Film Stats & Assorted queries

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SS,
Interesting question.

Since I've written kavidhai's once upon a time, let me try to explain why it's better to have mettu first, for great listening pleasure

Though the kavingar can have a lot more creativity in subject matter / uvamai / words etc when he is not restricted by an existing melody, he/she is STILL restricted by rules relating to timing / sandham / structure, if it had to have music added to it (and not totally free form, like pudhukkavidhai / vasana kavidhai etc). On top of this, there are always grammatical restrictions, linguistic restrictions etc that limit the permuations / combinations in word play anyways. (For example, you cannot write 'pAtti vadai sutta kadhai' as 'pAtti vadai sutta nari' or 'pAtti kAkkA sutta vadai' etc )

So, adding an "additional constraint" of an existing melody need not totally cripple his imagination. OTOH, though there are some restrictions in melody making also (certain arrangements of notes - even though musical notes - will be called 'noise' and not mettu), the permuations / combinations are infinite To give a poem and ask the MD to fit in a melody will severely restrict creativity (though at times it can be circumvented by stretching a syllable here and there or adding la-la-lA kind of humming etc).

My vote is always for mettu first & pAttu next