Pick of the week: 1 Mar to 5 Aug 2006

yvsmani -

Vaasam Veesum is a Vaasamaana song for sure!
I have the same "aanandha" feeling when I listen to "Andha Naeram Poruththirundhaal Nalla Anubhavam Kidaiththriukkum..."
Pillow Talk has never been so Pleasurable!

Pick #148

http://tfmpage.com/stream/songs/neepaadum_ekk.rm

Song: nee paadum paadal
Film: engaiyo ketta kural
Singer: SJanaki
Lyrics: Panju Arunachalam
Music: iLaiayraja

I often see people comparing Rajinikanth to MGR. IMO, Rajinikanth is a much much better actor than MGR. MGR was just a good looking
stuntsman with lots and lots of luck. Rajinikanth on the other hand is a versatile actor who could do villainy, comedy or drama in his own style. He did that until he got into the super star mould. After gaining his super start status , he very rarely did offbeat films . Engaiyo ketta kural is one such film. I thouroughly enjoyed his acting in EKK. He played the role of an innocent villager madly in love with his maaman magaL(Ambika) who elopes with jamindars son after giving birth to rajinis daughter. The transformation Rajini showed from a loose talking villager to emotionally cheated husband was an award winning performance.
Radha, who played sister to Ambika, and later marries Rajini gave an equally good performance. IMO Ambika was the weakest link of the film. She overplayed her role and was quiet irritating in the tail end of the movie(When she pleads mercy from Rajini).
Actress Meena played the daughter's role.
IR came up with 3 good songs
'thaiyum naane'(SJ)-my favorite
'pattu vanna selaikaari'(MV) and
'nee paadum'(SJ-todays pick).
The average song was 'aathoram kaathaada' By jency for Radha.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Naaz

In the featured duet, SPB pronounces Seedhanam as Seedhanovm (the m becomes more of a ovm sound?) I've noted this about his singing around similar words (Deivam becomes Dheiv-ovm in another song) Is this ending (inflection?) an accepted necessity in TFM? Say, like, Ilavaenir turning to Ilavaenil, or Nenjam scaled as Neljam? Can the experts enlighten please?

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Naaz,

Pronouncing "am" as "au" is a common technique used by classical singers. While it may sound a little strange in light music, it just makes it easier to sing the legato when you don't pronounce the "am". Pronouncing the "am" makes you close the mouth and the continuity is lost, unless you proceed through the nose.

iLavEniRkAlanggaL may be right grammatically. But iLavEnil kAlanggaL is not necessarily wrong. Whichever (iR or il) makes the song sound beautiful can be chosen. I think SPB chose "il" because it went with the "iL"s in kAlanggaL and nANanggaL.

nenjam becomes neljam, which is another commonly used technique, if the song calls for holding the note too long on the "inj", or any oRRu for that matter. They add an extra oRRu to make it flow off the tongue smoothly. Otherwise, it will sound like the singer is struggling to sing.

Naaz and Neel,

Even while pronouncing the word.... KINNAM also ... I have heard some singers ... sa KILNAM...... Another mystery only... Probably experts can voice their opinion.

[quote]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ramki

I often see people comparing Rajinikanth to MGR. IMO, Rajinikanth is a much much better actor than MGR. MGR was just a good looking
stuntsman with lots and lots of luck. Rajinikanth on the other hand is a versatile actor who could do villainy, comedy or drama in his own style

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Ramki,

I find your analysis of MGR with Rajini strange and unfounded.

What you mentioned as LOTS OF LUCK !!! is not true at all...
You had also mentioned.....
Probably you have little idea on who MGR was... and that had prompted you to comment like that...
MGR with his limitations as an actor but successfully and briallliantly positioned himself in the industry from various angles like :

1. Stunt fights
2. Excellent songs ..... Nobody can question MGR's taste on this.... the fact that Shankar Ganesh did some great songs is a testimony to MGR's flair for music.
3. Excellent picturisation.....
4. By the late 60s... it was quite evident that MGR was the shadow or defacto director for all his movies....
5. Ulgam sutrum vaaliban is a classic example of MGR's skills as a director....... Even the great KB found impossible to edit the scenes when he was requested by MGR to view the first release and acknowledged that MGR is great..
6. The way MGR positioned himself with the masses and spread the message of poor through his powerpacked songs ...
7. MGR .... if he had not taken up acting profession.. WOULD HAVE BECOME A SUCCESSFUL MARKETING PROFESSIONAL.... I say this emphatically ... because of the way he strategised himself for the elections and defeated a LEGEND Karunanidhi who is still a master of politics......

First of all.. comparing MGR with Rajini is absurd..... both are extremes....

I wish you withdraw your comments like..... MGR was lucky.....

You better go back by 40 - 50 years and check with your elders and they will let you know about THE GREAT MGR.

By the way, I am a fan of Rajini as well but I know the difference and distance between Rajini and MGR.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by S.Balaji

Naaz and Neel,

Even while pronouncing the word.... KINNAM also ... I have heard some singers ... sa KILNAM...... Another mystery only... Probably experts can voice their opinion.

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S.Balaji,

Like I said, "any oRRu" can be inflected.

Naaz, Neel D - In oorukku ubadhesam , urvasi played a double role.

Naaz - reg antha neram, especially the ending lines antha neram....... is superb. oru chinna voice modulation antha idaththil irukkum

S.Balaji,
Spare the ballistic missiles - All Ramki said was "Rajni, in his -Ramki's - opinion, was a better ACTOR than MGR.
None of what you said detracts that claim.
In any case, that was clearly posed as his OPINION.
We all forget to comprehend, right, before pouncing on others? :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rajdes

S.Balaji,
Spare the ballistic missiles - All Ramki said was "Rajni, in his -Ramki's - opinion, was a better ACTOR than MGR.
None of what you said detracts that claim.
In any case, that was clearly posed as his OPINION.
We all forget to comprehend, right, before pouncing on others? :-)

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Mate,

Mr. Ramki is a moderator !! and my missiles are all SCUDS !! harmless :)

Everybody knows what limitations MGR had as an ACTOR .

If you guys know at what age MGR reached his peak .. you will be amazed by his staying power.

What I have highlighted is a respose to his words ..... MGR WAS LUCKY...... ???

What does that convey ?? I wish Mr. Ramki comes out with his explanation on ... MGR IS LUCKY .....

Thanks for the excellent song Ramki. I loved the jency song too. EKK was a great movie.

Ananda Vikatan which reviewed Sakakala Vallavan the previous week and largely critical of the movies as a dud (Got some either 38/100 or 35-40 range, I am not sure), was all praise for EKK the following week from the same team of SPM, Panju and IR. It got 50+. Infact if I remember Ambika did get praise, much to my surprise. Saw the movie in Krishnaveni and my mother just loved the movie. Rajni at his best. Ir was simply superb. Songs were so pleasant to suit the mood. Pattu Vanna and Thayum Naane were excellent. (one of the few Malaysia Vasu songs I like because of the singer. SJ excels in Thayum Nane).

Unfortunately as we all know Sakakala Vallavan went on to create records and EKK truned out to be a average grosser, sealing the lid for Rajini to try anything different. Next year the same team gave Payum Puli (COpied scenes from 36 chamber) and did become a hit. Sorry state, Panju and SPM continued to create such duds. (For AVM and other banners)

Thanks once again

Bala