The Golden Era of Dr.IR and Dr.SPB

[genesis]

KV, not sure if it is Devar film but the director is K natraj for sure. I saw this movie in DD in the 80s and went through the cycle of denial-disbelief-rage-shock-ridicule-darkhumour 20+ years back. Actually, my first version of that Revathy-Director conversation was far more risque and vulgar . Had to tone it down since this thread is a family thread, run by decent cultured family man app-engine . One of the gigs involved an enraged Natraj using the feminine form of Dog for the uncooperative actress to his ADs, in keeping with the theme of the post. Sadly, I have to tone down my profane genius to make my writing acceptable to general public

Funny enjoyable hypothesis. But seriously, does anyone know this is not a "re-used" song from some unreleased movie? IR scored so many movies those days, and many tamil movies were released in the pre-TV era, some of them did not get completed or make it to the screen. Songs from the movies were liquidated, probably to buy the return ticket for the producer. Most of the other songs from this movie are average or below average. I got strong feeling that this song is alien to this movie. Moreover this song has some "Telugu" smell..... (the tune more suitable for telugu lyrics?!!)

What unforgivable is, even after listening to this song, K.Natraj decided to place more importance about his competetion with Rama Narayanan, than making a good picturisation.

[app_engine]

#198 புதிய பூவிது, பூத்தது
(தென்றலே என்னைத்தொடு, 1985 , ஜானகியுடன்)

One of the biggest hit albums of the year. The movie too ran successfully. Perhaps the most watched trailer for a TF on theater was the TET one for me. Interestingly, IIRC, we didn't get the music disk / cassette in the hostel until we watched the movie. The songs were already getting "hummed", simply after watching the trailer, even though those were shown only for a few seconds! Extremely catchy tunes and Sridhar (or whoever prepared the teaser) did a great job there!

The movie was running in the Maris complex in Trichy - not the main theater but one of those smaller ones. We went as a group and I didn't like the movie, like most of the group. It was very predictable and boring. The lead cast didn't help either. 'puthiya poovidhu' was a poolside song I think. Mohan was doing his standard set of expressions which have become stale at this point of time. And the CBE-style-saree-clad-girl...hmmm...at that college age / living in a relatively dry place like Trichy REC campus etc and still many found a heroine unattractive, that speaks volumes about Sridhar's girl choice for this movie. ayyO pAvam.

Well, the major plus for the movie was songs! What a terrific album that the combo delivered again! While my top choice songs went to KJY (he is celebrating his 50th career year today, BTW), SPB too had his terrific gem in 'puthiya poovidhu' with his star duet partner! rAsA had his tablA person do a lot of tricks in the song to make it very memorable, with superb support from the guitarist and synth group!

[V_S]

#198 புதிய பூவிது, பூத்தது
(தென்றலே என்னைத்தொடு, 1985 , ஜானகியுடன்)

And the CBE-style-saree-clad-girl...hmmm...at that college age / living in a relatively dry place like Trichy REC campus etc and still many found a heroine unattractive, that speaks volumes about Sridhar's girl choice for this movie. ayyO pAvam.

App well done!

The reason why is composition is so special for me is, right from the word go, we keep hearing different instruments continuously every couple of seconds. First two seconds, first guitar, next two seconds another one comes in, third two seconds third one joins in. 8th second we hear the bass guitar providing excellent bass for some terrific string lead (I believe it is keyboard). Flute then join the party when Maestro finishes the prelude with Coda (just like the start). Normally Coda comes at the end of a song (to imitate the starting portion of the song, poove sempoove is an example of Coda), but here he uses it in prelude itself and substantiates the whole song theme in the prelude itself. Like 'oru Paanai SORukku oru sORu padham'.

During the whole song I normally get into a search mode. Imagine sitting in some place which has absolute silence. Suddenly the first guitar said above touches our ears and go. While we go towards that sound to see where it is coming from, he introduces second one from another place, so we get redirected to another one and while we follow that one, he introduces the third one from a different place. This continues for the whole song where he introduces the 'magic' echoing tabla, SPB's voice, SJ's voice, new sounds in interludes, flutes, outstanding bass tracks, haunting echos in 'sol sol sol…', 'yEn yEn yEn…', what not. I keep running behind every sound where it is coming from only to be fooled by Maestro and reminds me that everything is inside you and gives me back a wild laugh at me which haunts me more than the song itself.


Just the prelude and bass tracks tells us why these songs are immortal and can never be composed again!

[genesis]

CBE-style-saree-clad-girl...

CBE is for Coimbatore?!

[balaji]

App engine

Pudhiya Poovidhu is a great song

'Ilamanathu.." .. Not only because it one of the best duets of SPB-SJ IMHO, but also because of the injustice met at the hands of the director, this song needs salvation, and hence deserve to be the 200th song..

Bala

[radiochandra]

Watched this movie at Jeeva - Rukmani theatre ( now AdLabs) at Pondicherry with my dad. Utter bore but for the songs. Imagine, my dad was interested in the movie because the debutante heroine Jayashree was his friend's daughter, and he had known her as a child. The movie will be remembered for the songs and also as the great Sridhar's last hit.

Though the Hamsanadham based "Thendral Vandhu ennai thodum" and the most popular song of that time " Kanmani Nee vara Kaarthirundhen" went to KJY, " Pudhiya Poovidhu" and the fast paced " kavithai paadu kuyile kuyile" were also enjoyable.

"Pudhiya Poovidhu" was indeed a swimming pool song and Jayashree will look like a swim suit clad INDANE gas cylinder. IR's trademark mood changing style can be seen in the charanam where the song transits to " Thallaadum Megangale, Kovil theppangal Pol aadumo ". Indha idam varum pothu mattum, intha paattin sugam pala madangu koodum. Raasaa raasaa thaan.

[Plum]

Tidbit: Jayashree is aththai or something to another awkward-gaited actress of a later generation - Sukanya.The song had a reincarnation in Telugu in the 90s as "kotha kothaga unnadhi", in Coolie #1 starring Venkatesh and coincidentally, a debut-making, awkward-gaited actress - Tabu. Unlike the other two awkward gaits who made a debut in IR's music, this one went on to become a great actress in Indian cinema.

[groucho070]

"Pudhiya Poovidhu" was indeed a swimming pool song and Jayashree will look like a swim suit clad INDANE gas cylinder.

[groucho070]

Tabu...went on to become a great actress in Indian cinema.

EppOlernthu:

[Bala (Karthik)]

App, I think vandhaal mahalaksmiye is the most popular from the movie, although the other two are better standard issue melodies.

"Kaalai Thendral" head and shoulders above "Enge En Jeevane", in spite of Teacher Amma P.Suseela (sorry App, Chitra-kaaga neenga panna coinage use pannikitten. Teacher amma is the image that i've always had of P.S - voice enakku set aagaadhu)