Re: Malayalam Film Leela Download Movies
Melva Simons
She was rendering Carnatic music concerts and singing in light music programs almost until last year. Starting at the age of 13, she has sung about 5000 film songs in all the South Indian languages Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. She also sang in one Bengali film and in Sinhala movies. Her songs are known for their emotional touch and classical discipline. She made a name for herself by singing in her mellifluous voice both for the film industry and in carnatic music She considered it an honour to have sung in the same period as M S Subbulakshmi, M L Vasanthakumari and D K Pattammal - three giants of Carnatic music. She has worked under all great music directors and has sung with all the major singers of the South Indian film industry.
Porayathu Leela was born in 1934, in Chitthur(Palghat) to V.K.Kunjanmenon and Meenakshi. She was the last of the three daughters- Sharadha, Bhanumathi and Leela. V K Kunjanmenon was working as a teacher in Ramavaram Higher Secondary School at Ernakulam V.K.Menon was passionate about music We were three girls in our family and I was the youngest. My father wanted us to learn Carnatic music and all three of us used to sing well, My father was solely responsible for making me a singer." said Leela.
Leela had a gifted voice.Thiribuvana Manibhagavadhar the uncle of musician T. V. Gopalakrishnan. was her first guru. Later she learnt from Paththamadai Krishna Ayyar and Maruthuvakudi Rajagopala Iyer.Vadakkancheri Ramabhagavadhar was a very close friend of Menon.He settled down in Madras. Whenever he used to visit Ernakulam, he would invite Menon and Leela to come to Madras to learn music. The headmistress of the school in which Leela was studying advised her father to take Leela to Madras for further training in music.
Menon had an ambition of making his youngest daughter a singer.He made it his lifetime mission . Menon resigned his job in Ernakulam and took Leela to Madras in 1944. Both of them stayed with Vadakkancheri Ramabagavathar in Mylapore and the 10 year old Leela started learning in gurukula style. Her father was very particular that Leela should do sadhaka early in the morning. He saw to it that her sole interest was music.
In Madras,Leela had the opportunity of listening to the concerts of legendary singers like Ariyakkudi Ramanujam, S Ramanathan, GNB, Chembai and others. Leela said this 'kelvi gnanam' helped her in a long way in finetuning her music.and moulding her as a singer. Leela sang at many music competitions in the city winning prizes In 1946, Durgabai Deshmukh gave her the first concert in Andra mahila sabha .Leela was giving concerts in various places.
Columbia Recording Company was looking out for a female voice and the manager Ganabathirama Iyer, recommended Leela. She was appointed as their artiste. This paved the way for her entry into the films.
In Tamil, Nandakumar was the first movie to introduce playback singing.A.V.Meiyappa chettiar came up with the innovative idea of replacing the soundtrack with another voice and the playback system was introduced in Tamil cinema in 1938. It was gradually accepted and many singers entered the movie world. I was introduced at a time when the actresses were singing for themselves, reminisces Leela.
When she landed in Madras she did not know Tamil or Telugu. She used to write the keerthanais in Malayalam and practice them to perfection. Once she started her career as playback singer she arranged for tutors and learnt other languages.
She was offered to sing for a Tamil movie in 1948. Her father was initially reluctant but later he was persuaded to accept. Leela made her debut as playback singer in the movie `Kanganam.' She sang her first song, Sree Varalakshmi, when she was just 13 years old. C.H. Padmanabhasastry was the music director of the film. She sang all the songs for the heroine in that film.
Kanganam was produced by G.B.Narayanan company. It was released on 10-6-1948. Story was by A.T.Krishnasamy. Lyrics by Kambadasan. K.R.Ramasamy,M.R.Saminathan,Menaka and P.R.Mangalam acted in that movie.
In 1948 she sang 'paaduka poonkuyile' for the Malayalam movie Nirmala. Balan made in 1938 was. the first Malayalam "talkie" with sound track. Mr.T.R Sundaram produced this film for Modern theatres, Salem, with S. Nottani as the director. The film starred Mr.K. K. Aroor, Mr. Alleppy Vincent, Smt. M. K. Kamalam. Mr. Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai wrote the screen play. The film Balan produced by T. R.Sundaram was a melodrama with more Tamil influence than Malayalam.
In 1948, 'Nirmala was produced by P.J.Cherian and directed by P.V.Krishna Iyer.. Nirmala (1948) was the first film to explore the possibility of music and songs in Malayalam cinema. The lyrics penned by the legendary Malayalam poet G.. Shankara Kurup set to Music by P.S.Diwakar became popular. From then on, the songs became an essential ingredient of Malayalam cinema.
The legendary singer and music director Ghantasala (with whom Leela has sung the most number of songs) introduced Leela in Manadesam. Manadesam is remembered as Telugu megastar Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao's debut as a police inspector. He was paid 250 rupees as advance for remuneration.
The film was based on Vipradas, a Bengali novel. It was the first film made in Telugu, based on a Bengali novel. The film was produced by MRA films.(named after Meka Rajyalakshmi Anuradha, daughter of the Telugu actress, singer and producer of yester years Mrs.C.Krishnaveni and Mirzapuram Raja). Ghantasala Venkateswararao who was making strides as a singer was introduced to Krishnaveni; she was very much pleased with his voice and saw the potentials in him as a composer. Ghantasala was booked as the Music director for three of their productions Manadesam, Keelu Gurram and Lakshmamma.
In Manadesam, Krishnaveni wanted to introduce all types of traditional songs of Andhra Pradesh, "Dhampudu paatalu, veedhi naatakaalu, bommalaatalu, jaanapada geethalu, burra kathalu etc", patriotic songs, devotional songs, etc. Ghantasala scored music very well. M.S.Ramarao sang for the hero C.H.Narayanarao.
Vauhini pictures Gunasundarikatha was produced by B.N.Reddy and directed by K.V.Reddy.The film was released on 29 Dec 1949. The film was an adaptation of Shakesperes drama King Lear.Screenplay was by K.V.Reddy and Kamalaakara KameswaraRao. The film starred Sriranjani as Gunasundari, Vallabhajosyula SivaRam as Prince, the comedian Kasturi SivaRao, as cursed Prince, K. Malati and P. Santa Kumari as Gunasundari's wicked sisters. Dialogues and Lyrics by Pingali Nagendra Rao. Leela sang the songs for the heroine Sriranjani.
In the 1950s Leela was busy singing in all the South Indian languages.Her songs in films like Patala Bhairavi, Missamma, Pelli chesi choodu, Appu chesi pappu kudu, Gundamma katha are the greatest melodies and remembered even today after many decades.
Vijaya productions was one of the major production companies in the 1950s. Most of their films were bilingual made both in Telugu and Tamil. Some of the films were later made in Hindi. B.Nagireddy was looking after his family business in Madras. His brother B.N.Reddy was a pioneer in Telugu cinema who has directed landmark films like Gruhalakshmi (starring Nagaiah and Kannamba) under Rohini pictures. He started Vauhini pictures and produced Vandemataram with Nagaiah and Kanchanamala, Sumangali (Nagaiah and Kumari), Devata ,Bakta potana ,Yogi vemana, Gunasuntharikatha and so..on. Nagireddy was naturally drawn to the world of movie making. He met Chakrapani, the dialogue writer of Swargaseema. (They also started the Chandamama magazine in 1947 in Telugu and Tamil. Now it comes out in 13 languages). Nagireddy and Chakrapani started the Vijaya banner. Their first production was Shaukaru with N.T.Ramarao, Janaki (later known as Sowcar Janaki) and S.V.Rangarao. Shaukaru did not fare well at the box office. It was a revolutionary social drama touching upon the feudal system of rags and riches. The newcomers NTR and Sowcar Janaki did well. The film had great melodies by Ghantasala and Leela. But the film failed commercialy.
Vijaya banner now decided to do a film for the masses. They chose a mythological subject for their second venture Pathala Bhairavi which was released on March 1951.The film was a huge success celebrating 100 days in 28 centers in Andra Pradesh. It was one of the four films selected from India for the International Film Festival in 1952.The film was directed by K.V.Reddy. Ghantasala composed evergreen melodies for the film. The film was inspired by the Arabian nights. N.T.R as Thota ramu, wants to marry the princess Indumathi (Malathi). S.V.Rangarao gave a sterling performance as Nepali manthiravathi who wants to sacrifice Ramu to the Godess Patala bhairavi. The rest of the film tells the adventures of Ramu. A great mythological film by K.V.Reddy. Savithri appears in one of the dance sequences.
Vijaya productions third venture in 1952 Pelli chesi choodu was the first in the line of their comedy films.The film directed by L.V.Prasad is a satire about dowry and the traditions of the marriage system. The film starred N.T.Ramarao, G.Varalakshmi, Savithri,S.V.Rangarao,Sooryakantham. This was Savithris third film. Savithri was the second heroine. Dialogues and Lyrics by Thanjai Ramaiyadas. The film has melodious songs composed by Ghantasala. Missamma Next came the 1955 classic comedy by Vijaya productions Missamma. Screenplay and direction by L.V.Prasad. Prasad adapted this from Jyotish Banerjee's classic Bengali comedy Manmoyee Girls School (1935). Prasad remade his own version in Hindi as Miss Mary (1957) starring Meena Kumari. Ananth Mane did a Marathi version of the story, Jhalki Mooth (1957). Recently the same film was recycled and released as 'Brindavanam' (Rajendra Prasad and Ramya ).Such is the magical power of this comedy!
Manmoyee Girls School was a hit comedy play staged by Star Theatres in 1932. The play deals with the problem of unemployment. Imagine the comic consequences that may arise when a man and a woman, who are all but strangers, pretend to be a married couple. Two young people are looking for employment as teachers in a school. However, the condition for employment is that only married couple will be taken. Desperate to get jobs, both of them decide to pretend to be married and succeed in getting jobs. Fate brings them together. Humorous circumstances inevitably follow as they are compelled to live as husband and wife for the sake of saving their jobs .This stage play is still popular in Calcutta.
b1e95dc632