Home   Forum   Wiki   Notes   Register   FAQ   Sitemap   About Us   Contact Us  

People who used TFM to gain popularity among masses

Topic started by murali (@ deere3-bh.dx.deere.com) on Thu Mar 5 11:28:44 EST 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

---

Responses:

• From: murali (@ deere3-bh.dx.deere.com) on: Thu Mar 5 11:30:20 EST 1998
  
  I have been thinking about this topic for a long time. Let us analyze how our leaders used Tamil film songs to spread their popularity among the masses. Please avoid discussing about idealogy of political parties and leaders. The first few songs of MGR which comes to my mind are
  
  a) ‘Nan Aanaiyittal’
  b) ‘Nan Yean pirathen’
  c) ‘Sirithu vazha vendum pirar sirikka vazhnithidathe
  Uzaithu Vazha vendum pirar uzhaika vazhnthidathe’
  
  MGR also identified himself with the cross-section of the masses in the following songs
  
  -- 'Kadavul Ennum Mudalali,…….Thozillali’
  -- 'Tharaimeaal pirakka vaithan engalai thaneeril medhakka vaithan’
  
  Manisekharan also requested a similar topic to the above , in the other thread.
  
  Let us have a healthy discussion.
  
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ greed.cs.umass.edu) on: Thu Mar 5 23:47:00 EST 1998
  
  murali: You have written about the man who exploited TFM to the hilt. inimE yaarra paththi ezhuthinaalum athu anti-climaxA thaan irukkum. :)
  
  
• From: NOV (@ 202.184.134.10) on: Fri Mar 6 01:19:54 EST 1998
  
  Ravi - Ungal thalaivarei paththi maranthu viteergalaei. Oops! It's taboo to talk about him now, isn't it? :-))
  
  
• From: murali (@ 192.43.70.152) on: Fri Mar 6 09:09:40 EST 1998
  
  Raththathin Raththame,
  
  Yenna yaaruteyuruthum, topickkapatri, pechu muche kaanum. Yellarum weekend mooda!
  
  Looking forward to some interesting news(about MGR songs) from Manisekharan.
  
  Does anybody know the complete lyrics of ‘Tharaimeaal pirakka vaithan engalai thaneeril medhakka vaithan’
  
  
  
• From: Manisekharan (@ bat-50-64.tm.net.my) on: Fri Mar 6 11:12:50 EST 1998
  
  Uyirnum Melana Udan Pirappu MUARALI avarkeley
  
  Let me first say that I do not believe in party politics. In the words of Kamraj "Ellarum Orey Kuttayil Ooriya Mattaikal." Let us also see how mature we are in handling this most emotional topic. May I suggest we identify the politically motivated songs from the early period and don't jump the period.
  
  1.There were certain "Koothadikal"(pure literary words to describe actors. You may ask Kanchana to verify) to promote DMK in the early days. NSK, K.R.Ramasamy, MR Rada, MGR and SSR were in the forefront. It is widely said that NSK was the one who initiated political songs in films. NSK acted in several films. He also acted in Paithiakkaran, a story by Anna, then in Sathi Leelavathy. MGR also acted in them. While NSK was rigid in his ways, MGR was swaying at that time, as he was a member in the Congress Party, wearing kathar vetti and kathar Jippa. After these films MGR also acted in Purana Padangal.
  
  During the early days NSK used Prachara Vasanangal to promote DK. Later only he started to promote through songs. Even then in those days words like "Periar", "Dravidar" and "Anna" were not allowed. Later "Anna" was allowed, but the words "Periyar" and "Anna" remained censored.
  
  But NSK very shrewdly used these words in the film Panam in 1952. He uses the words Theena Moona Kaana. In the film he started an association called "Thirukkural Munnetra Kazhagam", the abbreviation of which is Thi.Mu.Ka. In refering to this body he sings the song that goes:
  
  "Theena Moona Kaana..."
  
  Then he goes on to the next line as follows:-
  
  "Pagutharivodu Naattinar Vaazha
  Thirukkural Thanthaar Periyar"
  
  Then he clarifies which periyar he is referring to as follows:
  
  "Periyaar-Valluvap Periyaar-Anthap
  Paathayil Naadu Sendridavey
  Vazhi Vaguppathum, Athanpadi Nadappathum
  Engal Theena Moona Kaana"
  
  The NSK promotes DMK as follows:
  
  "Karuppu Sivappu Enra Pethathai Neekkum
  Kallar Maravarodu
  Pallu Paraikalena Ulla
  Pethangalai Ozhikkattum-Ungal
  Theena Moona Kaana"
  
  This song may refer certainly refers to DMK, but there was no way the censorship board could use Julius Scissors on the song. By this song NSK gave Dimikki to the censorship Board. Thsi si said to be the first song to have openly mentioned about DMK.
  
  So let us continue from here in stages.
  (I have the entire lyrics for Tharaimel PIrakka Vaithaai, but posting that may break the mood of the discussion.Since you have mentioned let me say that "Tharaimel pirkkavaithan" has one line for which Kannadasan gave his chain to Vali. The line is
  "Velli Nilavey Viakkay Eriyum
  Kadalthaan Engal Veedu,
  Mudinthaal Mudiyum, Thodarnthaal Thodarum
  Ithu Thaan Engal Vazhkai")
  
  Udal Mannukku, Kudal Sotrukku!
  
  
• From: Manisekaran (@ bat-50-64.tm.net.my) on: Fri Mar 6 11:22:51 EST 1998
  
  ANAIVARUKKU...
  
  MANNIKKA VENDUKIREN
  
  I am sorry I seem to have touched on political tone. Honestly I did not read the intro properly. Kannirunthum Kurudai Irunthuvitten. Anyway I do not know how to discuss the songs of MGR wihtout touching on his politics.
  
  MEENDUM MANNIKKAVUMARU MANDRADUKIREN....
  
  
  
• From: murali (@ 192.43.70.152) on: Fri Mar 6 12:18:26 EST 1998
  
  Manisekharan Avargale,
  
  Neengal Manrada veyendam. We can always mention about history of political parties. My intention was not to give any personal opinion about idealogy of political parties and leaders(like what is happening about IR-ARR in some threads). You are welcome to mention about history of parties.
  
  
• From: murali (@ 192.43.70.152) on: Fri Mar 6 14:13:51 EST 1998
  
  In my previous posting, it should read as 'Neengal
  Manrada veYendaAm'.Mani, Ungal pangeruppukku megunda nandri. Ungalin sevai Yenda threadkku thevai.
  
  Also, MGR political songs had great music and catchy tunes to reach the masses. I heard that he
  had very good knowledge in music and use to ask the MD's to have more than one tune for the same lyrics and select one of them. Any comments.
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ hope.cs.umass.edu) on: Fri Mar 6 16:45:27 EST 1998
  
  NOV: yaarunga ennOda thalaivar? IR-a? ottu mOththamma naan nerayA paarththa hero MGR thaan. I have seen more MGR movies than anybody else's. anbE vaa mattum oru 8 thadavai paaththu iruppEn.
  
  
• From: NOV (@ 202.184.134.10) on: Fri Mar 6 20:02:33 EST 1998
  
  Ravi - From some of your postings, I gathered you were a big fan of Rajani. :-)))
  Avareithaan ungal thalaivar yendru sonnein!
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ greed.cs.umass.edu) on: Sat Mar 7 00:08:24 EST 1998
  
  NOV: aiyA entha postinga sollareenga? naanum therinjukkarEnE. :-). I am a fan of only one person that is IR.
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ greed.cs.umass.edu) on: Sat Mar 7 12:52:27 EST 1998
  
  Test please ignore.
  
  
• From: NOV (@ 202.184.134.10) on: Tue Mar 10 04:18:34 EST 1998
  
  Sorry for that Ravi. I will e-mail you personally to satisfy your curiousity.
  
  OK - let's get back to the subject on hand.
  
  As far as cine-politicians are concerned, there have been many in the past and present. Latest are of course Ramarajan and Sarathkumar (althoug I REFUSE to admit Ramarajan as an actor. :-))
  
  But after MGR, the glory (?) goes to Rajani Kanth. It would be appropriate if some of us could come up with a list of "double-meaning" songs.
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ greed.cs.umass.edu) on: Tue Mar 10 10:48:18 EST 1998
  
  While MGR has been very systematic in nurturing his popularity through the selection of stories and songs, Rajini's invovlement in politics has been almost accidental. It is only lately that Rajini has been intentionally included songs with a political message. Since he has not been involved wit any political movement thus far, he probably felt no compulsions to do it earlier.. while MGR tried to popularize the ideas of his political mentors even if he had had no ambitions of his own(? :). A lot of Rajini's "angry young man" songs of earlier years can be used in a political context now "koovungaL sEvalgaLE"; "Gandhi dEsamE" etc. More recenlty even songs like "rekkai katti parakkudhadi annaamalai cycle" have been used in propoganda. :). One explicitly political song I can think of is "kuluvaalilE".
  Rajini also went through a phase in between where a lot of his songs used to denounce politics, like "en kittE mOthaathE". IMO those have a greater reception among his fans than his political ones.. :)
  
  
• From: Pinchi Srinivasan (@ 1cust110.max3.new-york.ny.ms.uu.net) on: Tue Mar 10 16:25:17 EST 1998
  
  Dear friends,sorry for the digrssion,
  edu eppadiyo "Who used TMF-DF to gain popularity(?) among TMF DF patrons" inna kandippa Mr. Nitin engira oru maaberum "Rathchaganist" kku than ennoda vote, thalaiva Mr. Nitin , enge boss thalai maraivayitteenga?. kandippa No offence please.
  
  
• From: PINCHI SRINIVASAN (@ 1cust110.max3.new-york.ny.ms.uu.net) on: Tue Mar 10 16:29:42 EST 1998
  
  please read TMF AS TFM, TYPO..ERROR
  
  
• From: Satish (@ caesar-224.cs.umn.edu) on: Tue Mar 10 18:40:19 EST 1998
  
  Ravi,
  I don't know if you can call it a "phase" for Rajni. Some of his songs randomly had some lines like that.
  "Rajadhi Raja" song that you mentioned had the line "ennakku katchiyum venaam oru kodiyum venaam".
  In "Muthu" there was "katchi ellaam ippo namakku edhukku?"
  In "Veera" the song "yakka yakka pOtti kadai.." has similar lines "andha kOdi venuma? inda kOdi venumaa?"
  Are there more songs in which "katchi/kOdi" was explicitly mentioned?
  
  
• From: bs (@ www1.access.bt.com) on: Mon Mar 16 11:55:37 EST 1998
  
  One of the persons instantly coming to my mind when I think of TFM is actor Mohan. During my younger days the combo of IR-Mohan-Motherland-Kovaithambi was at their best.. In majority of his successful films Mohan will be a singer or atleast one song will be there in the stage.. Avar mikkum kaiyyumaga nintrale ozhiya antha padam success agirathukku chancae illai entru irunthathu.. If U take a list of Mohan films the no: of feel-good melodious songs will be definitely more than a handfull..
  One other musical connection for him is that S.N.Surendar, not-that-much popular playback singer did the dialogue-recording( I dont know what this dept. is called in filmy terms..) for Mohan..This I came to know when one of the live shows performed by IR,GA & Co. in Singapore/Malaysia was shown in TV-DDMadras (the series was Ilayarjavin Innisaimazhai..)..He spoke some dialogues from one of the Mohan movies..
  
  BS
  
  
• From: test (@ ) on: Fri Jun 7 22:38:36 EDT 2002
  
  Ahref=http://www.kumudam.com/theeranadhi/mainpage.html
  
  

---

List all pages of this thread

---

Back to the Forum

Post comments