HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUDHA RAGHUNATHAN

Sudha Raghunathan is the one whom I can say my Guru of Carnatic Music. She’s my Drona and I’m her Ekalavya. (But I won’t give her my thumb as Fees). Though I could not learn Music from her directly, I learned from her by listening to her Cassettes and CDs. First my mother became her fan and started listening to her songs. That time I was not aware of pure form of Carnatic Music as I just entered my teenage. But I had an affinity towards the Classical songs in the films like Sindhu Bhairavi, Unnal Mudiyum Thambi (Courtesy KB). Later I got an interest to identify ragas of a few Film songs (Courtesy Mohan Vaidhya).

It all started with the famous Bharathiyar song “Chinnanchiru Kiliye Kannamma…” sung by Sudha and it created a magic in me. Especially when she sings the line “Kannathil Muthamittaal…” I felt like someone pecks on my cheek literally. I kept listening to it and sang the song in a Music competition in my 10th Std. But still I managed to get only a 2nd prize in the Brahmin-dominated school. The same song got me the First Prize in my 11th Std. I was happier not to win 1st Prize, but to defeat a Brahmin boy who was my rival in Sanskrit too.

When I was in 2nd year B.E, I heard Sudha singing the famous song of Oothukkadu Venkata Subbiyer, “Asaindhadum mayil onru…” I was just mesmerized by the way the song was composed and flawlessly sung by Sudha. From that moment I had become a die-hard fan of Carnatic Music and of course SR. Eventhough I have listened to the same song sung by various artistes, still SR is the Best. Her Album titled “ALAIPAYUTHE KANNA” contains the songs of Oothukkadu is my most favourite Album till date. If anyone wants to learn Carnatic music, they can start with those songs which help have control over breath while singing. One can also improve his/her Tamil pronunciation by practising those songs. Especially the lines:

"KaRutha kuzhalodu niRutha mayil siRagirukki amaitha thirathile
Gaana mayilaadum neela kuyil paadum neela nadhiyodum vanathile

Kuzhal mudhal ezhilasai kuzhaiya varumisayil kuzhalodu miLiriLan karathile

Kadhirum madhiyum ena nayana vizhigaL iru naLinamaanda salanathile..."

Later I started collecting most of her Albums and recommend others to listen to it.
In my opinion, Bombay Jayashri sings with a very low pitch, whereas Nithyasree sings at extremely high pitch. Sudha can sing in both low pitch and high pitch. She can sing any kind of raga very well, whether it’s a soft Sahana or a hard Thodi. But for my uncles Bombay Jayashri is the best in this generation. My granny says after MS it's BJ. But for me SR is the Best.

I got a chance to attend 3 of her concerts when I was in Coimbatore. Her concerts are very popular among people due to her Song selection. She normally sings popular songs like Kurai onrum illai, Shanti Nilava Vendum, Katrinile varum geetham, etc. Most of the people esp women attend her concerts to see her attire. She is famous for her silk saris and jewels esp rings. This made her the Brand Ambassador of Pothys.

Though her contemporaries Bombay Jayashri and Nithyasree are popular among common audiences because of her Film songs, Sudha has her unique place in the Hearts of Music Lovers in spite of a few renditions of film songs. Her songs in “Ivan” are of her kind but the song “Kadhal periyadha kaamam periyadha…”from the movie Satham Podaadhey is the biggest blunder Sudha has ever made as MLV did in “Ayyasamy Aaojisamy…”. When Ilayaraja made her singing Carnatic songs in films, A.R. Rahman too was keen to make her sing in “Yelelo”, Yuvan tried to spoil her image by the song. This is the only song of Sudha which I hate to the core.
Though I haven’t yet watched the film and song, I liked her voice suited to Late Soundarya in Ivan and also to the legend Shabana Azmi in the crossover move “Morning Raga” where Shabana’s lip sync is perfect for the “Thaye Yashodha...” fusion song.

My favourite songs of Sudha:
Asaindhadum Mayil onru in Simmendhra Madhyamam
Chinnanchiru Kiliye - Ragamalika
Kurai Onrum Illai – Ragamalika
Enna Thanavm seidhanai - Kapi
Alaipayuthe Kanna - Kanada
Paal Vadiyum Mugam – Natta Kurinji
Thaye Yashoda – Thodi (Especially the fusion one in Morning Raga)
Kuzhaloodhi manamellam – Kamboji
Aadaadhu Asangadhu - Madhyamavati
Vandhanamu ragu nandhana - Sahana
Sarvam Bramha mayam – Darbari Kanada
Bramham Okate - Bowli
Bho Sambho – Revathi
Velliyangiri vaasa – Shubhapantuvarali
Ododi vandhen kanna – Dharmavati
Kanda naal mudhalaai - Madhuvanti
Natanam Aadinar – Vasantha
Nannu Brova Lalitha - Lalita
Devi Neeye Thunai - Keeravani
Anadamrita Karshini – Amritavarshini
Ranjani Niranjani - Ranjani
Thunban nergayil – Desh
Shanti Nilava Vendum - Tilang
Maa Ramanan - Hindolam
Basant Bahar Thillana
Hindolam Thillana
Guruvaayoorappane Appan – Reeti Gowlai
Aasai mugam marandhu poche – Jonpuri
Karunai Deivame – Sindhu Bhairavi
Mangambudhi Hanumanta – Dharmavati
Marugelara and Neeraja sama neela Krishna – Jayantashri
Mayilayin naayakiye – Sri Ranjani
Sachaamara rama vaani – Hamsanandi
Kaa vaa vaa – Varali
Aadamodi galade - Charukesi
Manavyaala kinchara – Nalinakanti
Sriman Narayana –Bowli
Pirava Varam Thaarum – Latangi
Enai Enna Seidhaai veinkuzhale – Simmendhra Madhyamam (Movie: Ivan)
Aanmaavin Raagam – Title Song of Sahana
And the list goes on endlesly….



Once the great Music Critic Late Mr. Subbudu had mentioned that if he had to be in a No man’s land, he would take Bhagavad Gita, his Vethalai Petty and Casettes of Sudha Raghunathan’s songs along with him. Sudha was overwhelmed by this statement of Subbudu and told that it’s like the most prestigious Award for her.

She participates in the “THIYAGARAJA ARADHANA” every year at Thiruvaiyaaru as well as Cleveland; but I have not found any of her albums for Pancharatna Kritis. I would like her to release the album of “Pancharatna Kritis” soon.

I would like to dedicate this blog to my “Maanaseeka Guru” on her Birthday and wish her to keep singing like M.S. Subbulakshmi with her God-gifted voice. I also wish she would get the Bharat Ratna Award like the great MS.

Now listening to “Vandhanamu Raghu nandana…” Thiyagarajar Kriti composed in Sahana raga from her Album VANDHANAMU

WELCOME BACK JO !!!

Jyothika is Back...
After becoming the mother of a child, Jyothika is all set to act in a film. But this time the Bubbly Actress will appear in a hort Documentry Film which deals with the subject "EDUCATION FOR GIRLS". Hubby Surya produces the film for his AGARAM FOUNDATION along with TAMIL NADU'S EDUCATIONAL DEPT. He also shares the screen space for the first time with Mrs.Jyothika Saravanan, while Priya. V of "Kanda Naal Mudhal" fame dons the Director's hat. The other actors who lent their support for this noble cause are Vijay and Madhavan.

Jyo... please do act in Movies too. We r Missing u a Lot!!!!

GODAVARI

Next to Anand, I watched Godavari. Since, Anand is the hero’s name of the movie, I thought Godavari might be the heroine’s name. But I was confused when the heroine Kamalini Mukherji (again) was called Seetha. Then I thought it would be a Second heroine. But I was a bit surprised when I saw the name of the Launch in which the hero and heroine travels on the Godavari River is Godavari. Don’t think it as “Telugu Titanic”
But it also has a cute Love Story like “Titanic” but in the Launch.

Godavari revolves around Seetha Mahalakshmi, an young apparel designer who runs a boutique with little profit. Seetha wants to achieve as an Entrepreneur while her father insists to get married. She hates the persons doing a 9-5 job and leading a routine life. Still she agrees to an alliance but unfortunately (or fortunately?) the guy rejects her as she is too fast and stubborn. So she goes to Bhadrachalam just for a change.

Sriram is an Engineer who did his Masters in the US. Instead of becoming a software professional, he aspires to become a politician in order to serve the Nation. He keeps on meeting lot of politicians and being discouraged as he is educated, harmless, honest, straight forward, soft spoken, etc. which are considered to be the cons of a politician.
He loves his cousin Raji but her father gets her engaged to an IPS Officer Ravi. He tells Sriram is irresponsible and has no money. Raji too considers Sriram as a non-romantic guy but considers him as her best friend. Raji’s wedding with Ravi is fixed and the whole family is moving to Bhadrachalam from Rajamundry in a Launch. First Ram doesn’t want to go but joins them after Raji’s compulsion.

As the law of Indian Cinema tells, the hero and heroine get some misunderstandings and then become friends. Seetha observes each and every gesture of Ram and develops a liking for him. Ram tells about his love for Raji. Slowly Seetha develops a soft corner for Ram which blossoms into a Love. She chooses him as her Mr. Right. She writes every incident happening in the launch in her Diary.

Raji and Ravi too get a chance to know each other after their engagement. Slowly Raji comes to know Ravi as a selfish guy, who always thinks about himself only and does not give values to her desires. And when Seetha is about to express her love for Ram, Raji tells Ram that she doesn’t want to get married with Ravi but wants to merry Ram. She needs Seetha’s help for that who has also became her friend. Ram also agrees and tells Raji and Seetha to wait at the next hault of the launch. As he does not come, Raji again changes her mind to marry Ravi, thinking that Ram is always irresponsible and unfit.

Seetha’s heart is broken as Ram agreed to marry Raji. She returns to Rajamundry from Bhadrachalam by bus and not by the launch with Ram. Later Ram sees her diary (Run of the Mill) and comes to meet Seetha in her home. Then she comes to know that Ram deliberately made them wait so that Raji would think he is still irresponsible and would change her mind to go back and marry Ravi. All ends Well.

I was very much impressed by the way the story was told. The locales are awesome. Even I wish I would travel in a lauch like that. If Anand is like sipping a Good cup of coffee, Godavari is like having a Tender-coconut at the sun set in a river-journey.
Kamalini has won my heart like. The Mukherji girls have some magic in them. Be it Kajol, Rani or Kamalini I’m bowled over by their beauty and talent. She has done a better job than Anand. Her character is cute and resembles my character who is adamant and stubborn, expects a “THANKS” for the help done by her and also expects a “SORRY” if a mistake is done by others, but good at heart. But I am not generous enough like her to sacrifice Rs.50000 to a poor boy, which can happen only in Cinema.
I LOVE SEETHA MAHALAKSHMI !!!

But the hero Sumanth has a dull look. He might be in a worry as he was not on good terms with his wife Keerthy Reddy who had then applied for a Divorce.

Especially I have to mention the small boy’s character along with the Animated dog which is entertaining us throughout the movie. Raji’s wavering mind is also characterized well and similarly Ravi’s selfish intention.

Like Anand the Music is one of the biggest strengths along with Photography and simple and realistic dialogues. The songs are not dream sequences but they give flow to the story. (“Andangaalena…” is an exception) I loved one scene of a song in which all of their characters are shown in a glimpse in a song. When a beggar begs each of them at the Traffic Signal, Ram gives his last penny, though Seetha doesn’t have money she gives her Tiffin, Raji just ignores him and pulls up the car window, Ravi arrests all the beggars and put them in the Police jeep. It was a brilliant scene shown in one of the songs. So we cant ignore the songs. In another rain song, Seetha observes when Ram watches Raji dancing in he rain. When her sari slightly slips off, he takes her eyes off from her. It shows the decency of Ram towards women.




Another uniqueness of the movie is the reference to the Ramayana throughout the movie. Since the marriage ceremony of Rama (Ramar Kalyanam”) also takes place at Bhadrachalam, most of the characters tell the story of Rama and Sita whenever they come across a Historical place. The lyrics of the song “Rama chakkani Sita..” is penned beautifully. If a Thiyagaraja Krithi were used as one of the songs it would have been still better. Still I murmur the music of “Manasa vaachaa...” sung by Unnikrishnan and Chitra.
“Andangaalena…” song is a Commercial compromise in which Kamalini dances with a sleeveless blouse and thankfully a sari.





Madhavan and Trisha were selected for the lead roles. But I think if they had acted, we would see only Maddy and Trisha, not Sriram and Seetha.

ANAND - The Movie

I was impressed by the caption of the movie that says “Manchi Coffee ala cinema” (A movie like a Good cup of Coffee). I felt the movie might have been titled “RUPA” as the whole movie revolves around the heroine. The story starts with Rupa’s childhood, who loses her parents and brother in a fatal car accident. She believes that she is responsible for the accident as she was stubborn and made their parents delayed that night. She grows up independently without the support of her relatives. Her only support is her neighbour Maa amma (Grandma), her friend Anita.

After 8 yrs, she is shown as a soon to be bride who is engaged to Rahul, her colleague in an Advertising agency. Rahul is a marwari guy whose mother is strict and orthodox. She is very dominating and wants to decide each and everything of her son and would be daughter-in-law (from dress to Friends)

Anand is a millionaire but very kind towards poor. He is continuously being insisted by his mother to get married. His father is mentally challenged, because of whom Rupa’s parents met with the accident. He loses himself from that night. He remembers only the name “RUPA” which was uttered by Rupa’s father before his last breath.

On the wedding eve Rupa wears her mother’s sari for the wedding. But Rahul’s mother insists her to wear the traditional marwari sari in their style. First she refuses and enrages her in front of everyone. She pleads Rahul and his mother to allow her to wear that sari only that night. But the stubborn mother of Rahul tells that Rupa has to wear the Marwari sari and has to beg for her pardon in front of everyone. On Maa amma’s advice, Rupa agrees and wears the other sari. But she overhears the conversation of Rahul and his mother where Rahul’s mom tells him that she accepted the marriage as Rupa is an orphan and would be obedient to her words. Rahul tells his mother to take her control over Rupa after the marriage. When Rupa apologizes, Rahul’s mother assaults her verbally. On hearing this Rupa gets humiliated and decides not to marry Rahul. She is a self esteemed independent girl and doesn’t want to be like a dog in Rahul’s house. Anand and his father are also among the attendants of that wedding and Anand decides Rupa is the girl of his kind and wants to win her heart.

He soon shifts to the out house of Rupa’s home. He befriends Anita and the kids. Slowly he enters Rupa’s friends group and slowly becomes Rupa’s friend too by helping her in the Nursery, in the old-age home on her parents’ death anniversary. Mean time Rahul comes to Rupa and tries to convince her. But she tells him not to meet her again. Anand gets a job in Rupa’s office. Rahul gets angry of their friendship. One day Rahul’s mother expires due to massive heart attack. Anand takes Rupa to Rahul’s house late in the night. Rupa convinces Rahul. The next day Anand tells Rupa that Rahul would come with a marriage proposal as his mother is no more. Rupa also tells that now no problem would be there as her only problem was Rahul’s mother. On hearing that Anand gets angry and Rupa recognizes his jealousy towards Rahul. But she develops Love for Anand without her knowledge. Rupa wants to be away from Anand and so she starts moving with Rahul again in spite of the warning given by Anand

One night a drunken Rahul came to Rupa’s home and tries to molest her. Anand came for her rescue and thrashes Rahul out of the house. Then he reveals the truth about himself and left the out house. Rupa feels for Anand and misses him a lot. She meets him in a Dandia party and expresses her Love for him. Anand introduces her to his Mom. She also likes Rupa very much. She tells Rupa about Anand’s father that he is the reason for the accident and has got the punishment for that by losing himself. Rupa forgets the past and gets into Anand’s family.


The story may seem so simple. But the screenplay and direction stand unique. The characters are portrayed wonderfully. Kamalini Mukherji and Raja justifies the characters of Rupa and Anand. There are a lot of cute scenes like when Samanta gets a dog as a surprise gift by Anand, when Rupa’s friends help Anand to repair her Scooty which was damaged by Anand, when Anand’s cleans his greased hand with Rupa’s Dhuppatta and the following scene, the Venkatalakshmi episode and many. But the reason for Rupa’s love for Anand is not so strong. Also there is no twist at the climax. It is so simple and plain which is predictable.

Hats off to the director Shekhar Kammula, who strongly believed in his story instead of stars. It’s an unconventional movie without any fight, glamour, and unbearable noise as songs. There is only one Navel show of the heroine’s friend Anita that too is not vulgar instead gives a flow to the story. The biggest asset of the movie is its Music composed by the. The song “Yamuna theeram…” sung by Hariharan and Chitra is very soothing and so as other songs which include 3 songs sung by my Sweet heart Shreya Ghoshal.




Trivia:

The director told the story to many producers but everyone told the story is very simple. Later it was produced by NFDC. This is the first Telugu Commercial film that is produced by NFDC.

This is Kamalini Mukherji’s first film as a leading actress. She has previously played Shilpa Shetty’s sister role in “Phir Milenge”, directed by Revathy.

This is the biggest hit of Raja after some flops in the previous

This movie was released on the same date of the release of Shankar Dada MBBS, starring the Mega Star Chiranjeevee in the remake of tremendously successful of Munnabhai MBBS. Still it is a BO Hit of the year 2004.

The film was awarded with 7 Nandi Awards by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2004. The awards that were won are Best Film, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Satya Krishnan), Best Child Artiste (Bakhita) and Best Female Dubbing Artist (Sunitha).

SHEKHAR KAMULLA - A GENTLE BREEZE IN TELUGU CINEMA

I was told by one of my Orkut friends Sushanth to watch the Telugu movies ANAND, GODAVARI and HAPPY DAYS. I asked him what so special is. He told u will come to know if you watch. Since that day I had been trying to watch those movies. So when Mithun went to Hyderabad I told him to buy the DVDs. First I watched Anand. I liked it but it didn’t impress me as hyped by others. The next day I watched Godavari and fell in love with it. Since Happy Days was a pirated DVD, I didn’t wish to watch. Also the audio and video quality was not good. But I couldn’t wait to watch it and liked it very much.

The specialty in the 3 movies is the Originality and Simplicity. The Telugu cinema generally has Extreme violence, glamour, comic costumes and has no logic. IMO the good Telugu movies are countable. After K.Vishwanath no director has given a Classic movie in Telugu. But Shekhar Kamulla came as a gentle breeze in Tollywood. He has got the National Award for the Best Director for his debut movie DOLLAR DREAMS which is based on the youngsters with dreams to go to the US. But I haven't watched that yet.

The heroes and heroines of his movies are like the boys and girls next door. No heroism and no Glamour in his movies. I liked them because there’s no action scene or blood-shed in them. Most surprisingly the songs are very melodious and mostly based on Classical Music. The songs are mostly along with the movie. We cannot ignore them. If we do so, we will miss some scenes as the songs are not dream sequences. The heroine of ANAND and GODAVARI is Kamalini Mukherji. I didn’t like her much in Vettayaadu Vilayaadu as a pair of Kamalhassan. But in ANAND, I liked her and in GODAVARI, I loved her a lot. She had a Guest Appearance in HAPPY DAYS too. It seems she is a Lucky Mascot for Shekhar Kamulla as Kajol to Karan Johar?