VIDHAITHA VIDHAI - ETHANAI KONAM ETHANAI PARVAI

 


Song of the Day: Two songs from eththanai kONam eththanai paarvai.

http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/991.html

- Saravanan writes:

Malarndhum Malaraadhavai # 13



It is celebration time once again… as our literary colossus Dhandapani Jayakanthan has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan. The media reports say that JK’s reactions have been ‘uncharacteristically subdued’. To The Hindu, JK’s response was “I am happy. I am a pro-government man and I feel honoured.” The Times of India quotes JK saying "There is nothing that comes late or early. I am happy if I get (such) awards.”

We have in the past, featured as SOTD songs from movies which JK had been associated with, either as writer, lyricist or director. Today let us take up 2 songs from an unreleased movie that was based on JK’s story. What makes the songs all the more appealing is that they have been composed by Ilaiyaraja.

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‘Who asked you to believe in me? You must first believe in yourself!’ 

This was JK’s stern rejoinder when the young Ilaiyaraja, his brother Bhaskar and Bharathiraja visited JK in his house, and told him that they have come to Madras trusting that JK would help them find their moorings. IR had known JK well from the days when he used to accompany his brother Pavalar Varadarajan in his concerts featured in meetings of the Communist Party wherein JK was the star speaker. IR was always an ardent fan of JK and his writing. And now when the IR, Bhaskar and Gangaiamaran arrived in Madras in search of livelihood, they thought it appropriate to call on JK. In a recent speech, IR said that it was only in jest that they sought the support of JK, but JK took it seriously, and JK’s words inspired IR to develop self-confidence and motivated him to expand his horizons even further.

In later years, as IR became the monarch of all he surveyed in TFM, he continued to admire JK. IR was among the chief speakers when JK was felicitated on being conferred the Jnanpeeth Award in 2006. In his tribute laced with wit, IR recalled the long years of his association with JK and the experiences of accompanying his brother to conclaves of the Communist Party. IR showered encomiums on JK, and said humbly that to speak on JK, one needs to be a greater genius, which he was not. He even read out a verse wherein he equated JK with Bhararthi.

IR’s speech on JK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxWLc9hZ0wU

When IR constituted a literary forum called "Isaignani Ilakkiya Perumandram" in 2007 to encourage Tamil writers, he invited JK to serve as the president of the forum. IR then produced a celluloid tribute to his friend in 2008. The docufilm titled ‘ellaigaLai visthaaritha ezhuthukalaignan’ was directed by Ravi Subramanian and the haunting background score was composed by IR. In fact, the movie opens with a soulful song sung by IR, even as JK is shown going on an early morning drive.



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However, this was not the only instance of IR composing music for a film associated with JK. In the early 80s, B. Lenin sought to craft JK’s ‘ethanai kONam, eththanai paarvai’ on celluloid, and engaged IR to compose the songs for the movie. It is pertinent to note that Lenin’s father Bhimsingh had made brilliant movie adaptations of JK’s ‘sila nErangaLIl sila manithargaL’ (1977), ‘oru nadigai naadagam paarkiRaaL’ (1978) and ‘karuNai uLLam’ (1978) which had fetched widespread critical acclaim. ‘eththanai kONam, eththanai paarvai’ is said to have been based on ‘kaathirukka oruththi’, a novel that JK had written in 1980. I have not read the novel, but have vague memories of a friend relating the story to me- it seemed to be woven around a woman who takes the bold step of separating from a wayward, alcoholic husband. Interestingly, way back in 1965, JK had written a short story titled ‘eththanai kONam, eththanai paarvai’, which showed the startlingly varied angles at which different members of a family, and even the man and woman concerned, view a marriage proposal.

The movie never saw the light of the silver screen, though I believe the video cassette of the movie was released a few years later. I have seen the EP record of the movie. The record sleeve showed images of Thyagarajan, Suresh, Vadivukkarasi and Charuhasan. I have vague memories of Sripriya being part of the cast as well. The year of manufacture of the record was 1983. JK drafted the screenplay and scripted the dialogues. Lenin must have been disappointed at the movie finding no takers. But years later, in 2001 to be precise, Lenin was in the news again, and this time it was because he had won the National Award for the Best Director for his work in ‘oorukku 100 pEr’, adapted from JK’s eponymous novel.

The person who must have been most saddened with ‘ethanai kONam, ethanai paarvai’ proving to be a non-starter is Ilaiyaraja, for JK was a person whom he had always greatly admired, both as a gifted writer and a forthright human being. IR had hitherto never got to work for a movie associated with JK- 'sila nErangaLil sila manidhargaL' and 'oru nadigai naadagam paarkiRaaL' had gone to MSV, 'karuNai uLLam' to Shankar-Ganesh and 'pudhu seruppu kadikkum' to M.B.Srinivasan. Hence when 'eththanai kOnam, eththanai paarvai' came his way, IR must have seized the opportunity with joy. And as JK was writing the lyrics for some of the songs as well, IR must have crafted each song with painstaking diligence and came up with an outstanding set of songs for the movie. However, IR's labour was not wholly lost, for as its wont thamizh sEvai iraNdu went to town with the album, and the songs turned out to become quite popular in their time.

IR inserted some scintillating classical songs in the album. ‘paahimaaam sri rajarajEswari’ by Yesudas is a veritable feast for learned connoisseurs. Then there are several delectable bits such as ‘gowri kalyaaNa vaibogamE’, ‘nithi saala sukhama’, ‘kallaanE aanaalum kaipporuL ondRu uNdaayin’ and soulful bits of aalaaps, all by Yesudas. ‘pugazh sErkkum pudhu vaazhvu pulargindRa nEramidhu’ accentuates the softer , sentimental side of Malaysia Vasudevan, while ‘nimirndha nannadai’ has the same Vasu in his usual strident strain. ‘enna vidhiyaasam, chinna vidhiyaasam’ is a ditty full of philosophical mischief, rendered by Malaysia Vasudevan & Gangaiamaran. ‘eththanai kONam, eththanai paarvai’ has Malaysia Vasudevan & Chorus ruminating on the vexatious issues that plague the society and prescribing socialist solutions to the ills. I believe JK had written the lyrics for ‘pugazh sErkkum’, ‘enna vidhyaasam china vidhyaasam’ and ‘eththanai kONam, eththanai paarvai’.

Let us listen to the remaining 2 songs from the album. The first is Uthukkaadu Venkata Subbaiyer's famed ‘alaipaayudhE kaNNaa’ by Yesudas & S. Janaki set in Kaanada. Shankar-Ganesh had sought inspiration from this ancient composition for setting the tune of the pallavi of ‘aasaigaLO oru kOdi’ by Janaki (arththangaL aayiram/1981). Years later ARR stuck to the traditional tune when he had to include the hoary composition in ‘alaipaayudhE’ (2000). The song was sung by Kalyani Menon, Harini and Neyveli Ramalakshmi.

Ilaiyaraja waves his baton, and lo- the violin and flute set the stage for enchantment. The interludes- the first with interesting moments where the veeNai flirts with the guitar and the second dominated by a bewitching flute are simply ethereal, even as the mridangam provides unobtrusive support all through the song. Yesudas, who keeps singing this song on many a December stage, brings to the fore his impeccable pedigree, while the remarkable Janaki matches Yesudas valiantly note by note. She soaks her rendition with the delicious ache of being in love with Lord Krishna.

Listen 

We have next ‘vidhaitha vidhai thaLiraai ezhundhu’ a joyous duet of hope, sung by Deepan Chakravarthi & B.S. Sashirekha, with IR at his creative best. This time the maestro’s glance falls on Darbaari Kaanada and he conjures a tune that weaves the nuances of the Raaga as a tantalizing trellis. The prelude and interludes are vintage Ilaiyaraja. The first interlude opens with the guitar, and then the violins make merry with the tabla offering some sedate moments before the guitar and veeNai escort the tune to the charaNam… The intriguing veeNai- guitar dalliance continues in the second interlude as well, while this time it is the flute that beguiles the tune back into the charaNam.

Listen 



Let us resurrect these forgotten compositions, wistful keepsakes from a glorious era, to a more deserving nook in memory…