Mellisai Mannar M.S. VISWANATHAN

[irir123]

Grew up with Maestro. Ilaiyaraaja's music (needless to say!)

There were so many tracks/songs from the late 70s through 80s that I thought were by IR but only later learnt they were by MSV..

'Ninaithale Inikkum' released same time (correct me if am wrong) as 'Priya' - was an absolute challenge to IR's genre defying creativity! track to track, NI matched and perhaps arguably bettered Priya!

Some tracks which I mistakenly attributed to IR, were just outstanding :

"Raagangal padhinaaru" for Rajini in Thillu Mullu (that delightful Rajini - in the super able hands of late KB - is gone baby gone, but I wont digress),

"Maan kanda sorgangal" - from 47 natkal - here is a track for a situation abt a demure Indian housewife leading a miserable life with a narcissistic husband cheating on her - the tune structure is so unique, unlike any I have heard - if it was set to tune to lyrics already written (Kannadasan ?), then a total ripper (a la Shane Warne knocking off Chanderpaul's leg stump pitching almost outside the pitch's edge)..

The best of them - IMHO - were "Kanna kaanum kangal mella" from 'agni satchi' - one of the alltime greats of SPB - the bass line made it sound distractingly IRish! The parts "nilaa kaala megam ellaam, ulaa pogum neram kanney" in the pallvi, or, "nodiyil naal thorum niram maarum devi, vidai thaan kidaikkamal thadumarum kelvi" in the charanam - classic crossover between a lullaby and a romantic pathos melody....

and MSV's version of "Theertha karaiyiniley" (even though I did not like the way the tune meanders at 'vedhanai seigudhadi') is perhaps the best tribute to Bharathiar's words..beautifully rendered by SPB..

If IR (arguably) was a major factor contributing to the cult status of both Rajini and Kamal, MSV undeniably was an absolute major factor to creating the MGR 'cult' in TN cinema & the latter's ascent in politics....

The reach of movie tracks in creating a sense of euphoria amongst the masses often deluding them to blindly believe in their political masters was fully demonstrated by the way MGR in particular exploited the talents of MSV-TKR and Kannadasan to further his political ambitions..

MGR/DMK/ADMK/AIADMK/JJ et al owe MSV-TKR combo for making 'leaders' out of stars..and successful political parties out of a bunch of hooligans..

That, MSV's passing away has not garnered the attention he so richly deserves (am too small to even say anything like this) - says a lot about how artists are treated in our homeland...

But for the foundation MSV and co laid, we may not have seen the evolution leading to IR and ARR...

RIP - MSV's legacy will live forever...