Dear all,
Some songs express emotions and thoughts so accurately and hence they make you believe it was written with your situation in mind. Kannadasan has the unique ability to use words, easily understandable by everybody and still create a song that drives home the message with clarity and force. Picked a song this week that exemplifies this ability explicitly.
AVM brothers were producing a movie and a song for a crucial situation was needed. The lyricist hired penned the song for the tune, but lyrics weren’t satisfactory for the producers. They then approached Kannadasan who told them that the lyrics have to dominate the music and convey the crux of the story in a few lines. New lyrics were penned and the song became an anthem in several middle class families.
The song is “கண்ணா கருமை நிற கண்ணா” from the movie “நானும் ஒரு பெண்”.
The greatness of this song is that the lyrics apply even today with all the “Black lives matter” protests that currently make the news.
The song starts with music paralleling the heroine (Vijayakumari) running down the stairs to the garden. She pauses as the music pauses – solo accordion in the background plays conveying her despair as she walks towards the statue of Krishna with anger and disappointment in her eyes (The music and scene sync so precisely – worth watching the perfection attained). Usually Krishna statues portray him smiling – here the director A. C. Tirulokchandar shows the face of an emotionless Krishna statue – probably symbolising that Krishna is indifferent to the heroine’s plight. P. Suseela then starts the song with “கண்ணா” emoting the agony perfectly.
The pallavi starts with the heroine comparing her contrasting plight with that of Kanna despite sharing a similar complexion:
“கண்ணா கருமை நிறக் கண்ணா, உன்னைக் காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
உன்னை மறுப்பாரில்லை கண்டு வெறுப்பாரில்லை
என்னை கண்டாலும் பொறுப்பாரில்லை”
The lines of Charanam don’t need any interpretation – in the simplicity lies their beauty.
“மனம் பார்க்க மறுப்போர் முன் படைத்தாய் கண்ணா
நிறம் பார்த்து வெறுப்போர் முன் கொடுத்தாய் கண்ணா
இனம் பார்த்து எனை சேர்க்க மறந்தாய் கண்ணா
நல்ல இடம் பார்த்து சிலையாக அமர்ந்தாய் கண்ணா”
Heights of anger and frustration conveyed in simple unambiguous terms commonly used : “நல்ல இடம் பார்த்து சிலையாக அமர்ந்தாய் கண்ணா”
Next Charanam illustrates the human tendency to gauge people using external looks than their internal values and virtues:
“பொன்னான மனம் ஒன்று தந்தாய் கண்ணா
அதில் பூப்போன்ற நினைவொன்று வைத்தாய் கண்ணா
கண் பார்க்க முடியாமல் மறைத்தாய் கண்ணா
எந்த கடன் தீர்க்க என்னை நீ படைத்தாய் கண்ணா” (In this line Kannadasan implies that Kannan created and sent this good hearted woman to this family to write off a debt – suggesting that even Kannan is not exempt from his Karma).
A song that appeals to every one listening. A song that makes us desperately want to help the woman. A song that hurts our conscience a little by mocking our tendency to value the superficial. A song that penetrates deep into the heart.
Simple words, profound expression – Superlative Kannadasan
Recent Comments