spotlight on mellisai mannan msv
FOR MELLISAI MANNAN M S VISWANATHAN success did not come over night. Sheer hard work and perseverance made him the uncrowned king of Indian Film Music. MSV was in the city recently, to participate in a music night held in connection week the Thiruvonam celebration.
“My father died when I was three. We were taken care of by our grand father, a jail warden and the family moved to Kannur. I WAS admitted to a school. but i never went. But i regularly attended a musical class for three years and did menial jobs. When my grand father was transferred to TRICHI we reached Trichi. Before that my debut concert was held at Kannur in 1941. I JOINED Jupiter pictures. T S Balaih gave me a minor role in his stage play, Ramayana. Whoever strings the Trayambaka (THE BOW) would be the groom of Sita. I was one among the many princes, to partake in the SWAYAMAVARAM. When my turn came my fingers happened to touch a make and break arrangement and the bow broke. The curtain was pulled down and I was manhandled badly. Then I decided acting is not my cup of tea. Later in my life very recently I acted in films like tha ka thimi tha” said M S V.
It was M S Subbaih who recognized his talent. He gave many opportunities to compose songs. But he had to hide himself in complete effacement.
My contract with the Jupiter’s with expired and I was prepared to work as a coolie in the Trichi railway station. But M S Subbaih revealed that M S was behind all the hit numbers. Thus he had the opportunity to work for the film-Jenovah(1951) a bilingual film starring M G R.
But M G R objected. A new composer for my film-he was infuriated. He objected vehemently. E P Eapachen supported M S V and M G R was shocked. P Leela, Jikki and A M Raja rendered the other songs. ON hearing them m g r was convinced. He came to my thatched house immediately. I t as raining heavily and he hugged me, remembered the maestro.
The rest is history. MSV and T K Ramamurthi, with Kannadasan produced hits after hits. I and Ramamurthi worked for nearly 800 films. M SV alone ahs worked for 1780 films.
Good matter, meter, mad melody make any song hit. With Vayalar in Malyalam M S V has given ever hits.
In those days actors hear the song many times, they by heart them to supplement emotions. Sivaji after hearing the numbers in Santhi deliberately postponed the shooting of the song sequence for more than three weeks. Finally he agreed with an apology: “The song is highly melodious and I was preparing myself to bring out the best.”
Today we are technically advanced. The numbers are very fast and fade away soon. ARR, ILAYARAJA, VIDYASAGAR, SHANKAR GANESH WERE HIS DISCIPLES. (488 words)
