Home   Forum   Wiki   Notes   Register   FAQ   Sitemap   About Us   Contact Us  

Mumbai Moham - What do Tamils put up with the bad and mediocre singing of Mumbai artistes?

Topic started by Indhu (@ 24.76.127.63) on Sat Dec 1 22:44:28 EST 2001.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

This is my question....Udit Narayan, Hariharan, Sadhana Sargam, Kavitha Krishnamurti,Sonu Nigam - All sing in Tamil. But their Tamil is really very bad. Are Tamils deaf, tolerant, or have no PERUMAI in their own language? Is there really a shortage of good, tamil-speaking singers? Or is this really Tamil Inferiority Complex?

---

Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: suresh (@ 202.88.155.34) on: Mon Dec 10 06:07:25 EST 2001
  
  Whynot
  
  I agree that there have been several instances in the past, during the MSV as well as IR eras, where English/Tanglish words have been used. But won't you agree that such songs were the exception rather than norm in those days? It was never like now, when almost every movie has a heavily accented song to the extent that the producers/distributors have been lured into believing that such an "item" number is mandatory.
  
  When Asha Bhonsle sang "shenbagame" or Lata did "valaiyosai" they were novelties at that period in time, isolated instances during the long reign of SJ and Chitra. Even there, you can discern a genuine attempt on the part of these singers to smoothen those rough edges that come with singing in a foreign language.
  
  Let's take the classic case of Udit Narayan. Wouldn't he have sung atleast 20 songs by now? If you contrast the horrible "achacho punnagai" in the latest Shahjahan to his debut(?) "kulu valleyle", can you notice any improvement in diction? I would say the nonchalance has only gone up by several notches; whether the spineless/careless MDs or the lyricists are to also blame for this state of affairs is a moot point.
  
  Just look at the speed and ease with which these mumbai heroines pick up thamizh, and you'll know that if Udit and Singh are told to shape up or ship out, they'll work harder on their delivery. Very little chance of this happening though, as the young MDs and hotshot actors think these voices are 'cool', hence there's absolutely no pressure on these guys to improve.
  
  Ffiflo, you haven't read my post carefully. I actually have said that criticism of "chikku bukku" and "mustafa" can be moderated on the grounds that they fit the overall context in the film and the fresh novelty that they were targeted to generate.
  
  I would also disagree with you on the limitations posed by recurrent, tiring themes in TFs. Thamizh language is sufficiently rich to allow unlimited creativity even while handling the same old theme. For too long, esp. during the post-VM period of IRs hegemony, lyrics took a backstage and almost template-ready versions of set songs to a given situation began to emerge.
  
  I'm sure even a thamizh-starter Sukhwinder can figure out after a basic exposure to IRs songs that, if the word "maane" is featured, 99/100 times "kollimalai thene" and "naane" will folow. This got so tiresome that when the ARR-heralded new wave hit the thamizh shores, audiences were relieved to have "olive oil", "strawberry sauce" and assorted other liquids substitute our native 'kollimalai then' in he lexicon of heroine-worship.
  
  I'm afraid that IR, for all his thamizh-pulamai, must cop a higher blame for subjecting audiences to the most tiresome, cliche'd, nonsensical lyrics when compared to ARR, HJ and YSR whose social space has been defined by english-speaking acquaintances. Even the recent "Kaasi" has several such template-lyrics.
  
  ARR has also fallen into the template trap - witness the recent "Azhage Sugama" in PP, but he and VM are cleverer in that they use mild, easy-on-the-ear, and culturally appropriate (in the current context) words. You're more likely to hear "mississipi nathiyil" in an ARR song than a "vaigaikkaraiyoram" or "siruvani athu thanni". For the younger generation that roots its aspiration in GRE and GMAT, this is just the music they identify with.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 208.61.227.242) on: Mon Dec 10 12:14:24 EST 2001
  
  I think "Vaseegara" is a good example of how you can write a love number, make it modern and slick, but with no unnecessary intrusion of inglepees words..I dont agree with others who say that since the same situation gets repeated its different to write songs without annoying english words..
  
  and I am wondering if the audience is already tired of these kind of thanglish songs because two of the biggest hits in recent times
  
  "Vaseegara" and "Un samaiyal arayil" are pleasant to hear, good lyrics, no tamil kolai and yet sound slick without any foreign words..
  
  Hats off to pulavar Thamarai and the MDs for making it so..
  
  it shows NO MD including ARR can justify having "olive oil" in a serious song like snehidhane and then make an excuse saying that the "audience wanted it"..its a bunch of bull guys..
  
  and notice how "vaseegara" and "un samayal araiyil" doesnt have that cliched "template " tamil lyrics too that Suresh rightly pointed out..
  
  I believe that present IR tunes in spite of being mediocre would sound a lot better if the lyrics were a little fresher..all the maane-thene, roja-raja, nimmadhi-sannidhi, paarvai-vervai paasam-nesam-vesam etc. word pairs should be banned :-))
  
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.133) on: Mon Dec 10 12:26:33 EST 2001
  
  suresh, it was nice to read your 'lyric-template' theory.
  vijay, i agree that 'olive oil' sounded very out of place in that song. Even oxygen-nirappi in anbe anbe from jeans sounded funny and spoilt the mood of the song.
  But i think the funny-ness of lyrics are sometimes designed to gain our attention. (i'm not justifying their use here)
  I mean look at 'telephone manipol'. U start to think how a girl would sound if she laughed like a phone ring, and it gets your attention eventho it makes no sense.
  
  
• From: Indhu (@ 24.76.127.63) on: Mon Dec 10 13:27:04 EST 2001
  
  So how would a girl sound if she laughed like a phone ring, whynot? I am like so curious.
  
  Indhu
  
  (I am also curious to know how a man would sound if he talked like a crowbar, laughed like a chainsaw, goofed around like a beeper, sang to me like a alarm clock....gosh, the options and possibilities literally thrill me. :-))
  
  
• From: Indhu (@ 24.76.127.63) on: Mon Dec 10 13:33:44 EST 2001
  
  Vijay the template also works in Hindi (the Sameers, Mehboobs, Javed Akhtars are doing their bit up north)
  
  Yaar-Pyar-Baar-Baar
  
  Haath-Saath-Baath-Raath
  
  (and talking of Hinglipis - here's my favorite (sorry ARR fans)
  
  Neeche Isqu hay
  Ooparru rubu hay
  
  
  Now that's the RUB no language really needs.
  
  
• From: Pal (@ 199.43.48.22) on: Mon Dec 10 13:36:47 EST 2001
  
  Whynot, vijay:
  
  'aiviraliduukil Olive ennai poosi' can anyone say what is wrong in this?
  
  Olive ennai - thamizh vaarthai illayaa? appa adhukku thmizh vaarthai enna? Why we should n't use it in Tamizh lyrics?
  
  
  
• From: NCR (@ 206.30.30.2) on: Mon Dec 10 14:14:53 EST 2001
  
  JUST FOR FUN
  
  TANGLISH ON THE UPSWING
  
  "Enna matter-u?" (What's the matter)?
  "Mood seriya illai-da" (I'm not in a good mood).
  "Summa tension pannadei" (Hey, don't make me more tense)."
  These days, if you hear more English and less Tamil on the streets of Chennai, it's because many young urban Tamils are speaking like this only. Tamil is flirting with English and the new lingo goes under many names. It was christened Tamingalam (Angilam being Tamil for English) by Sri Lankan poet Kasi Anandan, who has spoofed it in many of his works
  
  The urban college-going type, the speech community which patronises this hybrid tongue, prefers to call it Tamlish/Tanglish. But it is Tanglish that's stuck, what with music major HMV this year releasing a two-volume album of film songs titled Tanglish, featuring Tamil lyrics with a liberal dose of what was purportedly the Queen's language.
  
  For the full article on Tanglish, visit
  http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20011126&fname=Tamlish+%28F%29&sid=1
  
  
  
• From: Indhu (@ 24.76.127.63) on: Mon Dec 10 14:31:47 EST 2001
  
  NCR,
  
  Now BRACE yourself for the BARBS along the lines of: This is tamil undergoing a metamorphosis, it is welcoming new ideas, cutesy turn-of-phrases, taking the language out of its old mould and giving it a new lease of vivaciousness, spreading the glory of an old, stodgy language far and wide, making it universal, familiar, interesting, and oh-so-hip...
  What could your problem be, man? Why do you obsess about Tamil, get caught up in petty debates about lyrics and pronunciation, practice segregation (aparthied - sheeeesh - get with the program guy!)
  and express your discontent when the Tamil language now is accepted and celebrated by zillions of non-tamil folk, like in Germany, Sweden, Khandahar, ...I mean, the Tamil horizon now is truly infinite, limitless, a bonafide bottomless pit! Tamil is for everybody. So, what's your beef??
  
  (This just in: The stores in Kovai can't keep up the demand for Olive Oil (men, they say, prefer the extra-virgin variety) and the sales are literally ripping through the roof!)
  
  
• From: Fliflo (@ 146.186.113.218) on: Mon Dec 10 14:34:07 EST 2001
  
  "Aiviral Idukil Olive Ennai Poosi" unfortunately is a good choice for bad example. Sol kuttrama? Porul Kuttrama? Unamayil sonnal it sucks in both.
  
  1. "Aiyviral idukkil Olive Ennai Poosiya Kaathalai Yaam ithuvarai Kandathu illai". Just to write something different it probably was written - So first one is "Porul Kuttram". As far as the reality is concerned, Olive oil is used to relieve pain for kids and is a fantastic moisturizer for dry skin problems during winter. I donno why it should be used for a lover unless he/she has health concerns. Please visit this site to find out health related applications of olive oil.
  
  http://www.allsands.com/Health/Advice/oliveoilhealth_urc_gn.htm
  
  2. The way it was sung, Sadha sargam can not go worser.
  
  
  
• From: Ramki (@ 161.150.2.250) on: Mon Dec 10 14:37:41 EST 2001
  
  it is not aiviral idukkil its aiviral eduthu olive ennai poosi
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 67.162.124.29) on: Mon Dec 10 14:38:57 EST 2001
  
  Pal, more than finding a tamil equivalent for Olive oil(if there exists one) I would have been happier if VM could have just come up with a different line of thought in that place..if VM cant find anything appropriate that doesnt sound funny then let him just drop that idea..thats my take..
  and "olive oil" really sounded funny in that otherwise serious melody..like someone said here its somewhat of a mood-spoiler..atleast to me
  
  
• From: Fliflo (@ 146.186.113.218) on: Mon Dec 10 14:40:12 EST 2001
  
  Ramki..whatever, the concern is the same..FYI, olive ennai is found great use in strengthening finger nails..Anyway thanks for pointing it out.
  
  

---

List all pages of this thread

Post comments