Freedom Fighter, Journalist, Thespian, Composer, Playback Singer, Writer, Director - Successful in Every Pursuit! One of the Legendary Doyens of South Indian Film Industry!

Nagaiah was an active participant in the Freedom struggle and movement during the 1930's. He was a legend in the history of the evolution of Telegu Stage, Drama and Theatre having written, produced and directed several successful Telugu plays during the late 30's. He also acted in these plays apart from composing music and singing in these plays! He was the first Superstar of the Telugu Movie Industry due to his phenomenal success with his first few movies produced by Nagi Reddy under the Rohini Pictures Banner. He was later instrumental in the setting up of the famous Vauhini Studios. He acted in more than 350 movies in all the major South Indian languages. He acted in several super hit Tamil Movies as a character artist. Sivaji had great respect for him and he featured in several super hit movies of Sivaji Ganesan such as Motor Sundaram Pillai, Shanthi, Deiva Magan, Iru Malargal, Thillaanaa Mohanaambal to name a few. This song is from the movie Ramu a 1966 release, directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar. The film features Gemini Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya and Master Rajkumar in lead roles. The film was produced by AVM Productions and music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan. All the songs were written by Kannadasan. The film was a super hit. The film was a remake of Hindi film Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Main. During the filming of the climax scene apparently the child artiste Master Rajkumar got caught in the fire and it was the director A C Tirulokchandar who jumped into the fire and rescued the child! One can see the involvement with which Nagaiah has performed this song. Two great voices, Seergazhi and TMS, complete this fantastic team of legends who have come together to create this song. No wonder the song is such a classic, never failing to strike a chord every single time we listen to it even after 50 years since its creation!

A Rare M G Ramachandran-Latha Hit from the Movie "Sirithu Vazha Vendum"

This rare to hear song has been sung by Vani Jayaram and TMS. Music is by M S Viswanathan and lyrics by Kannadasan. This is Vani Jayaram's (VJ) first song for a MGR film - the Pillayar Suzhi for a short but glorious chapter of VJ's songs for MGR starrers. The movie was directed by S.S.Balan- S.S.Vasan's son. Other songs include the alluring "Konja neram ennai marandhen"(TMS,SJ) and the appealing "Mera naam Abdul Rehman"(TMS).

VJ starts off the song: Pon mana chemmalai pun pada cheithathu yaaro, athu yaaro?
Un manam enbathum en manam enbathum vero arivaaro?

(Going by the words, it would seem that MGR is either physically hurt or upset about something and Latha is trying to nurse/pacify him), but she apparently has other designs as well, going by her next lines:

Unnai oru sei pol naan thaalaatta
vanna chiru sevvaayil then ootta
thiru meni nalamaagalaam, thigattadha sugam kaanalaam
vilagaamal naam uravaadalaam!

Immediately, MGR seems to recover sufficiently to sing:

Mannavan en manam pun pada seithathu kanne undhan kanne
kannathin muththathil kaayangal aaridum penney pasum ponney!!

A different type of nursing - nothing clinical about it!! Nonetheless, a gentle, melodious duet.

Courtesy: http://www.vanijairam.com/Pages/Vani1974.html

A Melodious Song from the Movie "Shanthi"

This song is from the 1965 movie "Shanthi". This song features Shivaji Ganesan and Devika. Devika is one other heroine apart form Padmini and K R Vijaya who co-starred with Shivaji in plenty of movies. The song has been penned by Kannadasan and music is by M S viswanathan. The song has been ofcourse rendered by P Susheela. The movie also stars Vijayakumari and S.S.R in which Vijayakumari plays a blind girl.

Hit Song from the classic 1960 movie - Padmini Hits

Watch this song from from the classic Tamil film Thenum Paalum starring Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini, Saroja Devi, Nagesh, Chachchu & S.V.Rangarao. This 1971 classic was directed by P Madhavan. The music has been scored by M S Viswanathan. The song was rendered by Jikki and Janaki.

All Time Great Hit from 1965 - MGR Hits

Aayirathil Oruvan is a Tamil movie starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalitha in the lead roles. The film was released in 1965. The last song "Atho Antha Paravai" (Live like that bird) of the movie was a great creation which was portrayed brilliantly by MS Viswanathan and B.R. Panthulu. This is a western style of song and still remembered by tamil music lovers.

The movie was inspired from a swashbuckling Errol Flynn starrer, Captain Blood (1935 film) made by First National Pictures and Warner Brothers. M.G. Ramachandran was a huge fan of Errol Flynn and had also acted in the movie 'Malai Kallan' which was inspired from Errol Flynn's version of 'Robin Hood'. (Courtesy: Wikepedia)

This particular romantic number was sung by TMS and P Susheela. The movie was directed by B.R. Panthulu and the music composed by M S Viswanathan. Lyrics by Kannadasan.

A Comical Song from a Great Comedy Movie

This song is from the K Balachandar movie Bhaamaa Vijayam (1967) starring Nagesh, Muthuraman, Major Sundar Rajan, T S Balaiah, Kanchana, Sowcar Janaki, Rajashree, Jayanthi, Srikanth and others. The movie revolves around the drastic change in the lives of the members of a simple middle income group family when a movie star arrives to stay in the neighboring house. The movie is hilarious to say the least. The movie had been directed by K Balachandar and the music for the movie had been composed by MSV. This particular song had been sung by TMS and LR Easwari. The song had been written by Kannadasan. Sivaji Ganesan had referred to Balaiah as one of his gurus the other one being MR Radha. You can see the genius of Balaiah in action in this song!

bamavijayamold1 @ Yahoo! Video

A Hit Song from the 1980s

Varumayin Niram Sigappu (Poverty is colored Red) (1980) is a Tamil movie starring Kamal Hassan, Sridevi, Prathap Pothan, S V Sekhar, Dilip, Poornam Viswanathan and others in the lead roles. The movie is a portrayal of the struggles of educated youth and their disillusionment with society in general. Centering around three educated unemployed youth trying to make a living for themselves in the Capital City of India, New Delhi, the story touches several aspects of Indian social norms of the period. The movie had been directed by K Balachander and the music for the movie had been composed by MSV. This particular song features Kamal and Sridevi, the most popular leading pair of the Tamil movie industry during that period. This movie had been the debut movie for Prathap Pothan, S V Sekhar and Dilip.

MGR Hits - Maanicka Theril

This song is an evergreen hit from the MGR Jayalalitha starrer Thedivantha Maapillai. This movie was released in 1970 and was directed by P R Panthulu. Music is by M S Viswanathan and lyrics by Kannadasan. The song has been sung by TMS and P Susheela (Jayalathitha had preferred L R Easwari's voice in several movies of hers) A brief one line synopsis of the movie is as follows.  MGR sets out to seek his father’s murderer and ends up falling in love with the murderer’s daughter played by Jayalalitha. This is a dream sequence song featuring MGR and Jayalalitha who had been noted for her own confident style of acting. Both MGR and Jaylalitha had paired to give some  great hits of that period. There was a time during which Jayalalitha had acted exclusively in MGR movies. Eventually she had gone on to do several movies with Sivaji and other leading actors of that period Muthuraman, Jaishankar, Ravichandran and others.

MGR Hits - Aadaludan Paadalai

This is a super hit song from the movie Kudiyiruntha Kovil starring MGR (dual role), Jayalalitha and others. This song features MGR and Vijayalakshmi. The dance for this song was choreographed by Puliyoor Saroja (debut). Music for this movie was composed by the legendary M S Viswanathan. The song was sung by two other legends TMS and P Susheela. This particular song had been written by the famous poet Aalangudi Somu. A lady lyricist Roshanara Begum had written another famous song in this movie Kunguma Pottin Mangalam. The other songs had been written by Vaali except one Naan Yaar Naan Yaar, which had been written by Pulamai Pithan. This was the period when MGR had a difference of opinion with Kannadasan and hence the chance to all the other poets!