Dear all,
It was a apparently a time when Kannadasan and Shivaji Ganesan had some falling out and Shivaji decided to boycott Kannadasan for his movies. However, the producer and director insisted that the best lyrics for their movie can only be written by Kannadasan and wanted him hired for their latest movie in production – “பாலும் பழமும்”. Shivaji desiring the best for all his scenes agreed to this.
In the movie Shivaji and Saroja Devi are married, and one day the train Saroja Devi travels crashes and she is believed to be dead. Shivaji is then forced to marry Sowcar Janaki but lives unhappily with her. Shivaji subsequently loses his eye sight in an accident. Saroja Devi on surviving the train accident comes to know of her husband’s fate and becomes his nurse without revealing her identity to Shivaji.
This song appears in the movie – when one day Shivaji confesses to his nurse (Saroja Devi) that he is still deeply in love with his “dead” wife and is constantly reminded of her.
When the time to write the lyrics came – Shivaji walked in, staring at Kannadasan, sat on a chair smoking a cigarette conveying his displeasure of sorts.
Kannadasan took a look at Shivaji and writes the following Pallavi:
“என்னை யாரென்று எண்ணி எண்ணி நீ பார்க்கிறாய்
இது யார் பாடும் பாடல் என்று நீ கேக்கிறாய்”
(Here Kannadasan mischievously responds to Shivaji’s stare).
“நான் அவள் பேரை தினம் பாடும் குயிலல்லவா
என் பாடல் அவள் தந்த மொழி அல்லவா”
(“அவள்” means “தமிழ் தாய்” for Kannadasan. In the context of the movie, Shivaji implies that he still thinks of “அவள் – Ex wife” and that her thoughts make him tick everyday.)
Now in the next Charanam, as his nurse, Saroja Devi counsels him that bygones are bygones and whatever happened can NEVER be reversed.
1. என்றும் சிலையான உன் தெய்வம் பேசாதய்யா
2. சருகான மலர் மீண்டும் மலராதய்யா
3. கனவான கதை மீண்டும் தொடராதய்யா
4. காற்றான அவள் வாழ்வு திரும்பாதய்யா
Shivaji narrates his painful past in the second Charanam:
1. எந்தன் மனக்கோயில் சிலையாக வளர்ந்தாளம்மா
2. மலரோடு மலராக மலர்ந்தாளம்மா
3. கனவென்னும் தேரேறி பறந்தாளம்மா
4. காற்றோடு காற்றாக கலந்தாளம்மா
The song continues thereafter.
On simple reading these lyrics don’t sound unusual for the caliber of Kannadasan.
Now read each sentence of the second Charanam first and then read the corresponding sentence of the first Charanam (hence numbered).
E.g “ எந்தன் மனக்கோயில் சிலையாக வளர்ந்தாளம்மா
என்றும் சிலையான உன் தெய்வம் பேசாதய்யா” and so on.
For every statement Shivaji makes Saroja Devi makes a perfect counter (ahead of time). A very original way of writing a song and may be symbolically depicting how well Saroja Devi knows her husband.
Kannadasan within minutes literally and figuratively answering Shivaji and showcasing his genius. After a song like this Shivaji couldn’t control his emotions and hugged Kannadasan. They never again had a falling out for the rest of their careers.
Now enjoy the song
Original Sources:
1. Marabin mainthan Muthiah – YouTube
2. Maruthu Mohan – YouTube
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