"Enathu kangal padikkum pozhuthu idhayam kulirgindradhu"
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"Enathu kangal padikkum pozhuthu idhayam kulirgindradhu"
Manisekaran: An excellent article on SGK. I wanted to start a topic on SGK, but I had some doubts as to whether he ever acted in films.
Manisekaran:
Thank you. Look forward to TRM Part II, including mAlayitta mangai which seems to have some great songs by kaNNadhAsan.
TR Mahalingam
(Today, June 24 is Kannadasan's Birthday. Therefore mention of his movie is most relevant)
When TR Mahalingam lost his fortune even those closest to him deserted him. S. Varalachumy also left him and teamed up with A.L.Seenivasan. TR Mahalingam was shattered.
Around this time Kannadasan was getting too irritated by several personalities in the cine field. He saw that there was no freedom for him to exhibit his full talents and potentials. Directors, producers and even big stars kept on interfering in his songs. He was waiting for the right time to start his own movie. The film Mahadevi had his direct involvemnent in the writing of dialogue. There is one song by AM Raja and P. Suseela in Mahadevi-"kan Moodum Velayilum Kalai Enna Kalaiye, Kanne Un Perazhagin vilai intha ulage". Visvanathan and Ramamurhty are the MDs. The situation was explained. Kathali waits for the kathalan in the poonga, seeing that there was no sign of his coming, she falls asleep. The kathalan comes by and, seeing that she has fallen asleep, menmaiyaga rubs her face. She wakes up in shock and immediately the kathalan starts to sing. The original song that Kannadasan wrote for that situation was:
"Naananri Yaar varuvaar-ila
nangai unai veru yaar thoduvaar?" MGR immediately asked for another substitute, saying that that song was too slow. Therefore Kannadasan had to write "Kan moodum Velayilum". But his heart was still with "Naananri Yaar varuvaar"
Such unneccessary interventions got to Kannadasan's nerve. He felt that the only way to show his full potential was to produce his own film with excellent songs.
In 1958 he started his own film company- Kannadasan Pictures. He wnet ot look for Nageswararao to book him as the main hero. But he was at the heigh of popularity, and as is always usual of cine characters, the Rao was very rude and sarcastic towards Kannadasan. He also asked for a very high rate. Then he decided to produce a low budget film with other features to boost the film, notably the songs. It wa at this time that he heard of TR Mahalingam's fate. Kannadasan knew that TRMahalingam would not ask for a high rate in view of his situation then. But many of Kannadasan's supporters advised Kannadasan not to use an actor who has lost complete fame and name in the cinema field. But Kannadasan said that he was producing a musical movie, not one with star strength.
TR Mahalingam agreed to act at any rate offered by Kannadasan. As the production work started, the DMK "thanga kambikal" started to instigate other DMK supporters. Kannadasan himself was a DMK member at that time. DMK was an anti Brahmin party then. So they said that his movie would not run if a brahmin(TRM) was used in the movie. Kannadasan said that he would make TR Mahalingam sing a song praising the DMK party in an indirect way. The film was completed. Many DMK members were swarming the theatre.
The very first scene was a pullarikka vaikkum scene with a very high pitch title song by TRM. The thogayara went like this:
Vinthiyam Kumariyidai vilangumn Thirunaade
Velenthum Mooventhar aandiruntha thennade..
Engal Dravida Pon Naade..
Immediately after this the song proper starts off like this:
Engal Thiravida Pon Naade-kalai
vaazhum Then naade..
Iyal ISai Nadagam aram Porul Inbam
Ilangum Senthamizh naade..
By this time the DKM supporters started to clap for the song. the fil was very wellreceived by Tamilnadu. Although Visvanathan and Ramamurhty had been MDs for several other movies prior to Malayitta Mangai, it was from this film that theri fame really shot up. There were 17 songs altogether. Let me recollect some off hand:
1.Naananri Yaar Varuvaar
2. Engal Dravida Pon Naade
3. Senthamizh then mozhiyaal(TRM)
4. Senthamizh then mozhiyaal( K. Jamunarani)
5. Akkarai seemaikku pona Machan
6. Malayitta Mangai illai
7. Magale Magale paradi
8. Annam Pola Pennirukku Aasai Konda Manamirukku
9. malayittu Manam Mudichu Pottu Vachu Poo Mudichu
10. Illaram Onre Nallaram Enravar vazhavum vida maattaar
11. Manal Kooda Oru Naalil Thenagalaam
In this film Kannadasan was able to pen his songs as he wished without the interference of the big guns. He brought back the secene and the song that MGR rejected in Mahadevi. The herine Mainavathi waits for TRM in a poonga. TRM appears from the rear unexpectedly and closes her eyes. The shoked Mainavathi turns around. TRM starts:
"Naananri Yaar Varuvaar-ila
nangai unai veru yaar thoduvar"
Kannadasan was very satisfied the way this scene turned up in the movie. There is yet one more unique feature in this song. When SG Kittappa used to sing without the assistance of the PA system,his voice could be heard one mile away. But TRM's voice could reach at least three quarter of a mile when he sang in high pitch. TRM sang almost all his songs in high pitch. the great G Ramanathan tailored a song to make TRM sing in both high and low pitch. In Manimegalai TRM was made to sing with Banumathy who never could sing in high pitch. In the song "Kankalin Vennilave"TRM sings with a high pitch while Banumathy sings with a low pitch. In the tail end of the song both TRM and Mahalingam sing in a very low pitch.
But in the film Malayitta Mangai TRm requested the mellisai mannarkal to compose tune where he could sing the full length in low pitch. The song Nananri Yaar varuvaar is about the only song where he sang in lowest pitch with AP Komala.
Manorama's debut was in Malayitta Mangai.
After Malayitta Mangai TRMahalingam's market was restored, but only for a short span of time for various reasons. There were more new comers with newer talents. Some stars dominated. As TRM was a singer and actor at the same time, he could not do away with singing.His acting was more suited to the dramas. In social movies there were stars who did better than him. His voice again was admired by limited fans. TRM could not giver ultra modern songs. TMS, PBS and AMR were changing the taste of the Tamil film music. So TRM lost in the battle called survival of the fittest.
He once again went into oblivion. From time to time he appeared in some movies, not as hero, but in character roles. Even then he had to restrict to Purana type of films. He just could not be versatile. Look at agathiyar, Raja Raja Chlan, Thiruvilayadal etc.
THE FILMS OF TRM- (from memory)
1.Nandanaar
2.Chinnadurai
3.Theruppadagan
4. Vilayaattu Bommai
5. Mohanasundaram
6.Machai Regai
7.Naam Iruvar
8. Sri Valli
9.Pavalakkodi
10.Aathithan Kanavu
11.Rathinapuri Ilavarasi
12. Aada Vantha Deivam
13.Idhaya Geetham
14.AbalI Anjugam
15.Manimegalai
16.Amuthavalli
17.Sri Valli(of Sivaji Ganesan)
18.Thiruvilayadal
19.Raja Raja Cholan
20. Agathiyar
21. Thirumalai Deivam
22. Kavalai Illatha Manithan
23.Thiruneelakander
24.Thanthaikku Pin Thamaiyan
25.Pannaiyar Magal
26.Ennai Paar
27.Malayitta Mangai
28.Gnanasoundari
30. Laila Majnu
TRM is a great singer with limited fans, especially the old timers. G Ramanathan had a liking for his voice. TMS used to fear the voice of TRM in the film Sri Valli TRM was to start off a 6 minute song, followed by TMS. The moment TRM started the rehearsal TMS ran to G Ramanathan and said that shopuld he continue after TRM he would lose out completely. But GR who was aware of the difference between their voices modified the music and assured TMS that it would be alright. The TMS song continues as "Loga Nayaga" in thehighest possible pitch, perhaps next ot "Ongaramaai Vilangum Natham" in Vanangamudi.
Vanakkam.
Manisekaran:
Thank you again for taking the time to educate us TFM History buffs. Including anecdotes on kaviyarasr was an additional treat. Who should we be exploring next?
Kanchana & Manisekaran:
How about KB Sundarambal ?
Manisekaran:
In another thread, NOV (VadiVelu) mentioned that
kavinjar Kannadhasan's B'day is June 20th, and
that there were somw special programmes on Malaysian
Radio attached to that. Can you confirm if June 24th
is actually the right one?
TRM in 'Nandhanaar'? Is it the same movie starring
dhaNdapaaNi dhEsikar?
RV:
You missed one song from Agaththiyar:
muzhumudhaR poruLE muththamizh chudarE
mOnamE vEdhanaayagamE
where naaradhar (TRM) sings the song in praise
of Lord Vinayaka.
I distinctly remember the song, namachchivaayamena.
Agaththiyar (SG) sings in praise of Lord Shiva:
namachchivaayamena solvOmE
naNmaigaL aayiram koLvOmE
and naaradhar (TRM) follows in praise of Lord Narayana:
naaraayaNaa ena cholvOmE
naalvagai thubaththai velvOmE
and an interesting tussle follows where, at the
end, naaradhar loses face. It is an interesting episode,
but a digression here, so I will not say any more
about this song.
About SG Kittappa:
I have a rare audio cassette with 12 stage songs
of Kittappa, by HMV. The songs (plus raagaas/other
details) in that cassette are:
1. ellOraiyum pOlE (Sudhdha Saveri)
2. mahaadhEvaa
3. thaamadhamEn (Kamas)
4. kaami sathyabaamaa kadhavai thiRavaay (Kamas)
5. vanithaamaNiyE (Parsi Tone)
6. dharmam allavE (Maund)
7. naaLai pOgaamal naan iruppEnO (Sankarabharanam)
8. vaNNa thaamaraiyai (Kavadi Chindu)
9. vEdikkaiyaagavE (Mukhari)
10. theengaana mozhiyE (Ananda Bhairavi)
11. androrunaaL (Virutham)
12. gOpiyar konjum ramaNaa
SGK's voice is very similar to TRM's voice.
Sathya
I think Kannadasan's birthday is on June 20. the first film of TRM is Nandakumar, not Nandanaar. It is again a slip of the fingers.
Manisekaran.
Manisekaran:
Thanks for the information. Was 'agaththiyar' the
last movie of TRM? What did TRM do after that?
I heard that he died a pauper; so sad!
Kannadasan's birthday is June 24. There was a program on Radio 6 on June 20. One of the fans pointed out that it is June 24. (not 20 as it was announced earlier)
Today, there was a special "iravin madiyil " program dedicated to Kannadasan, starting with the song
"kaalaththil aziyaatha kaaviyam thara vantha maaperum kavi mannanE"