Quote Originally Posted by Manisekaran
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 implicated 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 was 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. Amarakavi

He then tried taking the film Amarakavi, using uvamai
kavignar Suratha to write dialogue. Another flop. This
film had good songs like ellaam inbamey, sevai
seithaaley vaazhalaam.

3. Puthu Vaazhvu

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 sang
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.

4. Sivagami

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".