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TFM Stories, Tit-Bits and Anecdotes

Topic started by Sathiya Keerthi (@ panorama.nus.edu.sg) on Mon Apr 6 02:26:53 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

The aim of this thread is to collect, at one place, interesting
stories, anecdotes, tit-bits etc, related to TFM. A newcomer to
the forum will find this collection very interesting to read. For
example, Ramki mentioned the following story in another thread:

Do you remember the 'vizhiyil vizhundhu' (alaigal oyvadhillai) song?
Andha situation BRkku suddenaaga thondra, VMkku outdoor shootingil irundhu
phone seidhu kettuLLaar. VM phoneliye lyrics solla adhai tape seidhu
udanae IRkku anuppa, IR Janaki, Shailaja, PS ellariayum koppitturkkar
but no one was available. BSS mathram dhan mattirkkanga so avangalukku
adichadhu adhirshtam. The whole song was done in just 2 hrs time.
Annikke song shoot panni mudichittaangalaam.

Folks, please share any such stories, anecdotes and tit-bits that
you know, in this thread. If TFM Group thinks it is sufficiently
interesting, they could even place it in Permanent Topics.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.143) on: Tue Jun 29 05:01:17 EDT 1999
  
  Cinemakkararkal endha aLavukku uNmai persuvarkaL enbathu.....mmmmm
  
  IMHO, we should respect IR, ARR and others purely on the merit of their music and not based on their official & personal lives.
  
  
• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Tue Jun 29 05:44:33 EDT 1999
  
  I would say for sure that ARR took it as a piece of advice, as RameshB says, driving force. It was my interpretation that it was a 'condescending' piece of advice, as, if someone says something like that to me, I would definitely be hurt, especially if I had some talent in the field the person who was saying it didn't - IR, I believe, called for ARR to do this programming, not vice versa, so, I feel, it's beeter to "Say Nice Things, or say Nothing, instead of harsh words, which may hurt one's feelings!" If ARR had taken it to heart, he wouldn't be where he is today, an International artiste of repute. I wasn't trying to judge either one on their person lives, just quoting an observation, which upset me quite a bit.
  
  By the way, from Facts and Figures:
  
  Album Sales -
  
  ARR
  IR
  SAR
  Deva
  
  It looks like Deva is quantity over quality, hence people are not buying his music.
  
  Ramesh: I agree that they are not obsessive over cassette sales, but the fact still remains! ;) ARR has been reigning the fort in the last 8 years, however few his number of albums are.
  
  Raj: True, to a point, when I did my O'Levels, my French teacher said that there was no way I'd get an 'A', she said that I may scrape a 'B', I did enough work to get an 'A' in the end and my teacher was also quite thrilled, but in my mind, I always felt that she had no faith in me, this feeling can be for the good or for the bad, depending on the temperement of the person.
  
  My comment about IR's attitude comes from speaking to many people in the Tollywood world recently, he is known to be very big-headed, I'm sure you've all heard such comments anyway, he tended to "Verrupuva Sambhaadi" from many people, who thought of a time when they could bring him down. He was the King of Music, but also made everyone else 'know' it. People has to fall at his feet to get chances with him, he didn't pay very well, or on time, he didn't 'encourage young artistes', as kamesh has pointed out. This seems to be why his children are also not making the mark, as they say, "Ur pilaygalkku neega kattru kodutha, ungal pillaygal thangal paatulaiye sambhaadipaar".
  
  There is a lot more that I have heard about IR, I don't wish to share it all, as it may betray trust, but one thing I can definitely say is that Sivamani always refers to IR Sir as his Spiritual Guru - infact, he said it in his interview on one of the local stations, when asked about his experiences with MSV, KVM, IR and ARR. ARR also holds him in extremely high esteem, when he told us about the Punnagai Mannan experience, he was actually saying it with no quibs what-so-ever, everyone(I have met) in the Tollywood world does look up to IR, only, unlike many in this forum, they point out his faults as well as his good points, they all accept that NO ONE IS PERFECT!
  
  
• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Tue Jun 29 05:52:58 EDT 1999
  
  eden: Are you trying to incinuate that ARR is a liar? I think that is a bit unfair, as far as ARR is concerned, me and Seelan are just two 'kids' in London, he was even surprised that we ate rice and stuff, let alone try and show off in front of us. He was just sharing an experience that we asked him about and I and Seelan felt a bit upset hearing it(Seelan is a very big IR fan, by the way), this is why I shared it with you.
  
  It is always to say:
  I
  TAKE OFF TAKE OFF
  I
  I
  I
  I
  
  This is one of the things hanging out with extremely spiritual people like ARR and Sivamani taught me, as all religions say, "All the world is an illusion, God alone is real." ARR sopke about God and his experiences and pilgrimages a lot of the time, he told us about how he learned to read the Koran - Arabic, and also that he knows nothing, he said to me that I must meditate and carry on with my music practice and that 'if one prays to God and does one's best to their full capacity, all will go well'.
  
  
• From: Raj (@ master.hyd.deshaw.com) on: Tue Jun 29 06:33:14 EDT 1999
  
  Geetha: You have almost conceded my point:))). Well, almost;-)))
  
  As you say, the temparament of the receiving person determines the effect of the dress-down.
  Some points to be considered are:
  1. My guide(or IR)'s experience and standing in the field.
  2. His confidence in my (ARR's) ability to do justice to pure maths(pure music).
  
  3. An understandable distrust for computers and a justified lack of appreciation of its output
  
  4. The resultant adhangam manifesting as the scolding.
  
  I would say that it was a compliment to ARR because it meant IR actually thought that this kid could do some justice to conventional music and was distressed at the kid's complete surrender to the machine.
  
  I always believe that elders have our good in mind when they actually berate us in the manner you have quoted of IR and ARR. Ofcourse, the same could be imparted in a much gentler manner..but wouldnt you give a certain amount of leeway for their experience and standing? I would.
  
  
  2.
  "My comment about IR's attitude comes from speaking to many people in the Tollywood world recently, he is known to be very big-headed, I'm sure you've all heard such comments anyway, he tended to "Verrupuva Sambhaadi" from many people, who thought of a time when they could bring him down. He was the King of Music, but also made everyone else 'know' it. People has to fall at his feet to get chances with him, he didn't pay very well, or on time, he didn't 'encourage young artistes', as kamesh has pointed out. This seems to be why his children are also not making the mark, as they say, "Ur pilaygalkku neega kattru kodutha, ungal pillaygal thangal paatulaiye sambhaadipaar". "
  
  Geetha , with due respect, dont you think that a lot of the above observations are mere speculation and rumour? Who are these people who are accusing Raja of all sorts of things?
  
  A lot ,oh, lot has been said about his ego ,"big-headedness" etc. One thing is obvious: He was too big for the TF of his time...he stood out in a sea of mediocrity. If he showed his dissatisfaction at the output of others , then I am only too happy to condone it. For, over and above the 'humane' aspect of 'not discouraging lesser talent even though it doesnt measure up your standards', I hold an artist's justified hate of mediocrity supreme.
  
  Secondly, all this nonsense about him expecting people to fall in his feet is , FYI, mere rumour...and did you know that he actually despised such acts. This came from none other than the jaalra-to-beat-all-jalras, RajKiran, who mentioned an incident where he,rajkiran, wanted to fall on Raja's feet. Raja chided the latter and refused to encourage the latter. Upon which Kiran insisted claiming that the act would give him "Athma thrupthi". Which Raja propmptly shot down saying"Aanmavukku ethu thrupthi".
  
  Now, do you want me to believe that such a man expected people to fall on his feet?
  Well, make your own judgement..afterall, Rajkiran may have concocted this story, right?
  
  
  "This seems to be why his children are also not making the mark, as they say, "Ur pilaygalkku neega kattru kodutha, ungal pillaygal thangal paatulaiye sambhaadipaar". "
  
  Now, now, isnt that being judgemental? Why, infact you could add the words "MORAL OF THE STORY" before this sentence? ;-)))
  
  
  As for the stories your sources have told you, please do remember that they are one-sided. Without knowing the other side, dont you think it would be a hasty act to form judgements as the above one.
  
  
  
  
• From: Geetha (@ gatekeeper.oracle.co.uk) on: Tue Jun 29 07:37:40 EDT 1999
  
  Raj: As i have not met IR, I cannot make judgement of his personality, but I can only make my decisions on what I feel from what people or the media say. Where else is there access to him? Let me point out that this is a facet of his personality, not a facet of his music, this I will agree with and also a lot of the stuff that I heard from people in the business are 'in the business' and know more than we do about TFM personalities. Some of the people are directors, assistant directors, lyricists e.t.c. But, my TIDBIT was from ARR himself. I personally found it offencive, however, ARR didn't feel the same, he jsut told us about the encounter we asked him about. As I said, I do partly agree with you, but my point was that, it's better not to say anything than to hurt someone, or say something nasty, one will go further in that way. In the case of your teacher or mine, raj, they have nothing to loose in 'pushing' us in a 'harsh' manner and being proved wrong, but IR did have a lot to lose when he was proved wrong, that's all.
  
  In your opinion, it's OK for IR to be harsh with people and to be big-headed, simply beacuse of his talent, In My Opinion, Humility in a Musician is a lot nicer, we'll have to agree to disagree on this matter, obviously.
  
  As for the statement, I took it as saying that ARR was not going to get anywhere with computers, that he had no talent otherwise. It depends on interpretation. If I was told that I could never do well in a field, I would certainly be upset, especially when the job I was called to do was one the person who was 'big' in the field did not have expertise in!
  
  True, the stories are one-sided, but I can only say, they came from people who saw me just as ARR saw me, 'a foriegner'. No one had anything to gain by embellishing the stories, this is what I feel.
  
  By the way, YSR was about to run off with the daughter of one of the Ministers, as he parents were against that fact that YSR was a different cast from them....Isn't that awful? Apparently, they have decided to wait, as IR wanted KR and Bhava to be married ASAP. Maybe we'll see some famous Millenium Marriages soon.
  
  "The resultant adhangam manifesting as the scolding. " - I don't understand..... What does 'adangam' mean?
  
  About him not paying, it's entirely true, I've heard this from musicians themselves. A lot of people prefer to work with ARR, as he gives them their 'asking rate at the time'. As for falling at his feet, this is pure speculation and what you say about Rajkiren may be true. After all, if directors can wait for days outside ARR's place to get a chance to speak to him, in the olden days, maybe people fell at IR's feet to get him to notice them, when one wants a chance or to use a busy person, it's attracting attention that is important:)
  
  I feel that IR or any MD should always give credit when it is due, you never know when the 'grass becomes greener' and when "that person you made a fool of years ago comes back as your Manager"!
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.146) on: Tue Jun 29 08:30:47 EDT 1999
  
  Geetha!
  If my statement is understood that way, then I'm sorry. It is not to criticize ARR or IR or anyone in particular!
  
  What I tried to convey was a general fact regarding the degree of truth in the statements of artistes (why most humans nowadays). Most of the time some element of exaggeration or downplay has been involved. Often there had been wrong motives, popularity gimmicks and even slandering....many a time to the advantage of the one who spells out and involving boasting...never admitting one's own errors(unfortunately, this tendency has crept into people in every walk of life -not only famous persons & very few speak absolute truth). This has been especially true in the case of cine-field people. ( I admit there may be exceptions and hence always avoid judging individuals, 'cause one never knows the exact truth)
  
  And about the spirituality of these people...less said the better (did you read the article in kumudam about ARR's connection with some witch doctor kind of fellow, who has suddenly become rich and even alleged to have terrorist links? The hubby of ARR's sis called that character a fraud who claims around to having reduced IR's power)...IMHO, that's another popularity gimmick of cine-artistes , or alternately, some search for the ultimate truth due to dissatisfied personal lives...
  
  What I meant by that posting is, pls don't get emotional over all the personal issues of these guys & just evaluate them on their musical performance alone! The only emotion they deserve from us, is a little bit of human sympathy and love apart from gratitude for making our lives musically richer! That's all!
  
  (NOM to anybody & all strictly IMO)
  
  

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