M.K. Thyagaraja Bagavadhar

[Oldposts]

Sathya Keerthi

MKTB Part II

JAIL TERM
Chintamani ran for one year in Gaiety theatre. But Haridass ran in the Madras Broadway theatre for 3 consecutive Deepavalis. Around this time there was a yellow magazine called Hindu Nesan which was notorious in publishing the "Arputha LeelaikaL" of those involved in the cine field. The articles also mademention of NSK and MKTB. The editor Lachumikanthan was murdered. MKTB and NSK were impilcated and arrested. This caused traumatic shock waves to run in Tamilnadu. This was the time when MKTB was at the height of his glory and fame. As he was passing the days in prison Haridas gained popularity. The irony is that the person of MKTB lost out in popularity. In those days those linked with murderer incidents used to be excommunicated in society. Haridas was so popular that it was the first film to be re-released in colour tint. In those days portions of the films used to be given single colours called tints. This was the beginning of the advent of colour films. Portions of Haridas were given colour tints. In the second release the entire film was given colour tint-thereby became the first film to be given tint throughout.(The first full colour film is Ali Baba)

Just before going to prison MKTB had been booked for 20 films in a row. He even took advance. While in prison he was most depressed, distressed and dishearted. This is because no producer came to visit him there. His close friends deserted him. Those who used him as a golden goose discarded him. Some did turn up- to request MKTB to return the advance, thinking that he would never be released. This hurt him further. Meanwhile the producers took a different approach. Thinking that MKTB would never be released, they went on to create a substitute for him to act in the films scheduled for MKTB to act. This is how they dragged the Karnataka's Honnappa Bagavathar. They used him to produce Kalidas. It wa a flop. Then they tried another film called valmeeki. Also a flop! Now they realised that people could only rival MKTB, but caould never replace him.

Fortunately MKTB and NSK got early release through the good office of influential people who were also the fans of MKTB. Luck was in favour of NSK when he became an active member in DMK. The DMK promoted him. But MKTB was not a supporter of the ideologies og of the DMK. So NSK and MKTB who parted.

When MKTB was released he was invited for a kachery where he could not see the usual crowd. He was sad to learn that he was no more a crowd puller. By this time the very film producers who never patronised him in jail came forward to use MKTB(based on the success of Haridas) in new films. But MKTB refused totally in anger. He decided to test his strength in the film industry.
1. Rajamukthi- He used totally a new comer in the film industry to write dialogue. It was Chirukathai mannan Puthumaippithan who wrote the dialogue. The film was a flop. Puthumaipithan developed acute tuberclosis which lead to his death. But the film with CR Subbaraman as the MD had very good songs like Unnai allal oru thurumbasayumo, manida janmam meendum vanthidumo, ingumangum, enna anantham, piravik kadal, manam nininthu etc.
2. He then tried taking the film Amarakavi, using uvamai kavignar Suratha to write dialogu. Another flop. This film had good songs like ellaam inbamey, sevai seithaaley vaazhalaam.

3. The last attempt was the film Puthu Vazhvu.Here both G.Ramanathan and CN Pandurangan were used as MDs. He studied the changing trend in the cine field and took this film. It has a social film with sound social theme.He used the most sizzling glamourous actress of the time-Mathuri Devi. He even introduced a dream scene of Romeo-Juliet style. The song for this scene is the most melodious "thEn Kuyil poley" which he saang with Jikki-probably the only song with Jikki. Somehow this film also did not fare well.Ths wonderful songs in Puthu Vazhvu are like Suttu vizhi chudar thaan Kannamma, thAnam avasiyam, uNmai onRe pEsum nalla uyar guNam veNDum"

When he took Thiruneelakandar before going to Jail it was well received. But these three other last movies did not do well. He lost all his property. The films may be commercially failures, but the quality of the songs was not the least compromised.

Then there was a last attempt to rehabilitate him. The film Sivagami was produced. MKTB sang songs like "Atputha Leelaikalai, gnana sabayil, AravAram, and Anantha nadana vinotha. But half way he died and the film was completed with a new actor who did not pick up. TMS had to sing to make up for the loss. Those songs are "vaanil muzhu mathiyai kaNden vanathil oru poeNNai kaNDEn" and the duet with Solamangalam Rajalachumy"andgumingum Attam pOda vaikkuthu AnAlumAnanthamAi irukkuthu".

To be continued tomorrow. Good night/morning.

[Oldposts]

Manisekaran,

Great postings. Ravi, I think these postings must go into an archive under the heading MKTB. In that way lot of people will be able to access it. If it goes only under the DF archives, many may miss it. Keep up the good work, Manisekaran.

[Oldposts]

Is the server down? Testing

[Oldposts]

Manisekaran:

We are waiting for MKTB Part III...

[Oldposts]

Sathya Keerthi here is:

MKTB Part III

Giving below the list of all the films acted by MKTB-both released and unreleased. The idea is to enable the lovers of MKTB songs to get his songs recorded.

The films that he acted are in this order:

1. PAVALAKKODI-with the drama actress S.D. Subbulachumy as heroine. Direction by the great K. Subramaniam.Pavalakkodi was a highly successful drama that ALRM Chettiyar came forward to adapt it into a film form. It was a super hit film that ran for 100 weeks. Reason? 55 super songs.

2. SARANGATHARA- The heroine was again SD Subbulachumy. The direction was by K Subramaniam. This film ran very well.

3. SATHIYASEELAN. This is MKTB's own film. He wanted to introduce a lot of stunt scenes. He started the "Thiagaraja Pictures" and produced the film. Shooting was done in Bombay as well. By this time SD Subbulachumy decided not to act with MKTB. So he brought in an inexperienced actress called Devasena. This film, as expected ran very well

4. CHINTAMANI- This was produced by Royal Talkies. The Kannada actress Asvathama acted in this movie. The film was directed by O.Y.Rao who is the father of actress Lachumy. The film was well received.

5. AMBIKAPATHY. Produced by Salem Shankar Films. The story and direction was taken care of by the great Ilankovan of Kannagi fame. Direction was by Ellis R. Duncan. MKTB received RS 11,000 for this film. It was a great sum at that time.

6. THIRUNEELAKANDER. Direction was by Raja Sando. In this film NSK and TS Durairaj joined up to act in his films. By this time MKTB's fame got elevated sky high that people feard to act alongside with MKTB. There is one scene where the actor Sama was told to kick MKT. But he refused totally, untill MKT forced him to do so for the sake of acting. The film had a daring theme. A prostitute character was daringly featured in the movie. The character is Kalavalli. The pimp (maama?) character was portrayed very well by Kothamangalam Subbu. By this time those in the higher bracket in society came forward to appreciate the movies of MKT. On the 25th week celebrations of the movie, Sathyamoorthy, the Congress Leader presided the funtion and showered his blessings upon him.

While this movie was in the production stage articles damaging the name of MKTB started to appear in the front page of "Hindu Nesan", a yellow paper editored by CN Lachumykanthan.

7. ASHOK KUMAR- Kumuthini acted as heroine. Direction was by Raja Sando. MGR appeared as Mahendran and played "Jalra" for the songs of MKTT. (When MGR came to rule this film was painted as a movie of MGR, and MKT was side stepped) A well received movie of course.

8. SIVAKAVI. The story of Poiyaamozhi pulavar. The title for the movie was given by Ilankovan who also wrote the dialogue. This film was produced by Kovai Pachiraja films(Sri Ramulu).

9. HARIDASS- The most famous of all MKTB films. It was released during Deppavali, and ran for 3 Deepavalis. TR Rajakumari appeared in a small role in this movie. But the relationship between MKTB and TRR bloomend into a lifelong one. Manmatha leelaiyai venRaaruNdo? This song in this film applied to them as well.Untill this movie was made MKT used to act in one film at a time. But this film was so popular that MKT was booked for about 20 films in a row. In this film he acted as a lame person. In real life too he met with an accident while riding his own horse cart and was not able to walk for a long time.

AS the movie was running the editor of Hindu Nesan CN Lachumykanthan was murdered on 8 November 1944. NKS and MKT were arrested, but came out under bail. They were arrested again on 12 February 1945. Court case was on 3 May 1945, and lawyers were employed from Madras as well as Bombay (Lawyer Munshir) The case was not in favour of MKTB and NSK. An appeal was made, but failed. They were sentenced for 2 years, 2 months, and 13 days. With the good office of people in authority they were released early on 25 April 1947. A big group came to the jail entrance to welcome MKTB.From the jail MKTB went straight to Vadapazhani temple and prayed. On the same night he went off to Trichy as a very sad person.

Before going to jail he had accepted advance to act in several movies. The prodcers turned up in jail to demand for the return of the advance. The only peron who refused to accept the return of the advance was Lena Chettiyar(the owner of Krishna Films who produced Madurai Veeran and Raja Desing)
MKT told his family members to sell off his property to settle with the producers. This is how he lost his properties. He was so sad in jail ashis closest friends too did not show concern towrds him.

10. RAJAMUKTHI. As he was so dissappointed with the cinema field, he started his own film company called "Nagendra Films" and took Rajamukthi. Banumathy was the heroine. CRSubbaraman was the MD. Direction by Raja Sando. He brought Puthumai Pithan, the Tamil short story king to write dialogue. The film was a flop and Puthumaipithan died of acute Tuberclosis later.

11. AMARAKAVI. Dialogue by Suratha. Direction by M.Nagoor. The heroine was TR Rajakumari. The film was of average ruun.

12. SYAMALA- another average run movie.

13. PUTHU VAZHVU with the beauty queen Maduri Devi as the heroine. A good movie, but did not run very well. There were good songs with GR and CN Pandurangan as the MDs. MKT introduced many changes to make the movie a success. He studied the changing trend of the cine field and took this film to match the latest trend.It proved that the social themes do not match MKTB. Yet a failure commercially.

14. SIVAKAMI- was produced by MA Venu(producer of Town Bus and Samboorna Ramayanam) Half way through MKT died on 1 Novemebr 1955. A Telugu actor Jekkaiyah and another actress Jeyshree were brought in to complete the movie. Accordingly TMS was brought in to sing for Jekkayah. A film that never did well despite bearing the emblem of the last movie of MKTB.

UNRELEASED MOVIES

While Haridass was running MKTB was booked for the following movies:

1. Rajayogi
2. Sree Murugan
3.Valmeeki
4.Udhayanan
5.Bakthamedha
6.Bilharnan
7.Jeevagan
8.Kalidass
9.Nambiyandar Nambi
10.Sree Valli
11.VasanthaSena

As he went to jail, there was a feeling that he would never come out early. As MKTB had started a trend for the Bagavathar type of films, the producers wanted to quickly capitalise on the trend in the absence of MKTB. So they brought in Honnappa Bagavathar to complete the films that were originally sheduled for him. Honnappa Bagavathar did act in Valmeeki and Kalidass. Both did not do well. This Honnappa Bagavathar was equally dissappointed. So he later took a movie called"Ulavukkum Thozhilukkum Vanthanai SivOm"

MKT had acted in a few scenes in Rajayogi, Sree Valli and Vasanthasena

Rajayogi was produced by AVM. There are 8 songs in this film. But the songs had not been released in records. It is believed that had this film been released it would have broken the record of Haridass by virtue of the strength of the songs.

Sathya Keerthi,

Part IV to follow soon.

[Oldposts]

Manisekaran:

You are giving us lots of rare information. Please
continue.

I have heard that Asvathama, the heroine
in Chintamani, also became very very famous after
that movie. Did she act in any other popular movie?

[Oldposts]

Sathya Keerthi:

I am sorry I had to be away on an important mission. While it is true that Asvathamma was made popular by MKTB, he had the tendency of changing heroines in each of his movies. Asvathama did act in a film called Santha Sakkubai where the MD is Govindarajulu Naidu. But no trace of her after that.

MKTB Part IV

Let me now give some important incidents in MKTB's life.

1. When MKTB produced Thiruneelakander the 2nd World War erupted. The film was slightly delayed. Learning of the great popularity of MKTB, the then British Governor for Madras, Sir Arthur Hope requested MKTB to stage dramas to collect funds. MKTB gladly consented that. But the Congress leader, Sathyamoorthy was not the least in favour of this move. He therefore threatened MKTB that he would strip the "Bhagavathar" title from MKTB. Of course MKTB was not the least purturbed by that threat. He went on to stage the dramas. When the British returned after the 2nd WW, they conferred the title of "Divan Baghdoor" upon MKTB. MKTB very politely declined the offer.

2. When Thiruneelakandar ran very well the same Sathyamoorthi who antagonised MKTB came forward to preside the silver jubilee celebrations of the movie. Untill then MKTB used to wear silk jibba, silk angavcsthiram, silk veshti. But on the celebration day Sathyamoorthi requested MKTB to change to "kathar" form of dressing to which he consented. This incident became a turning point in the life of MKTB.

3. MKTB is affectionately known as "ezhisai mannar", and in some circles also called "ezhilisai mannar". This title was conferred upon him while performing kachery in Dharmapuram Atheenam.

4. MKTB is also called "sithar" in some circles.

5. It was observed that those watching MKTB's films never or seldom went out during the intervals for nature's call, to ease themselves or even to buy cool drinks. There was a fear that they may miss the songs should songs were the first scenes when the films resumed after the intervals. The boys selling cool drinks and cigarettes were not allowed in many theatres for their loud voice would be a hindrance. This precedence had not been the case for other movies.

6. MKTB attracted people from all walks of life. Anna himself used to patronise MKTB. Soon they became close friends. Whenever Anna visited Trichy he made it a point to call upon MKTB, and likewise MKTB never failed to call upon Anna whenever he visited Kanchipuram. When Anna visited MKTB for the first time he requested MKTB to sing a song for him. Knowing the stand of Anna in so far as belief in God is concerned, MKT sang the following song:
"Sivaperumaan Kirubai veNDum
verenna veNdum" Anna immediately asked"Yarukku?"
MKTB answered "ungalukkuthaan." Anna then said "Enakku Avarudaya kirubai veNdam; athu ungalukkey irukkattum" Then MKTB sang the song "Meinyana thangamithu" from Puthu Vaazhvu.

7. Probably MKTB's song was the first Tamil song to be used in an English movie. In the English film called "Elephant Walk" there is a scene where the Tamils of Sri Lanka are shown plucking tea leaves. The song "Boomiyil Maanida Jenmam adainthumOr Punniyam indRi vilangugaL pOl" from Asok Kumar was used as the background song.

8. It is an open secret that never before was any singer-cum actor in the Tamil film industry who had earned so much craze from both the males and females. In so far as the women are concerned they came openly to catch a glimpse of him at functions organised for him. It is also an open secret among the old timers that many women had desired with all their heart to have children by MKTB. When MKTB arrived in Chidambaram for the shooting of his own film "Thiruneelakander"in hundreds of women flocked around MKTB. Police force had to be reinforced to disperse the crowd.

9. MKTB had the habbit of expressing his gratitute by way of visiting those who had helped him in his beginning days. He used to sing a few songs in his houses. But he never received cash. He has helped many families financially without the knowledge of others.

10. His two visits to the house warming ceremonies by NSK and TR Rajakumari had been very significant. In the house of TRR, CS Jayaraman was performing Kachery when the unexpected guest MKTB dashed in, sang a few songs and dissappeared. Those who witnessed the event recall the his brief visit was like a flash of lighting. It is further said that his departure from the house brought a form of gloom.

When NSK arranged the house warming ceremony in Nagerkoil, many VIPs were invited. Amongs them was the Nadaswaram Vidvan Rajaratnam Pillai who requested MKTB to sing songs, one by one. Though he sang cinema songs, he was able to give the full length of the carnatic requirement, with all the details that are indispensable. Rajaratnam Pillai observed that it is just unfortunate that in cinema MKTB is forced to complete his songs in less than 5 minutes, and that in record the time is further slashed to mere 3 minutes, thereby losing the essence, depth and the weight.

11. There was a popular belief that Carnatic songs were killing the "Thamizhisai". People like Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, Shanmugam Chettiyar,Sir CP Ramaswamy and Thiruvaduthurai Rajarattinam Pillai started to revive the pure "Thamizhisai". When they first saw the kachery of MKTB, they came to belive that MKTB alone would suffice to quicken the "Thamizhisai" that was losing grip in Tamilnadu. Later these VIPs founded the Tghamizhisai Manram.

12. MKTB is an excellent singer, but a poor orator. In his whole life he has addressed the crowd only twice. The first was while performing the kachery in Jafna, Sri Lanka. At the end of the kachery, the organisers praised MKTB, but left out the other "pakka vaathiyangal". MKTB then addressed the crowd in praise of those who accompanied him.

The other incident was when the poosari in the Thiruvaiyaaru Temple knocked on the heads of the small boys who were running around. MKTB addressed and said how he himself was subjected to this treatment during his childhood days.

13. In the film Ashok Kumar MGR was playing jalra for MKTB. When MGR came to rule Tamilnadu, many more jalras emerged to jalra for MGR. There is a song called "Vathanamey Chandrabimbamo" in the film Sivakavi. There was a function arranged for MGR to attend, when he was the CM. Things were pre-planned. Untill moments before tha arrival of MGR, several songs were played on records. But when MGR was about to arrive, they stopped playing songs. MGR's car arrived. As MGR alighted from the car the song "Vathanamey Candrabimbamo" was played loud just to get MGR to acknowledge with a broad smile. The next line was "Malarntha SarojamO". To this MGR gave a still boader smile. The crowd, mostly "jalras" burst into cheering. Of course the song was most appropriate to desribe the golen features of MGR.

14. The original pallavi for the above song was like this:
"Muhammathu Chandra BimbamO" Somebody by the side of Pabanasam Sivam asked him
" Muhamathau (prophet)Chandrabimbam enRaal, Esu naathar enna sooriya bimbamO?" Immediately Pabanasan Sivam realised the dual meaning it is bound to conveey and changed the line to what we hear today.

Sathya Keerthi:

The fifth and the concluding will talk about the rise and fall of the one and the greatest legend of MKTB.
Regards.

[Oldposts]

Manisekaran,

nice work. I cant wait for the 5th part. BTW, I am sure Papanasam Sivan was NOT the composer of vadhaname chandrabimbamo.

Could we also expect a thread on P.U.Chinnappa?

Thanks and regards

G.Ramaswamy

[Oldposts]

Manisekaran:

nandri. nEram kidaikkum pOdhu meedhiyaiyum
maRakkaamal ezhudhungaL.

[Oldposts]

Manisegaran
Thanks for all your informative posts.

As Ramaswamy suggests, it'll be good if you can
start threads on other old time artists and share
with us all the interesting info you have. If time permits, of course. Thanks in advance.