6. SEVVANTHI POO MUDICHA CHINNAKKA

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6. SEVVANTHI POO MUDICHA CHINNAKKA

No song from 16 Vayathinile could be singled out for credit, as all songs are equally good and form interesting material for discussion. So let me cover a few songs in a go.
That was the 13th movie for Ilayaraja. Years later Raja was asked which was the film from which he derived full satisfaction. Ater a moments reflection Raja said that that was the film where he was able to manifest and exhibit his full imagination in composing music. Bharathiraja too had commented that 16 Vayathinile provided best musical results.

As for the film, that was the first film to be shot outside studio- in natural settings with no make up for the everyone. The lyrics too reflected naturalism set in village surroundings.

Raja has toured several villages in South India, and had sung in many of the concerts. Perhaps there are very few villages on which they had not set their foot. The Pavalar Brothers- Varatharajan, Bhaskar, Amar Sing (gangai amaran) and Gnana Desigan (Ilayaraja) claimed “MaAttu vandi POgatha Oorukkellam Engal PaAttu vandi Ponathundu.”

Wherever Raja went he made sure he picked up folk tunes, folk based lyrics and took note of the musical instruments played in the villages. He kept all these as well guarded secret, hoping to use them one day. He was the first to bring the entire range of the folk tunes, lyrics and even instruments to Kodambakkam. The movie where he used them in full range was 16 Vayathinile.


The film ran for 30 weeks. It was selected the best film by the Tamilnadu Government.


Now three songs:
S.B Bala was bookd for recoding the song in this movie. However, as Bala was not feeling well, he himself recommended Malaysia Vaasudevan. So Vasu had to sing the songs in this movie.

SENTHOORA POOVE

This was a killer song. It is quite difficult to grasp how Ilayaraja could use guitar and western orchestration for a village tune and still create a hit out of it. (guitar is discussed in another song) Gangai Amaraqn boasts that following the success of this cong, many other producers wanted the pallavis of theirs songs to start with names of flowers.

This was a trend setting song for a short period, as there were already songs starting with names of flowers prior to this. Perhaps this song revived the need to start songs with names of flowers. Camerawork was a strong plus point for this song. (Gangai Amaran also has said that there is no such flower as Senthoorappoo. It is an imaginary flower, and challenges anyone to produce that flower!)

The vinyl record also recorded sky high sales. Sivaji Ganesan himself has reportedly remarked that Senthoora Poove was his favourite song for 1977.

S. Janaki was bestowed national award for best playback singer for the song Senthoora Poove. The song was surprisingly very popular in Russia as well.

Click here to listen to it!

sendhoorappoovae sendhoorappoovae jillenra kaatrae
en mannan engae en mannan engae nee konjam sollaayoa

(sendhoorappoovae)

thenralaith thoodhu vittu oru saedhikkuk kaaththirundhaen
kangalai moodavittu inbak kanavinil naan midhandhaen
kannip paruvaththin vannak kanavidhuvae
ennai izhukkudhu andha ninaivadhuvae
vannap poovae thenral kaatrae ennaith thaedi sugam varumoa

(sendhoorappoovae)

neelak karunguyilae thennanjoalaik kuruvigalae
koalamidum mayilae nalla gaanap paravaigalae
maalai varum andha naalai uraiththidungal
saalai vazhi engum poovai iraiththidungal
vannap poovae thenral kaatrae ennaith thaedi sugam varumoa

(sendhoorappoovae)

CONTINUES...