MGR film songs are always popular

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Manisegaran: It is good to have you back.

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appaa..evLo info !!!! Thx a lot MAni..romba interesting aa paatti kathai maathiri irukku

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Thanks for lot of info manisegaran)) Can you clarify this. That 16 vayathinile 17 pillayammaa was written for enga maamaa but taken by MGR for annamitta kai.

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MGR FAN

The MD for Enga Mama is MSV. The MD for Annamittakai is KVM. Personally speaking I do not think that is true. But some others may verify this.

MORE INFO ON MGR SONGS

1. Many of the pallavis for MGR songs were given by MGR himslef. MGR suggested Ematrathey Emarathey for ADimai Penn. Vali took this pallavi to KVM who changed it to Yematrathey Yematrathey... Yemarathey Yemarathey.
MSV himself suggested Rajavin Parvai Raniyin PAkkam for Anbe Vaa, and it was accepted by Vali and MGR.

2. MGR tried to dominate the MDs. It worked on some but the ISai methai G Ramanathan did not the least give in. MGR used to send messengers to GR, suggesting tunes for songs. GR used to reply along this line " I do not tell MGR how to handle sword in fgighting scenes, similarly I dont expect him to tell me how to handle tunes. He is authority in his field and Iam authority in my area" That may explain why he used SM Subbiah naidu for Nadodi Mannan. SMS is one of the closest friends of MGR and used to follow MGR wherever he went.

3.In 1956 Mahadevi was being produced. Kannadasasn wrote a song for a park situation. The kathali would wait for a long time and sleep off. The kathalan would come later and rubs her face gently to wake her up. She wakes up to her shock. Then the song goes. "Naanandri Yaar varuvaar. Ilam Nangai Unai veru Yaar thoduvaar" MGR did not like this song. So Kannadasan replaced it with "Kan Moodum Velayilum kalai enne kalaiye". Kannadasan was wild with MGR. Several other pressures forced him to produce his own film. Two years later in 1958 he took Malayitta Mangai in which he created the same situation and made TR Mahalingam and Mynavathi to act out the song mentioned above. TR Mahalingam made a personal request to Visvanathan Ramamoorthy. People used to believe that TRMahalingam could only sing high pitch songs. He asked for the the lowest possible pitch in the song. Thats how the sopng became the lowest pitch song of TRM.

4. Ulagam Sutrum Valiban was shot in a hasty manner. There was not sufficient lighting for several overseas scenes. So MGR erected about 40 settings in Sathya studio to overcome these flaws. He took painful effort to get the best out of MSV. He even rounded up convent school girls to produce the laughung sound for the song "Sirithu Vazha vendum" Of course there are inner stories for every song, which has to go under separate chapther.

5. The late Puthaneri Subramaniam was a bakthan of MGR. MGR wanted to use his song in Nadodi Mannan. The song is "Veesu thendraley Veesu Vetkai Neengave Veesu" When MGR went outstation, the song was rejected by the cine politics. When MGR came back he found that the song was not accepted by his story unit. Out of deep sadness he called up Puthaneri Subramaniam and explained his auckward situation and paid him off Rs 500. The song was later used in Ponni Thirunaal-sung by PB Sreenivos and P Suseela.

6. In 1958 Paathai Theriuthu Paar was being produced, and Vali gave one of his songs for the film. AS the film was a communist based one the song of Vali was most appropriate. But the Music Director MB Sreenivasan rejected it. In 1963 the same song was accepted by MGR and VR for the film Padagoti. The song is "Koduthathellaam Koduthaan"

7. There are at least two songs that were written to directly hit MGR. After Thaikku Pin Tharam, Devar produced Neela Malai Thirudan. As MGR was busy Devar used Ranjan. But MGR wanted Devar to hold on for a while so that he himself would act in the film. Devar went ahead with Ranjan, and MGR gave Devar a lot of problems. Devar got hold of Maruthakazi and asked him to write a song hitting MGR. The song is "Sathiyame Latchiyamaai Kollada". The lines hitting MGR are:

"ethanaiyo medu pallam vazhiyile- unnai idaravittu thallap paarkum kuzhile- nee athanayum thandi kaalai mun vaiyada- nee anjamal kadamayile kan vaiyadaa..

"kullanarik koottam vanthu kurukkidum-nallavarku thollai thanthu madakkidum- nee ellalavum bayam kondu thayangathedaa-
avatrai emanulagam anuppi vaikka thayangathedaa"

MGR had to play politics in cinema for his survival. Later MGR and Devar became best of friends.
The other song is "Kaiyile panam irunthaal kazhuthai kooda arasanadi-kai thatta allairunthaal kakkai kooda rasiganadi" by Kannadsaasn in Karuppu Panam.

8. There are at least 2 songs that backfired on MGR. The thogayara of one song was banned and only the pallavi onwards was played in All India Radios when MGR was the CM. The thogayaraa that was left out was "Aayiram Karangal maraithirunthaalum aathavan Maraivathillai, aanaikalitte yaar thaduthaalum Alaikkadal Oivathillai" This amounted to say that the DMK could never be suppressed (aathavan). The pallavi is "aada Piranthavle aadi vaaa" Film Arasakattalai.

When MGR Was the CM the Tigers issu in Sri Lanka was burning. In the song "Eh Naadodi.. poga venddum Ododi" in Anbe Vaa. there is a sparking line that MGR sings "Puliyai Paaar Nadayile.. Puyalai Par seyalie.. Purium Paar Mudivile.. Mirattinaal Padiyuma? Virattinaaal Mudiyuma?" This is a direct refernce to the invincible power of the tigers. So this song too had to be carefully played in All India Radio.

9. At a time when MGR and Karunanithi were friends, MGR acted free for a MEgala Pictures-Engal Thangam. Vali wrote the first line "Naan Alavodu RAsippavan.... and was thinking of the next line. Karunanithi immediately responded with "Ethaiyum Alavindri Koduppavan" for the second line. Everyone accepted.

10. In Pillaiyo Pillai VAli wrote a song for Mu Ka Muthu. "Moondru Thamizh Thondriyathum Unnidamo- Nee Moovebnthar Vazhi vantha Mannavaro" MGR gave tiffen to Vali one morning and sked him if it was proper to say that Moondru thamzh emerged from Mu Ka Muthu. Vali's explanation was not well acepted by MGR. Pillaiyo Pillai was a clear indication that MGR's fame and growth was being checked.

11. In the film Bagdad Thirudan, MGR sang a song Podanum Kulla Podanum. But in the film Kavalkaran there is a song "Ninaithen Vanthaai Nooru vayathu" in the second half of the song he appears with the kulla. It was after this song that he started to permanently wear the white kulla.

12. In many songs MGR praised himself. By the time Adimai Penn was produced he was at the pinnacle of fame and glory. In the song "Unnai Paarthu intha ulagam sirikkirathu" he appears in mask. As the line goes "Nee kadavulai paarthathu kidayathu... avan karuppa sivappa theriyathu" Immediately he opens up his mask and reveals his face to his supporters. There is a tremendous applaus(They had seen the kadavul) Then he says "Iraivoan oruvan irukkindraan... Ezhayin sirippil irukkindraaan" This time MGR gives a broad smile. More thunderous applause! Anna is the one who said Ezhayil Sirpiil Iraivanai Kaanalaam. Here MGR says that and revealse himself. In DMK circles this became an issue tha was burning behind the scene.

MNORE TO COME

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13. In thaikku in thaaram there is a song "Manusanai Manusan Sappidaranda Thambi Payale- ithu Maaruvatheppo theeruvatheppo thambi payale" In the record it goes lie this "Manusnai manusan sappidaranda Arumai thambi-ithu maaruvatheppo theeruvatheppo arumai thambi" The first version was recorded in the film. Devar the producer just came back from Anna's talk where he was using the words "Arumai thambi" several times. Devar was so much impressed that he requested Maruthakazi to change the pallavi ending in Arumai Thambi. But he was told that the recording and filming is over. Therfore he suggested that the change be made in the records. So TMS had to sing again. This is an important film for MGR and the DMK politically. In 1957 DMK and Congress stood against each other in the elections. The congress symbol was bull. In the film MGR fights with the bull. That particular poster was used in the elections. Result? DMK sewpt in the particular constituency.

14. MGR had acted in several of MK Thiagaraja Bagavathar's films. When he ws the CM he wanted to change the name of Tiruchy Kalai Arangu into Thiagaraja Bagavathar Kalai Arangu. The date was 2 October 1981. MGR was sceduled to appear at 11.30 in the morning. From 11.00 am onwards no song was played. At 11.30 MGR arrived in his car and alighteed. As he came out of his car this song was played "Vathanamey Chandra Bimbamo" to the thunderous applause and cheersing of the massive crowd there. MGR could not control his smile. He wsmiled and waved at the crowd. The crowd became more hysteric.

15. Petralthaan Pillaiya is the Tamil version of The Kid by CHarlie Chaplin. Half way through the film Saro and MGR had misunderstanding. They were not in talking terms. In the earliers song "Chakkrakkatti Raasathi En Manasa Vachiko kappathi" we could see the usual closeness and the rubbing works of MGR. But after that there was friction between them. MGR wanted to give up further filming. But MGR liked the film so much that he agreed to complete it despite the friction. Communication was through the director. One more song had to be completed. That is "Kannan Piranthaan Engal Kannan Piranthaan" The song scene was shot with some aloofness. MGR and Saro were clearly seen to be keeping distance. The film became a hit.



16. Just to say that MGR had phobia for speed. He was scared to ride fast on horses. Whatever speed we seee in movies is a techique called back projection. Distance shots are by stunts. Name Jeeva Sugam in Genoa and Uzhaippathila Uzhaippai peruvathila inbam are clear examples. He also feared flying in aeroplanes. He prefered trains. It was in Panam Padaithavan that he was forced to board a plane to go to Culcutta to shoot the scene for "Thannuyir Pirivathai Paarthavarillai". Likewise he had never ridden two wheelers in Tamil films. The one appearing in En Kadamai is a stunt. In Deivathai MGR's arrival in scooter alone is shown.

17. The song that took most time to complete is Neenga Nalla Irukkonum Nadu Munnera in Idayakkani. The Thogayaraa itself took three days to picturise on Kaveri. The most difficult song scene is said to be "Oru Pakkam Paarkkura" in Maattukkara Velan. The song that had most number of shots is "Ulagam... Azhagu kalaikalin Surangam" in Ulagam SUtrum Valiban. There were over 200 shots. Anyway the film itsef was shot for 6 hours. The editor was told to reduce it to 3 hours. He fell sick and was almost mad. Despite the editing, two songs were left out.

18. MGR in later days made it a pint to start his films with shooting on the Thaikkulam first, mainly song scenes. But after that every scene should be shot on him. The first MGR film for AVM was Anbe Vaa and the director Thirlokchander did not know this condition of MGR. The shooting of the song Rajavin Paarvai Raniyin Pakkam was going on in parts. One morning MGR was getting ready in the make up room. As usual it took hours. But Saroja Devi came out first and the following line was being shot "Aasayil Vilaintha Mathulam Kaniyo.. Kani Ithal thedum Kathalan Kiliyo" MGR came out with a sour face. His mood was gone for the day! Later Tirlokchander understood the cause. That was also the last film of AVM for MGR!

19. Vali loved a girl, but could not express his love to her. The girl kept on escaping from him. Around this time director Chanakya requested Vali to write a song for Enga Veetu Pillai. The situation happened to be the same faced by Vali in his real life. So he wrote
"Kumari Pennin Ullathile Kudi Irukka Naan Vara Vendum-Kudi Irukka Naan Varuvathedraal Vadagai Enna Thara Vendum?" The song scene was shot in Goa at a time when the Hindi Opposition was going on in Tamilnadu. The absence of MGR was made a political issue. But the truth is that oafter the song was played in the radio, and the film released, the girl felt the impact of the song and finally married Vali.
Vazhiya Vali vazhiyave

VANAKKAM! Padam MUDINTHATHU

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Manisegaran:

I thoroughly enjoyed your writing. I did not know
that Saroja Devi had some misunderstanding during
petrAnthAn piLLaiyA. Didn't they act in more
movies after that? I have even heard that later
after his ADMK formation he had made a request
to Saroja Devi to join the party. At that time
his relationship with Jeyalalitha was dull, I think.

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Of course Arasakattalai came after Petralthaan Pillaiya. But Arasakattalai of MG Chakrabani had started off earlier than Petralthan Pillaya. In Arasakattalai you can see the entrance of Jayalalitha and the exit of Saro. In Nadodi Mannan you could see the entrance of Saro and the exit of Banumathi.

MGR in fact requested evryoone in the cine field to join his party. Among the actresses Latha came in first, then Jayalalitha and later Vennira Adai Nirmala. But in the case of Saro she was already retired from cinema and settled in Bangalore by June 1972 ie when ADMK was formed. Saro indicated interest in joining some other political party in Bangalore itself, not in the ADMK as Jayalalitha and Latha were stumbling block. As soon as Jayalalitha became CM she had mentioned in passsing that the throne could have gone to her had she stayed put in Tamilnadu. There was no touch with MGR after her marriage. Seen in this light there is no possiblity of MGR requesting her to join ADMK especially when she had disappeared from he soil of Tamilnadu. But someone else my throw light on your question.

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Manisekaran:

Nice to see your postings. You are a treasure trove of information!

Etthanaiyo Medu Pallam Vazhiyile being written to hit at MGR looks a bit far fetched. Did any of the people involved, MGR or Thevar or Ranjan or somebody mention it?

There is at least one more song with "Udaya Suriyan" motif. Pudhia Vanam Pudhia Bhoomi has the lines "Udaya Suriyanin Parvaiyile" though I hv heard a modified version too "Pudhia Suriyanin Parvaiyile"

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Boori
Ethanaiyo MEdu Pallam was related to me personally by Maruthakazi when I saw him in his house in 1988.

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Manisegaran avargale: You have given lot of interesting information on MGR. Please continue your posting.