MSV Times | The Official Website of M.S.Viswanathan

MSV, one of India's greatest music directors. A man who ruled the airwaves for several decades and still has a large and ardent fan following. But he just stood there on the stage like an ordinary man, as if he was just part of an audience though it was his biography that was released that day.

That was because famous Hindi music director of yesteryear, Naushad, was on stage to release the biography of M S Viswanathan, fondly known as MSV to all Tamils. MSV considers Naushad his guru and refused to be seated along with him.

But Naushad, who received the first copy of the book released by Dakshinamoorthy Swamigal, said he considered MSV as his guru. "I have learnt many things from him. So it should be said that I am his disciple and he is my guru. I am honoured by releasing MSV's book penned by Rani Maindan, called Mellisai Mannar MSV.

"I was asked by director K Shankar to be the music director for the Hindi version of 'Aalayamani'. After viewing the Tamil version of the film, I said I will not be the music director for the film because nobody but MSV can give such good tunes (Jho Viswanathan Ne Kiya, Hum Kya Karen?)"

The biography, released recently in Chennai, has been published by Rajarajan Publishers and is priced at Rs 100.

Speaking at the function, 'Cho' Ramaswamy, editor of 'Thuglak', was sad that MSV, whose music was as powerful as Carnatic music, had not been recognised at the national level. He urged everyone to take steps to change the situation.

But Cho being Cho, he could not help taking a crack at the present political situation. He said his "alliance" with MSV was a natural one and was not like other tie-ups where one party withdraws support in the final months of the regime.

He called as the golden era the period when MSV, Kannadasan, T R Ramamurthy and K V Mahadevan ruled cinema music. "Today's music comes and goes, but MSV's music stands forever," he concluded.

MSV's music partner, T R Ramamurthy, said there were three letters he could not forget in his life: MSV. "I have know him for the past 50 years. He is a man who has got embedded in everybody's heart. MSV always obeys his mother's advice. He will do anything his mother says."

Yesteryear music director T R Paapa said, "MSV wanted to act, I advised him to concentrate on music, in which he had expertise."
Director S P Muthuraman, aid MSV had helped S M Subbaiya Naidu (with whom he was working as office boy in Jupiter Films) for a long time. Subbaiya Naidu had written a letter in the last stages of his life saying his last rites should be performed by MSV!

MSV considers Kannadasan, Vaali as his two eyes and MGR, Sivaji also as his two eyes, Muthuraman pointed out.

Chandrababu had once said he cannot match MSV's music, and that it was hard to dance to his tunes, the director also pointed out.

Former minister and film producer R M Veerappan said former chief ministers MGR, Annadurai and Karunanidhi were big fans of MSV.

"MSV is a hard worker. I have been in touch with him for the past 40 years. He has the credit of recording 10 songs in 15 days for the movie 'Ulagam Sutrum Valiban', in which MGR was the hero."

Others who felicitated M S Viswanathan included A V M Saravanan, Ilayaraja, producer and director K Balachander, actor Sivakumar, 'Nalli' Kuppusamy and former Doordarshan Chennai Kendra director Natrajan.

Actor Nagesh, actress Sachu, director P Vasu, singer P B Srinivas and other film personalities took part in the function.

Readers comments in ChennaiOnline.com:

Greatness of MSV
Posted By: S.SATHYAVAGEESWARAN, Chennai, On: 8/25/2006 7:27:18 PM

MSV is one of the best Music directors India has produced. He was ruling the TFM for over 4 decades. I have witnessed his live programmes in Chennai and have wondered seeing him doing the orchestration with super command. It is a delight to see him playing his harmoniam and at the same time to move towards the instrumentalists at appropriate times and guide them in rendering the music. He is very active and much involved in his job, that is music. I look forward to the days when he along with TKR will do music again in Tamil Films and give us delight and sweet music.

MSVs life history
Posted By: P Badruswamy, Coimbatore, On: 1/5/2004 11:53:31 PM

There are thousands of heart melting tunes that will sing MSVs memory for ages to come.Yet one cannot help comparing his music with the modern tin music. Any song by MSV is any day infinitely superior to the greatest of the modern hitlist.MSVs lilting sounds and ever modern innovation of instrument and voice is beyond compare.Simply saying there is no and cant be a second MSV. If he is ignored by the modern filmmakers it is not his loss but the loss of Tamil film music lovers. One does not come across a musical genius like MSV so easily and it is a pity that our film music suffers from the non utilisation of such stalwarts as MSV.

Missing singers
Posted By: S. Manickavasakan, Dubai, On: 12/23/2003 12:59:45 PM

It was surprising to note that the people who really enjoyed in rendering MSV's tunes and carried his musical visions to the world - singers like TMS, Susheela, Janaki and SPB did not attend this function. MSV would have personnally missed Kannadasan too. I wish MSV continues to work in the field of music, not necessarily in film music, but in other areas too. This will be more meaningful than doing anything else. I am still excited to recall how he used a really aboorva ragam ("mahati", suggested by Dr M Balamuralikrishna) in the film 'Apoorva ragangal'. As long as Tamil film music exists in this world, generations will always remember the creations of Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy. May God bless MSV a very long and healthy life.