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ACHAM ENBADHU MADAMAIYADAA ( MANNADHI MANNAN )

 
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S.Balaji



Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 772

PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:30 pm    Post subject: ACHAM ENBADHU MADAMAIYADAA ( MANNADHI MANNAN ) Reply with quote

24th December…… a sad day in the history of tamil cinema and politics. 20 years before , a phenomenon called Maruthoor Gopala Ramachandran passed away …… I tried to rewind my memories towards that fateful day…. As the news broke out, pandemonium broke loose and there was utter chaos & breakdown of official machinery…. More than 2 million throng Chennai and paid respects to arguably the tallest leader of Masses. That sorrowful day is deeply stored in my memory and it hurts even today when I recollect … Beyond doubt, he was a true legendary personality who had left an indelible mark ….

Even after 20 years of his demise, this man continues to be in the glare of publicity & a vote catcher for his party. His movies are still being watched with the same awe and oomph for its technical brilliance, power packed songs, meaningful dialogues, screen play, breathtaking music, wholesome entertainment …

This prompted me to analyze the cine-life of MGR , his antecedent…..

Makkal Thilagam MGR’s cinema history is a fascinating story . This celebrity started his career with a very humble beginning . His early days were associated with M.K.Thyagaraja Bagavathar who gave chances in his films. However, those characters are not great by any standards and forgettable ones. Gradually, he established himself as an artist to be recognized in the 50s…

Though he made his debut during 1935 ( Sathi leelavathi ) , it took 12 long years to become a hero ( Rajakumari )…. This was the first successful movie as a hero…
After that , 1954 release Malaikallan enhanced his name.
Enter 1956, Madurai Veeran , he became a well recognized figure…….
The year 1958 saw MGR becoming a Producer through his milestone movie NADODI MANNAN wherein he plays dual role.
And by the end of that 50s, he consolidated his position as a leading star.

The early 1960s were the most important phase of his cinema career as he became a Super star then…..

By the late 50s, he moved from Congress to Dravidian cult …..Nadodi mannan was a milestone …..Sensing the tremendous potential of MGR & what he is capable of , the party launched him as a marketable artifact to promote their ideologies…..All these happened in the early 60s……

It was during this phase that he created a formula for his movies…. A movie will have a sound moral , good message to the public… a good samaritan, trouble shooter… So, the theme is set now…. He then started conveying messages through songs…. a motivational song either about one’s nation, region, language, society or for children…..this was how he started repositioning himself and went on to become the leader of the masses.

One fact however………. The accomplishment of MGR to a larger extent was due to 2 factors ,the remarkable music he had through MSV-TKR , KVM and later MSV solo…( Subbaiah Nayudu’s contribution notwithstanding )….. MSV had given some gorgeous songs in Mahadevi , another popular MGR movie…. Another momentous factor was the lyrics and here Kavignar Kannadasan had contributed radically to his meteoric raise….It was Kannadasan who wrote lyrics , songs for Madurai Veeran and Nadodi Mannan, the block buster which made everyone look at MGR with a different perspective…

So, the combination of Kavignar – MSV-TKR was instrumental in MGR’s career path..in the 60s.. There were other noteworthy lyricists …MaruthaKasi, Valee …. ( Pattukottai Kalyana Sundaram who wrote Thoongadhey thambi belonged to the 50s )

In my opinion, the best ever motivational , inspirational song of MGR is ACHAM ENBADHU MADAMAIYADAA….from MANNADHI MANNAN


அச்சம் என்பது மடமையடா
அஞ்ஜாமை திராவிடர் உடமையடா
ஆறிலும் சாவு நூறிலும் சாவு
தாயகம் காப்பது கடமயடா

கனகவிஜயனின் முடிதலை நெறித்து
கல்லினை வைத்தான் சேர மன்னன்
இமய வரம்பினில் மீன்கொடி ஏற்றி
இசைபட வாழ்ந்தான் பாண்டியனே

கருவினில் வளரும் மழலையின் உடலில்
தைரியம் வளர்ப்பாள் தமிழன்னை
களங்கம் பிறந்தால் பெற்றவள் மானம்
காத்திட எழுவான் அவள் பிள்ளை

வாழ்ந்தவர் கோடி மறைந்தவர் கோடி
மக்களின் மனதில் நிற்பவர் யார்
மாபெரும் வீரர் மானம் காப்போர்
சரித்திரம் தனிலே நிற்கின்றார்


During the early 60s the bravura musical duo MSV-TKR also progressively were establishing a strong place in tfm and a force to reckon with….the duo had amazing success run with some stunning compositions and super hits which stand unbeaten even today despite the passage of time….

It was during 1960, that this super hit movie Mannadhi mannan was released….

MGR plays the character of a royal prince who against the wishes of his Father, falls in love with a dancer, who returns his love. Once , he sets off to avenge the insult made by a neighbouring country. On the way, he rescues a mysterious woman from a vicious beast, and she falls in love with the hero. Now, he is caught in a dilemma to chose between the 2 and how he finally ends is all the story about…. Padmini and Anjali Devi are the 2 women characters..


Mannadhi mannan has some splendid songs like :

1. Aadadha manamum undo ----MGR teaches Padmani , the nuances , finer aspects of Barathanatyam … a stupendous singing by TMS and the golden voice of M.L.Vasanthakumari….
2. Kangal irandum ingu ummai kandu pesumo-----As the prince fights in an enemy territory, the lover Padmini worriedly sings ….P.Susheela rulez
3. Neeyo naano yaar nilave--------PBS !! for a change….I understand MGR preferred TMS but MSV prevailed over him by putting PBS….The song also has P.S., a co-singer

Though each one is class apart , my all time favourite is Acham enbadhu madamayadaa…

This song is used to introduce the Prince while the title cards are being shown…It’s a marvelous , sensational start to a movie ……TMS taking off in very high pitch …..The ludes are totally dominated by Violin cascade…. Surge of Violin across the song which gives a mood of gallantry & heroism to the picturisation …..

MGR wins handsomely when it comes to portraying a Kingly character … the ever cheerful self , Makkal thilagam , with a charming smile , rides on a chariot alongside Kuladeivam Rajagopal, a humorist of yesteryears….a fascinating sight to watch MGR riding the chariot though a portion is through back projection

The song runs at brisk pace & the intermezzos are very well arranged …the momentum evenly maintained with the chariot riding impact….By now, TMS has become a favourite , most preferred singer for him & his choice is obvious……TMS dexterously voices the emotions, bravery, might, proud ness, heroism, valor ..the tune is really charming …set at a very high decibel ……..awesome work again ……….

MGR himself acknowledged at the time of Kannadasan’s death that this particular song he used to listen to whenever he needs motivation. Such a highly inspirational song. Its noteworthy that the same Kavignar who also wrote Naadu adhai naadu later , with almost a similar theme……

Kannadasan has penned the lyric thoughtfully….the first charanam covers the achievement of tamil kings , the second breezes through on how a native mother nurtures her kid and the final one emphasizes the need for self respect to secure a permanent place in the history books…….

This song is considered by MGR fans as one of the very best of his thought provoking numbers and a highly inspirational source material…..This song indeed set a pattern for all future MGR movies to have a similar song spreading his agenda ……..

Visvanathan-Ramamurthy music was one of the key factor for the consolidation of MGR in his cinema life during the 60s ( which he never looked back ) and which also latter helped his political career indirectly….through such powerful songs , Makkal Thilagam successfully captured power in 1977 which he never lost until his demise…..

The song still remains an election anthem for his party as they put it in high decibel & continues to magnetize crowds …….

To me, this song always give a vibrant feeling, makes me charged up and take on the challenge on anything thrown at me.
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Sriram Kannan



Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 103

PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marvellous, as usual, Balaji Sir!!!

Though after the "Etthanai Kaalam thaan Emaatruvaar" and "Thoongathey thambi Thoongaathey" in the list of message songs of MGR, this song stands first for the sense of patriotism that has been expressed.

In fact the same trend followed later as well, when EMPEROR was ruling the music and MGR was ruling the Kollywood. MGR's style is to include atleast one message song in his movie appropriately. Though MGR switched between EMPEROR and KVM, the message songs had made the difference. Most of the songs of KVM were normal advising ones, with few exceptions like "Nenjamundu Nermaiundu". With EMPEROR, the songs were in the patriotic sense, mostly used in gatherings till today. The songs are still alive, only their "Thalaivar" projected in the front!!! (A pity, the crowd never cares about the singer, poet and the MD. Thinking as if their "Thalaivar" did everything. That is what we call, "CHARISMA").
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Thanks and Regards,
Sriram Kannan.

Follow me at http://bibliomaniac-moviefanatic.blogspot.com/
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