Sridhar - IR combo - one of the top in TFM

[app_engine]

Sridhar - IR combo has produced some memorable numbers in TFM.

While most Sridhar obituary columns mention iLamai oonjalAdukiRadhu, the others are not dwelt upon much, unfortunately.

To me, Sridhar ranks among the top few in getting the best from IR (that the Hindu article calling Sridhar connoisseur of music is 100% apt).

Yes, the partnership began with the hugely successful (and still popular) numbers in IO:

-என்னடி மீனாட்சி (எஸ்.பி.பாலசுப்ரமணியம்)
-தண்ணி கருத்திருச்சு (மலேசியா வாசுதேவன்)
-கிண்ணத்தில் தேன் வடித்து (கே ஜே யேசுதாஸ் / ஜானகி)
-நீ கேட்டால் நான் மாட்டேன் என்றா சொல்வேன் கண்ணா (வாணி ஜெயராம்)
-ஒரே நாள் உனை நான் நிலாவில் பார்த்தது
(எஸ்.பி.பி / வாணி ஜெயராம்)

எல்லாமே வாலி எழுதியவை.
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/albums/ALBIRR00193.html


To me, this was the album that made the TN revolution of tea shops & buses playing songs The HMV record player that had the speaker in the top cover was introduced around this time (prior to that a separate amplifier was typically required to get decent sound from vinyl records. i.e. if we do not count the horn that came with some of them which probably was liked by only dogs as in HMV logo).

They probably sold a lot of these players to tea shops in TN as I've seen the same player in so many of them.

Just about the same time the concept of having a 'cassette deck' in buses caught up and people started skipping the govt. buses to private ones (that the govt. buses also started to have them was a much later, knee-jerk reaction from the corp's). It wasn't till many years later that I realized this is a "mostly-TN-only" phenomenan and kudos to Raja for that!

That way, IO music can be called as an influence in Thamizh culture even.

However, the best song of this combo (IMO) is yet to come, i.e. in their next movie.

About AUA in my next post.

[MrJudge]

Yes, AUA is just awesome. It is trendy, youthful and masthAnA's varied rhythm is still fresh. And again all songs are penned by vAli.

He got the best from IR in nineivellAm niththyA IMO, I would day it is the best of the bests.

When I read about his last wish in AV, I was like

[natha1729]

playing songs in buses and speakers was there in kerala too in the 60s, 70s. malayalam, hindi, mgr, jaisankar, sivaji' gowravam songs was played a lot. indians all over are musically sharing (if nothing else they share) inside and out without copyright greed issues, it is embedded in the soul and it was at one time worth more than anything

[irir123]

I think Sridhar's last film with IR was "Thanthivittaen ennai" - and it had the brilliant "kangalukkul ennai yezhudhu"!

[s ramaswamy]

Hi,
Nothing to beat Sridhar and Visu-Ramu combine, apart from Sridhar and A M Raja and Sridhar-MSV combine.

Sridhar-VR combine:
1. Nenjil Ore aaalayam
2. Nenjam Marappadillai
3. Sumai Thangi
4. Policekaran Magal
5. Kalaikkovil
6. Vennira Aadai
7. Kaadaliikka Neramillai


Sridhar-A M Raja:
1. Kalyana Parisu (first for both Sridhar as director and Raja as MD)
2. Then Nilavu
3. Vidivelli

Sridhar-MSV:
1. Ooty Varai Uravu
2. Nenjirukkum Varai
3. Sivanda Mann
4. Kodi Malar
5. Avalukkendroru Manam
6. Utharavindri Ulle Vaa
7. Urimaikkural
8. Meenava Nanban

I might have missed some more films, but Sridhar's combination with V Chalapathi Rao gave us the memorable album Meenda Sorgam.

Regards
Ramaswamy

[Sureshs65]

That Sridhar - Illayaraja combination was a superb one is beyond doubt. What can one say of 'Ninaivellam Nithya' (I mean when it comes to songs. Otherwise there is a lot to be said about that movie. Not all of which would be complimentary !!) 'Oru Odai Nathiyagirathu' and 'Thendral Ennai Thodu'. Outstanding stuff.

Sridhar's collaborations with VR and MSV were also great and has given us some lovely songs. Absolutely no doubt about Srdhar's superb taste when it comes to music.

I have this theory that whenever Illayaraja is called to make music to a director who had a fabulous combination in the past, Illayaraja puts in best foot forward and gives us some outstanding music. Sridhar is one example. K.Vishwanath and K.Balachander are the other examples. In each case, there was a lovely Director - Music Director combination which gave great songs (KV with KVM and KB with MSV) before Illayaraja entered the scene. He takes over from his predecessors left and gives us some amazing numbers.

It is a bit difficult to choose the _best_ combination when it comes to Illayaraja and a director. It can be BR - IR, or Manirathnam - IR, Mahendran - IR or Sridhar - IR. I personally wouldn't want to rate any combination here but Sridhar - IR was definitely special in the sense that all others mentioned were budding directors whereas Sridhar was a veteran by then and IR was at his personal best in Sridhar's movies.

We should all be thankful to Sridhar for extracting and giving us so many amazing numbers from different music directors. May his soul rest in peace.

S.Suresh

[tfmlover]

ராத்திரி பொழுது ஒன்ன பாக்கிற பொழுது
அடி வேர்த்து கொட்டுது
வார்த்த முட்டுது கேக்குற பொழுது
அடி ஒங்கிட்டே தான் என்ன இருக்கு அதை
தெரிஞ்சுக்கிறேன் கிட்டே நெருங்கு
ஓ !
indha paattu sridhar movie ?

[app_engine]

tfmlover - We're trying to find certain things to appreciate in a combo that enriched TFM and not to nitpick them. If your intention is to show that lyrics - music has degenerated due to IR, please visit the lyrics of "ALL" songs of urimaikkural which has "SHAME" written in many places, much worse than what you've quoted. For decency's sake, I won't quote here. In addition, this is not the place to discuss non-IR stuff.

s ramaswamy, appreciate the great list that you've put together. However, since this is an IR forum, we'll limit this thread to Sridhar's extractions from that genius. Of the other greats, let's discuss in the appropriate forums.

natha1729, may be you're correct about Kerala playing songs in "buses" in 60s & 70s, though I doubt how many buses were run by non-KSRTC in Kerala during those days. And, to my knowledge compact cassettes themselves were not around in 60's. If you mean playing on simply loudspeakers - vElA's & marriages etc, that is definitely not my topic of discussion. I believe that's a universal thingy, even abroad

One thing I'm sure - I lived there from 86-02 and except some areas around Palakkad (due to Coimbatore influence and that too only private buses that run short distances), I didn't find any craze of buses playing songs. And at no point any KSRTC bus played music during that period.

The situation cannot be compared with TN at all.

And about tea shop music? Absolutely a TN-only culture In fact it's a point of ridicule and making fun of TN for most of my malayALi friends)

[irir123]

"Nanum oru thozhilali" was another Sridhar-IR combo product! i think the movie itself was a see-it-forget-it kind, and I remember only one song "naan poovedutthu"

[DeepTrance]

I think Sridhar's last film with IR was "Thanthivittaen ennai" - and it had the brilliant "kangalukkul ennai yezhudhu"!

Wasn't the Uma Ramanan sung "Muththamma muththu muththu" from this movie as well?