Home   Forum   Wiki   Notes   Register   FAQ   Sitemap   About Us   Contact Us  

Vanijayaram - The most neglected singer.

Topic started by V. Balaji (@ webproxy04qfe0.sbi.com) on Fri Aug 20 10:55:02 EDT 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Vanijayaram(VJ) who has sung in all Inidan Languages (very few have done that), and some wonderful songs in the four South Inidan Languages is sadly the most neglected singer in the film industry.
After being shunned by Hindi Filmwallas due to Lata's pressure, this excellent singer did a wonderful job in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films , thanks to the likes of MSV, KV, Vijaya Bhaskar etc.
Though some industry wallas felt SJ has more versatality than VJ, there were others like KV who were ready to vouche the opposite.
She was blamed of belittling IR's greatness and was often chosen by IR only in the absence of other singers or due to Director's pressure.
(Example, Sridhar's pressure led to Illamai OOnjaladugirathu, Azhage...; SJ's brief exit in 1985 to Hindi led IR to offer VJ with some good songs).
VJ has often answered that she never commented nor felt that IR is not a genius. However the stigma still remains. Sadly she was the choice of the mediocres like Sankar Ganesh & Chandrabose in the 80s.

The politics in the film industry has forced her to hybernation and she seems to be busy with her recording company.

I feel she still has the energy to render her voice to film songs; but alas the MDs do not feel so. Even in this forum hardly we see mention of this great singer, while all the accolades for the great female singer always go to SJ, PS or Chitra.
(No doubt, the above three are very very good singers.)

I would like to know if she has sung any film song lately

Any comments, for or agianst, would be appreciated.

V. Balaji

---

Responses:

• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-92-8.sprint.ca) on: Fri Aug 20 12:35:47 EDT 1999
  
  The last song I heard was from the ARR film 'Vandichalai Sinrasu'. I agree that she is very good. One of the best songs of TFM is her 'Elu Swarangalukkul'. I guess luck wasn't with her. But unlike other singers, most of the songs she sang were hits, though few. I don't really know why people never gave her the chance. But I still read about her 'Bhakti' cassettes once in a while.
  
  
• From: vasanth (@ brassica.cc.umanitoba.ca) on: Fri Aug 20 16:17:56 EDT 1999
  
  Iam glad that VJ is being still remembered.
  Balaji-I couldn't agree with you more.
  VJ's first debut in Hindi won her the Tansen award (for which Lata's song was also in the fray) and she did sing with all the Hindi MDs at that time. She had even sung for the film Pakeezah (with naushad). Due to lata's pressure she was forced to leave bombay. I guess she may be the only female playback singer to be trained in both hindustani (some time back she had given a full fledged concert in Hindustani music in madras) and carnatic music. I heard that when Gulzar made meera (starring Hemamalini), VJ was chosen by pt. Ravishankar (MD of the film) to sing all the songs. She even won kalidas award for her meera songs. She had sung some very good songs in tamil -the best -meghame meghame, yaaradhu sollamal-even her song in Punnagai mannan was very good.
  Some time back i saw her interview in one of the cable channels and she said that currently she is focussing on singing bhajans, bhakti songs.
  vasanth
  
  
• From: Arasu Dakshin (@ 207.14.54.15) on: Fri Aug 20 16:51:45 EDT 1999
  
  Good somebody remembers a talented singer. I think she started pretty well with all MDs, particularly IR in his early movies. Songs in Kaatrinilae Varum Geetham, AU Aaraathikiraen, Bhuvana Oru ?, Thurgadevi and many more made me think that she would continue to sing for a while. Alas, personal egos, opinions always breaks or makes a career.
  
  I think she is still pretty good and one of the most neglected singers .. as aptly titled by Balaji.
  
  How could you forget the evergreen song ... "Maligai .. en Mannan Mayangum"...
  
  I feel sorry for her. At times I thought Uma Ramanan was IR's "Vani Jayaram".If their terns were good probably all Uma Ramanan songs would have been Vani's...
  
  
  
• From: vimal (@ asu-wcs1.inre.asu.edu) on: Fri Aug 20 18:26:37 EDT 1999
  
  I heard somewhere that she had a tinge of arrogance in her.. arrogant because she was supposed to be fluid in both forms of indian classical music
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ proxy2-external.moline1.il.home.com) on: Fri Aug 20 21:43:58 EDT 1999
  
  This was mostly due to a raja's. He partonized S.Janaki as much as he could for some unkown reason. He gave her too much of chances knowing Vj is a better singer.
  
  MSV used her as much has he could. She has her own class.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.142) on: Sat Aug 21 01:15:04 EDT 1999
  
  What way VJ was a `better singer' than SJ?
  
  Well, accepting VJ as a talented singer is onething, but comparing with others....not many'll be amused..
  
  I'd rate `orE naal unai naan' and `indraikku Enindha' as two of her very best film songs!
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.142) on: Sat Aug 21 01:17:37 EDT 1999
  
  Those who want a good comparison of SJ & VJ, please listen to the two versions of `KandEn engum poomagaL naattiyam' in KVG! (same song by these two veterans)
  
  
• From: Ravi Kumar (@ 202.188.156.184) on: Sat Aug 21 05:20:03 EDT 1999
  
  No one can forgot VJ's songs like Malligai En(Teerka Sumangali), Megame Megame(Palava Cholai),Kalaimaniye, Anbodum Panbodum(Panam Pen Pasam) and etc. I think although IR did not give her a lot of songs, he had gave good songa for her.Example:En Ullil Engo(Rosappu Ravikaikari), Nee Kettal Nan,Ore Naal(Ilamai Oonjalsdugirathu), Kurunji Malaril,Nane Nana, En Kalyana(Azhge Unnai Arathikkiren), Indraikku En(Vaidehi Kathirunthal),Poomele Veesum(Echil Iravugal), Unai Kanum Neram(Unnai Naan Santhithen) and etc
  
  
  
• From: yvs mani (@ hub.nic.in) on: Sat Aug 21 06:08:27 EDT 1999
  
  
  
  Atlast, I feel happy that emany people are thinking abt her.Recently, she was the judge in Horlicks "sapthaswarangal".
  I am a fan of VJ, even though I like others like SJ,KSC etc.
  I feel very happy whenever I hear VJ's songs.
  "Sugamana ragangale" is another good song.
  I buy Bhakti padalgal rendered by her.
  
  
• From: SK (@ azure.nus.edu.sg) on: Sat Aug 21 06:40:08 EDT 1999
  
  The song, pongum kadalOsai is a beautiful
  solo by VJ in the movie, meenava naNban. Is there
  any place in the web where I can hear this song?
  
  
• From: Latha (@ spider-wc083.proxy.aol.com) on: Sat Aug 21 16:54:11 EDT 1999
  
  To my knowledge VJ'S voice is unique.She has an identity in her voice.It is sad that she has not been given more chances.
  who can forget her Nane Nana Yaro Thaana and En Kalyana Vaibogam
  
  
• From: yvs mani (@ hub.nic.in) on: Mon Aug 23 00:48:09 EDT 1999
  
  " romba naalaga enakoru aasai", "varuvan vadivelan","Malligai en mannan mayangum"
  "ilakkanam maarutho","Malligai mullai poo panthal", "gangai yamunai ingu thaan sangamam",
  "Thendralil aadum oonjalil kanden" are some more good numbers of VJ.
  
  
• From: thambiran (@ attcat.ds-us.com) on: Mon Aug 23 03:17:35 EDT 1999
  
  Yvs Mani:
  
  Also VJ's interview on "Ithuvarai nAn" in Sun TV
  on Saturday morning has also been going on for
  the past two weeks (still continues).
  
  She mentioned "pongum kadalOsai" as her favorite
  song and sang the initial humming - but stupid sun tv
  showed some other song after that comment.
  
  Her voice is still very young and has the same
  melody. I am very impressed.
  
  MSV used her in his late 70's/begining 80's hit
  songs pairing with KJJ. I like very much:
  
  ithu iravA pagalA...... from Neela MalargaL
  
  also with SPB in
  
  bArathi kaNNamma neeyadi... from NinaithAlE inikum
  
  In the inetrview she mentioned that the day after
  her mother's death she had to sing a song in
  Puthu Seruppu Kadikkum - Jayakanthan's movie:
  
  nee illAmal pOnAl nAn ninaippathu unniyE
  
  
  
  
  
• From: vasanth (@ brassica.cc.umanitoba.ca) on: Mon Aug 23 08:20:10 EDT 1999
  
  Some of her songs - kavithai kelungal-the fast song with various modulations was effortlessly rendered by VJ. Her solos - veru idam thedi poovaloo (Sila nerangalil sila manithargal), naan padi konde irupeen (sirai), Vanzhthal onnodu (savithri), idyam thedinaal oonidam (amara kaviyam), paadum vande...malai anintha (kaalangalil aval vasantham), moongil ilai kadugalae (penmani aval kanmani)were very good.
  One thing that's amazing was her diction. Her diction was flawless. ever her hindi diction was good. KJY and vani were a good pair. Even they sang some songs together in Hindi films.
  Some years back she sang the song
  azhaghu azhagu -kannukku mai azhaghu-as a duet with jaichandran in one of DD's special prog. I saw this when i was in Madras.
  It was pretty good.But later the same song with a totally different tune found its place in puthya mugam-with a diff. tune.
  When i was doing my masters I had a couple of Oriya friends and through them I learned that VJ was pretty popular in Orissa and I believe she had also won the state govt's award for her songs in their films.
  
  
• From: v. balaji (@ webproxy03qfe0.sbi.com) on: Mon Aug 23 08:24:11 EDT 1999
  
  I am happy that there are music listeners who still remember her. She has excellent Tamil pronounciation ( I don't know about her Telugu, MAllu or Kannada Pronounciation) and was commented once by the great Kannadasan as the singer who had the best pronounciation.
  Alas, talent alone doesn't gets a singer the chances he/she needs.
  
  She is a recepient of 3 National awards (1 in Tamil - Ezhu Swarangal, 2 in Telugu - Shankarabaranam & Shruthi Layalu(the mamooty, radhika , Manjunath starrer))
  I think the last song she sang for IR is from "Magudum", the Satyaraj starrer.(1992)
  
  I wish we can hear more of her voice.
  
  V. Balaji
  
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Mon Aug 23 08:58:06 EDT 1999
  
  I was listening to VJ last week in Sun TV saptaswarangal. She sang a few lines of her award winning "Ezhu Swarangalukul ethhanai paadal". Her tamil pronounciation is excellent. It was amazing to see how VJ's voice is still intact. She seems to be focussing more on devotional songs these days. Shes one of those like SJ who belong to "let my talent speak for myself" category. Arasu Dakshin's comparision of VJ and Uma Ramanan is very apt!
  
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.28.74) on: Mon Aug 23 10:32:06 EDT 1999
  
  VJ had a few good numbers with shankar-ganesh, my favourites being the award-winning 'megame megame' from paalaivanacholi and the great melody 'muthu muthu therottam' from the film aaniver. the last song is too good and i don't know whether it was a hit when the film was released.
  
  
• From: rameshb (@ stagfw.thehartford.com) on: Mon Aug 23 10:52:27 EDT 1999
  
  VJ , as far as i know is one of the few good TFM singers who can execute hindusthani alaps/brigas in an excellent manner. "yaarathu sollaamal nenjaLLi pOvathu"(is it 'nenjaththai aLLith thA'?) is one of her all time best, IMO. There is one hindi number bole re papiharaa which is an fabulous melody.
  
  

---

List all pages of this thread

Post comments