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A JOURNEY WITH K.V. MAHADEVAN

Topic started by Manisekaran (@ 161.142.2.11) on Fri Jun 14 01:54:38 EDT 2002.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

This is an effort, in a modest way, to trace the great contributions of KVM to the Tamil Film Music. As Tamil Film songs originate from the Tamil films, I am aslo taking the liberty of discussing the background of the films where KVM had comsposed- with the intention of adding spice. I believe this article would serve as a nostalgic tonic to the fans of old songs.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Kupps (@ 156.153.255.126) on: Tue Oct 22 01:42:04 EDT 2002
  
  Mani Sir,
  
  Thanks...a lot for the splendid effort.
  
  As I told in the earliest part of this thread that my father is a fan of KVM and I am sure that if I give a copy of this entire, superb thread to him. He will be very happy. I thank you once again for this splendid effort. Ofcourse, special thanks for those knowledgeable posters of this thread who helped in your effort.
  
  Hats off to all of you.
  
  I don't know how you have planned to edit this splendid series as an article. One suggestion from me is that make the article as prose oriented and(hence) lyrics of various songs which are given in this thread could be given as appendix to the article and html link to those songs from the appropriate section of the prose could be made.
  
  Hope this helps you.
  
  Also, I thank you for accepting the suggestion regarding ThiruviLayaadal. I felt sad when I gave that suggestion. Its because, we did not have MKT at that time. Had he been alive(?) then, I guess surely KVM and APN would have included him also in that film and Wow! what a splendid album it would have been a stream of one of the all time greatest singers of TFM sung in a single film.
  
  
• From: Saravanan (@ 213.42.1.174) on: Wed Oct 23 10:12:17 EDT 2002
  
  Mani Sir,
  
  I am very sorry that we have reached the end of the spellbinding, nostalgic ‘Journey with KVM’, with you as the Guide. Kudos to you for this painstaking and excellent effort. It was really generous of you to spare so much time amidst your busy schedule, and undertake this. Salutations!
  
  Can I make some additions? Here are some of my favourite songs from the 70s and 80s –Please consider adding them to the article: Many of these songs are KVM’s collaborations with the newer crop of singers- KJY, SPB, JC, MV, VJ and even SPS. Of course, he gave many songs to SJ too in this period:
  
  1.Pudhiya Vaazhkkai:-1971
  
  Film starred Jaishankar and Jayabharathi. KVM must have been clairvoyant- he knew that SPB and SJ would emerge soon as the top ranking playback artistes in tfm- so he made this a wholly SPB-SJ album. All the songs were enchanting:
  
  1.Kaalam ennodu varum pothu, kadavul varunkindraan- SJ
  2.Pesu maname pesu, pethai maname pesu,
  naalu vagai gunamum niraindhe nadai podu-SPB
  3.Paada therindhavar paadungal, aada therindhavar aadungal,
  Ithu thanga papa pirantha naal- SJ
  
  
  2.Irulum Oliyum-1971
  
  This film had Vanisri in a dual role, along with AVM Rajan and Muthuraman. The same Vanisri would again figure in ‘Vani Rani’ in a dual role 3 years later in 1974, and this film too had music by KVM! Like Vani Rani, Irulum Oliyum also had one meek and subdued Vanisri and one aggressive Vanisri. The songs were wonderful:
  
  1.Thirumagal thedi vandhaal, engal pudhu mania kudi pugundhaal,
  Kulanmagal kungumathil, devi koyil kondaada vandhaal- PS
  
  2.Thirumagal thedi vandhaal, endhan idhayathil kudi pugunthaal
  Kulamgal kolathile, devi marumagalaaga vandhaal- SPB & B Vasantha
  
  3.Amma! Vaanile mannile- PS- (a lovely ode to Mother Nature, and a favourite of Ilangai Vaanoli’s morning ‘Sugaraagam’)
  
  
  4.Pattikkattu Ponniah- 1973
  
  I am mentioning this film only because it was a MGR film, and more important, it was the last MGR film in which Jayalalitha acted. MGR had a dual role, and Rajasri was the other heroine. The songs were pedestrian, though.
  
  1.Oru varusham-TMS,PS
  2.Dee dee dee sathukkudi- LRE
  3.Pattuppola Pennai- PS
  4.Ye Machaan-TMS,PS
  5.Iravugalai paarthathundu, uravugalai paarthathillai- SPB,SJ
  
  
  5.Mazhai Megam – 1977
  
  I have no clue as to the actors, but there were two great songs:
  
  1.Oru kodi sugham vandhadhu, adhu ovvondrum nee thandhadhu- ALR,SJ
  2.Aagaya Gangai indru mannil vandhadhu- SPB,PS
  
  It is noteworthy that KVM gave a lovely duet to AL Raghavan even in 1977, when ALR’ s career was all but over.
  
  
  6.Thaaliya Salangaiya-1977
  
  A film with a superb score by KVM. It starred Muthuraman and Vanisri. Going by the dramatic title, I suspect that it was a KSG venture.
  
  1.Vanji ithu vanji- KJY
  2.Maduraikku sendraal megangale- PS (lovely song)
  3.Mangala Kannagi Kunguma Janaki nalangal thulanga vilanga aniyumum thaaliya
  Nadaga kaviya kaviri Madhavi mayangi kulingi arangil aniyum salangaiya
  Thaliya-- salangaiya-- VJ (a classic)
  
  
  7.Kannil Theriyum Kathaigal-1980
  
  The film is remembered because it has 5 Music Directors for 5 songs. It was produced by AL Raghavan and starred Sarat Babu, Sripriya and Vadivukkarasi. The songs which became popular were ‘Naan Unna ninaichen’-SPB-Jikki-VJ by S-G and ‘Naan oru ponnoviyam’-SPB-SJ-PS by Ilayaraja. AL Raghavan himself sang a stunner by GKV ‘Naan paartha Rathidevi engey’. TR Papa gave ‘ Onnu rendu moonu’ (SPS-BSS?).
  
  KV Mahadevan’s song was ‘Vettaikkaran malaiyile’ by TMS.
  
  
  8.Naan Naanethaan-1980
  
  The film starred Rajesh and Vadivukkarasi, who were considered a hit pair after the runaway success of ‘Kanniparuvathile’-1979. KVM had given a set of excellent songs.
  
  1.Vanavillennum varnajaalangal, Ravivarman kaigal varaindha kolangal- SPB & Chorus.
  2.Kaaya kurinji malar-VJ
  3.Eththanai avatharam-JC
  4.Kanagamani silambanaindha kaliyamma-VJ
  
  
  9.Kaathal Kiligal-1980
  
  I believe the film was a remake of a Hindi film ‘Ghar’. It starred Sivakumar and Rathi.
  
  1.Nadhikkarai orathu naanalgale en nayaki azhagai paarungale
  Kaalayil pootha pushpangale engal kathalai vaazhthi paadungale- KJY & SPS
  2.Sevvaaname seer kondu vaa, ven megame ther kondu vaa-KJY & SPS
  3.Kaathal kiliye nee yen pesa marandhaai-SPB
  
  
  10.Kuruvikkodu-1980
  
  The film starred Sudhakar. Two songs stand out:
  
  1.Vannathu poochi sirikkithu, pala vadivam kaatti izhukkuthu- SPB,PS
  2.Ponni nadhiyorathiley- SPB
  
  
  11.Manmatha Rathangal-1980
  
  No info on the actors, but there’s a lovely duet by SPB-PS:
  
  Mamnmatha rathangal oorvalam pogum maalai neram ithu
  en mangala valayal sangama nilayil paadum ragam ithu
  
  There is another duet ‘Inimayaanathu’- SPB-VJ.
  
  
  12.Neruppile Pootha Malar-1981
  
  Sivakumar was the hero. KVM gave Jayachandran some great songs here.
  
  1.Engengum aval mugam, angellam en manam- JC (among JC’s best songs ever)
  2.Iravinil paniyinil iruvarum vizhithirippom, oruvarin madiyinil oruvarai anaithiruppom
  Nammakkul ini ena ragasiyamo, ulagainil idhu enna adhisayamo- JC-VJ
  
  
  13.Andha Raathirikku Saatchi Illai- 1982
  
  Kapil Dev and Sulakshana were the lead pair. KVM’s music was scintillating:
  
  1.Ethirpaarthen ilankiliyai kaanaliye- SPB
  2.Mani osaiyum Kai valai osaiyum, anandha ragam solla naan ketkiren
  Unnai agayam bhoomi engum naan paarkiren- SPB-SJ
  3.Sumai thangi enintru azhugintrathu-SPB-PS
  
  
  14.Thoongatha Kannindru Ondru- 1983
  
  I would rate this film as KVM’s best album in Tamil in the 80s. R Sundararajan was a ‘Midas’ touch director just then- with Mohan as the hero and Ilayaraja as the MD, he gave a string of hits. But he did experiment with other MDs too, and those films too had good songs- Saranalayam by MSV, for instance.
  This film had Mohan and Ambika as the lead pair. It was a usual love story, with a tragic end.
  KVM gave two dazzling duets:
  
  1.Mazhai vizhum kodiyena, nadhi vizhum kadalena, maragadha mani udal silirkkudhu-
  this was a fast paced, rain song by KJY and SJ. Watch out for the ‘thakka thakka thaj jam’ part- amazing!
  
  2.Idhaya vaasal thirandha pothu, uaravu vandhadhu
  Urangum pothu kanavu nooru paruvam thandhadhu- SPB-SJ
  
  A slow, dreamy, melodious song
  
  
  3.Nee azhaithathu pol – SPB
  
  A tour de force song by the Thirai Isai Thilagam. It had a poignant situational value- Mohan having successfully gained a foothold in the film industry, comes by train to CBE to bring the good news to his wife, Ambika and take her back to Madras. At the same time, Ambika, unable to bear the separation, boards a train to Madras, unknown to Mohan. Their trains cross each other—
  Mohan finds himself in a compartment full of musicians, and starts a mini cutcheri- meanwhile Ambika is raped in her compartment—
  
  KVM came up with a masterpiece here, and with SPB’s magical voice, creates a wonderful song:
  
  Nee azhaithathu pol oru gnyaabagam, athu aasai alaigalin oorvalam,
  Nee sirithathu pol oru gynaabagam, athu sindhayil nee seitha sagasam
  It is a classical song, with all the accompaniments, and the interludes have bits of heartrending violin music bringing out the irony of the situation. With all this, KVM manages to keep the chugging sound of the train as the rhythmic beat throughout the song. SPB gave his best- the swaram passages in the end must have been really challenging- he comes out in flying colours.
  
  
  15.Simma Soppanam-1984
  
  This is noteworthy, as it was perhaps the last film of Sivaji to have music by KVM. It also starred KR Vijaya, Saritha, Prabhu and Radha. Two songs are memorable:
  
  1.Pudavai katti kondu poo ondru aaduthu- TMS-VJ
  2.Oodha kaathum oosi mazhayum –MV,SJ
  
  
  16.Mel Maruvathoor Aadhi Parasakthi- 1985
  
  A socio-mythological, by ‘Om Sakthi’ Jagadeesan, starring KR Vijaya, Nalini, Rajesh, Saritha and Senthamarai. Good songs by KVM:
  
  1.Manithargale O Manithargale- K Veeramani
  2.Maari thirisooli aadhi parameswariye-VJ
  3.Unnai nimbi uchiyile poo mudichen thaaye-PS
  4.MelMaruvathooril valar maragathame-VJ
  5.Om Sakthi Om Sakthi-Seergazhi Govindarajan
  
  There were some other films by KVM which had some good songs:
  
  1.Manikka padumaikku kaanikkai-yaana pin manadhai tharalamaa-Neethi Devan-1971-SPB &PS
  2.Ammayanavan enakku- Muruganadimai- 1977-TMS & PS
  3.Paalodu then kalandha- Gnana Kuzhandai-1979-TMS&VJ (All songs were good in this film)
  4.Thirumaale-Deiva Thirumanangal-1981-VJ (MSV and GKV were the other MDs in this film)
  5.Azhaithaal varuvaal kettaal tharuvaal-Mouna Yudham-1981-SPB & VJ
  6.Endha iravu mudhal iravu- Chinnansirusugal -1982- SPB
  7.Ranganathan thangachi, rendunkettan un katchi- Samayapurathaale Saatchi-1985-MV
  8.Maligaiyaanalum malarvanamaanaalum-Asha- 1985-JC & VJ
  9.Magarantham kathoothum aravintham un paadham-Mahasakthi Mariamma-1986- M Balamuralikrishna
  10.Singara Velanukku Arupadai veedu- Murugane Thunai- 1990- Seergazhi Govindarajan
  (Since Seergazhi passed away much before 1990, the song must have been recorded much earlier)
  
  Mention also must be made of ‘Isaikku oru koyil’, which though was dubbed from Telugu (Sruthilayalu), had great songs that became very popular. Endrume nalla rasi-SPB,VJ,
  Sri Saradamba namosthuthe-SJ, Azhaganavan Sri Balakrishnan-VJ, Thirunaalum varume Swami-JC,PS and Srigananaatham-Poornachander,VJ.
  
  Mani Sir, thank you once again for this fitting tribute to the great KVM. Poi Vaa Isai Alaye!
  
  
  
• From: Manisegaran (@ 161.142.2.11) on: Wed Oct 23 20:20:08 EDT 2002
  
  Saravanan,
  
  Thank you so much for having filled the gap. I had wanted the mid 1970s as the cut off period. But you have wound up the period beyond that.
  
  Even among the eralier movies, I have left out some films-like Lavakusa, Rajambaal,Santhippu, Rajathi, Seetha, Dilli Maappillai, Harichandra etc.
  
  Pattikkaattu Ponniah is said to be by MSV. That is the reason I left it out. Let me double check. Thalia Salangaiya is by Pugazhendhi, along with Kurudakshanai.
  
  
  Thanks for taking so much trouble. Now I have so much editing to do. I need much time to do that.
  
  I may have to revamp the entire article and list the movies according to the years of release. So they will no more appear under Devar FIlms, MGR Movies, Sivaji Movies and APN Movies etc.
  
  Herculean task.
  
  I will include any other inputs received.
  
  Saravanan, you ought to be credited for contributing most, and pointing out wherever I erred.
  
  Thank you so much.
  
  Manisegaran
  
  
  
• From: Subbu (@ 216.52.49.5) on: Thu Oct 24 01:11:58 EDT 2002
  
  Irulum Oliyum:
  
  There is one more sad solo for PS "Iraiva unakkoru keLvi enge nee maraindhaayO"....
  
  Kuruvikkodu:
  
  1. There is a song by PS + SP Shailaja
  2. In "Vannathu poochi sirikkithu, pala vadivam kaatti izhukkuthu" song, SPB as well as PS sing a couple of lines in "aged/old" kizhvan kizhavi voice. PS was then criticized / pinned at, as she doesn't hv that kind of calibre. KVM disproved that and made PS sing with changing her voice as a kizhavi.
  
  Manmadha radhangal:
  
  Was acted by Vijay Babu and Devishree and a new comer heroine.
  
  Mel Maruvathoor Aadhi Parasakthi:
  
  The song by PS is for both KRV and Saritha. But one singer only. It runs to 7-8 mins and there was 2 parts of the song in the record.
  
  Gnana Kuzhandai:
  
  There were two excellent solos by PS.. both for child artist (Thiru Gnana sambandhar)
  - Thodudaya seviyan
  - Osai kodutha nayagiye (very good dance by V.Nirmala who acted as Goddess Parvathi)
  
  Samayapurathaale Saatchi:
  - Gnana kaNNai thirandhu vitten paar magane paar by PS (this was also for a child artist)
  
  Mahasakthi Mariamman:
  There was a superb song with support of veena, by TMS for Rajesh.
  KRV, Jayachitra, Rajesh, and many acted in the movie.
  
  Many of the movies of K. Vishwanath like "Siri siri muvva" (Sirikkum salangai), "Siri Vennila" (Raaga devadhia), etc were dubbed into Tamil. Muisc again by KV only. Almost all the songs from Raaga devadhai were with Flute and it was terrific. Especially the one duet by SPB + PS in Amruvarshini raaga.. a great number.
  
  Mani sir: you did a great job and this thread can be titled as "Pokkisham for Tamil film music".
  
  
• From: Manisegaran (@ 161.142.78.83) on: Thu Oct 24 11:15:35 EDT 2002
  
  Subbu,
  
  Thanks, but kindly accept that this is a collective work of all of us. Just look at your own postings. They too have helped in enriching this discussion. Let us all congratulate each other.
  
  Thanks
  
  manisegaran
  
  

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