A Walk Down Rahman Lane by Chennai Motorist

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Disclaimer 1- Long Post

Disclaimer 2-Highly Personal share

Disclaimer 3- Have so many more favourites to mention and so much more to share! For, how do you explain the magic of ARR in just one post, huh, Blogeswari?)

When I think of ARR, I think of the word ‘phenomenon’. That he has been given the titles ‘Isaippuyal’ and ‘Mozart of Madras’ is absolutely no surprise. 

But I can’t say he stormed in to my senses like the Isaippuyal that he is, because the way he came into my life was actually gentle…persistent, even. I would say that he moved in to my head and heart one bag at a time; one song at a time. Lock, stock and barrel. That is to say: Voice, Instrument and Arrangement!  And his music will always be unique, transporting me to some place I’ve never been…a place full of new possibilities I never even knew existed! Since his music transports me so, I should also return the favour, methinks and now, a playlist without his music is unthinkable. Therefore, the way I do and always will, take him along with me wherever I go, is just a given. We don’t dump the good in our lives anywhere. We hold it close and carry it wherever we can.

I thank Blogeswari for asking me to write about A R Rahman because it really made me think about and express in words who ARR is in my life, and what his music means to me.

All Images courtesy A.R.Rahman's Instagram

When A R Rahman was first introduced through the movie Roja, it was a remarkable entry indeed because the sound of his music was refreshing, the lyrics deep, new and bold, and the movie’s director was more of a brand than just a famous individual - Mani Ratnam.

But I just said ‘oh ya, nice songs, ya’ and listened, enjoyed them, and moved on with life. ‘Pudhiya Mugam’, ‘Gentleman’ albums happened as I tried to proceed with life without taking proper hold of ARR’s music. But then, ‘Thiruda Thiruda’ hit us and then, ‘Duet’. What is that talk about CALM and all when there is a storm? It’s nonsense. If you’re hit by a Storm, you can’t just sit back and do nothing. You’ve GOT to be swayed…and this storm makes you first sit up, pay attention and then do what needs to be done. And so, being the half-baked musician that I was in my teens (&continue to be), ‘Rasathi’ was duly attempted in for an event: ‘Socials’ and then unceremoniously abandoned after near-perfection because…that new Acapella Gokappella and all defeated us teenagers as a concept. We lacked the confidence to pull it off on stage without instruments to play shock-absorber on the pitchy parts and quavers, semi-quavers and demi-semi-quavers. (Proving that half-bakedness here)

Also, acapella wasn’t a well-known or relevant word then! (hehe)

Through my undergrad years, ARR’s music dominated the cultural scene at the colleges of Chennai. Every dance performer attempted to shake their limbs to ‘Chikku-bukku railu’ and as for the singing; I was slumped close to unconsciousness in frustration and extreme boredom when the umpteenth solo contestant sang ‘Netru Illadha Maatram’ for the nth time! (from Pudhiya Mugam)

I hated soppy songs then and also, hardly anyone did justice to the high notes composed by Rahman while also retaining the melody in all its glory. I imagine that if I were a rat, a big human stomping on the edge of my tail would allow me to hit the highest note in the charanam of Netru Illaadha Maatram! On the other hand, the throaty ‘July maadham vandhaal‘ from the same film was differently delightful but almost-never attempted. 

ARR was then a young music director who was present as a Judge for a Light Music contest we participated in and ‘Tamizha Tamizha’ was coincidentally a part of our college band’s (Ethiraj) repertoire. We didn’t win the first place (sniff) maybe because we had a one-handed player on the piano and a couple of Bharatanatyam dancers playing the drums together (!) or maybe, because he didn’t want to award the team who was playing HIS songs, the first spot. Anyway we received the Second place and criticized him a bit (!) for not applauding our version of Tamizha Tamizha enough.

(Today, I would be thrilled to just catch sight of his slightly-smiling face anywhere and that would be enough because of the magic that’s his music, but this fuss was long, long ago.)

Then, when I left my first-ever job in an Internet-services company to pursue my passion in the US of A, two guys who were colleagues of mine, gifted me an audio cassette: “Kadhalan”. First of all, I was surprised that my colleagues of 6 months thought me special enough to give a gift to. (The company had given me a watch! So these 2 didn’t really have to give me anything). Secondly, I have always noticed that anyone who gifts me music is simply unforgettable in my life. So, that’s why I remember those two. Let’s call them G&P.

Anyway, I thanked G&P bemusedly, and gave the cassette cover a once-over and then shrugged it off. After all, it had Prabhu Deva and Nagma on the cover! Still, I packed it in my suitcase because I always listened to music while doing anything and everything and plus, it was a going-away gift from 2 BOYS.

I HAVE to mention Isaignani Ilayaraja here. (Yes, this is weird) Sorry, Blogeswari, music is personal so you will have to bear with ramblings of my journey with Ilayaraja first and
A R Rahman next. Until Roja happened, Ilayaraja’s was THE music which was familiar, revered, enjoyed, etc. So, you can’t just-like-that switch to someone new and go gaga over him, right? That’s not what a good South Indian does. So, I didn’t ‘justu’ switch. But I sure added him to my music collection as and when more of his music was released.

As an adult, when you hear new music, you don’t just accept it and dance and sing along. You sit down and break it down and criticise it if you can. But then, there I was, all alone in my room, listening to Kadhalan on my mini tape player in the boonies of the West Virginian mountains, soaking in the hep-sounding Tamizh, jolted by the newness and marveling at the fresh music. It was like going through one of those parallel universe thingies through a strange tunnel full of alien music but it was all so filling and oh-so-melodious all the same. I can’t say I cried like Actor Karthik weirdly did in Gopuravaasalile (which scene I want to UNSEE till date), but I can say that I was just terribly taken aback in a wonderful way. I wasn’t cheating on Raja, I told myself. I was just moving ahead with Raja in my backpack and Rahman in my handbag. Clutch*Clutch*.

All the new voices added to Rahman’s magic. The SPB and Janaki Jodi-singing was replaced by so many new singer-combos and solos which all sounded fantastic. A whole, new world opened up. The variety in voices, the freshness of sound, and the powerful effect of the instruments coming together for harmony was just earth-shattering!

Back home, the TV used to blare out insane visuals of SPB and Prabhu Deva dancing together in Kadhalan. My late father was very taken with ARR as well. He tried mocking ‘this new music’ but ended up enjoying it as he sang ‘Muqaala, Muqaabala, Laila ohhh Laila’. Being a good singer himself and partial to the likes of Rafi, Talat and Ghantasala, he sang Muqaala to tune and though he inserted cluck-cluckings like “What ARE these lyrics I say” in attempted disgust, he didn’t stop singing the songs. J One particular song tickled him terribly. Oorvasi Oorvasi. When I sang out “Pakathu seat-u-la paati okkaandha, Take it easy policy”, he laughed out loud (ya LOL-ed. Back then, we said the WORDS, actually).

When we came to “Dhanda soru-nu appan sonna…Take it easy policy” he chuckled, and “pandigai thedhi Sundayil vandha Take it easy policy” made him snort, “Vazhuka thalayan Tirupathi pona” made him giggle and finally, “Azhagu kaadhali Anna-nu sonna” had him chortling with laughter. This now makes me think he might have been Anna-ed and also that he may have had many a Paatti take a seat next to his. Anyway, in the short time he was alive after ARR’s entry, he enjoyed Isaipuyal’s music immensely.

To me, some movie albums stand out because they’re outstanding (!) -- Like VTV, OKK, Kaatru Veliyidai, Tenali, and many, many more. Innumerable songs have delighted us. VTV’s Omana penne is terribly special and Swasame in Tenali too. So very mellifluous. It’s hard to pin down favourites cos they keep slipping out like Slippery Seppankizhangu that has been boiled and ready for peeling. MORE favourites keep jostling for attention! ‘Kaara Attakara’ jolts me out of lethargy anytime, while ‘Azhagiye’ from ‘Kaatru Veliyidai’ makes me want to hug someone immediately in Kushi! (not shadily, mind you)

On another note, I get jealous of any South Indian celeb who ventures close to the North ie Bollywood. So I refuse to listen to ARR’s Hindi ventures. Even so, ‘Khwaja mere Khwaja’ moves me and ‘Dil Se’ songs are far superior in effect, to the Tamizh version. So, I have to let him go once in a while so that he will come back and compose a ‘Munbe va’ and a ‘New York Nagaram’ which will keep me less sulky (!) while he visits the Mumbai scene and comes back. (Back here in Chennai, is where you belong, ARR!)

All said and done, I’d say that ARR speaks to us in song. He voices the notes to us and shares with us his scintillating music, telling us that the world still has hope, beautiful music, awesome lyrics and…himself. That’s all I want to hear. <3

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About Chennai Motorist

What do I write about someone who I've known more than half my life?
One post and all won't do justice I say.

Chennai Motorist a.k.a Teesu Akka a.k.a Tees is one of the most lovable person/s you'll come across. An entrepreneur, a Seppankezhangu aficionado, a pianist, guitarist, writer and a cute cuddly friend (I can see her cringemaxxx) who one can discuss all possible vetti stuff particularly about Madras. 

A supremely creative person, Tees is a strictu aabeesar as a music teacher when she taught us, a big group of singers and instrumentalists, a dozen songs to sing at various culturals. Ya, including the one where we sang in front of the The ARR.

Thanks Tees for sharing your thoughts. This is so well written. Love eeet & Love you!

A Walk Down Rahman Lane by Sangeetha Devi

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Once upon a school excursion

A song that makes me smile and recall the fun I had in school is ‘Rukkumani Rukkumani from Roja (1992), A R Rahman’s debut film. 

I was in Class 10, studying in Coimbatore. We had two kinds of school excursions conducted simultaneously - we could choose between a one-day trip to Yercaud and a three-day trip to Madurai-Kodaikanal. My parents were overprotective and didn’t let me go on the three-day excursion; I went to Yercaud. That’s a different story.

When we all returned from our respective excursions, my friends from the Madurai-Kodaikanal excursion group had tales to tell, which came with spurts of laughter even before the morning Assembly.

Their bus had a breakdown in Madurai and soon it was clear that they would have to wait several

hours. The journey to Kodai had to be called off; to kill time, they persuaded the teachers to book tickets for Roja. Mani Ratnam film. No questions asked. All was well when the film began. The new handsome hero (Arvind Swamy) was worth a lot of gushing (which the girls tried to do discreetly), Madhu was gorgeous and ‘Chinna Chinna Aasai’ was mesmerising. 

Then came ‘Rukkumani Rukkumani’. Imagine a big group of adolescent girls struggling to hide their smiles while watching it with frowning and disapproving teachers, which included Nuns.

My friends laughed, recalling the teachers’ comments and chides (for egging them on to book tickets for the movie).

By lunch hour, word had spread about the movie experience in the staff room.  

The Tamil teacher walked in later for her class. Her classes were partly moral science sessions. It wouldn’t take much for her to digress and talk about how the world was going to dogs and we are doomed. 

She didn’t watch movies (or maybe she did, who knows), and had heard about the Madurai ordeal. Fellow teachers had told her that they liked the film, barring a song sequence. 

In between explaining a Tamil ‘Seyyul’ (literary poem), she paused and said something like how poetry/songs are awful today - and said she had heard about Roja, in which elderly women sang and danced to ‘Rukkumani rukkumani’ with eroticism.  Most of my friends remained poker faced. I giggled. She threw me a sharp glance and said she didn’t expect it from me. I laughed some more and then said sorry. After the class we all laughed, again.

For many of us who were (I still am) huge Ilaiyaraaja fans, the early 90s was about being stunned by a strikingly new world of Tamil film music, thanks to ARR. 

My dad and I had a go-to music store in Coimbatore - Saraswathi Stores - where we would buy cassettes of Raaja sir’s music by the dozen. We bought Roja. And slowly our Raaja-centric personal collection of film music began to have many ARR albums as well. ******************************************* About Sangeetha Devi A journalist with The Hindu, Sangeetha writes on varied topics including films, art and culture. During this lockdown, Sangeetha is busy filling notebooks, jotting down notes from all the telephonic interviews. You can read this amateur photographer's articles here. Don't forget to say hello to Sangeetha here.

A Walk Down Rahman Lane by Latha

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Chinna Chinna Aasai .. Siragadikkum Aasai.. Muthu Muthu Aasai ..

 

When we listen to this song, Arvindswamy, Madhu, that beautiful village and everything beautiful about that song will run in our minds.  Isaippuyal’s first movie and this song was a chartbuster for a very long time.

For me this song is not just a song.  It was HOPE for me.  Whenever I was feeling a bit low in life, I used to listen to this song and it gave me a streak of positivity and made me wait for the next sun rise. 

Don’t know if it was the music or lyrics or the colourful picturization it just gave me hope to keep me afloat.  Thanks a lot A R R for this and every other awesome song you have given us.

(images are from the song's video on YouTube)
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About Latha

A Kalakkal copywriter, an Asatthal Actor and a Mega Model - Latha a.k.a Ji is an Ideas Sironmani when it comes to advertising and copywriting. Ideating campaigns exclusively for the Tamizh market is her forte and she is the brain behind some of the excellent local ads and characters, on Radio.

According to grapevine, KJo, after watching a.k.a Latha's impressive performance in Pushpavalli as the 'Amma' , is signing her opposite the Big B in a mega budget multi-lingual film. You heard it first here.
I'd strongly urge Netflix to consider casting Latha for the Tamizh version of 'Sima Didi from Mumbai'. Audition ready .

Please queue up and get your autographs here before she parandufyes to some foreign country filming for Dharma Productions.

Raja Paarvai

'80s oLiyum Oliyum (OO) was very special. This was the era when the only one thing we had to worry was about whether we were allowed to switch on TV at the right time on Fridays. We had a slogam session on Fridays at home, in Madras where slogams would be recited by the entire family and at the end of it there was Kalpooram - Arathi.  If we were lucky, the slogam recital would begin at 7.00 and end just in time for oLiyum Oliyum. If we were not, oLiyum Oliyum was missed. The starting time was not in our hands because it depended on the convenience of many makkals.  

The '70s OO playlist featured epic songs viz. Vasantha Kaala NadigaLile with a scary Rajini, Kannan Oru Kaikuzhandai with Sivakumar being Sivakumar, Kaadhal Vandiruchi with a Sridevi as we knew her minus the Bollywood Dhoom Dhaam.

The '80s OO playlist was ruled by Azhagiye Kanne, Oru Thanga Radathil, Kanmaniye Kaadhal Enbadhu etc. There was this one song that was on super high rotate and the one I would eagerly wait for. And the OO version always started with this Chorus "..Panivizhum pozhidinil..." (which unfortunately is missing from the ones available on streaming platforms) and move into the 'Dum Dum Dum.. Dinchak Dinchak' beats and the chorus  'Woh Woh Woh Woh..." would begin. Thalaivan SPB would come on screen to sing "Andhi Mazhai...". Ahaa! The inexplicable feeling of listening to the song!

Andhi Mazhai is my go-to Ilaiyaraaja song for everything, anything. In college when one had to prepare for Antakshari  with songs beginning from 'A', this topped the list. 

A few years later, when I had to create a question bank for a TV Game show as a director, one of the entry level questions was to name the Carnatic Vocalist in this song. Decades later, as a professional music curator, this song was a permanent fixture in all playlists possible - Ilaiyaraaja's, '80s, Songs shot in Madras, SPB's, All time Classics etc. Recently as part of Lockdown Vettiness, I'd put one Karaoke almost everyday and send it to immediate family and close friends (no escape, paavam). Andhi Mazhai was the first to be recorded there as well. I'm also vetti-ly curating a few playlists as part of the 'Lockdownil....' series. The latest is 'Lockdowinil Vasantha' with songs based on Vasantha. Do check it out before I mention the obvious.

Yesterday, popular media personality and producer, Subhashree Thanikachalam, as part of her rare songs series presented the Instrumental Piece from Raja Paarvai. I remember watching the film in '81-'82 with cousins, one late evening. I haven't seen this film being telecast on satellite channels nor on OTT platforms. Thought I must watch the film, after 39 years.

In the '70s and '80s, we knew him as Kamalahaasan or Kamal the handsome, talented, award-winning hero. Not as Kamal Saar or Kamal Haasan. In Raja Paarvai he also credits himself as Haasan.K. Raja Paarvai was an '81 release and this talented hero was already starring in his 100th film, as the blind violinist Raghu. He wore the very 'retro' type shirt-pant and taught us accented Englees. He didn't put over acting like Sivaji nor there were action scenes like Rajini padams. This was pure Kamal Gold padam.

And the heroine Nancy was the Oh-so-beautiful Madhavi with lovely eyes. She was one of those naturally beautiful actors who has die-hard fan boyz Thaathas even now.

Some of the scenes were set in a rich Besant Nagar - Adayar makkal's house of the '80s with wallpaper through and through that we had seen only in films including Thillu Mullu.

Some '80s elements like 'Thadangaluku Varundugirom' with the pazhaya Ro.  Green PTC & empty roads....

The strict (and quite relatable) Nancy's Appa played by Dhanushkodi taught me the first posh English word "Ridiculous". One knew all the trivia connected to Raja Paarvai viz. Kamal's father was played by Chandrahaasan, the film was Kamal's100th, the Thaatha was someone called L.V.Prasad who we were told was a big producer / director / actor, the kid was Kamal's nephew (was he?) and the singer in 'Andhi Mazhai' was SPB himself and the alapanai voice in Andhi Mazhai was Ilaiyaraaja's Guru,T.V.Gopalakrishnan.

Loved watching Raja Paarvai  yesterday, after 39 years. The film still looks so so good. The ad-film lover and former ad-film professional in me was over joyed when Wiki Akka mentioned Barun Mukherjee / Barun da as the cinematographer of this film. I thought it was Balu Mahendra until then.

If you're vetti (and I know you are), I'd urge you to watch this Classic and moozhgify in a bit of nostalgia with me. Even in the '80s, was quite disappointed to know that it was a commercial failure for Kamal & his brothers. And ya, we were also to blame for it for we as a family saw it on 'Thiruttu' VCR.

PS - Since now every film has this 'What after 20 years/ 40 years?' articles, here's my contribution for 39 years after Raja Paarvai.
If Raghu (Kamal) and Nancy (Madhavi) had a daughter then, she would be one of those Rich Ezhais  in her late 30s living in her own independent house in R.A.Puram, Terracotta tiles on the walls, Aathangudi tiles on the floor, hosting Christmas and Diwali parties in her p0sh house.

Oh yes, she'd definitely have close to 60-70k followers on instagramam, all thanks to her one-new-saree-Or-Dress-a-day and match match jewelry all bought from over-priced Instagramam stores.
Raghu continues to be a regular in Super Singer, Subhashree Thanikachalam's shows, Indiaglitz, Behindwoods video interviews as the one who played Violin for epic songs. Nancy runs one JFW type magazine and is a regular at film parties, writing about Vignesh Shivn's latest whatsapp status, for Sify.