Presented in this BLOG are some movie songs composed in the same RAGA, which will help getting an idea of how a raga sounds. It is aimed at providing an introduction to CARNATIC MUSIC.
இகபர சுகமெல்லாம் அடைந்திடலாமே இந்த கதை கேட்கும் எல்லோருமே இனிக்குது நாவெல்லாம் உரைத்திடும்போதிலே (2) இணையே இல்லாத காவியமாகும்..(ஜெகம் புகழும்)
அயோத்தி மன்னன் தசரதனின் அருந்தவத்தால் அவன் மனைவி கெளசல்யா, கைகேயி, சுமித்திரை கருவினிலே உருவானார் ராமர், லஷ்மணர் கனிவுள்ள பரதன், சத்ருக்னர் நால்வர்..
நாட்டினர் போற்றவே நால்வரும் பலகலை ஆற்றலும் அடைய மன்னன் வளர்த்து வந்தாரே.. காட்டில் கெளசிகன் யாகத்தைக் காக்கவே கண்மணி ராமலஷ்மணரை அனுப்பினனே கண்மணி ராமலஷ்மணரை அனுப்பினனே..
தாடகை சுபாகுவை தரையில் வீழ்த்தியே தவசிகள் யாகம் காத்து ஆசி கொண்டனரே (2) பாதையில் அகலிகை சாபத்தை தீர்த்தபின் (2) சீர்பெறும் மிதிலை நகர் நாடி சென்றனரே..
வீதியில் சென்றிடும் போதிலே ராமன் சீதையை கன்னி மாட மீதிலே கண்டான் காதலினால் இருவர் கண்களும் கலந்தனர்(2) கன்னியை வில்லொடித்து சொந்தமும் கொண்டான்..
ஆணவத்தால் அறிவிழந்த பரசுராமன் அகந்தை தன்னை அடக்கி ராமன் வெற்றி கொண்டான் அரும் புதல்வனின் வீரத்தை கண்ட மன்னன் அளவில்லா ஆனந்த நிலையை கண்டான்...(ஜெகம் புகழும்)
மன்னவன் தசரதன் கண்மணி ராமனுக்கு மணி முடி சூட்டவே நாள் குறித்தானே(2) மக்கள் யாவரும் மகிழ்வுடன் நகரையே மகரத் தோரணத்தால் அலங்கரித்தனரே..
அந்த சொல்லைக் கேட்ட மன்னர் மரண மூச்சை அடைந்த பின்னர் ராமனையும் அழைக்கச் செய்தாள் தந்தை உன்னை வனம் போக சொல்லி தம்பி பரதனுக்கு மகுடத்தை தந்தார் என்றாள்..
சஞ்சலமில்லாமல் அஞ்சன வண்ணனும் சம்மதம் தாயே என வணங்கி சென்றான் மிஞ்சிய கோபத்தால் வெகுண்டே விலெடுத்த தம்பி இலக்குவனை சாந்தமாக்கினார்..
இளையவனும் ஜானகியும் நிழல் போல் தொடரவே மரவுரி தரித்து ராமன் செல்வதைக் கண்டு (2) கலங்கி நாட்டு மக்கள் கண்ணீர் சிந்தியே உடன் எனப் போவதென்று தடுத்தனர் சென்று..
கங்கைக் கரைஅதிபன் பண்பில் உயர்ந்த குகன் அன்பால் ராமபிரான் நண்பனாகினான் (2) பஞ்சவடி செல்லும் பாதையைக் காட்டினான்(2) அஞ்சக வண்ணன் அங்கு சென்று தங்கினான் (2)
ராவணனின் தங்கை கொடியவள் சூர்ப்பனகை ராமபிரான் மீது மையல் கொண்டாள் (2) கோபம் கொண்ட இளையோன் குரும்பால் அவளை மானபங்கம் செய்து விரட்டி விட்டன்..
Navatharang's Thikkatra Parvathi(1974) starred Srikanth and Lakshmi. It was directed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, and based on a story by Rajaji. The film won the National Award for the Best Tamil Film, and also won the Film Fare Award in the same category, and also fetched the Best Director Award for Singeetam Srinivasa Rao.
"Bharat Ratna" Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (1878- 1972) was a great man in every sense - a zealous patriot, a trailblazing social reformer, perceptive thinker, profound scholar and author. As a writer, Rajaji was awarded the Sahitya Akademy Award. Rajaji's lucid translations of the Ramayana and Mahabharata will find place in most urban Indian households.
His other popular works in English include Baja Govindam, Thirukkural, Upanishads, Hinduism - Doctrine & Way of Life and The Geeta. His book on Marcus Aurelius is held as a celebrated treatise. His "Stories for the Innocent" makes irresistible reading. He has written around 30 books in both English and Tamil. Many of his stories had social messages, espousing eradication of evils like untouchability and dowry system. In Thikkatra Parvathi, he advocated total prohibition, by detailing the havoc caused by drink.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao (born 21 Sep 1931) is among the most popular directors of Southern India. Thikkatra Parvathi was his second film, Neethi Nijayithi(1972) being his first. After Thikkatra Parvathi, it was Kamal who brought him back to Tamil with Rajapaarvai in 1981. Singeetam's runaway Telugu hit Sommokadidi Sokokadidi(1978) was dubbed in Tamil as Iru Nilavugal. Later Singeetam distinguished himself in films like Pesum Padam, Apoorva Sahodarargal, Michael Madana Kamarajan, Magalir Mattum etc.
He has directed more than 55 films in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil. His latest experiment is an animation feature film, Pentamedia's "Son of Aladdin" (scripted by Mark Zaslove). Singeetam is now excitedly doing the spadework for 3 different movies: a Science Fiction film in Telugu, another film called "Traffic Jam", and Kamal's next film titled "Krishnaleela". Asked about his age, he laughs and says "I think like a 21 year old!".
The music for Thikkatra Parvathi was by the renowned Veena Maestro Dr.Chittibabu. Chittibabu was said to be a child prodigy who gave his first fullfledged performance when he was barely 12 years old. He was trained by the great Emani Sankara Sastri, and blossomed into one of the most acclaimed Veena players of his generation. While his traditional pieces are soul stirring, his innovative works like "Musings of a Musician", "Solitude", "Rhapsody", "Rendezvous & Old Memories", "Fairy tale", "Royal Salute", "Temple Bells/Serenade" etc showcase the genius in all his glory.
Chittibabu was no stranger to Tamil film music. His veenai was the mellifluous backbone of Sridhar's Kalaikkoyil. Thikkatra Parvathi, was perhaps the only film he independently composed music for, and though he gave a wonderful musical structure to the story, his work went largely unnoticed, perhaps due to the film coming a cropper. In fact, VJ was amazed when I mentioned this film and her songs in it!
And Chittibabu chose VJ to sing both the songs that he envisaged for the film, an acknowledgement by one great artiste of another great artiste's talents.
"Aagayam mazhappozhinja aathukku kondattam" is a song that details vividly, stage by stage the joys of expectant motherhood and nature's magic called childbirth. Chittibabu's imaginative composition and innovative interludes make this song a timeless miracle. Each charanam has a different structure; the entire song delights in its unexpected turns. VJ brings such evocative moments to the song, it has to find place among her best efforts. Listen to the exuberance each time she sails into your heart with "Pulla perum kaalam vandhaa ponnukku kondaattam", and let us discover anew this forgotten masterpiece.
Only very few title songs in serials are remembered. this song is one such, composed by rajesh vaidhya and rendered as beautifully as she is by anuradha krishnamurthy and the gana gandharva, shri balamurali krishna, whose timeless voice is as enthralling as ever.
‘You know, I think I have not sung a duet with (Radha)Jayalakshmi after all!’ he said as I pulled a chair and sat across him at New Woodlands. The couple who had just occupied the adjoining table would have assumed that he was resuming an ongoing conversation. Little would have they known that I had left PBS more than a year back with this query of whether he had sung any duet with (Radha) Jayalakshmi, and upon sighting me approaching him now, he resumed our conversation nonchalantly shrugging off the long months in between. Today, on his death anniversary, I look back on those enjoyable annual encounters with PBS on my every trip to Chennai. I am filled with a sense of immeasurable loss. My vacations would never be the same again.
One among his countless fans, I had approached him rather diffidently the first time a friend and I saw him sitting alone at a table in Woodlands Drive-In. However, he soon put us at ease with his affable simplicity. True, PBS’ career in Tamil Cinema had all but ended by the time I started to listen to the radio in the late 70s. SPB and Janaki ruled the airwaves in the era of Ilaiyaraja, and PBS was a name seldom heard in our animated discussions. However, in the portals of Vividh Bharathi’s Thenkinnam and Ilangai Vaanoli’s Mandha Maarutham, PBS was a salubrious presence. The caressing voice that sprinkled enchantment on the evenings bowled me over and I have been under the spell of PBS ever since. The more I listened to his songs, I was filled with wonder at the silken strands of PBS that had woven themselves so beautifully into the tapestry of Tamil film music.
The gentle romantic tones of PBS perched so snugly in sync with the halcyon unhurried 60s, and song after song, most of them tuned by MSV-TKR and KVM, embodied so fetchingly the aching wistfulness of being in love. Serenading solos like ’Kaalangalil aval vasantham’(Paava Manippu), ‘Poo varaiyum poonkodiye’ (Idhayathil Nee), ‘Kaadhal nilave kanmani radha’ (Hello Mr. Zamindar), ‘Netru varai nee yaaro’ (Vaazhkai Padagu), ‘Nilavukku en mel’ (Policekaran Magal), ‘Kan padume’ & ‘Thullithirindha’ (Kaathirundha Kangal), ‘Mouname paarvaiyaai’ (Kodimalar), ‘Yen sirithaai ennaipaarthu’ (Ponni Thirunaal) and ‘Unnazhagai kandukondaal’ (Poovunm Pottum), PBS stamped his tantalizing timbre all over them. His duets with Suseela such as ‘Yaar yaar yaar’ (Paasa Malar), ‘Rojamalare rajakumari’ (Veera Thirumagan), ‘Anubavam Pudhumai’ (Kaathalikka Neramillai), ‘Oruthi oruvanai’ (Saradha), ‘Anbu manam kanindhapinne’ (Aalukkoru Veedu), ‘Ennaithottu sendrana’ (Paar Magale Paar), ‘Nee pogum idamellaam’ (Idhaya Kamalam), ‘Kaatru vandhaal thalai saaiyum’ (Kaathirundha Kangal), ‘Naan unnai serndha’ (Kalaikkoyil), ‘Odivathu pol’ (Idhayathil Nee) are all legendary and have earned a hallowed place in the annals of Tamil film music history. Even a mythological like ‘Veera Abhimanyu’ had 4 dazzling PBS- Suseela duets of diverse delights- ‘Velum villum’, ‘Povom pudhu ulagam’, the Sahana sensation ‘Paarthen sirithen’ and my favorite- the mesmerizing ‘Neeyum oru pennaanaal’.
His duets with Janaki had a special place in PBS’ heart, easy to understand why- ‘Pon enben’, ‘Indha mandrathil odi varum’, ‘Aandrondru ponaal’ (Policekaran Magal), ‘Oh mambazhathu vandu’, ‘Endhan paruvathin kelvikku’, (Sumaithaangi), ‘Poojaikku vandha malare’ (Paatha Kaanikkai), ‘Chithirame nilladi’ (Vennira Aadai), ‘Azhagukkum malarukkum’ (Nenjam Marapathillai), ‘Paadatha paatellam’ (Veerathirumagan), ‘Podhigai malai uchiyile’ (Thiruvilayaadal), ‘Maalaiyum iravum’ (Paasam), ‘Andharangam naan ariven’ (Ganga Gowri) are all surely the stuff dreams are made of. Janaki’s first ever Tamil film song to be released- ‘Kannukku nere’ (Magadalanaattu Mary/1957) was a duet with PBS.
His songs with the other female singers of his time, ‘Kaniyo paago karkando’ (Karpukkarasi) with M.L.Vasanthakumari, ‘Yedhukko indraanandham’(Sathiyavan Savithri) with S.Varalakshmi, ‘Gamagamavena’ (Samayasanjeevi) with Jikki, ‘Kanni paruvam aval’ (Indira En Selvam) with Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, ‘Inbam kondaadum maalai’ (Indira En Selvam) with K.Rani, ‘Ondru serndha anbu maaruma’ (Makkalai Petra Maharasi) with Sarojini, ‘Aadhi manithan kaadhalukku pin’ (Bale Pandiya), ‘Parakkum paravaigal neeye’ (Kavitha) and ‘Padikka vendum’ (Thaayillapillai) with Jamunarani, ‘Kannirendum minna minna’ (Aandavan Kattalai), ‘Neeye sollu’(Kumarippen), ‘Raja raja sri rajan’, ‘yaarodum pesakkoodaathu’ (Ooty Varai Uravu), ‘Malarai parithaai’ (Senkamala Theevu) and ‘Sandhippoma’ (Chithi) with L.R.Eswari are no less in their appeal...PBS croons, cajoles, woos and wins! Much later the magic was still intact when he sang ‘Maalai mayanginaal’ with the young S.P.Shailaja (Inikkum Ilamai/1979).
Philosophical lines tinged with pathos have been brought to evocative life by PBS and such poignant numbers hold a place of pride in his portfolio. ‘Nilave ennidam nerungaathe’ (Ramu) stands timeless testimony to this. Has melancholy ever sounded more mellifluous? The lines laced with listless lament are sculpted to a perfect melody by MSV, and when rendered by PBS, serendipity happens and the composition attains the hues of an immortal Ghazal. Janaki once said that none other than PBS could have done justice to this song. Suseela is said to have waited patiently to listen to PBS render this song in a concert before rushing to catch a flight. SPB chose this song to sing when he was summoned for a voice test by MSV. Suffice to say; even if PBS had sung just this one song, he would have still been enshrined for posterity. Generations of aspiring singers would continue to speak of this song with awe. Then, of course, there are the other unforgettable ones such as ‘Ninaipathellam nadanthuvittaal’ (Nenjil Or Aalayam), ‘Mayakkama Kalakkama’ (Sumaithaangi), ‘Yaar sirithaal enna’ (Idhayathil Nee), ‘Kangale kangale’, ‘Chinnachinna kannanukku’ (Vaazhkkai Padagu), ‘Avan allaal’ (Premapasam), ‘Nenjam alaimothave’ (Manamaalai), ‘Poi sonnaare’ (Kadavulai Kanden), ‘Udalukku uyir kaaval’ (Manapandhal), ‘Thedidudhe vaanaminge’ (Uthami Petra Rathinam), ‘Puriyaadhu puriyaadhu (Aadi Prukku)’, ‘Sirippu paadhi’ (Enga Veettu Pen)…
In the rarer jaunty, ebullient numbers that came his way, PBS has made merry. Hark at his endearing mischief in ‘Vaadatha pushpame’ that progresses to ‘Vanithaamaniye’ (Adutha Veettu Pen), ‘Ungal ponnaana kaigal’, ‘Maadi mele maadi katti’(Kaathalikka Neramillai), ‘Jaavrejaa’ (Kumarippen), ‘Kaadhal enbathu edhuvarai’ (Paatha Kaanikkai), ‘Kanni venduma’ (Pachai Vilakku) ‘Kaalam seitha komaalithanithil’ (Padithaal Mattum Podhuma), ‘One day one way’ (Nee), ‘Tikki dikki’ (Yaar Nee) and ‘Podhum sarithaan Mister (Punar Jenmam)’ and you’ll be left wondering why this fun facet of PBS was not exploited further. I particularly like his duets with TMS- ‘Pon ondru kanden’, ‘Nallavan enakku naane’(Padithaal Mattum Podhuma), ‘Kavalaigal kidakkattum’ (Bandha Paasam), ‘Aval parandhu ponaale’ (Paar Magale Paar), ‘Vaazhndhu paarkkavendum’ (Shanthi), ‘Paadinaal oru paattu’ (Oru Thaai Makkal), ‘Ulagin mudhal isai’ (Thavapudhalvan)- each one of them show the 2 singers at their best, the vibrant majesty of TMS is complemented so soothingly by the honeyed elegance of PBS. PBS more than held his own when called to join TMS & Seergazhi Govindararajan in songs such as ‘Aarodum mannil’ (Pazhani) and ‘Devan vandhaan’ (Kuzhaidaikkaaga). He rendered along with Trichy Loganathan, TMS & Seergazhi Govindararajan the stirring ‘Aayiram karangal neetti’ in the magnum opus Karnan. The movie also had the famous ‘Enna kodupaan’ by PBS. PBS bequeathed his unique value additions to even dubbed compositions such as ‘Nammaasai endranal roja’ (Jimbo), ‘Engum ragavan irupaane’ (Hanuman Paathaala Vijayam) and ‘Kothai un meni’ (Mayamani).
Quite inexplicably, even when his voice was as arresting as ever, PBS found fewer opportunities in Tamil coming his way in the later years of the 60s. Some significant songs that he sang in the later years include ‘Kalla paarvai’ (Engalukkum Kaalam Varum/1967), ‘Thamarai kannangal’ (Ethirneechal/1968), ‘Engengum un vannam’ (Kannamma/1972), ‘Naan chinnanchirupillai’ (Naan Avanillai/1974) and ‘Anbu vadivaaga nindraai’ (Swami Iyappan/1975). His lone song for Ilaiyaraja was ‘Thendrale nee pesu’ (Kadavul Amaitha Medai/1979). His only Tamil duet with Vani Jairam was ‘Oru paarvai podhum’ (Vadaimaalai/1982). Abhavanan and Manoj-Gyan brought PBS back into the limelight when they got him to render the inspiring ‘Tholvi nilayena ninaithaal’ (Oomai Vizhigal/1986). The same year, PBS joined TMS & Malaysia Vasudevan to sing ‘Neeyaa Paanchaali’ under the music of Sampath-Selvam for the unreleased Adimai Vilangu. Composer Vidyasagar invited PBS to grace his first ever movie Poomanam (1989), and PBS sang the ruminative ‘Sila neram’. In recent years, current generation composers like Yuvan Shankar Raja and G.V.Prakash got PBS to sing ‘Indhu enna maatram’ (7G Rainbow Colony/2004) and ‘Nellaadiya’’ (Aayirathil Oruvan/2010).
Whenever I asked PBS about the sudden decline in his songs from the late 60s, he would merely smile and dash his finger across his forehead as though to indicate ‘destiny’. He could never be bitter; instead he preferred to reminisce on the earlier years when he had held sway. He was thoroughly gracious and embodied old-world courtesy. Down to earth and friendly, he also revealed an impish sense of humour. The amusing anecdotes that he used to narrate with a twinkle in his eyes invariably had me in helpless splits. Our long, leisurely conversations were filled with his recollections of songs of bygone times and the stalwart singers and composers he had worked with. His eyes would light up with childlike excitement whenever I mentioned some long-forgotten song of his.
Humility was another virtue that he had to a fault- express your appreciation for any of his songs, and he would direct the credit to either the composer or his co-singer. Thus when you praised him for the graceful rendition of the intricately crafted ‘Idhuve vaazhvil aanandame’ (Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam), he would shower encomiums on composer Aadi Narayana Rao. When you shook his hands for ‘Pon enben’ (Policekaran Magal) he would exclaim that while even with a bass voice he had found the low-pitched composition challenging, the Soprano Janaki achieved the impossible by singing the lines with beguiling ease. If you congratulated him for his rollicking yodeling in ‘Padhumaithaano’ (Koodivaazhnthaal Kodi Nanmai), he would salute the memory of composer Chalapathi Rao. If you spoke to him about the captivating ‘Naalaam naalaam’ (Kaathalikka Neramillai) or the resounding ‘Avan porukku ponaan’ (Vaazhkkai Vazhvatharke), he would ask you to pay special attention to the sweetness in Suseela’s voice. If you reminded him of the whispery ‘Pannodu pirandhadhu’(Vidivelli), he would wax eloquent on the prodigious talents of A.M.Raja. An allusion to the classic ‘Poonthendral isaipaada’ (Thaayin Karunai) would lead to PBS expressing his gratitude to G.K.Venkatesh. When you went into raptures over the undercurrent of despair shading the serene tranquility that graced ‘Iravin madiyil’ (Sarasa B.A.), PBS would rue over Veda’s talents that went untapped. If you talked about the angst and yearning that filled his ‘Devi sridevi’ (Devi), he would pay obeisance to the venerable Dakshinamoorthy Swami.
A mention of the haunting ‘Thennankeetru oonjalile’ (Paadhai Thriyudhu Paar) would invariably elicit PBS’ admiration for the great M.B.Sreenivasan. If you hummed the opening lines of the bewitching ‘Malarodu vilayaadum’(Deivabalam), PBS would express regret that composer Aswathama did not get the recognition he deserved. If you commended him for the emphasis he brought to the meaningful ‘Endha oor endravale’ (Kaattu Roja), he would place the credit wholly on Kannadasan. When you spoke of that wondrous ‘Iravu mudindhuvidum’ (Anbukarangal), PBS would speak of the esteemed Sudarsanam. If you reminded him of the lovely duet ‘Kungumam pirandhadhu marathila’ (Paatondru Ketten), he would heap praise upon Chitalkar Ramachandra. When you commended him for his debonair delineation in ‘Engeyo paartha mugam’ (Nil Gavani Kaadhali), he would express admiration for L.R.Eswari’s humming that accompanied his lines. If you became effusive while recalling the subtle nuances that enhanced his rendering of Bharathiar’s lines in ‘Kaatru veliyidai kannamma’ (Kappalottiya Thamizhan), PBS would point to the genius of the great G.Ramanathan. And if you talked to PBS about the enthralling ‘Azhagaana malare’(Thendral Veesum) or the operatic ‘Kanavil nadandhor’ (Anubhavam Pudhumai), he would raise his hands in reverence for MSV’s majestic talents.
‘When are you coming back?’ he asked me when I rose to take leave from him in New Woodlands in August 2012. ‘Next August’ I said. ‘I’ll be here!’ he averred with his winsome smile and firm handshake. That is one promise he could not keep. I have with me a handwritten card with an adjective for each letter of my name that PBS gifted to me when I mentioned at one of our meetings that it happened to be my birthday. And, of course, I have his songs- priceless lifelong keepsakes….and enduring memories of the Man and his Music….Nenjam Marapathillai….
S. Balachandar, V. S. Raghavan, L. Vijayalakshmi, V. Gopalakrishnan, Ramesh, Sadan, Srinivasan, S. N. Lakshmi, Lakshmirajam and Maali
Alfred Hitchcock, described as ‘the Merchant of Menace', an icon of World Cinema and the maestro of the suspense genre, created many unsurpassed classics both in the United Kingdom, where he began his career as a filmmaker, and later in Hollywood. He made successful films most of which became classics such as Psycho, North By Northwest, Vertigo, Strangers On A Train and The Man Who Knew Too Much. One of the early masterpieces he made in England wasSabotage (1936), which is watched today not only by his fans but also suspense movie buffs around the world.
Hitchcock has been a source of inspiration to many filmmakers in several parts of the world, including India. Influenced by his style of filmmaking and onscreen narration, S. Balachandar, the multifaceted Tamil filmmaker, adapted Sabotage in Tamil, suitably changing the storyline for the local market.
His movie was titled Bommai, the reason being that, as in the original British movie, the central character is a baby doll which a terrorist uses to plant a bomb and sends it through a boy. The boy travels by bus unaware of the content and, like most boys, wanders around attracted by the sideshows on the road. Finally the bomb explodes inside the bus, and the passengers, including the boy, are killed.
For the Tamil audiences, Balachandar had a walking baby doll in which the bomb was concealed. It was taken in a car and exploded, killing all the villains and saving the hero (Balachandar), for whom the bomb was intended.
Balachandar wrote the story and screenplay, while the dialogue and lyrics were written by his close associate Vidwan Ve. Lakshmanan. Of course, the music was composed by Balachandar.
Veteran stage and screen actor V. S. Raghavan plays the main role of the person who is anxious to get rid of the hero, along with his followers such as Sadan, Maali, Lakshmirajam, Gopalakrishnan and Srinivasan, who pretend to be the hero's friends. L. Vijayalakshmi, an attractive classical dancer who had had a brief career in movies, plays the heroine and does a few dance numbers.
Expectedly, the movie had quite a few song sequences though it was a suspense thriller. Songs such as ‘Thatthi thatthi nadandhu varum chella paapa' (Voice: L. R. Easwari) became a big hit. An interesting feature is the multilingual singer K. J. Jesudas took his bow as an off-screen singer in Tamil Cinema with the song ‘Neeyum bommai naanumbommai', which was filmed on an old roadside beggar.
Balachandar as the protagonist was excellent, underplaying his role like a Hollywood star (James Cagney was his favourite star). There were many newcomers in the film such as Ramesh and Srinivasan. Much was expected of these actors but they faded away. Srinivasan who played a key role in Bommaiis totally forgotten today.
Though the film was completed in 1963 and censored, it was released only in 1964 for many reasons. Balachandar faced some problems in marketing it because of the new faces and lesser-known artists doing major roles. However,Bommai turned out to be a box office hit, scoring the much-coveted hundred-day run in many cinemas, winning critical appreciation. Today it is treated as a classic in the rare genre of suspense movies in Tamil.
Balachandar searched high and low for the appropriate baby doll, which is in fact the hero of the movie, and much to his surprise found it in one of the local shops.
Remembered for the interesting storyline, excellent onscreen narration and performances by Balachandar, V. S. Raghavan and the doll. And also the melodious music, some of the tunes becoming hits and fondly remembered after nearly five decades.
