Picks 536 - 770

[Neel D]

Pick #648

Song: Arambam mAlai nEraththin
Film: Sathurangam
Music: V.Kumar
Singer: S.Janaki, K.Swarna
Lyrics: ?
Year: 1978

A rare song that I never heard until Priya sent this to me few days ago. Do not know whom the male voice in the song belongs to.

Thanks to Priya for sending the song.

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/arambam_malai.rm

[Shakthiprabha.]

[RR]

[Neel D]

Shakthiprabha, you are welcome.
RR, thanks.

[Neel D]

Pick #649

Song: chinnappU vaNNappU
Film: En Asai Unnoduthan
Music: Shankar-Ganesh
Singer: Vani Jairam
Lyrics: ?
Year: 1983

"En Asai Unnoduthan" starred Prem and Poornima Jayaram. I think the film was a moderate success. Another nice song from the film is "dhEvi kUndhalO brundhAvanam" by KJY & VJ.

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/chinnappu_vanna.rm

[baroque]

Neel!
I have indulged several times this musical.
soothing vibrations of orchestration & light singing generating a sense of calmness this hot summer afternoon.
vinatha.

[Neel D]

baroque, you are welcome.

[Neel D]

Pick #650

Song: veLakku vechchA
Film: Maruthaani
Music: Gangai Amaran
Singers: P.Susheela, P.Jayachandran
Lyrics: One of (Vaali, Pulamaipithan, Vairamuthu, Gangai Amaran)
Year: 1985

Today's pick is dedicated to the memory of actor Pandiyan.

A quick introduction for the younger generation who may not know much about Pandiyan... Pandiyan owned and operated a fancy store (some say bangles shop) in Madurai when he was discovered by Bharathiraja. Pandiyan was cast as the leading man in Bharathiraja's film "Mann Vaasanai". The film released in 1983 was a blockbuster. Brimming with youth and energy, and radiating raw masculinity Pandiyan was an instant hit. For many years following "Mann Vaasanai" he was a busy actor playing rustic or urban middle class characters in several films. He also played the lead in Bharathiraja's "Pudhumai Penn"(1984). If he had had the shrewdness and wisdom to sustain a career in that mould, or at least had had a second career planned ahead of time, he would still be around. But that is a lot to expect of a young man who had been thrust into stardom and wealth. All kinds of vices took over this actor. A broth of a boy not very long ago died at the young age of 48.

"Maruthaani", a village based story, is a very entertaining film. Starring Pandiyan and Shobhana in the lead the film was directed by Ramarajan. All songs in the film are enjoyable. Today's pick was picturized on Pandiyan and Shobhana.

Manikkam(Pandiyan) is an elementary school teacher who comes to a small village to start a new job. He starts working as a teacher in the village school and stays in the guest room in the house of the village Nattamai(S.S.Chandran). Nattamai's daughter is Maruthani(Shobhana), a fun loving girl who just hangs out with her friends pulling pranks on each other. Her pranks and mischiefs do not go well with Manikkam. They get into fights and arguments. One day Manikkam takes a bath in the river. He cannot swim. So, he ties one end of a rope to his waist and the other end of the rope to a tree on the bank. Not knowing the seriousness Maruthani unties the rope from the tree. Manikkam is washed away by the water. Some villagers down the river rescue an unconscious Manikkam and try to revive him. After a lot of effort he comes back to life. Maruthani regrets her action and starts developing a liking for him. Pandiyan also saves Maruthani from a couple of guys who try to misbehave with her when she is alone. Maruthani falls in love with Manikkam. And then today's pick happens. Of course Manikkam is a teacher, hence the references to teaching and grading in the lyrics.

One day an astrologer comes to Nattamai's house and looks at Maruthani's horoscope to find her a groom. He tells Nattamai that unless his daughter Maruthani gets married within the next few months something bad will happen to her parents. Nattamai panics and decides to get Maruthani married to her uncle(Janakaraj) eventhough Nattamai does not like him because Janakaraj is an unemployed bum who simply picks fight with everyone in the village. Maruthani is very upset over this. During this time through a school student the love affair between Manikkam and Maruthani becomes public. The village panchayat is called and of course Nattamai presides. He is all too happy that he has now found a better husband for his daughter and declares that the two will be married soon. Janakaraj gets very angry.

The wedding ceremony of Manikkam and Maruthani is in progress. Just before Manikkam ties the knot, Sulakshana appears with a baby in her hand and asks to stop the wedding. She says that she is Manikkam's wife and that he is the baby's father. The wedding is stopped. Manikkam does not say anyhting. Manikkam's friend Kavundamani yells at him, finds him a house and makes him move in there with Sulakshana and child. Maruthani is devastated at the turn of events. She tries to hang hesrself and her parents save her at the last minute. Her uncle Janakaraj starts to brainwash her parents so that he can marry Maruthani and enjoy all of Nattamai's wealth. He says that the whole village knows about Maruthani and Manikkam's love affair and no one else but him will marry her. Nattamai halfheartedly agrees to marry Maruthani to Janakaraj.

Manikkam, Sulakshana and the baby are living under the same roof but Manikkam sleeps in the verandah. Kavundamani chides him for the way he is treating his beautiful wife. Manikkam and Sulakshana do not respond to Kavundamani's advice. Manikkam tries to talk to talk to Maruthani when he runs into her on the street but she refuses to talk to him. The shcool students and the village thugs insult Manikkam.

SPOILER ALERT! Skip the next three paragraphs if you do not want to know how the film ends.

One day Kavundmani comes to Manikkam's house and tells him that he heard that Maruthani is going to be soon married to Janakaraj. Manikkam tells that the wedding has to be stopped. Kavundamani yells at him for still thinking about Maruthani when he has a wife and a child. Manikkam then tells Kavundamani that he kept quiet all this time to protect Sulakshana's dignity and then tells him Sulakshana's story. Sulakshana had told Pandian her story after they moved into the new house. And this is her story... Sulakshana came to the village from Chennai searching for the father of the baby who got her pregnant when he was in Chennai and then disappeared. She meets the father of her baby and asks him to marry her. The father of the baby tells her that there is going to be a wedding in the village. And it has to be stopped. That is his first priority. Because the wedding is being performed against the will of the bride's parents and that they will die if the wedding ever goes through. Once the wedding is stopped he can marry her. But he asks Sulakshana to help him stop the wedding. He wants her to lie that she is the wife of the groom. And that is what Sulakshana did. And the father of the baby is none other than the evil Janakaraj.

In the meantime, the village thugs tell Janakaraj that Maruthani will never marry him and will find all possible ways to stop their wedding because she is still in love with Manikkam. And that if she has to marry him he must have sex with her first. She will have no choice but marry him after that. Janakaraj gets drunk and goes to Maruthani's house when she is alone. He tries to violate her. Maruthani breaks free and runs to their back yard. Sulakshana had just learned from Kavundamani about Maruthani's wedding with Janakaraj. She picks up her child and comes to Maruthani's house. When Sulakshana arrives she sees Janakaraj trying to violate Maruthani and she pulls him away from Maruthani. Janakaraj pushes her and she falls near a grinder stone. The baby's head hit the stone and starts bleeding. Sulakshana gets really angry. Maruthani is still fighting to get away from the grips of Janakaraj. Sulakshana makes a split-second decision. She picks up the grinder stone and drops it on Janakaraj's head. Janakaraj dies. Maruthani's parents and Manikkam arrive at the same time and are speechless. The baby is sitting on the ground and crying. Manikkam picks the baby up and hands to Maruthani.

The police come and take Sulakshana away. Vanakkam!

SPOILER ENDS!

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/velakku_vechcha.rm

[Plum]

I could swear that this movie has Shobana tried to consume poison - this movie on DD introduced me to the term "Arali vidhai". But I am not sure since your summary doesnt seem to mention it. Or maybe it is another Pandian-Shobana-Janagaraj movie. So, a few thoughts:
1. Does this movie have Shobana-Pandian trying to do what Vijay-Sanghavi did years later , namely , test the censors out with their version of kabaddi - though being the 80's it was quite a tame affair?
2. I can vaguely remember Shobana in a school uniform...
3. Are you sure Shobana doesnt die of arali vidhai?

[Neel D]

Plum,
Yes, Shobhana does try to eat araLi vidhai. I did not think it was important to the story. So, I left it out. On an April fool's day Pandiyan tells her that he is already married. She believes that it is true and tries to eat araLi vidhai. But Pandiyan stops her from swallowing it. Later when Sulakshana stops their wedding Shobhana thinks about this incident and wonders if Pandiyan was actually telling the truth on April fool's day.

Other than that, there is no kabaddi in this film. Shobhana does not go to school. Shobhana does not die.

[Neel D]

Pick #651

Song: maruthANiyA iva maharANiyA
Film: Maruthaani
Music: Gangai Amaran
Singers: Uma Ramanan, S.P.Shailaja
Lyrics: One of (Vaali, Pulamaipithan, Vairamuthu, Gangai Amaran)
Year: 1985

Today's pick is the heroine introduction song picturized on Shobhana and her friends, singing and dancing in the picturesque countryside.

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/maruthaniya.rm

[aanaa]

[Shakthiprabha.]

Rare picks!

(velakku vecha.. okei)

'maruthaaniya thaan iva maharaniya'


Ican recollect to remember maruthaniya iva maharaaniya, often heard in vividh bharathi

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/maruthaniya.rm

Song is captivating for uma ramanan's unique voice!



This movie is worth watching for young beautiful shobhana!

[Neel D]

aanaa & Shakthiprabha, you are welcome.

[Neel D]

Pick #652

Song: nAn manjcaLukku nAththu
Film: Maruthaani
Music: Gangai Amaran
Singers: S.Janaki, Gangai Amaran
Lyrics: One of (Vaali, Pulamaipithan, Vairamuthu, Gangai Amaran)
Year: 1985

Another nice rustic song from Maruthaani. Today's pick was picturized on two extras who sing and dance in the bus in which Pandiyan is traveling from Chennai to the village, at the beginning of the film. Meenatchi Paatti also travels in the same bus. If you have not figured yet, this week I will be featuring all songs from Maruthaani. By the end of the week hope you feel like you have watched the film yourself, if you haven't before.

http://raretfm.mayyam.com/stream/pow07/nan_manjcalukku.rm