Enga SPB

Everybody is familiar with the ‘80s SPB during the Golden era of the Raaja... On to the ‘90s, we got introduced to Isaippuyal via SPB in Roja, Kadhalan, Uzhavan and so on. SPB continued  continues to rule even in 2000s, until now. Ofcourse, the Indhi belt keeps talking about the Salmaan SPB from the ‘90s... the only SPB they probably know of.

In Tamizh, not many people speak about the ‘60s and ‘70s SPB... atleast on social media. Except for the QFR series , Oliyum Oliyum equivalents on Sunlife, Murasu TV etc, makkal don’t quite talk about his ‘70s and his ‘60s, in Tamizh cinema. IMO, this was the most glorious era of SPB. He continued to sound the same as he did in Aayiram Nilave Vaa and Iyarkai Enum Ilaya Kanni, even now. How like that?

Thanks to my father I got introduced to SPB’s songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s. That SPB era, now feels more like ‘Enga{L} SPB’ which a lot of makkal don’t know about or atleast not talking about.  When I say ‘Enga’ I include me, my siblings, parents and a close circle of a dozen friends born in the ‘70s. When I say ‘Enga SPB’ is also feels a lot personal and a bit possessive. Let me introduce you to a few of my favourites of ‘Enga SPB’.

(Image from one of the whatsapp videos on SPB shared)

1. Naalai Namadhe: Though He was not the voice of MGR in this particular song, this tops my MGR-SPB playlist. May be because my dad used to sing this really well when we were kids. This is a duet with the legendary TMS , yet SPB holds his own. When he begins with an “Anbu Malargale.....” it’s instant love! My father had tried to ‘Karaoke’ this song last year in Madras, and I hope I have a recording of it with me. This movie plays quite often on TV these ‘Lockdown’ days and I sit thru’ all the masala only to listen to this track.

2. Devan Vedamum : SPB-Susheela and Thyagarajan (Top Star Prashant’s father) singing / speaking in this song. Again, this was introduced to me by my father. V.Kumar FTW! Romba beautiful song. 

3. Ilamayenum Poongatru: No inter-collegiate hifi culturals in Madras was complete in the ‘80s and ‘90s without a rendition of this song. I have listened to this more during ‘Mardigras’ / ‘Saarang’ selection rounds, sung by the professional college music gangs than in OLiyum Oliyum. For everyone’s benefit, I’ve linked the video without the “actual video”.

4. Vaarthai Thavari Vittai: Thanks to this track being featured on OLiyum Oliyum on high rotation, I’d sing (oLarify) this, as a kid , with the “Ennadi Meenacheee...”

5. Kamban Emaandhan: The amazing Kamal-SPB-MSV-Balachander combo! That place where SPB goes “Malarendraaaannn” is sheer magic! The other magic from the same film is “iLakkanam Maarudho....”. When he begins the song with ‘Ilakkanam Maarudoo..ooo.ooo...” Deiva Level! I’m told Kamban Emandaan is Vishwanathan Anand’s favourite too.

6. Vaazhvil Sowbaagiyam: It’s not an overtly sweet romantic song, though it featured a (then) real life couple, on screen. We owe a lot of Ceylon Radio for introducing such gems to us.

7. Thoduvadenna Thendralo : If you ask my dad his top 5 favourites, this will definitely feature in that. SPB takes you to Kulu Kulu Kashmir when he sings about ‘Pani’, ‘kuLir’ etc.. Pppaah!

8. Poopole Un Punnagaiyil: This, again was a Ceylon Radio intro. Sivaji sings, yearning for his daughter’s love...You cannot but feel the sadness of a father when he sings “Ammavendru varum kannukutti”.

9. Uchchi Vagundeduthu: A cousin , Priya , used to love this song. I haven’t spoken or met her in decades but this song and its rendition takes me back to childhood days when Priya would keep mentioning this song. Again, the sogam of Sivakumar is brought out so well in this song, thanks to Ilaiyaraaja and SPB.

10. Paadum Podhu Naan Thendral Kaatru: This song is what one calls ‘breezy’.True to the lyrics, the ‘Thendral’ification of the song oozes in SPB’s voice.

There are many many more gems of ‘Enga SPB’ that one can continue to talk about. At the beginning of this Lockdown period, I had made a series of playlists and one of the first few playlists made was ‘Lockdownil ‘70s SPB’. Never did I think I’d listen to this playlist on repeat , on a day like this.

(Image from one of the whatsapp videos on SPB shared)

Thank you, SPB for the wonderful songs and memories from the ‘60s until now🎙❤

That '70s show - Ungalil Oruthi

I love '70s, particularly when it comes to Tamizh films.
This is the decade of epic films by Sivakumar, Lakshmi, Jai Ganesh, Sujatha, Muthuraman, Jai Sangar, Thengai Srinivasan, K.R.Vijaya, AVM Rajan, Suruli Rajan, Ennatha Kannayya etc.
Also this is a decade, where one could see a glimpse of Madras of the '70s - the occasional car that would drive past Mount Road or the occasional human who'd be walking along in one familiar Madras road.

As a true fan of '70s films, I've decided to watch some epic padams and write about them. Today's film is 'Ungalil Oruthi'

Kya Re... Setting a?

Sujatha whose parents died off long ago, lives with her uncle, aunt, cousin.

They don't want her to get married, reject all proposals. But.. but…take money from ‘Ennatha Kannaiya’ and try one setup with Sujatha at their house only.

She beats ‘Ennatha’ who runs away. Sujatha moves out.

3 Idiots

Randomly, 3 men - Suruli Rajan, Thangavelu, R.S. Manohar make unwelcome advances at Sujatha and she invites them home, calls the police to teach them a lesson.

But after cop comes… she decides to lets them go.

But these men being villains hold a grudge against her.

When Sujatha became Sowcar

In the meantime, for some 1 hour, Sujatha cries.. and cries about.. what…I don’t know. Her neighbour Mr. hideous wig and Kannadi, Sivakumar falls in love with her and goes around calling himself her purusan. Sujatha is thrown out of her job thanks to him, but she falls in love with him. Wow, surprise!

Remember the 3 villains? They’re back and now they hatch a plot and convince Sivakumar that Sujatha is a sex worker.

Here's a pic of the louly Sivakumar from the film, for all of you.

I'm a Baaaaadddd Cousin

She is arrested and is thrown into a Remand home. She meets a lot of other "bad" women singing a song… She also meets her cousin! Vogaad, her cousin is a cigarette smoking-drinking bad girl who was also a sex worker. Sujatha escapes the home and hides in Jai Ganesh’s house. 

Wiggypedia

Forgot to say, this Jai Ganesh made his appearance in the first scene I don’t know why. Cops are on the lookout for Sujatha. She vows to ‘serthuvechify’ her cousin and Jai Ganesh. She vows to prove to the world is not ‘Vibaccchaaareeeee’. She hatches a plot with Mr.hideous wig, her lover Sivakumar. Yeah she is back with Sivakumar although he got her arrested calling her a ‘Vibachareeee’.

Pure Tamizh Ponnu

After long, tiring scenes, the three villains are exposed at her wedding where she calls the entire town. Ofcourse one old man had to call her ‘Vibachareeee’ and she puts one long dialogue that she is not one and she is ‘Pure’.

Oh that "bad" cousin doesn't smoke-drink and is a "good cousin" now & is in lou with Jai Ganesh.

There is also Manorama for kaamedy.

Final Verdict

Excellent, must-watch film for Tamizh pen-ness, empty Madras roads and Sivakumar's wig.

Subham.