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Malaysian Deepavali Show - RAJANNA RAJA THAAN - From Annakkili to Azhagi

Topic started by Manisekaran (@ 202.156.2.8) on Sun Nov 7 05:23:27 EST 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Last year I did a show on Ilayaraja for Deepavali. IT was so great a hit that the ASTRO Private TV Station is repeating on 9 NOvember at 4.00 pm Malaysian time. This is called RAJANNA RAJATHAAN- covering 25 years of Raja's music contribution. From Annakkili to Azhagi. A great hit. If you can, pls do catch it. You can post your comments on the show here, and I'll respond to them.
Thanks.

Archive of the older songs: http://forumhub.lunarpages.com/hub/f13.html .
If you want to post comments on older songs, pls go to this archive. There you'll find the previous songs/episodes indexed as separate threads. Post your comments on the appropriate thread.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: BarathirajaBakthan (@ 143.115.159.53) on: Thu Dec 23 11:45:31 EST 2004
  
  I want to add some more information on Payanangal Mudivathillai.We know thats the first movie for R.Sundarrajan, a melodramic director.This director is blessed with Isaignani's everlasting hit songs for all his movies.When he was looking out to get into cine industry,he tried to join as an assistant director to Iyakunar Imayam.In those days, our director's team was filled with big Names Like Baghyaraj,Manivannan,Nivas and its very tough to make it even to a light boy in that team.Director use to select his own assistants by just talking to them.Since he was busy he asked one his trusted assistants(I don't want to mention his name) to talk to him.Sundarrajan strongly believed that good music with a story supporting that music will do wonders.So his stories were mostly based on Music and only a person who has a great taste of music only can see the talent hidden in him. The guy who was appointed to assess Sundarrajan expected him to tell stories suit BR's.So he told that Sundarrajan is lacking in style and he is not suitable for Modern Cinema.Also he added that BR and the directors of his time try to take the cinema to the next stage and Sundarrajan is 20 years back.Trusting the assistant's words, Director didn't accept him as an assistant. This really disappointed Sundarrajan.Then he decided he will try to get a direction chance rather than trying to find an assistant position.In early 80's, tamil cine industry boomed with new talents flowing in. He started writing stories keeping Isiagnani's Music in mind.Sundarrajan had a great talent of telling the stories, as the movie is filmed infront of us.He met couple of producers and narrated his story.Even they liked the stories, they were not ready to bank on him as he didn't have a work experience.But Kovai Thambi, who was a close friend of Isaignani has a great taste of music. When he heard about this story, he took Sundarrajan to Isaignani.That time Isaignani was in the recording for Nizhalgal.Sundarrajan was introduced to Isaignani infront of Iyakunar Imayam and his assistants.Obviously, Kovai thambi and Isaignani got negative feedback about Sundarrajan from Director's camp.This made kovai thambi to rethink about moving forward with Sundarrajan.But isaignani,wanted to listen to Sundarrajan(May be out of courtesy).In his busy schedule he took time to listen to the story.Isaignani felt that SR has a great director hidden inside him.He agreed to compose for this movie and kovai thambi is convinced and rest is the history.Sundarrajan didn't meet the press until the movie ran to Silver Jubilee.In the siver jubilee function, he said that he won't direct movies if Isaignani is not going to do music for them.He is the first director with no work experience who has given a silver jubilee in his first movie.
  
  
• From: Surya (@ 204.60.84.2) on: Thu Dec 23 13:43:43 EST 2004
  
  But then SR did movies without IR's music. The first one he did was, if I remember it right, Sugamana RagangaL with Sivakumar, Saritha, Jeevitha and Rajeev in the cast. MD: MSV, I think!
  
  
• From: manisekaran (@ 61.6.39.139) on: Thu Dec 23 19:49:44 EST 2004
  
  22. PAADARIYEN PADIPPARIYEN
  There are some established norms and values in the Indian tradition. In many cases these are not to be questioned, but simply to be followed. Carnatic music is one such area. Our forefathers had said that there are raagas for different parts of the day, and likewise for different moods and events. For example, the morning raaga is said to be Poobaalam; raaga for noon is Saaranga; raaga for evening time is Vasanthaa; raaga depicting mercy is Neeelambari; raaga used to declare war is said to be Kambeera Naatai; raaga for happy mood is Danyaasi; raaga for composing Venbaa is Sangarabharanam; raaga for composing Agaval Paa is Thodi; raaga that is most appropriate for Tamil music is Kalyani etc. This is very much explained in the movie Sampoorna Ramayanam. However Ilayaraja begged to differ, with what he considered valid reasons, of course. He said in many concerts that he does not believe in such rigid principles. He took a bold stand to affirm that what you compose in the morning is morning raga, and whatever you compose in the evening is raga for the evening. Likewise what you compose in the afternoon is afternoon raga, he said. He went against such norms. In many of his concerts Raja had mentioned that he was not in favour of subscribing to blind imitation of old thoughts.
  
  Sindhu Bairavi (1985) is a film where Balachander was able to reflect the thoughts of Raja. That was not pre- planned, but just happened to be a mere co incident.
  
  One may recollect the film Unnal Mudiyum Thamby which has some controversial messages hitting at hard proponents of carnatic music who never welcomed modernisation in the carnatic music. Kamal’s dialogue with Gemini Ganesan is quite thought provoking. That film has nothing to do with Raja, other than that Raja composed music. But Sindhu Biaravi is one which by a strange coincidence reflected his own thoughts, which very timely concurred with the thoughts of Balachandeer as well. Perhaps Balachander never harboured such thoughts on carnatic music. He could have invented such controversial thoughts for the movie.
  
  The one scene where Suhashini challenges Sivakumar at a carnatic concert very much seem to reflect the thoughts of Ilayaraja. Compared to any other MDS of recent times, Raja had fathomed into the very bottom of folk tunes as no one else. He had mastered the field of folk tunes and was unearthing the old and untold intricacies of folk music. Therefore he was more than the only qualified MD in recent times to compare and contrast carnatic music with folk music. Deep inside, Raja felt that all the emotions, feelings and depth found in the carnatic songs are adequately, if not, equally available in the folk tunes. This movie was produced at a time when Raja was extremely busy. He had no time to sit with big banner producers like K. Balachander to discuss song creation. But he availed himself for this Sindu Bhairavi. Balachander told the situation where Suhashini sings folk song and suddenly, and most unexpectedly switches to Carnatic tune. Raja understood the concept and went home to work on his imagination. Within 24 hours Raja came with what became the biggest controversy in his career. What Raja came out with was simply mind boggling. He not only captured the thoughts of Balachander, but also created a great controversy.
  
  CONTINUES....
  
  
• From: Manisekaran (@ 61.6.39.139) on: Thu Dec 23 19:50:30 EST 2004
  
  The song was picturised. The same musicians who played for carnatic song, played for folk tune, using the same instruments. Chitra starts with folk tune alright. But when she switched to singing suras she starts to sing Mari Mari Ninne, the Thiagaraya Keerthanai. All along this keerthanai was sung in Kamboji raga. But here Raja changed it to Saaramathy Raga. There was a volcanic eruption in Tamilnaadu. The proponents of Carnatic raga erupted with emotions, alleging and accusing that Raja was killing the very foundation and roots of carnatic music. They argued that while Thiagarayar had sung the keerthana in Kamboji raaga, Ilayaraja had switched it to Saaramathy raaga. Raja immediately retorted and replied, and even questioned them. He asked if any one could prove to him beyond any reasonable doubt if Thiagarayar did actually sing Mari Mari Ninne in Kamboji raaga. He threw another open challenge. He asked them to provide a list of all keerthanas and prove if they had been sung in the specific raagas as understood for ages. He threw an open challenge asking anyone to come forward to prove that. That challenge was not taken up by anyone until this day. Raja broke blind imitation.
  
  
  Ilayaraja received national award for this film. Chitra too received national award, though I believe this was only her fifth Tamil film. Chitra had to decide between her MA final examinations and the recording of this song. Finally she sang it and bagged the coveted national award. It was not usual for Raja to appear for victory celebrations. But he did turn up for the victory celebrations of Sindu Bairavi. When he spoke, he said he turned out all for the respect he had for K. Balachander.
  
  
  paadariyaen padippariyaen pallikkoodandhaanariyaen
  aedariyaen ezhuththariyaen ezhuththuvaga naanariyaen
  aettula ezhudhavilla ezhudhivechchup pazhakkamilla
  elakkanam padikkavilla thalaganamum enakku illa
  
  paadariyaen padippariyaen pallikkoodandhaanariyaen
  aedariyaen ezhuththariyaen ezhuththuvaga naanariyaen
  
  
  (paadariyaen)
  
  arththaththa vittupputtaa adhukkoru baavamilla
  pazhagina bhaashayila padippadhu paavamilla
  ennavoa raagam ennannavoa thaalam
  thalaiya aattum puriyaadha koottam
  ellaamae sangeedhandhaan...aaaaaa...
  ellaamae sangeedhandhaan saththaththil porandha sangadhidhaan
  sadjamamenbadhum dhaivadhamenbadhum panja parambaraikkappurandhaan
  
  (paadariyaen)
  
  
  kavala edhumilla rasikkum maettuppadi
  cherikkum seravaenum adhukkum paattap padi
  enniye paaru eththana peru
  thangamae neeyum thamizhp paattum paadu
  sonnadhu thappaa thappaa...aaaaaa...
  sonnadhu thappaa thappaa raagaththil pudusu ennudhappaa
  ammiyarachchava kummiyadichchava naattupporaththula sonnadhappaa
  ammiyarachchava kummiyadichchava naattupporaththula sonnadhappaa
  
  (paadariyaen)
  
  (SURAS….)
  mari mari ninnE moraliDa nI manasuna dayarAdu
  mari mari ninnE moraliDa nI manasuna dayarAdu
  mari mari nine
  mari mari nine….
  
  I consider this highly explosive and controversial song as a landmark song bearing a clear message in the career of Raja. Saagara Sangamam, Salangai Oli and Sindhu Bairavi are national award winners for Ilayaraja, again all starting with “S”.
  Listen to 'padariyen'
  

• From: t (@ 24.163.67.22) on: Thu Dec 23 20:20:45 EST 2004
  
  small correction...IR got national awards for Saagara Sangamam, Sindhu Bhairavi and Rudraveena...I wonder if there was any criticism of KJY for singing Mari Mari Ninne in Saramathi instead of Kambhoji...
  
  

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