Showing posts with label Nagesh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nagesh. Show all posts

Group Dancer to Supporting Actress to Leading Lady and Super Star in 161 Movies on an Unbroken Stretch! Six Decades of Continuous Success and Stardom!

Saroja Devi made her debut in Tamil Movies as a group dancer in the movie Thanga Malai Ragasiyam which had Sivaji and T R Rajakumari in the lead roles in the year 1957. Earlier she had made her debut in the Kannada movie industry in the year 1955 as a supporting actress. It was MGR who gave her a major break and a grand entry into the Tamil Movie industry as the second heroine in the super hit movie Nadodi Mannan along with Bhanumathi as the other heroine. From then on Saroja Devi went on to star in 161 Movies as heroine and leading actress in a continuous and unbroken stretch. She had 28 back to back hits with MGR till the time Jayalalitha replaced her as MGR's favourite Leading Lady and Co-Star. During this prolific and extremely successful stretch, she had several hits with Sivaji and Gemini as well. This particular song is from the super hit movie Puthiya Paravai starring Sivaji, Sowcar Janaki, M R Radha, V K Ramasami, Nagesh, Manorama and others along with Saroja Devi. Music by Viswanathan Ramamoorthi and Lyrics by Kannadasan. P Susheela who has sung this song had once mentioned during a stage performance that this song was one of her favourite songs from among the 15000 or so songs sung by her till date! Saroja Devi went to perform supporting roles in several movies during the 90s and till recent times.

Live Life with Conviction and Purpose. Means and Everlasting Fame Will Follow! - MGR Hits 1965

This is a hit song from the movie Panam Padaithavan starring MGR, Sowckar Janaki, K.R. Vijaya, Nagesh, T.S. Balayya, S.A. Asokan, R.S. Manohar and others released in the year 1965. The movie was produced and directed by T R Ramanna. The song features a dance sequence based on the Western Style of Ball Room dancing. The lyrics written by Vaali echoed the thoughts and ideas of MGR who always practiced in real life what he preached through his movies. If you live with purpose, respecting the words of your forefathers without forgetting the path shown by them, then that is what can be considered as being human and civilized. Live life with such strong conviction and purpose so that people will remember you and keep you in their heart and thoughts long after you are gone. This is the essence of the lyrics of this wonderful song written by Vaali. And MGR lived his life exactly based on these guiding principles and no wonder that he remains in the hearts and thoughts of millions of people even today. Tribute to MGR on the occasion of his 99th Birth Anniversary.  Nagesh's antics as a side track to the main dance actually enhances the enjoyability of the song!  Music has been composed by the great Composers (duo) Viswanathan - Ramamoorthy.

Direct Face-Off Between Two All-Time Great Lyricists! Great Song from A Record Breaking Box Office Hit from 1973!

This is a great song from the movie Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban, starring MGR in a double role, Manjula, Latha, Nambiar, Nagesh, Asokan and others. This was the first movie for which an acronym was used popularly by the audience 'USUVAA', a concept which is widely prevalent today and is almost a norm for almost all movies. This movie was produced and directed by MGR himself. The movie was one of the biggest blockbuster hits of Tamil Cinema and ran for more than 200 days in some centres and crossed 150 days in almost all main cities in Tamil Nadu. It ran for 203 days in Colombo and is one of those rare movies where in both Kannadasan and Vaali have written the lyrics for various songs. Kannadasan has written the lyrics for the three songs Aval Oru Navarasa, Lily Malarukku and Ulagam Ulagam. Pulamai Pithaan has written the song Sirithu Vaazha Vendum and the rest of the songs have been written by Vaali. It is difficult to pick out a clear winner since all the songs in this movie were super hits. This is one movie in which TMS, SPB and Yesudas (for the first time) have all sung playback for MGR! The music for this movie was composed by MSV and this song featuring MGR and Manjula, written by Vaali, was sung by TMS. This song is no doubt one of Vaali's outstanding creations. Having been in a direct face-off with Kannadasan, Vaali has truly excelled himself and seems to have come out on top with this particular song! Even the single song by Pulamaipithan, 'Sirithu Vaazha Vendum' is an exceptional song! Credit goes to MGR the director, to have brought together such a galaxy of talented people and to have brought out the best in each of them!

He is One! He is Everything! Divine Explanation and Symbolic Representation of the Concept of Marriage!

This is an all-time great hit song from the movie Thiruvilayadal starring Sivaji Ganesan, Savithri, Nagesh, Muthuraman, Devika, Manorama and others. This song has been monumentalized by K B Sundarambal through her profound rendition of the lyrics in her unique and dazzling voice! If there ever is a voice that could be called dazzling it is surely hers without any doubt! If the rendition is brilliant, the lyrics by Kannadasan is nothing short of an illustration of  outstanding intellectual and creative accomplishment! The song begins with Avvaiyaar singing in praise of Lord Shiva. At the behest of Goddess Parashakthi, Avvaiyaar sings the praise of Lord Shiva in numbers, describing Him as the One and Everything in this Universe. He is the One, The Duality of Matter and Energy as Ardhanaareeshwara, Three Forms of Tamil (Iyal, Isai and Naatakam), The Four Vedas, The Five Elements, The Six Different Types of Tastes, Seven Svaras (Musical Notes), Eight Siddhis (Ashtamaa Siddhi), Nine Emotions (Navarasa Vithaanavan), He is Timeless (Mutraadhavan), He is the Core, He is Limitless, Boundless and the Beginning (Moola Mudhalaanavan), He the Mahaa Kaalaa is Timeless and Neutral to the Past, Present and the Future, (Munnaikkum Pinnaikum Naduvaanavan).

Now comes the part of the divine explanation of marriage. He stands tall as man and woman in unison (Aanaahi Pennaahi Nindraanavan) symbolically implying that both man and woman become one when married (Avai Ondru Thaan Endru Sonnaanavan) He stood as the Ardhanareeshwara, the symbolic representation of marriage. This it to indicate that marriage is an institution that is built on the foundation of the intricate and inseparably interwoven fabric,  in equal measure of Binding Feminine Energy and Substantial Manhood Materiality! (Saripaathi Penmaikku Thanthaanavan). Matter and energy are one and are meant to stay that way. So is the single entity of the Married Couple wherein man and woman are one and are meant to stay that way in the lifelong journey! Kudos to Kannadasan to have brought out this profound concept in such simple words! One can notice the glow of warmth and comfort as an aura in couples who have been united blissfully for long in a marriage based on this kind of oneness and an intricately interwoven relationship based on affection, faith and trust! (Anbin Oliyaaghi Nindraanavan). Divine composition as usual by KVM. The acting part deserves a separate post! Truly!

Quit Films after her Debut Movie and Became an Air Hostess! Re-Entred Films after 7 Years and Ruled the South Indian Film Industry for more than Two Decades!

This is a hit song from the movie "Sivantha Mann", starring Sivaji, Kanchana, Nagesh, Nambiar, Ranga Rao and others. Contrary to the popular belief that Kanchana was introduced by Sridhar in the earlier block buster of his "Kaadhalikka Naeramillai" in the year 1964, Kanchana's debut movie was the 1957 super hit movie Mannaalane Mangaiyin Bhaghiyam, in which she had played a small but important role of 'Naaga Kanni'. Originally from a well to do family in Chennai, due to some financial difficulties faced by her family during that period, she took up a job of an Air-Hostess to support her family. She was reintroduced to the film industry by C V Sridhar in the year 1963 and then went on to do extremely well, having starred successfully in several movies in all four South Indian Languages. Being an ardent devotee of Lord Balaji she donated her property valued at more than Rupees 15 Crores to the Tirumala Thirupathi Devasasthanam in the year 2010.

This movie was directed by Sridhar and had not done very well at the box office. The songs were a hit, in particular this one. The songs are bound to be hits when you have a combination of the likes of MSV, TMS, P Susheela, Kannadasan and Sivaji. This particular song was sung by L R Eashwari whose performance in this song had been praised by MSV in several interviews during his life time, for her having performed the song live with out the help of any special effects! According to C. V. Sridhar's autobiography, Sivantha Mann had evolved from Andru Sinthiya Rattam, a script originally written for MGR. It was the first Tamil film to have been shot extensively in foreign locations – a "great novelty in those days". Filming took place largely in Europe in countries like Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany and in the Alps region. The rest of the film was shot back in India. A set that included an entire river had been created at Vauhini Studios for shooting some of the main sequences in the movie. Before filming had begun it gave way, leading to the entire studio being flooded. An unfazed Sridhar decided to have the entire riverbed set rebuilt with concrete. After the film's release, thee directors of many subsequent Tamil and Telugu films were inspired to choose locations in France and other parts of Europe. The story was an off-beat one and had not been not received very well by the audience. This particular song showcases the acting skills of Sivaji and Nambiyar who impress with their expressions and reactions and the dancing and acting skills of Kanchana who had been at the receiving end of the whip in Sivaji's hands which had occasionally stung Kanchana, since Sivaji's only concern had always been to make any scene look as real as possible as said by Sacchu her co-artist in a recent TV interview! Enjoy the song!


Simple Lyrics! Profound Lessons for the Journey of Life! Truly Blessed Lyricist! One Outstanding Composer! Great Song!

Kannadasan through the simple lyrics of this song has delivered to the world some great advice and profound lessons for accepting and facing the Journey of Life with calmness and courage. The journey of life begins with your birth which is definitely not in your control. (Aarambathil Pirappum Un Kaiyil Illai). The sequence of events that follow in your life too are absolutely not in your control, though one likes to believe it is otherwise! (Pin Aduthadutha Nadappum Un Kaiyil Illai). The entire course of your life has been designed, pre-destined and laid out before you at the time of your birth. This being the case there is no point in being scared of the future. (Paadhai Vahutha Pinbu Bhayanthenna Laabham). Just look life in its face and live it out with out any fears, guilt or regret, hence this was what you were destined to do during this life time! (Payanam Nadathividu Marainthidum Paavam). These four lines are a perfect and simple extract of the great Bhagavadh Gita! Kannadasan is truly a blessed lyricist! The last part of the song is about hope and faith and belief in the fact that today was a good day and tomorrow will be better day! Apparently when Kannadasan came up with the lyrics of the other song Kelviyin Nayahane, K Balachander had literally fallen at his feet and thanked him for having visualized the climax of the movie in such a lucid manner through the words of the song thereby simplifying the process of shooting the last part of the movie for him! (As told by actor Mohan Ram in a recent TV Interview).

This outstanding composition by the Great MSV is from the movie Apoorva Raagangal (1975) directed by K. Balachander. The film features Kamal Haasan & Srividya in lead roles with Rajinikanth, Jayasudha, Nagesh, Major Sundar Rajan and others in supporting roles. The Kannadasan - MSV pairing is truly an act of God done in order to give the world innumerable timeless classics. There are so many stories behind this song and this movie. This is Rajnikanth's first movie. Srividhya plays the role of a Character inspired by her mother the Great Carnatic Vocalist M L Vasanthakumari. This story is inspired by the 25th story of the legend of Baital Pachisi from 2500 years back.Two creative geniuses have come together to create this timeless classic. Incidentally this song has been sung by Vani Jayaram who came to the Tamil Movie Industry after an initial stint in Bollywood.