious nightingale ever be aware of the joys that she has brought to generations of listeners…

* * * * * *

It was during my visit to Chennai in December 2012 that thanks to the efforts of good friend

Kumaraswamy Sundar, I could meet (Shankar) Ganesh at his house for a long, leisurely conversation. As we recalled one gem after another composed by the duo, Ganesh was filled with almost a child-like exuberance. Within the garish adornments and close-fitting outfit, I could perceive an endearing naivety and a sensitive vulnerability. He could recall many of the tunes and sang them, cheerfully unapologetic about his off-key tone, drumming dexterously with his gloved fingers on the table….I expressed my admiration for their bringing back from oblivion the great singers of yore- A.M. Raja, PBS, Tiruchi Loganathan, S.C. Krishnan, Seergazhi Govindarajan, C.S. Jayaraman, Bhanumathi, Jikki, Jamunarani to sing for them...When I mentioned my favourite (Radha) Jayalakshmi’s ‘அகிலமெல்லாம் விளங்கும் அம்மனருள்’, his eyes lit up with joyous remembrance…

We progressed to recalling songs from the 80s, and when I reminded Ganesh ji of this forgotten number ‘இனிய காதல் நினைவு’ from an unreleased movie, I was truly taken aback when he hugged me with excitement and planted a wet kiss on my cheek :)

* * * * * *

Have a listen, revel in this rhapsody…

Song: iniya kaathal ninaivu
Film: 18 mudhal 22 varai (Unreleased)
Vocals: P. Jayachandran & S. Janaki
Lyrics: Muthulingam
Music: Shankar- Ganesh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACjetBCTqAA&feature=youtu.be

Discussion at:
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S. Janaki sings for Shankar-Ganesh: Part 2

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

S. Janaki sings for Shankar-Ganesh: Part 2

உன்னே மறந்தேனடா....என் சண்டாளா...

The late 70s and the early 80s were the most prolific ones for Shankar- Ganesh. They had consolidated their position as the second line MDs, and were thus flooded with opportunities to compose for many quick ‘cash- and carry‘ ventures. Not surprisingly the fare that they churned out was, by and large, mediocre. Yet they did strike the right note at times, and such occasions are worth celebrating.

P. Susheela continued to have memorable outings with the duo during these years- Aatukkara Alamelu, Sorgam Naragam, Thaai Meedu Sathiyam....the songs were heard on radio all day long. Albums such as Palabhishegam, Rowdy Rakkamma and Uyarndhavargal went to Vani Jairam. Thus between themselves, these two singers pretty much cornered most of the albums composed by S-G during these years.

Ironically, though ignored by S-G, these were the very years in which the Janaki juggernaut that was set rolling by Ilaiyaraja sped on in regal majesty. Magnificent collaborations, each one of them, with Janaki lending the voice to Raja’s muse. Janaki won her first National Award in 1977 for her rendition of ‘Senthooraapoovey’. Myriad miracles such as ‘Matha un kovilil’, ‘Poovarasampoo poothachu’, ‘Kanden engum’, ‘Veenai meetum kaigale’, ‘Vasantha kaala kolangal’, ‘Adada maamarakkiliye’, ‘Vaazhkkai odam sella’ hogged the airwaves in 1978.

Despite these top-notch successes with Ilaiyaraja, and also with other composers, all that Janaki got to sing for SG in 1978 were 3 solos and 2 duets. We shall dwell on one of those 3 solos in this part.

* * * * *
For some years in the 80s, we were living in Tripoli, as my father was deputed to work for the Libyan Government-owned Petroleum Company. Far away from Chennai, and a far cry from the internet and Cable-TV age, I had to be content with the few audio cassettes that I could get recorded on our annual vacations in India. As for movies, oh, the excitement that filled the Tamil families whenever someone returned from India bringing video cassettes of the latest movies! Multiple copies were made and distributed widely.

I still remember the thrill when Appa came home with the cassette of Moondram Pirai. We sat to watch the movie that very evening. But as the story unfolded, even as everyone seemed riveted by the moving narrative, the beautiful frames and the brilliant performances, I was filled with an agonizing déjà vu – Haven’t I watched the same story before? I tried in vain to concentrate on the proceedings, for this nagging doubt kept pricking me…It came to me just when I was going to bed that night- Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi!

When we were in India, part of our holidays was always spent with my grandmother in Adayar, and Patti being an avid film-goer, we would look forward to multiple visits to Thyaragaraja & Jayanthi in Tiruvanmiyur and Eros in LB Road. One such movie that we watched with Patti at Eros was a B&W Jaishankar movie ‘Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi’. And now, few years later, in Tripoli, while I could not recall the movie scene by scene, I was almost certain that Moondram Pirai shared its basic premise with that of Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi- of the male lead rescuing the female who has lost her memory and behaves like a child (Sripriya, it was in UK) and the heartwarming relationship that develops between the two.

Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi (ACV Combines) was directed by veteran K.S Gopalakrishnan. Fresh from the success of his Palabhishegam the previous year, KSG must have launched this project with same lead pair. Besides Jai & Sripriya, I have vague memories of Thengai Srinivasan & Pramila as well in the movie. I cannot fathom why, but I always seem to recall Kalaignar Karunanidhi’s picture adorning the wall posters of the movie.

* * * * *
S-G were assigned the sound-track, and KSG invited his old friend, the revered veteran Maruthakasi to pen the lyrics. KSG was perhaps the only director to work with Maruthakasi all through the 70s, and the veteran lyricist wrote memorable songs for these ventures.

The song that was heard often during the time was ‘Kannukku neeyoru kannipponnu’ by Seergazhi Govindarajan & Vani Jairam. I remember watching the song in Oliyum Oliyum; Thengai Srinivasan & Pramila sing, cajoling a sulking Sripriya to come and eat. Vani Jairam had a jaunty solo as well ‘Kannalam kattama, kadhava thaappa podaama’.



The third song was, again a female solo, and could well gone to Vani. Inexplicably, S-G summoned Janaki to render this one, and the blessed chanteuse filled the lines with the dainty embellishments that only she can. Maruthakasi, known for his felicity with rural slangs and word-usage, scintillates in his flow. The song has a rustic lass singing to her man, the lines replete with naughty barbs and mischievous innuendos.

‘Playback singing is more than mere singing; it is playback acting, actually’ averred Janaki, once, famously, when pondering aloud over her craft. How true! Take this song as a case in point- the roguish spikes find their target unerringly, each one them. There is, of course, the taunt and the tease, the mock and the malice, yet how judiciously does the diva temper them with a whiff of wistful longing, a whimper of neglect…Added to that, it is always a matter of ceaseless wonder that hailing from a far-off Andhra village, the lady manages to get right every delicate nuance of a southern Tamil slang… Listen to her mouth that endearing ‘en chandaala’…. Goose-bumps!

I have in my collection 3 songs from Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi, songs that I had sent to me by a Srilankan friend after years of hunting for them in Tamil Nadu proved futile. I uploaded mp3 versions of 2 of them years back when tracing the Vani Jairam chronology. From there, the songs then found their way to various sites, and have been put even in YouTube. However Janaki's ‘Mambuttiya tholila vechu’ has remained with me all these years, and today we are putting it up for the first time here.

Song: Mambutiya tholila vechchu
Film: Ullathil Kuzhandhaiyadi (1978/ ACV Combines)
Vocals: S. Janaki
Lyrics: A. Maruthakasi
Music: Shankar-Ganesh

- To be continued...

Part 1 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1731980233500362/


Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1737332536298465/

Varalaamo - Aasai manaivi

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

S. Janaki sings for Shankar- Ganesh

Part 1

வரலாமோ...சுகம் பெறலாமோ....

I was listening to songs from 'Kanniparuvathile' last evening and was struck by this realization- this was a rare instance of a Shankar-Ganesh album that featured Janaki as the only female voice. Set me thinking on the not so frequent moments when the duo have had Janaki in their ensemble, and hence this sudden series of the chanteuse singing for the duo.

What is so exceptional about Janaki singing for Shankar-Ganesh, you may well ask. The explanation is fairly simple, Janaki was a rarity in the S-G discography, even in her prolific years in which she was Ilaiyaraja’s Prima Donna.
* * * * *

At the time of ‘Maharasi’, the first movie to be released with music by S-G, Tamil film music was the absolute fiefdom of P. Susheela. Added to that, Chinnappa Thevar was the munificent patron of S-G in their early years, and Thevar would not hear of any singer other than Susheela to sing for his ventures. Thus, Susheela became the leading female voice in the S-G albums, and continued to remain so for many years to come. Can one ever forget the bumper harvest reaped repeatedly by this fecund partnership? ‘Poovinum melliya poonkodi’, ‘Naan unnai thedugiren’, ‘Kannan pirantha velaiyile’, ‘Aadiyile perukkeduthu’, ‘Unnai ethirpaarthen kanna’, ‘Karpanaiyil mithanthapadi’, ‘Maharajan vandhaan’, ‘Pallandu kaalam nee vazha vendum’, are some of the gorgeous songs that come to mind when the dulcet diva added allure to the duo’s compositions. Added to the solos were numerous duets with TMS and later SPB that remain popular to this day.

And in 1973, S-G escorted Vani Jairam into Tamil film music with ‘Veetukku Vandha Marumagal’. The talented Vani soon established a special rapport with S-G, and went on to become a mandatory feature in their albums thereafter. ‘En ullam azhagaana velli thirai’, ‘Alamarathukkili’, ‘Thaayyakki vecha en thangame’, ‘Aayiram aandugal aayiram piravigal’, ‘Thumbai poo mugathil’, ‘Megame megame’, ‘Muthu muthu therottam’, ‘Yaaradhu sollamal nenjalli povadhu’, ‘Katti karumbe kanna’- Vani continued to render one stunner after another for S-G well into the 80s.

S-G brought back the forgotten Jikki for a glorious second innings, giving her some memorable songs such as ‘Kannan varuvaan’, ‘Senthamaraiye’, ‘Thalai vaazhai ilai pottu’, ‘Edhai ketpadho’, ‘Poomaalai ondru’, ‘Naan unna nenachen’… Not content with honoring veterans, S-G gave talented newcomers some welcome opportunities as well- B.S. Sashirekha, for instance, got to sing ‘Madhyaana velai mayakkam sugam’ and ‘Pesadha mozhi ondru undu’, songs that elevated her into the reckoning, not to speak of the grand humming in ‘Malaicharalil oru poonkiyil’…
* * * * *

Thus, it comes as no surprise that Janaki, who even otherwise not a regular presence in Tamil film music in the late 60s and early 70s, got to sing only 3 songs for S-G in their first 10 years (1967-1976). The songs were ‘Ondre ondru thnoorum vannam’- a lovely duet with SPB wasted in an obscure AVM. Rajan starrer ‘Deivam Pesuma’ (1971), ‘Thalai vaazhai ilia pottu’ with Jikki in ‘Naan Yen Pirandhen’ and ‘Ananandam indu arambam’ with TMS in ‘Idhaya Veenai’ (both 1972).
Following the stupendous success of the Annakkili songs in 1976, Janaki came to dazzling limelight in the second decade of the 70s, and it was inevitable that S-G would also summon her to be part of their ensemble. Let us recall few of these instances in this series.

Who remembers today a 1977 movie called ‘Aasai Manaivi? With Jaishankar & Sujata as the lead players? K. Sornam is said to have been at the helm of this forgotten project. The sound track was by Shankar- Ganesh. We would happily let the movie lie buried undisturbed in the sands of time, had it not been for 2 wonderful compositions of the unpredictable duo, with one of them being by Janaki.
Listen to how much value addition Janaki brings to this song of languorous seductive appeal.

Apparently, the lady sings this song to draw the attention of the man to her longings, and being a demure and downcast heroine of 1977, she couldn’t afford to be coarse or blatant. Hark at the beautiful lyrics in which this physical urge is couched, and how fetchingly Janaki portrays these emotions. Her dreamy lines cloak the song in a Ghazal-like ambience. Doesn't each repeat of that 'Varalaamo' couch within it a thousand plaintive pleas? And doesn't that 'Sugam peralaamo' tell a wistful tale of anguished yearnings? At every listen I await for the moment when she lingers lovingly over ‘Kannan’, and my day is made! The gentle guitar moments add to the appeal. I first saw the song in DD’s Oliyum Oliyum as a child, I was enchanted then and the song continues to have me in a trance to this day.

S-G have often been scorned at for lifting tunes and arrangements from other composers. And as for their original compositions, many of them have had disdain heaped upon them for their plebeian mediocrity. But to give S-G their due, time and again they have startled us with some breathtaking surprises like this one, giving us a fleeting glimpse of their creativity and capacity. It is a matter of bewildering regret that they did not bother to hold on consistently to this brilliance. Perhaps all along, it was indolence coupled with indifference that was their chief imperfection, and not incompetence, as is generally believed. It behooves posterity to temper its treatment of S-G with more thoughtfulness than their own times ever deigned to do, and to certainly adopt a more holistic view of their abundant contribution to Tamil film music.

So, listen on…

Varalaamo sugam peralaamo from Aasai Manaivi (1977/ Sooryalaya)
Vocals: S. Janaki
Lyrics: Vaali
Music: Shankar- Ganesh



- To be continued....

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1731980233500362/

SENTHAMARAIYE SENTHENIDHAZHE - PUGUNDHA VEEDU

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

செந்தாமரையே செந்தேனிதழே.....

Pugundha Veedu (1972/ Sri Navaneetha Films) was a successful movie produced by Subramaniya Reddiar and directed by Pattu. AVM.Rajan, Ravichandran, Lakshmi, Chandrakala, Savitri and V.S. Raghavan essayed the main roles.

Shankar-Ganesh’s music was an important ingredient in the success of this venture. All the songs became popular and found repeated air time for many years to come. There were 5 songs, and save one, the remaining were written by Vaali. And save the same one, the remaining songs featured the vocals of either one or both of the lead singers of the time- TMS & P. Susheela.

And it the fifth song that we are going to dwell on today- written by Vichitra and sung by A.M. Raja and Jikki. All that (Shankar) Ganesh whom we met at his residence some years back could tell us about Vichitra was that the lyricist was recommended by the producer and they had to chip in with words and even entire lines when the lyricist seemed stumped.
* * * * *

‘Unnaiyum, un paataiyum romba pidichirukku. Unnai kalyanam pannikka aasaippadaren. Sammadhama?’- This is what A.M. Raja wrote in Jikki’s notation sheet as they were rehearsing for the song ‘Azhagu nilaavin bavaniyile amaithi konjum iravinile’ (Maheswari/1955). Jikki was startled at this unexpected proposal, but after demurring initially, she gave her acceptance. And the entire film world joyously joined in the celebrations, for weren’t AMR and Jikki the uncrowned King and Queen of Tamil Film Music in the 50s?

The early years of marriage were happy ones, both personally and professionally. But the hugely gifted AMR was always a person with attitude problems, highly sensitive, deep-rooted eccentricities and insecurities and given to hallucinations of imaginary slights and unfounded suspicions. He gradually allowed these complexes to take over his better senses. And thus not only his metier both as a mellifluous singer and as a talented composer came to an abrupt untimely halt, the pitiable Jikki had to sacrifice her soaring career as well.

It was after a long hiatus that Jikki’s enchanting voice was heard once again in Tamil film music, and the composers who called her were mindful of AMR’s foibles, and were careful to give her only female duets initially, or at the most, duets with AMR. Jikki kicked off this second innings with two female duets in 1970: ‘Azhagu mugam pazhagu sugam’ (Sorgam/ with S. Janaki /for MSV) and ‘Kannan varuvaan indru Kannan varuvaan’ (Kannan Varuvaan/with P. Susheela/for Shankar-Ganesh). Some other female duets that came her way in the early 70s were ‘Manjalum thandhaal malargal thandhaal’ (Thenum Paalum /1971/with S.Janaki/ for MSV), ‘Thalai vaazhai ilaippottu’ (Naan Yaen Pirandhen/1972/with S. Janaki/for Shankar-Ganesh), ‘Kanna pesum kannaal’ (VeettuMapillai/1973/ with P. Susheela/ for AMR) and ‘Poomaalai ondru’ (Pathu Maadha Bandham/1974/with P. Susheela / for Shankar-Ganesh).

And as for AMR, his second innings began a year later- in 1971. And it was V.Kumar who coaxed him to come out of his self-imposed exile and sing the lilting ‘Mutharame un oodal ennavo’ (Rangaraattinam/ with LRE). A wonderful part of this second phase was that AMR also got to compose music for 2 films: Veettu Mapillai- 1973 & Enakkoru Magan Pirappaan- 1975. Some of the songs that AMR sang in the 70s were: ‘Chinna kannane’ - Thaikku Oru Pillai/1972/ Shankar-Ganesh, ‘Malare o malare’ & ‘Rasi nalla rasi’ (with Jikki)- both from Veettu Mapillai/1973/ AMR, ‘Oruvan oruthi thunai serndhuvittal’ - Veettukku Vandha Marumagal/1973/with Jikki/ Shankar-Ganesh, ‘ Edhai kettpadho edhai solvadho’ - Pathu Maadha Bandham/1974/ with Jikki/ Shankar-Ganesh, ‘Manathukku theriyum’ (with Jikki) & ‘Roja malaraippole’ (with P. Susheela) both from Enakkoru Magan Pirapaan/ 1975/ AMR, ‘Enada kanna indha pollathanam’ -Anbu Roja/1975/ with P. Susheela/ Shankar-Ganesh, ‘Ananda illam’ (with P.Susheela) & ‘En deivame’ –both from Ithu Ivargalin Kadhai/1976/ V. Kumar.

This second coming of Jikki extended for many more years, from ‘Kaadhalennum Kaaviyam’ (Vattathukkul Sathuram/ 1978/Ilaiyaraja) to ‘Vanna vanna metteduthu’ (Senthamizh Paattu/1993/MSV-IR), she got to sing some noteworthy songs. We shall dwell at length upon this phase of Jikki’s career another time.

So listen on to this bewitching duet by a pair of nightingales.....quirky nightingales who inexplicably stilled their song when spring was beckoning and who came out to sing late in autumn..... few lingering numbers until the onset of inexorable winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIJgMsoGUu8



Discussion at:
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MUTHU MUTHU THEROTTAM - AANI VER

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

முத்து முத்துத்தேரோட்டம்..

Vivekananda Pictures’ Aaniver (1981) had heartwarming performances by Sivakumar and Saritha, with Poornam Viswanathan playing a riveting cameo.

It is a story of a young girl Arukkani rising high to become an IAS officer from humble beginnings. Her cousin Raman, who had stood steadfast by her and ensured against all odds that she continued her education, goes to jail defending her honour. He comes out now as a grown man. Despite the difference in their current status, her love for him remains intact over all these years. But he is awed at her education and stature. Though they are now man and wife, he labours under a strong feeling that he is no match for her and remains shy, tongue-tied, and even worse…. aloof!

She yearns for his love, waits in vain for his caress, pines with unfulfilled passion…

Pulavar Pulamaipithan’s pen moves with felicity, painting the canvas with pastel hues of delicate longing, stifled frustration and forlorn despair…

Shankar-Ganesh enjoyed a very special rapport with Vani. After escorting her into Tamil cinema with their ஓரிடம் உன்னிடம், they enthroned her as their prima donna and in the next decade ensured that she rendered many of their compositions. True, many of the movies came a cropper at the hustings and the albums, largely nondescript, erased themselves from public memory; yet like silver linings in dark clouds, came a bewitching என் உள்ளம் அழகான வெள்ளித்திரை or the epic ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகள் ஆயிரம் பிறவிகள், an inspired மேகமே மேகமே or யாரது சொல்லாமல் நெஞ்சள்ளி போனது, which all earned their rightful due, and இளங்குயிலின் இளைய ராகம் or முத்தம்மா சின்னச்சிட்டு or உந்தன் பாதத்தில் or தும்பைப்பூ முகத்தில், which deserved a better destiny.

This song is among Shankar-Ganesh’s best ever creations- the guitar is used so subtly throughout the song and conveys the mood of anguished ache in such a gentle, moving way. The violin and guitar in the prelude, flute in between the Pallavi, the violin and the flute in the interludes---all work in tandem, accentuating the heartfelt love and longing motif of the song… When Vani sings there is just a vamping of the guitar that accompanies her and no percussion support. The confidence that Shankar- Ganesh had in Vani!

And as for Vani, she sparkles, as usual. Her mellifluousness brings to melancholic life all the suppressed longings of the heroine. It is not a coarse or a seductive invitation; it is a gentle and heart-rending reminder to him not to neglect his duties as a husband. Even while remaining decent and dignified, she manages to bring forth the tremulous torture. How fetchingly does this inner torment find a vent in the whimpered இந்த தனிமை கொடுமை!

Female characters in Tamil cinema have generally expressed their unfulfilled desires in a subtle manner that tugs at the heart-strings- Remember Manjula in மறு பிறவி bemoaning her unconsummated marriage in the moving song அலைகளிலே தென்றல் வந்து (P. Susheela)? Or Revathi, lamenting her wretched young, widowed state in வைதேகி காத்திருந்தாள்- அழகு மலராட (S. Janaki)?

Here, she sends the breeze as her emissary to ask of her man when her suffering would find succour- she implores the zephyr to return with a reply….

முத்து முத்துத்தேரோட்டம்
என்னை மோகம் தாலாட்டும்
எந்தன் தாகம்..என்று தீரும்?
இதை நீ கேட்டுவா தென்றலே..



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