Unsung Queen

Several unsung queens were lost in the melodious tides of P.Susheela and S.Janaki. One such unsung queen was one of my favorite singer Vani Jayaram. If you were to call P.Susheela's voice as honey, I would be at loss of words to qualify Vani Jayaram's voice. Extremely sweet voice and a very talented singer. Perhaps, destiny determines your destiny.

Having sung some major hit numbers under the belt of KV Mahadevan and MS Viswanathan, she was already a talent to reckon with. One of the evergreen melody was under the music direction of Shankar Ganesh, "Meghame Meghame". All the credit to Vani Jayaram to have given such a wonderful number. And thanks to Shankar Ganesh for bringing a wonderful Ghazal to south.

See below the original ghazal:

Unfortunately, she could sing only a very few numbers under Raaja's baton. Have you ever gone in one of those roller coasters that has all the sharp bends, twists but lands very safely. Yes, that's the analogy I would want to give to the song "Kavithai Kelungal" from Punnagai Mannan. For a long time, I never had a liking to the song mainly due to the shruti changes. Coming to think of it now, what an amazing composition! The Shruti Bedham in the midst of the song reflecting the emotions of the Revathi and a true roller coaster ride experience with Vani Jayaram's voice is a treat to any music lover.

Enjoy the musical treat:

For most of the music lovers, Vani Jayaram will live close to our heart.

Raajadhi Raaja

Film industry has seen several successful music directors. But, how many of them enjoyed the fame and privilege that Illayaraja enjoyed spanning 3 decades is a big question. During the Annakkili film celebration, one of the die-hard fan (already?) went up to the mike and yelled: "Where is the Music Director of this movie?"

People used to watch hopeless movies solely for the songs. During the 250 days celebration of Payanangal Mudivathillai, a landmark movie in Tamil, cut outs of a music director (Raaja) were raised for the first time in the history. In 1989, M.Karunanidhi the then CM christened Illayaraja as "Isaignani" Illayaraja. Often people quip about his public relation skills that if and only if he had a PR machine he would have been the No.1 even today, in terms of market.

Some of the obvious references to Illayaraja in the lyrics that were tuned by Maestro himself:

Vaa Raja Vaa (Kannadasan penned this song keeping Raaja in mind)
Orampo Orampo Rukkumani (A clear tribute to Illayaraja and Gangai Amaran, causing a furore in TN)
Pudhu Raagam Padaipadhaale Naanum Iraivane (Madai Thiranthu from Nizhalgal)
Indha Kaalath Ilaignarukku Illayaraja Endhan Paatt erukku (How confident to proclaim!!)
Raaja Raajadhi Raajan Indha Raaja (He was simply at his peak this time)
Raajadhi Raaja Un Thandhirangal
Raaja Kaiya Vecha Adhu Wronga Ponadhilla (Vaali mentioned in an interview)
Raasave.... Unnai Vida Maataen (Several directors and producers used to be at his mercy, once)
Chinnathaayaval Thantha Raajaavae (Reference to his mother)
Enna Pethu Rasaiya nnu (Naan Yaaru Enakkedhum Theriyalaye)
Paattale Budhi Sonnaar (Karagattakaran)
Adharkaaga thaan Isai Avathaarama Naan Porandhaennu (Avathaaram)
Muthirai Eppodhum Kuthida Thappadha Raaja (Yes, very few songs miss his signature)


Did he have a foresight of what he was going to achieve when he did all this. Indeed he established a kingdom that he proclaimed in:

"Isaikena Isaikindra Rasigargal Rajjiyam
Padaipaen Naaaaaaaannn"

Did any other Music Director in the whole of India ever enjoy this kind of privilege or fame? My little brain box says a resounding NO.

(Thiyaga) RAAJA (r)

I wanted to talk about the transition from "Gramathu" Raaja to (Thiyaga)Raaja(r).
Though several composers prior to Raaja have done several hit folk tunes, "Machana Paarthingala" took Raaja to the new heights. Why was Annakkili so well received by fans that Raaja became an overnight hero.

As Raaja often says, he doesn't believe in serving fast food. He was able to bring out the nativity (Mannin Manam) very easily. He was born, brought up and raised in the village backdrop. Thalattu, Oppari, Nathu Nadum Paattu, Nell Kuthal Paattu etc. was nothing new to him. So, it was natural that he was so fluent in folk music.

Immediately after Annakkili, he signed up several films and most (read all) of them had folkish tunes. Neither he had formal training or education in music nor was he financially sound to afford one. He started giving several folk hits and people started calling him "Gramathu" Raaja. No suprise, natural. Isn't it?

Some of the (so called) pundits and the media tried to write him off by branding him a "dappanguthu" man. The most famous singer of that time (didn't I make it obvious?) made open public comments against Raaja and his background. I would like to refrain from making the comments public. That was enough to kindle the ego and a new Raaja was awaiting to be born.

There came the movie "Kavikkuyil" and Raaja wanted to prove a point. How else other than scoring a pure 24 caret classical masterpiece? He invited none other than the then busiest and popular genius Dr.Balamurali Krishna to sing a song for him. He must have done enough homework, didn't he?

He could have chosen the vanilla raaga - Kalyani or Mohanam or any other popular raaga. Raaja chose a raaga that posed a major challenge to the film music composers. Reethagowli. Till Raaja chose to tune a song in Reethagowli, no other music director had dared to use it in film music. Not because the Raaga was not known to others, but for the reason that by traversing through the swaras and giving gamakams you will start making it sound like a mini Kutcheri. Film music wasn't that receptive to it.

The main strength of Raaja was to take the classical form of raaga and present in a light way without diluting the essence of the raaga itself. Later, he started experimenting with western orchestration for ICM.

A mind blowing flute opening and here he comes up with "Chinna Kannan Azhaikiran". A masterpiece of Raaja and this was enough to silence his critics and he never turned back.

Meet you next time with a different topic.

A digression: Rahman scored a beautiful song in Reethagowli - Azhagana Ratchasiye
(One of those Vairamuthu's Pethal)

Bach in Chennai

Those were the days when I wasn’t knowledgeable enough to associate music director and director with movies. Year 1991 - I must have been in my 8th grade, then. One day, our neighbor “Maami” asked us if we have heard the rocking and the song that created the rage – “Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu”.

The movie got just released and she was nice enough to give us her cassette to listen. My brother and I immediately took our “dabba” Philips 2-in-1 set and went inside the kitchen and played it.

Played it, played it and played it countless. The tune was so catchy that I wanted to sing immediately in front of my classmates the next day to show off. I never got to hear other songs that day. I didn’t have any taste then to analyze or appreciate the song technically.

Later I learnt that the whole song orchestration was taken in a single shot!! What a prolific composer this man must be. The vivid violin movements, rich counterpoints, blending WCM with ICM are some of the features to point out in this song. Raaja had used “Abheri” raaga so beautifully and blended with a rich and thunderous western orchestration. And without compromising on the melody.

Whenever I hear the first interlude, I feel like Raaja was tied to a knot till then and he is set free to exercise his sheer brilliance. Yes, indeed once the interlude takes off, you can get a feel of a 747 taking off! Close your eyes and hear this piece once.



And without any problems Raaja lands for charanam to flow.

Manirathnam had once told in an interview that he finds it difficult to place a song in a movie as it interrupts his screenplay. In that context, Raaja did give a bonus.

Not only he gave a hit song through “Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu”, he also characterized the personalities of both Rajini (as a freak) and Shobana (as a calm, traditional) in the movie through just this song.