Carnatic Music and Malayalam movies
Ranganath Sridharan
movie "Sargam"...and was simply blown away by its musical components -
great ragas and great renderings for a film. I guess 'Andholanam' and
'Krishna kripa sagaram' are two of the sweetest songs I've ever heard.
Maybe because of Chitra's voice. Or Kaithapram's sanskritised lyrics
(both songs being invocations to Lord Krishna). Or maybe due to the fact
that Kedara Gowla and Charukesi are so rare to find even in today's
concerts. Yesudas and Chitra have rendered it so soulfully, that their
voices were a revelation to me, despite having listened to so many of
their other songs!. No wonder these two singers were Illayaraja's
favourites for weighty classicals.
How many film music directors employ Kedara Gowla ('Andholanam')
or Charukesi ('Krishna Kripa')? Every time a sad song is needed,
it's usually Shivaranjani or Hamsanandhi!. Actually Charukesi is
pretty suited for pathos - forget NKT's "Manmatha leelai" - and
'Krishna Kripa' brings it out well. Incidentally, one of Yesudas's
all time great malayalam songs is 'Akale Akale neelaakasham' which
is also pathos-oriented-Charukesi.
Kedara Gowla is widely used in Yakshagana and mythological
drama orations. The other Kedara Gowla gem in filmdom I'm aware of is
"Yaru thiligolal ninna bhujabhalada parakrama", from the kannada
film "Babruvahana". Anyone disputing Rajkumar's musical talents need
to hear this. 'Andholanam' no doubt stands out. You'll appreciate
'Andholanam' especially if you've seen the movie - the gentle
progression
of the song parallels that of the heroine's music learning under guru
Nedumudi Venu. The chittai-swaram interludes are bewitching.
As if this wasn't enough, there's "Swara raga ganga pravahame" in
Jonpuri.
The song is not all that great, but employing Jonpuri and writing a song
extolling the beauty of music per se, is. "Raga Sudharasa" may not rival
Madurai Somu's virtuosity, but then familiarising an average-malayalee
with a Thyagaraja masterpiece is no mean achievement either. I
personally
could appreciate the lyrics better, thanks to the film song, rather
than a bhagavathar's renderings. I regard Madurai Somu as an all-time
carnatic music great (and who regrettably did not get his due share of
the laurels in terms of awards), but I must add that the film song did
better justice to Thyagaraja's ideals, in the sense that it brought out
the meaning and emotion of the lyrics better.
Coming to think of it, one of the greatest services to Carnatic Music
has been from the malayalam movies of the last 15 years. Honourable
mentions include "Gaanam", "Sopanam", "Bharatham", "His Highness
Abdullah",
"Chitram", "Kudumba Samedham" and "Sindhoora rekha". All these are
commerical films in which the hero enthralls as a classical musician,
rather than
throwing out a dozen crooks with his fisticuffs. Stories that revolve
around a musician or a musician-family. Where the hero woes the heroine
with a Naata or Kaanada piece.
The result is, it has created a new audience - of malayalam
movie-goers - who are no longer unfamiliar with Carnatic Music. When
they hear
'Sadhinchane' or 'Pahimam Sri Rajarajeshwari', they can relate to it to
a decent extent. I know of malayalee friends who attend carnatic
concerts in full, although they may not follow all of the show. They buy
cassettes of Sheshagopalan and Bombay Jayashree. They know "Yendharo
Mahanubhavulu"
since they saw Sopanam. They do not know Shree ragam, but can point you
to "Kaalindhi" from Sindhoora Rekha.
Which is something missing from their counterparts in neighbouring
Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. Illayaraja can employ Hari Kambodhi in such a
way
that only a Balamurali Krishna can recognise it. A.R.Rahman can churn
out foot-tapping hits in Dharmavathi without his dancing fans getting
a whiff of the underlying classicism. But they have not quite achieved
what
malayalam music composers like Raveendran or Kaithapram have
done...which
is in handing out Carnatic gems on a platter, to the average film fan;
untwisted, uncomplicated, undimmed; educating him indirectly and thereby
beckoning him to richer pleasures of life.
regards,
Ranga
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Ranganatha Prasad Sridharan Cisco Systems Inc.,
Direct: (408) 527-3893 170 West Tasman Drive,
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"My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God
as my successes and talents, and I lay them both at his feet."
-- Mahatma Gandhi
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Geeta Iyer
years in Bombay, I was used to listening to malayalam movie songs
regularly on radio Srilanka (Srilanka Prakshepana Nilayam?). Inspite
of not being familiar with any of the newer movie songs, I haven't
ceased to marvel at some of the brilliant music malayalam movies have
produced. Some of my old favorites include swarna chamaram,
manasilunaru (poorvi kalyani), ambala puzhayile (begada),
chakravartini (hamir kalyani), etc. The last one I fell in love with
was Pramadavanam (Jog) from His Highness Abdullah. When I return
home, after flipping channels, I usually find myself settling on a
channel featuring malayalam movies as IMO they seem to be based on
relatively more creative themes and are more thought provoking. I am
not an expert in malayalam, but my sister who understands the language
better than I, tells me that malayalam movie songs in general are a
treat to those who appreciate good poetry.
geeta
santhanam balaji
:
: How many film music directors employ Kedara Gowla ('Andholanam')
: or Charukesi ('Krishna Kripa')? Every time a sad song is needed,
: it's usually Shivaranjani or Hamsanandhi!. Actually Charukesi is
: pretty suited for pathos - forget NKT's "Manmatha leelai" - and
: 'Krishna Kripa' brings it out well. Incidentally, one of Yesudas's
: all time great malayalam songs is 'Akale Akale neelaakasham' which
: is also pathos-oriented-Charukesi.
I read somewhere that Kedara Gowla is the Carnatic equivalent of Desh.
But when I find that they have a slightly different Aarohanam and Avarohanam.
For Desh I read the Avarohanam (in a website) as R2 N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 G3 S
But for Kedaragowla I found it as S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Also the Aarohanam in Desh used N3 wheras Kedara Gowlai uses N2.
There are some film songs atleast in Desh:
Thumbam naerhaiyil yaazhal yedhuthu-- Oriravu
Nee Oru Kadhal Sangeetham - Naayagan
Androu NaaL Adey - Sakunthalai (Not sure about this one)
As you rightly said the ragam can be hardly felt in Ilaiyaraja's
songs. Its very difficult (atleast for me) to think/guess that
"nee oru Kaadhal..." is Desh. I am not so sure as I cannot feel Desh
in it. But if you take the old song "Thunbam Nergayil..." (which
ofcourse was not tuned by Ilaiyaraja) Desh is
so explicit and I can associate it with the other Desh Classical songs
like "Govindan Kuzhalosai Kettu" (Oothukkaadu composition) or "Naadha
Hare" etc.
And btw, are Kedaragowlai and Desh equivalent ?
Regards,
Balaji