The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[jaiganes]

#63 ராதா ராதா நீ எங்கே?
கண்ணன் எங்கே நான் அங்கே!
(மீண்டும் கோகிலா, 1981 , ஜானகியுடன்)

When Sujatha wrote about some details of filming Vikram, he mentioned Kamal's irritation in not getting what he wanted. "நொறுக்கறதுக்கு மாருதி கேட்டா டால்ஃபின் தான் கொடுக்குறாங்க" (Some may remember that Dolphin 2 door car that was considered "poor-man's-maruthi" in 80's).

That statement kind of summarizes Kamal's history in TF A similar case in the 80's take of (i.e. portions of) silappathikAram too. Kamal wanted (which was in news continuously) Gemini's daughter - the one gossipped to have got wedded in Tirupati to AB, north indies confirm whether it happened. Instead all that the producers could get (to do the mAdhavi role) was Unni Mary. I've not seen the movie and so don't know the story, just hearsay and also the title suggests "meeNdum" kaNNaki.

Don't know which girl was featured in this sweet number on screen - was it chEra nAttuppeN or kuzhandhai natchaththiram?

What starts with a sweet vocal harmony between SPB-SJ, my top pair, gets instrumental ornamentation of high class levels. Not a "running" melody but a stop-and-walk-kind IMO. Enjoyed the arrangements of this song more those days but now can appreciate the beauty in the melody. Actually even made fun of the pallavi (i.e. internally to myself) as 'what is this prose order thingy' but thEththified telling 'saraNam is great' Untrained ears

This movie was continuously in gossip columns - Sridevi couldn't do madisAr and the costume guy made 'madisAr pant' which she simply mAttified like a pant etc. BO was average I think but songs were big hits and regulars on radio

I would say KJY outdid SPB in this movie with his "chinnanchiru vayadhil". The playful touches of Raaja and kamal shall make the movie to be remembered forever more than this stunner of a song..