Malayalam Film Music

[raagadevan]

I will post a song from the 1986 movie RAAKKUYILIN RAAGASADASSIL (ராக்குயிலின் ராகசதச்சில்)

Directed by Priyan (Priyadarshan), the movie had Mammootty and Suhasini in the lead. The movie had a
Thyagaraja krithi and a Swathi Thirunal krithi in addition to four other songs written by S. Rameshan Nair.
Music for the movie was by the late Shri M.G. Radhakrishnan.

Here is "shaNmukhapriya raagamO..." sung by K.J. Yesudas...



A brief narration and the rest of the songs to follow...

[raagadevan]

RAAKKUYILIN RAAGASADASSIL (ராக்குயிலின் ராகசதச்சில்)(1986)

Viswanadhan (Mammootty) and Janani (Suhasini) were college sweethearts.
He was a talented musician and she was a very good dancer.



"shri gaNapathi nee..." - Thyagaraja / M.G. Sreekumar & Chorus



"raagamE swararaagamE..." - S. Rameshan Nair / M.G. Radhakrishnan / M.G. Sreekumar

The families were against their relationship because of caste differences.
The youngsters overcame all the difficulties and got married with the blessings of everyone.



"poomukha vaathikkal..." - S. Rameshan Nair / M.G. Radhakrishnan / K.J. Yesudas

They realize that married life is not as easy as the romantic fantasies while in college! Personal
ego and petty jealousies disrupt their lives. They have a baby son, but the relationship breaks down...
He still has fantasies about them singing and dancing together, but they are just that; fantasies!



"vaLLiththirumaNam..." - S. Rameshan Nair / M.G. Radhakrishnan / M.G. Sreekumar, Arundhathi & Chorus

When the home situation became unbearable, Viswanadhan leaves home with their baby son.
As the boy grows up, he teaches the kid music and singing…



"gOpaalaka paahimaam..." - Swathi Thirunal / K.J. Yesudas & Arundhathi

Several years later, he returns with his son. The little boy befriends a dancer who is practising
to perform at a show that would give her the Naatysahri title. When Viswanadhan finds out
that the dancer is none other than Janani, he becomes very angry. He makes plans to challenge
Janani to dance to his singing, which he felt she would not be able to do…



"shaNmukhapriya raagamO..." (Solo) - S. Rameshan Nair / M.G. Radhakrishnan / K.J. Yesudas

On the day of the performance, however, he changes his mind. He arranges for their son to sing
instead of him. The kid sings; mother dances; everyone applauds; they are all happy; the family
reunites; and they all live happily ever after!



"shaNmukhapriya raagamO..." (Duet - )S. Rameshan Nair / M.G. Radhakrishnan / K.J. Yesudas & Arundhathi

[RR]

RD,

கலக்கறிங்க! Still going thru all the songs.. The story context makes a big difference in the song appreciation. Keep them coming!

As an aside, The story sounds like Gaanam meets Alaipaayuthe.

[raagadevan]

RD, As an aside, The story sounds like Gaanam meets Alaipaayuthe.

Interesting! In the "good old" days, I wanted to make Part II of Sindhubairavi with Sivakumar's and Suhasini's kid (son) growing up like Aravindakshan's son in Gaanam; and becoming a classical music wizard (like his dad) at the end!

[raagadevan]

Today’s song was voted the greatest Malayalam song ever recorded in a worldwide survey
of Mallus done in 2006 as part of the celebration of the 50th birthday of the State of Kerala.
It is from the 1964 horror/romance classic Bhargavi Nilayam [பார்கவி நிலையம்] (The House of Bhargavi).

P. Bhaskaran's lyrics set to the Hindustani raaga Bhimpalasi by M(ohammad) S(abir) Baburaj.

Here is K.J. Yesudas and “thaamasamenthE varuvaan...” (தாமசமெந்தே வருவான்)…

[RR]

RD,

I am back, and let me continue..

Song - bhavayaami
Movie - Meghadheertham
Music - Sharreth
Singers - Sharreth
Lyrics - Gireesh Puthenchery



Movie background to this song ?

[raagadevan]

RR: Glad that you are back

Sharath won the then newly instituted Kerala State Film Award for the Best Classical Playback Singer (for 2009) for "bhaavayaami paadumente..." . For more details, please check the following link to an article from The Hindu:

http://www.thehindu.com/features/cin...icle397921.ece

I tried to sit through the movie (dailymotion.com/video/x17nwse_meghatheertham-2009-full-length-malayalam-movie_shortfilms); but had to fast forward so many times because of the very poor and amateurish quality of the screenplay and the whole movie. It looked like this song was the "grand finale" performance of a yesteryear singer with his erstwhile musical group. Sharath, of course, does an amazing job in composing and singing the song. If anyone is interested in the movie video version of the song, it starts at
1 hour and 55 minutes on the dailymotion link.

Sharath's live rendition of the song on the Idea Star Singer show:

[raagadevan]

Director A. Vincent’s movie Bhargavi Nilayam (1964) was based on the short story Neela Velichcham
by the famous Malayalam writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. A few scenes and events from some of
his other stories were added in the one and only screenplay written by Basheer himself. Music was by
the King of Melody M.S. Baburaj.

The story revolved around a house haunted by the ghost of a young woman named Bhargavi.
A novelist (actor Madhu) and his servant Cheriya Pareekkanni (actor Adoor Bhasi) move into the house
without knowing the history of the house. They come to know from the local people that it is a haunted
house. The story was that it was haunted by the ghost of the previous owner’s daughter who was
murdered by being pushed into a well in the property.

The novelist experiences strange happenings in the house; the gramophone plays on its own, objects
move around, etc. He finds some old letters written to Bhargavi (actress Vijaya Nirmala) by her lover
Sasikumar (actor Prem Nazir). The letters give some indication about their love affair and their tragic death.
The novelist has a more or less unexpected encounter with Bhargavi’s ghost…



(“Ekaandhathayude apaara theeram…” sung by Kamukara Purushothaman)

He starts to communicate with Bhargavi. She wants him to write her story. With input from the villagers,
the old love letters and Bhargavi herself, he starts to write the story…

Bhargavi was a happy girl, living with no worries or concerns…



(“anuraaga madhuchashakam…” Sung by S. Janaki)

She had a cousin Naanukuttan (actor P.J. Antony) who wanted to marry her, but she did not like him.
Shortly thereafter, Sasikumar moved in as a neighbour, and they slowly, but surely fell in love…



(arabik kadaloru maNavaaLan…” sung by K.J. Yesudas & P. Susheela)

Naanukuttan unsuccessfully tried lots of nasty tricks to separate the two lovers. Sasikumar often
felt lonely, and longed for Bhargavi’s presence…



(thaamasamenthE varuvaan… sung by K.J. Yesudas)

Suddenly, Sasikumar disappeared from the scene. Bhargavi was concerned and worried…



(pottaaththa ponnin kinaavu koNdoru… sung by S. Janaki)



(vaasantha Panchami naaLil… sung by S. Janaki)

Bharagavi became furious when she found out that her lover was in fact murdered by
Naanukuttan. She had an argument with Naanukuttan, who in a scuffle pushed her into a well,
killing her. He spread the news that Bhargavi had committed suicide.

Each night, the novelist would read to Bhargavi what he wrote that day, and when necessary,
she would correct him...



(pottiththakarnna kinaavu koNdoru… sung by S. Janaki)

Naanukuttan overhears one night the story being read out loud by the novelist. He fears that
the truth behind the death of Bhargavi and Sasikumar will be out once the story is published.
He attacks the novelist and a fight ensues. During the fight, both Naanukuttan and the novelist
reach the well in which Bharagavi was drowned. While trying to push the novelist into the well,
Naanukuttan loses his balance. He falls into the well and is killed, while the novelist has a
narrow escape. The novelist then prays for the peace of Bhargavi's soul and the movie ends with
the loud and happy laugh of Bhargavi.

[raagadevan]

A gem of a gem of a song in my favourite Karaharapriya raagam... composed by the musical genius
V. Dakshinamurthy (Swami) out of the lyrics by P. Bhaskaran, for the movie PRASAADAM. This song
has a lot of "emotional attachment" for me. This was my son's favourite song when he was a little baby,
and wanted to listen to it again and again and again... When we were on holidays in Pondicherry, my
brother-in-law had to scramble to find a copy of the song because my son kept on asking for it.
Great, great memories!

S. Janaki:



K.J. Yesudas:



Complete Yesudas version (audio):

[raagadevan]

Song: samayamithapoorva saayaahnam…
Movie: HARIKRISHNANS (1998)
Directed by: Fazil
Actors: Mammootty, Mohanlal, Kunchacko Boban, Juhi Chawla, Nedumudi Venu, et al.
Lyrics: Kaithapram
Music: Ouseppachan
Singers: M.G. Srreekumar, K.S. Chithra & K.J. Yesudas
Raaga: Navarasa kanada



samayamithapoorva saayaahnam amrutham shivamaya sangeetham
haripadhamanaadhi sOpaanam anagha sukruthamee swara hrudayam
ennantharaathmaavil ninnaathma sallaapam ee janmam samboorRNam dhEvi…