PiLANi PiCTURES: Divine inspiration

Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada is one of the best albums by ARR in the recent history. And special credits to GVM for beautifully packaging the numbers - with a series of what seem to be shooting stills, self-indulgent photos from his personal album and video nuggets of the singers performing - and releasing them over a period of time right from the first month of the year. While the firstly launched single Thalli pogathey.. with all its beats and deep lyrics, is a high-voltage melody that is never going to truly leave you, the soulful rendition of Pavendhar Bharathidasan's Avalum naanum.. is bound to take you to a higher level of calm and is not generally advised after a good lunch. But the most interesting song, if it may be said so, is Rasaali.. And more than a song, with all its liberal adventure across the genres, it qualifies to be a fantastic medley (Ha! Don't throw stones at me). And the greatest and enjoyable medley till date.

But in spite of the best attempt at a dazzling musical collage for a bike journey by the leading pair, the moment I hear Rasaali, though the youthful Simbu and the simple Manjima flash in my mind, very soon I can only see, hear and think of - TMS. (With the occasional image of a chubby boy jumping around with a vel in his hand and crown over his head). Composed by Arunagirinadhar, a saint-poet, Thirupugazh is a collection of Tamil hymns in praise of God Murugan. And the popularity of one of the songs, Muthai tharu..., should have skyrocketed after TMS lent his voice for the verse in a movie about the poet that was released more than 50 years ago. Till this date, TMS' Muthai tharu.. reverberates from the old-fashioned loudspeakers throughout the days of Shasti even in the remotest villages of Tamil Nadu (Yes, I have not actually checked all the villages). And what a lyrics man! It is a real tongue-twister that takes support from the richness of the language. There have been many attempts at the song by different types of singers; and the genius violinist Kunakkudi Vaidyanthan too has rendered it. In a way, I am happy that ARR has got a Divine (Devotional?) inspiration for a GVM movie. Thirupugazh is getting more famous.

When Murugan, the second one of the Siva-Parvathi family, has a Kollywood duet number to his credit, can the elder one, God Pillayar be missed out? No. Our composers have maintained parity. I come from a school that is like a Hindu island amidst an ocean of Christian missionary schools run by different congregations like the CSI, Jesuits, etc. It means that in our school, we had prayers (mainly the Sanskrit ones) for every conceivable occasion: the commencement of the day-before the first bell of the day, the start of the day's classes in your classrooms, before breaking for lunch, just after the final bell of the day-end of classes, etc. One of my favourite Gods during those day was Pillayar a.k.a Ganesha, and it was mainly for the reason that he had the powers to grant what you wished for (Usually, 5-7 extra marks in Physics and some coconut-rich kolukattai). Mudaa-Karaatta slogam, from Ganesha Pancharatnam, extols the elephant-headed God and calls every one of us to surrender to Him. Though it was not frequently sung in my school, I have heard it sometime during the school days. Kollywood has paid its salutes to the elder brother in its 1990 Parthiban-starrer, Thalattu Padava. At the start of the song (the scene) the hero, a pious man, is seen singing Mudaa-Karaatta with folded arms and closed eyes, standing next to a black Ganesha idol resting under a tree. Just when he is about to start the third verse or so, the lady enters, takes it forward from where she snatched, sings the next verse for him and goes on to complete the hymn. Soon, overcome by inexplicable, romantic emotions, while maintaining the tune of Pancharatnam, she makes her own verses - and starts signing in praise of her man. Wow! And soon, Raja sir bowls us over with an interlude. Quickly, after some top angle and tracking shots, we see the pair in different costumes running up and down the green hills. Check it out, you will feel good.

Again, its Murugan's turn now. But it is awful this time around. Kanda Shasti Kavasam (the version by the Soolamangalam sisters) is one of the most famous devotional songs of the state; it is also one of the most popular Tamil hymns. Every living thing in the state would have heard the song (in praise of Murugan) at least once in its lifetime. It is like the filter coffee and idli-chutney. Omnipresent. May be omnipotent too. Composed by Deva, Kollywood's tribute to Shasti Kavasam was in the blockbuster Suriyan (1992). Getting inspiration (Divine) for a tune is one thing; but to know to make use of it in a somewhat dignified manner is something else. In this song from Suriyan, the legendary poet Vaali perhaps just forgot the source of the tune and went on to write a jolly, duet song, happily. The song starts with something like this:

'The teenage, tender heart yearns for the bed..'

And it is just the beginning. I hope (unlike I remember TMS on Rasaali), the young kids don't imagine of actress Roja while chanting Shasti Kavasam in the evenings.

In Hari's Thaamirabharani (2007), singer L.R.Eswari's soulful Karpoora Nayagiye Kanagavalli... on Goddess Amman was picturised in his usual pace with lots of mass and colours, in short - like a kuthu paatu. Who comes up with such thoughts, of mixing kuthu paattu and Shasti Kavasm! The lead pair, surrounded by hundreds of group dancers (assembled like a TCS 5K run), dance wildly with a lot of facial and body expressions. The lady is clad in the basic essentials, while the hero has a touch of tradition. And true to Hari, there is technically no costume change, there is only change in colour of the costumes. You get to learn a lot form this song. Among other things, you will also understand how to pack the maximum number of side artists in a duet song. I think there are around a million of them, easily. The cinematographer has made his own contribution by way of tilting the camera and creating a roller-coaster effect, and enveloping us in a spell of dizziness. Salutes to the dance master too - just checkout the hero around the 3rd minute (3:01 - 3:08) of the song. I just hope none of these images comes to you while you get to hear the devotional version next time.

Back to ARR. There was a glimpse of a Divine inspiration in his May Madham (1994). Back then it was something fresh. Enjoyable. The embryo days of tradition meeting technology.