Dear all,
Traditionally movie songs were used by audience as restroom breaks. This was changed by K. Balachander, MSV and Kannadasan. They started narrating the story or let characters interact with each other via songs and used song lyrics as the main form of addressing complex interpersonal issues and perspectives that would have otherwise taken a lot of time and shots.
This week sharing one such song from the movie “Moondru Mudichu”, where Kannadasan handles a complex issue and pens lyrics narrating perspectives of the three main characters in the movie.
Before we dwelve into the lyrics – a quick snapshot of the scene as background:
Two young men (Kamal and Rajini) like a girl (Sridevi) living in the same complex. However obviously the girl likes only one of them (Kamal). The other man (Rajini), despite being the best friend wants to break this relationship and have the girl for himself. All three are in a picnic, boating on a lake when the two lovers sing a song expressing their love for each other as the villain friend (Rajini) watches them jealously:
“வசந்த கால நதிகளிலே வைரமணி நீரலைகள்
நீரலைகள் மீதினிலே
நெஞ்சிறேண்டின் நினைவலைகள்”
(Kannadasan starts his song with lyrics precisely depicting the scene – closing the eyes one can imagine lovers singing on a boat. Also love the use of the phrase “ வைரமணி நீரலைகள்” – As the sun shines the waves glow like a diamond)
“நினைவலைகள் தொடர்ந்து வந்தால்
நேரமெல்லாம் கனவலைகள்
கனவலைகள் வளர்வதற்கு
காமனவன் மலர்கணைகள்
மலர்க்கணைகள் பாய்ந்து விட்டால்
மடி இரண்டும் பஞ்சனைகள்
பஞ்சனையில் பள்ளிக் கொண்டால்
மனம் இரண்டும் தலை அணைகள்
தலையணையில் முகம் புதைத்து
சரசமிடும் புதுக் கலைகள்
புதுக்கலைகள் பெறுவதற்கு
பூமாலை மனவினைகள்”
( You can see how end of each sentence (அந்தம்) becomes the start of the next sentence (ஆதி) – a technique hence named அந்தாதி – most famous of this type composition is அபிராமி அந்தாதி). Like in அந்தாதி – in life what goes around comes around too – no better way to symbolically convey Karma than this song – especially in the context of this movie.
While singing this song the hero (Kamal) accidentally falls into the lake. The villain friend (Rajini) uses this opportunity to let his friend die rather than trying to save him so that he can have the girl. In fact as the girl watches shattered, he paddles the boat even faster away from the scene with a cunning smile and sings the following lyrics:
“மனவினைகள் யாருடனோ மாயவனின் விதிவகைகள்
விதி வகையை முடிவு செய்யும் வசந்த கால நீரலைகள்”
Not only does the villain say that fate will decide who will marry whom but also absolves himself completely of any sin and blames the waves of the lakes for the ill fate of his friend. Kannadasan once again depicting the sadistic cunning nature of the villain beautifully in two sentences. This last paragraph most importantly acts as a self fulfilling prophecy hinting the twist awaiting the fate of the villain.
This song lyrics always leaves me in awe. To compose an entire song in அந்தாதி pattern for a movie with utmost attention to the context of the story and climax and bringing out the true inner nature of the characters involved so clearly – all at the same time is pure genius.
Don’t miss the melodious mouth organ at the start of the song. Jayachandran sings for the hero and to exaggerate the effect for the villain – MSV himself sings the last two lines in a very base harsh voice. Song beautifully visualised and executed by another legend.
Another interesting Trivia: ( Source Wikipedia)
Salaries of the stars for this movie:
Kamal – 30000₹
Sridevi – 3000₹
Rajini – 2000₹
Seems beyond imagination doesn’t it !!!!
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