The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[skr]

No Probs App..
Every song in PM is a gem ..Waiting to hear the college reactions that time to Hey Aatha Aathoram

[app_engine]

#77 ராகதீபம் ஏற்றும் நேரம் புயல் மழையோ
(பயணங்கள் முடிவதில்லை, 1982 )

A song which was very unlike any IR song-prior! Sounding like a bakthippAttu while accommodating all the cinematic ingradients to make it catchy. Obviously, SPB's contribution is monumental in making this song a big hit (along with other numbers of this movie). The symbiosis too worked very well, with the first-timer RS providing nice "situations" and ok "picturizations" for each song of the movie. (Some of those may appear "not-that-great" from today's POV, but they were welcomed with both hands and embraced by the TN of 1982!)

Actually, the movie itself can be viewed from two angles. One view can be 'hey-what-was-new-after-all-singer-louvvu-dramatic-moments-cancerru-loud-comedy-etc-haven't-we-seen-these-all-before-(ninaithAle inikkum / johny)'.

A totally opposite view could be 'hey-first-time-a-PB-singer's-rise-on-celluloid-with-poet-as-lover-and-woman-behind-man's-success-principle-misinterpretation-of-sacrifice-under-norms-of-society-poetic-ending-etc'

It depends upon the maturity level of the movie watching community. Obviously, majority in TN took the 2nd viewpoint. And, such acceptance got promoted largely due to the "IR-SPB-factor" and the stunning levels of excellence both provided in this album

All that RS needed was to come out with a not-so-irritating-script for a winner and IMO he did a nice job I want to stress the "not-irritating" thing once again as very similar situations had thoroughly irritating presentations in many other movies, IMSO. (e.g. vAzhvE mAyam's "blood kakkifying" visuals with the "prevailing-foolish-thingy-that-KH-needs-min-two-women-per-film" were nauseating to me and so was the "rain-spoiling-song" of enakkuL oruvan and such dramatic movies). PM was a simple, sweet movie about an aspiring singer helped by an influential poet-girl to be successful. And no irritating visuals (despite the cancer thingy) but sufficient drama to keep the proceedings peppy to the end.

rAgadheepam has this "different sounding saraNams" which is a relative rarity in TFM (means, doesn't happen in most songs). I'm especially thrilled with the 2nd interlude where the music aptly captures the dramatic transformation in the weather and SPB nicely follows up with 'Anandha gangai veLLam pongapponga' (what lovely emotions, I say)!

[San_K]

>> A song which was very unlike any IR song-prior! <<

app, Is not like 'Kadhal Oviyam' movie songs? BTW when Kadhal Oviyam was released?

I too think, this song was so popular as much as Ilaiya nila, maniyosai and greater than all other songs in popularity

[app_engine]

>> A song which was very unlike any IR song-prior! <<

app, Is not like 'Kadhal Oviyam' movie songs? BTW when Kadhal Oviyam was released?

Yes, the song is of similar style as Kadhal Oviyam which came in the same year but I'm not sure about exact time of release Most probably after MP-PM that came in Feb. (BTW, BR's tik-tik-tik was towards the end of 1981 and KO could not have made it that early in 1982)

[genesis]

After the super duper success of PM, I think the director R.Sundarrajan and producer Kovai Thambi realized they can make more movies with IR as the only star attraction. Most if not all of the movies by RS-KT combo had pretty average story line, no big stars like RK/KH (The only other thing we remember about these movies is Koundamani-Senthil comedy tracks). If not for IR's music we would have forgotten all these movies by now. There were about 6-7 movies from this combo. Many of these movies made more business than good movies like Moondram Pirai. If my memory is right, good movies like Kathal Oviyam and Raja Paarvai were box office disasters.

Around 1985/86, KT went away from Raja and made some movies with Laxmikant-Pyarelal and V.S.Narasimman. But could not recreate the magic without IR. After RS-KT, this idea was taken to the next level by Ramarajan, Raj Kiran and Kasturi Raja - and they cut open the "Goose That Laid the Golden Egg".

[app_engine]

After the super duper success of PM, I think the director R.Sundarrajan and producer Kovai Thambi realized they can make more movies with IR as the only star attraction. There were about 6-7 movies from this combo.

Small correction there genesis...Following PM's success, Kovai Thambi (Motherland pictures) did a number of movies with IR but only one had RS as director (nAn pAdum pAdal, another movie I love).

For the producer's second movie after PM, iLamaikkAlangal, possibly after the songs were done, RS was removed and Manivannan did the movie with a 'script-for-ready-made-songs' technology. 3rd movie NPP had RS and that's about it.

4th unnai nAn sandhiththEn & 5th udhaya geetham : K Rangaraj was the director (who was an assistant to Bharathiraja)
6th idhayakkOvil : Maniratnam was the director

These are the six Kovai Thambi's MP + IR combo that I know of. (The producer picked L-P for the Nadhiya starrer uyirE unakkAga that had the sweet 'panneeril nanaintha pookkaL mella chirikka'. After that movie I stopped following their productions)

[V_S]

App,
Through Payananga Mudivathillai and its songs you brought back beautiful memories. Great songs and great write-up with again lot of never knew insights.

Our school had a playground where we usually go for our PT class. One side of the play ground is covered by a back wall of the theatre. Normally we can hear the dialogues, songs from our playground itself and most of us go near to the wall, when our PT master was not nearby. This is one of the films where we got to hear the songs and some dialogues before watching the film. Also as some of our friends have already watched the film used to narrate which scene was going on. All these became a teaser and could not avoid ignoring this film anymore. I still remember cutting the class one afternoon (yes at that young age) and watched this film and went home straight. I still could not believe how did i do that? I will leave it you how the rest of day would have been for me. I watched this film may be around 5-6 times, but everytime with one of our relatives. Very lovable film!

[V_S]

and they cut open the "Goose That Laid the Golden Egg".

Sorry genesis, I can never agree to this, if it were some other composer, may be, but it can never be true for Ilaiyaraaja who is a gifted composer. I believe we are not giving much thought about this recent compositions and just dismissing it, saying it's not like 80's. It's all prejudice.

[app_engine]

I still could not believe how did i do that?

Nice recap, V_S!

80's Raja = nostalgia to many of us

[rajkumarc]

PM has lovely songs that it's hard to pick one over the other as a favorite. Each song is special in its own way. Did IR play guitar for the Ilaya Nila song or was it somebody else?

Vaan Engum from MP is a spellbinding composition, the visual imagery it invokes for the dawn/dusk and sea shore setting is beyond comparison.