KURANGIL IRUNDHU PIRANDHAVAN MANIDHAN - THOOKU THOOKI

 

 

Thookku Thookki 1954

Randor Guy

GREAT SUCCESS: Thookku Thookki.

Sivaji Ganesan, T. S. Balaiah, Lalitha, Padmini, Ragini, P. B. Rangachari, C. K. Saraswathi, M.S.S. Bhagyam and T. N. Sivathanu

Thookku Thookki was a popular folk tale and stage play. It was brought to the screen in 1935 by the famous Madurai-based Rayal Talkie Distributors with the movie pioneer R. Prakash directing it and handling the camera.

Noted star of that era C.V.V. Panthulu played the title role with K. T. Rukmini in the female lead. K. N. Kamalam and ‘Clown' Sundaram formed part of the cast. R. M. Krishnaswami (RMK), a young, talented camera assistant, was working with Prakash. This film was embedded in his mind. He turned producer in the 1950s with his Aruna Films and made his directorial debut with Rajambal. He took up Thookku Thookki as his next production, which turned out to be the biggest success of his career.

The tale was all about five maxims — 1. A father cares only for the riches earned by his son; 2. Only a mother stands by the son through thick and thin; 3. A sister values her brother only for the gifts he brings her; 4. A wife should never be relied on for she will even murder her husband; and 5. A friend in need is always a friend indeed. A prince (Sivaji Ganesan) listens to the maxims in a religious discourse and sets out to prove them wrong. He undergoes several adventures and finds more than a grain of truth in the maxims.

Sivaji as the hero came up with a fine performance, while T.S. Balaiah in the role of a North Indian Seth was superb. The scenes featuring Balaiah speaking Sowcarpet Tamil with his mistress (Lalitha, the hero's wife) were great.

What elevated this film to great success was its scintillating music composed by G. Ramanathan. The lyrics were by A. Marudhakasi, Thanjai Ramaiah Das and Udumalai Narayana Kavi.

An interesting back story about the song composing… Udumalai Narayana Kavi based in Coimbatore reached Madras by the Blue Mountain Express on the morning of the day scheduled for the song composing and recording. He was to leave by the same train from Central Station around eight in the night. In less than 12 hours, Narayana Kavi wrote five of the eight songs, which were composed immediately by G. Ramanathan, rehearsed by T. M. Soundararajan and others. An amazing feat of creativity, it vouches for the musical genius of G. Ramanathan, the poetic talent of Narayana Kavi and the captivating singing of TMS.

Many of the songs rendered by Soundararajan became popular and it was this film that laid the foundation for his glorious career. Female singers M. L. Vasanthakumari, M. S. Rajeswari, P. Leela and A. P. Komala also contributed to the richness of the music. Noted singer and actor V. N. Sundaram lent his voice to one of the songs along with TMS and others.

Remembered for: the impressive performance of Sivaji Ganesan and the songs rendered by TMS.

Keywords: Thookku Thookki, Sivaji Ganesan, T. S. Balaiah, Lalitha, Padmini, Ragini

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SONG STARTS @5.00

PUNNAI MARA NIZHALIL ANDHA POKKIRI KANNANAI PAAR

Anandavalli is sgmpns/snpmgs , a janya of simhendra madhyamam. but it sounds to me more like a janyam of dharmavathi. of course, as far as anandavalli is concerned both 57 and 59 has the same swaras.

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Blast From The Past
Sivakavi 1943

M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, Serukalathur Sama, Thripuramba, T. R. Rajakumari, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Mathuram

music, its highpoint Sivakavi
One of the biggest hits of the early 1940s, Sivakavi featured Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, who was then at the zenith of his fame and fortune, in the lead. It narrated the story of the well known Poyyamozhi Pulavar. The film, produced by S. M. Sreeramulu Naidu under his then popular Pakshiraja banner, was at first directed by the sadly neglected iconic personality of Indian cinema, Raja Sandow. Due to misunderstandings with Naidu, Raja Sandow was eased out and the producer took over the making of the movie.

Like in any MKT movie, music reigned supreme. Papanasam Sivan scored the music and penned the lyrics. G. Ramanathan, another underrated music director, took care of the orchestration. Elangovan, the first star writer of Tamil cinema, wrote the script. During those days, Bhagavathar insisted that the producers pay advance to Papanasam Sivan and Elangovan before they engaged him for a movie. Rajakumari played a supporting role as a court dancer who falls for the poet hero. The song and dance number featuring Bhagavathar and Rajakumari, and beautifully filmed by Raja Sandow, ‘Kavalayai theerpadhu…’ (Naatakurinji), rightly earned its place in the galaxy of immortal movie melodies of South India.

Another song which attained immortality was a duet by Bhagavathar and Jayalakshmi, ‘Vadanamey chandra bimbamo…’ (Sindhu Bhairavi). At first, Papanasam Sivan wrote the first line as ‘mugham (face) adhu chandra bimbamo’. After the song was recorded by MKT and its positive print projected on the screen, all, including Sivan, were stunned when the first line sounded like ‘Muhammadhu chandra bimbamo…’ Hurriedly, he rewrote the line as ‘Vadanamey…’ and the song was freshly recorded. In those days, there were no tape recording facilities and songs were recorded on sound negative which had to be developed and then projected on screen to check for impact and errors, if any. Everyone would eagerly wait till it came from the lab. Bhagavathar sang ‘Manam kaninthey…’ (Rathipathipriya) to bring a dead horse alive. During this period, M. M. Dhandapani Desikar was recording a song privately in the same raga and requested Bhagavathar not to bring out the gramophone record of the film song. Bhagavathar in a gracious gesture did not record the song. That song by Desikar, ‘Jagajanani…’, became a super hit. That was MKT.

Jayalakshmi, musician-painter S. Rajam’s sister, played the heroine and Rajam went along to Coimbatore as chaperone. To keep him busy, he was cast as a handsome Brahmin (Lord Muruga in disguise) whose cameo performance can still be watched with interest. Jaya was then married and the family insisted on Rajam tagging along.

Many other songs rendered by Bhagavathar also became hits. Those include ‘Soppana vaazhvil magizhndu…’ (Bhuvanaghandhari) and ‘Vallalai Paadum vayaal…’(Senjuritti).
Sivakavi was a grand success and ran for a prolonged period even in non-Tamil speaking areas in the Madras Presidency. Those were the days when linguistic chauvinism had not yet reared its ugly head and people watched other language movies for the thematic content and particularly melodious music.
Remembered for its scintillating songs mostly rendered by Thyagaraja Bhagavathar.

RANDOR GUY

Courtesy: The Hindu.

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