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Glimpses of and Nostalgia on Gemini Ganesan
காதல் மன்னரின் நினைவலைகள் :
நினைந்து நினைந்து நெஞ்சம்....ஏங்குதே!
சதாரம் (1956)
P. Bhanumathi, Gemini Ganesh, K. R. Ramasami, T. S. Balaiah, M. N. Rajam, V. K. Ramasami, K. Sarangapani, C. K. Saraswathi and M. S. S. Bhagyam
The 1956 version produced by V. C. Subbaraman with Gemini Ganesh and P. Bhanumathi in the lead. K. R. Ramasami played Pucca Kalla. Bhanumathi in the title role acquitted herself excellently in her exuberant flamboyant style. During her adventures, she dons a male garb and saves a princess (M. N. Rajam) who makes him (her!) the army chief and also falls in love and marries! The interesting story has many turns, giving Bhanumathi ample scope to display her enormous talent.
In the end, the hero (GG) accepts both women as his wives! (as in Avvaiyaar! Machchakkaara Gemini!!)
The film had good music by G. Ramanathan and lyrics by Thanjai Ramaiah Das and A. Maruthakasi. Songs such as ‘Ninainthu ninainthu nenjam…’ (T. M. Soundararajan), ‘Rajathi kanney rajathi...’ (Ramasami, the song has some novel lines like ‘vun raapthavukellam ingey jaapthavum pottachi...!’) and ‘Azhagu bramhacharee...vaarum ayya Bhishmacharee’ (Jamuna Rani) became popular.
Some of the lyrics were written in slang Tamil which went down well with a certain section of the moviegoers.
However, Sadaram did not fare well as expected. Ramasami, a fine singing star known for his impeccable dialogue delivery, seemed miscast. The lead pair was, however, a plus point.
Remembered for Bhanumathi’s excellent performance, Gemini Ganesh’s romantic presence and tuneful music.
(Since the early decades of the 20th Century, “Sadarame” (Kannada) was a popular stage play. It’s about an enterprising, gutsy woman who has many adventures but emerges successful, and a prince who falls in love with her. It was adapted in Kannada by stage and screen pioneer Gubbi Veeranna from a little-known Marathi play, ‘Mitra’, written by Shirish Athwale. One of the characters in the play, an enterprising thief with a roving eye named ‘Pucca Kalla’, became a legend in Kannada theatre and screen with the role being played by Veeranna himself.
“Sadarame” was brought to the screen in 1935 in which the singing star of yesteryear K. Aswathamma was introduced in the lead role and Veeranna played Pucca Kalla. Directed by Raja Chandrasekhar, it was a super hit. Not surprisingly, Veeranna produced it again in 1956 with Sowcar Janaki in the title role, Kalyankumar as the prince and himself in the same role as Pucca Kalla though he was not so young.
K. Subramanyam produced a Tamil version in 1935, calling it “Naveena Sadaram”, with his star wife S. D. Subbulakshmi in the title role. It was in this film that Papanasam Sivan composed the music, wrote the lyrics and sang it off screen as a prayer, with his nephew S.S. Mani, the now popular song in the Carnatic music world, ‘Maa Ramanan Uma Ramanan...’ Sadly no gramophone record of the song was made. However, Subramanyam and Sivan used the song in Seva Sadanam, sung by MS, making it an immortal melody.)
By Randor Guy / The Hindu (courtesy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyC9epIoyFM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5M5mQZNUuM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY7hIHNB27I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXegeSoFWo4
NT had also done stage show on Satharam in Kalkiyin 'Kalvanin Kaadhali' alongside T.R. Ramachandran. A very enjoyable foot tappping dance movements by NT!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STeAHQyK1Kw
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Glimpses of and Nostalgia on Gemini Ganesan
காதல் மன்னரின் நினைவலைகள் :
நினைந்து நினைந்து நெஞ்சம்....உருகுதே!
(Cortesy : madhu (2005) in GG thread on Kaadhal Mannan passes away!)
A news flash from sify..
'Gemini' Ganesan, the popular Tamil film hero of yesteryear, died at his residence past midnight after prolonged illness, his family said.
He was 84 and is survived by seven daughters and a son.
Popular Hindi actress Rekha is one of his daughters. Ji Ji, another daughter, has also acted in a couple of Tamil films.
After a prolonged illness caused by renal failure and multiple organ failure, Gemini Ganesan died surrounded by Bobji and their daughters at his residence on 22 March 2005, 13:30 IST
Ganesan in his long film career spanning over five decades had acted in more than 200 films, including a few in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
He was not keeping good health for the past two months and was in and out of hospital.
Ganesan was one of the "Big Three" of Tamil cinema, the other two being the late MG Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan.
Fondly known as "Kadhal Mannan" (King of romance), Ganesan had acted in several box-office hits during his heydays between 1950 and 1970 and paired with then top heroines such as Savithri, whom he later married, Saroja Devi, former Rajya Sabha member Vaijayanthi Mala, "Sowcar" Janaki and Devika.
Prominent among his hit films are "Vanjikottai Valiban", "Kalyana Parisu", "Missiamma", "Pasamalar", "Panama Pasama" and "Iru Kodugal".
Punnagai by KB was a monumental example of his acting prowess :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWp_5eOqxxk
Ganesan, hailing from a orthodox Brahmin family, was one of the few graduates to enter the film world in those days.
After working as a lecturer in the Madras Christian College, he joined the Gemini Studios as a production executive in 1947, which gave him the title 'Gemini'.
After minor roles in a few films, he was made a hero by the AVM Productions at the age of 30 and "Penn" and "Kanavane Kan Kanda Deivam" gained him star status.
One of his daughters is Dr Kamala Selvaraj, a renowned city-based gynaecologist.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had recently called on the octogenarian actor at his residence to enquire about his health.
Ganesan never tried his hand in politics unlike Sivaji Ganesan and MGR, the latter went on to become Chief Minister in 1977.
In his latter years too, Ganesan acted in a few films like the Kamal Hassan-starrer "Avvai Shanmughi" and "Unnal Mudiyum Thambi".
A Padmashree receipient in 1971, Ganesan had also won several other prestigious awards such as the "Kalaimamani Award", "MGR Gold Medal" and "Screen Life Time Achivement Award".
http://www.dinamalar.com/gemeni_230305/index.asp
http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/mar/22mano.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2005/03/2...2500480403.jpg
Courtesy : GG hubbers /cinefan, TISK and Madhu
(recap from another GG thread. Randor Guy on GG in the Hindu on the eve of passing away of GG)
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Glimpses of and Nostalgia on Gemini Ganesan
காதல் மன்னரின் நினைவலைகள் :
கண்ணா நலமா (1972) / K. Balachandar's 10 +1 = 11
Besides the comedy sense of actress Jayanthi, her latent acting talent was unearthed by director K. Balachandar in a series of movies like Kannaa Nalamaa, Punnagai, Iru Kodugal...
The story plot is just a cotton candy in an exhibition ground based on King Solomon's famous judgement on to whom the child belongs..between two women.
பத்தோடு ஒன்று பதினொன்றாக இத்திரைப்படம் பெரிய வரவேற்ப்பை பெறவில்லைஎனினும் சீரான திரைக்கதை அமைப்பு சிறந்த நடிப்புப் பங்களிப்பு
குமாரின் இனிய இசையமைப்பு மற்றும் பாலச்சந்தரின் சில ரசிப்புக்குரிய முத்திரைகள் கொண்ட படம்
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qxKzeFKCpc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzX2qah0ij0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPoR4GhyS_0
In another GG-Jayanthi starrer Punngai too a song sequence of Kanna nalama was incorporated. Punnagai is however, an ace movie parading the streamlined subtle acting skills of GG with a right mix of emotions that are tearjerking!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpSCDnXbPG8
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P. சுசீலாம்மா!காதல் மன்னரின் மேன்மைத் திரி சார்ந்த 80 வது பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் !! நன்றிகலந்த வணக்கங்கள் !!
Pulapaka Susheela (born 13 November 1935), popularly known as P. Susheela, is one of the legendary Indian playback singers. A recipient of five National Awards and numerous state awards, Susheela is widely acclaimed as a singer who defined feminism in South Indian Cinema and is well known for her mellifluous vocal performances for thousands of film songs across South Indian languages. Hailed as "Lata of the South", "Melody Queen", "Nightingale of the South, "Gana Kokila", "Gana Saraswathi", she is also considered one of the rich voiced singers whose pronunciation of the syllables to be more clear and precise in any of the languages she sang. In a career spanning more than six decades, she has recorded numerous songs in various Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga. She has also sung for Sinhalese films. Her mother tongue is Telugu. She can speak Tamil,Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages .
தெலுங்கு தாய்மொழி எனினும் தமிழ் பாடகியரில் அவர் குரலின் தேமதுரக் குழைவும் ஏற்ற இறக்க வளைவு நெளிவுகளும் நம் நெஞ்சம் மறப்பதில்லை ! நினைவை இழப்பதில்லை !! ஜெமினிகணேசன் படங்களில் பாடல்கள் சோடை போவதில்லை!!
His Directors like Sreedhar and Baalachander were very keen in shaping up GG movies with scintillating music and songs! Alongside AMRaja and PBS, and of course in some films with TMS, P, Suseela's contributions are unforgettable. We bow you, Suseelamma. for a prolonged life with continued contributions for our memory and wish you a happy birthday!
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My order of Choice of GG movie songs sweetened by Suseelamma's voice!
1. இன்பம் பொங்கும் வெண்ணிலா வீசுதே" உண்மையிலேயே இன்பம் பொங்கி ததும்பி வழிந்து நம்மையெல்லாம் ஆனந்த சாரலில் நனைக்கும் அமுதகானம்
One of the best duets songs of P. Suseela and PBS in G.Ramanathan's musical masterpiece, in the film Veerapaandiya Kattabomman starring NT, GG with Padmini. (1959)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UamHWAa6xGk
but also from Kalyana Parisu : Unnikkandu Nanaaada...
the balace tips to VPKB for the grandeur...but this song is second to none!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7h_fulvE3M
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2. யார் யார் யாரவள் யாரோ பாசமலரில் P. Suseela and PBS
In a relaxed mood PBS and Suseela gave the sugar coating to Kannadasan's imaginations on a couple on their honeymoon way?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e_llk_6_7g
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3. அன்று ஊமைப் பெண்ணல்லோ....பார்த்தால் பசிதீரும் PS and ALRaghavan!
In a different but synchronizing voice of ALR suitable for Kalyankumar and Nagesh, the song fits to GG too with Suseela's interludes adding sugar and spice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxaniqtEuTw
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4. மன்னவனே அழலாமா .........கற்பகம்!
A scintillating song though logic demands, in the cinematograhy treat by Karnan and suseelamma's everlasting modulations to suit the mood! Gemini again hits the bull's eye as one of his unforgettable movies!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-DOkOWJIo
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5. ஆடாத மனமும் ஆடுமே........களத்தூர் கண்ணம்மா with AMRaja!
Though Master Kamalahaasan stole the show,the honey filled lyrics with an enchanting music by sudharsanam in the romantic voices of AMR and PS etch ever in our memory!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg0CUJH9doQ
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6. இயற்கையெனும் இளைய கன்னி.......சாந்தி நிலையம் with SPB!
no other cinematographer like Marcus Burtley has shown GG in a youthful tone as seen in this song sequence. bewitching voices of SPB with PS has made this song immortal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjJ5U5m3rQo
