THE DUET:HINDI EMBRACES MALAYALAM

HINDI MUSIC DIRECTORS IN MALAYALAM

Three music directors who enriched Malayalam movies,literally lived in the streets,in their formative years.Two of them were from the Hindi music world:Naushad and Bombay Ravi.The third one,the legendary M S Baburaj,or Babukka was a street singer in Kozhikode.Pather Panchali means Song of the Road,isn't it?

Naushad,who was born in Lucknow and repaired harmoniums,had run away to Mumbai in 1937.He slept on the footpath in front of the Broadway Theater.
Bombay Ravi ,born in Delhi as Ravishankar Sharma was an electrician.He lived in Mumbai streets;slept in Malad railway station.They  made palaces in the air,with sound waves.

In the beginning,it was the duo Shankar Jaikishan.They did music for the 1952 Malayalam movie,Desabhakthan.Two songs,Sahayamare Bale and Oh Chinthayil En were sung by P A Periyanayaki;Radha Jayalakshmi was given the song,Oh Athimodamarnna.Lyrics were by Abhaya Dev.No song is available today.Hailing from Panrutti,Periyanayaki made her foray into films at age 
10 in C V Raman's Urvashiyin Kadhai.She attracted attention in T R Raghunath's Prabhavati.Her big moment came  when Meiyappan of AVM studios sent for her for Srivalli.She had sung for him in Balayogini in 1937.She was influential in Tamil industry as actress and singer as well as the close relative of the dance duo,Sayee-Subbulakshmi,singer Padma and the sound engineer in AVM,V S Raghavan.Padma was Sayee's mother in law.Nayaki had entrusted Subbulakshmi and Sayee to dance director,Muthuswamy Pillai.
 

Periyanayaki

In the duo,Shankar was a South Indian,born in Hyderabad.Jaikishan was from Vansda,Gujarat.Their famous song,Man mohana Bade Jhoote from the hindi film Seema was resung by Madhuri in the movie,Charam(1983).Another gem of them in Aawara(1951),sung by Mukesh was re sung by Mohanlal  in Vishnulokam(1991).It was clunky but endearing.
MOVIE:VISHNULOKAM/AAVARA HUM/MOHANLAL

Among the composers who came from Hindi to Malayalam,Salil Chowdhury and Bombay Ravi did tremendous work.Their repertoire is enchanting.About them in another part.
The first to come to Malayalam in a big way was Salil Chowdhury,for Chemmen(1965).He was followed by Usha Khanna,in 1969,for the film,Moodal Manju. This horror movie,like the other horror movie,Bhargavi Nilayam,is remembered  for its songs.All  songs were instant hits.

SONG 1:NEE MADHU PAKAROO/K J YESUDAS/M D USHA KHANNA

 

The lyrics were by P Bhaskaran.Prem Nazir,Sheela and Madhubala acted in the movie.Dialogues were by renowned novelist,Parappurath.

 SONG 2:MANASA MANIVEENAYIL/S JANAKI/MD USHA KHANNA

 

Usha Khanna,who debuted with Asha Parekh in the movie,Dil Deke Dekho(1959)could not repeat the magic again in Malayalam.She composed music for two more movies:Agninilavu(1991) and Puthooramputhri Unniyarcha(2002).The lyrics of Agninilavu  by Vayalar Madhavan Kutty are okay,but songs not hits.There is something haunting  her world;born in Gwalior ,Usha was inspired by Arabic music,she said.But never copied.She married lyricist Srawan Kumar,who wrote most of her lyrics and produced films for her.The separation from him cost her the entire career.Her last movie,Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya was in 2003.

It was Sudin Menon, director of  Moodalmanju who experimented with maximum number of Hindi music directors in Malayalam for the first time,followed by Hariharan.In his next movie same year,Nazhikakkallu,Sudin tried Kanu Ghosh,who had composed music in hindi films like,Naya Zamana, Do Roti,Pyar Ki Rahen(1959),Kabuliwala(1961)and Dil Se Dil Mil Gaya(2013).One Song in Nazhikakkallu is still a hit,though people don't know the composer is Ghosh.Here is the song:

SONG 3:NIN PADANGALIL/JAYACHANDRAN & T R OMANA/MD KANU GHOSH

T

There were two more songs,Etho Ravil(S Janaki),and Kannerilalle Jananam(Kamukara Purushohaman) written by Sreekumaran Thampi.Sudin Menon tried Dulal Sen next for Prapancham(1971).Sen had done music for an album,Black Prince(1960)in Hindi.There were five songs penned by P Bhaskaran. None of them made it into the hit charts.Dulal Sen did music for a Hindi movie five years later:Tuhi Ram,Tuhi Krishna.It is not known who did music for Sudin Menon's final movie,Pratima(1978).No song is available.Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan was the hero,as per records.1978 was a path breaking year for Malayalam because of the range of movies and the number of songs.527 songs were recorded.They belong to movies like,Vadakaykoru Hridayam,Rajan Paranja Katha,Padasaram,Aaravam,Etho Oru Swapnam,Avalude Ravukal,Ee Ganam Marakumo,Agni,Madanolsavam,Eeta,Mannu,Uthradarathri and Bandhanam.I have cited well known movies from history and memory and Pratima is nowhere there.It should be assumed it was a non starter.I remember the wonderful song,Ushasse Nee Enne Vilichillenkil written by AP Gopalan and Kattu Vannu by GK Pallath and Mohaveena Than by G Gopalakrishnan(all new lyricists) for Padasaram.Aaravam by Bharathan was Nedumudi Venu's first mainstream movie.Agni was novelist C Radhakrishnan's debut movie as director.All songs of Madanolsavam by Salilda were hits.The song,Eeran Chirakumai,sung by a new comer Yasodha,was set to tune by Baburaj in Gandeevam.In Bandhanam by M T Vasudevan Nair,which launched Sukumaran as a star,I still remember the song,Raagam,Sreeragam,sung by Jayachandran,lipped by Dr S K Nair,picturised in Fine Arts Hall,Cochin.1978 was a revolutionary year after emergency.A movie, Pratima is not there in memory.Since Sudin is a forgotten director ,for record it should be said that he was born in Thrissur to Govinda Menon and Ammukutty Amma.He  went to Mumbai and was hero in two Hindi films .He married Saira.

A  year before Usha Khanna,in 1968,Laxmikant-Pyarelal had entered Malayalam with the remake of the Hindi movie,Taqdeer(1967)as Vidhi.They retained the original tune. Two songs( lyrics,  Vayalar   Ramavarma )in the movie were hits:

SONG 4:AMRITAM PAKARNNA RATHRI/S JANAKI/MD LAXMIKANT PYARELAL

SONG 5:PRIYE POOKKUKILLE/K J YESUDAS/MD LAXMIKANT PYARELAL

I like another song in the movie,Jananagale Maranangale sung by Yesudas, more.The duo reappeared with another remake,Jeevithasamaram(1971).It was a dubbed version of the Dharmendra,Rakhee Starrer,Jeevan Mrithyu.The copy of Jhil Mil Sitharon ka became very popular.

 SONG 6:CHINNUM VENTHARATHIN/K J YESUDAS,S JANAKI/MD LAXMIKANT PYARELAL

 The only original score the duo did in Malayalam was for Poonilamazha(1997).Lyrics were by Gireesh Puthencheri.Out of the five songs in the movie,Malayalis remember only one:

SONG 7:AATTU THOTTILIL/K J YESUDAS/MD LAXMIKANT PYARELAL

One song in his career is  favorite to Yesudas.It is a 13 minute long song , Shadjane Paya,he sang for the movie,Tansen.Both lyric and music were  by Ravindra Jain;the film didn't take off.

SONG 8:SHADJANE PAYA/K J YESUDAS/M D RAVINDRA JAIN

 Jain entered Malayalam with Sujatha(1977),a Hariharan movie.Asha Bhosle sang in Malayalam in it.Two songs of the film  by lyricist Mankompu Gopalakrishnan became hits.

 SONG9:KALIDASANTE KAVYABHAVANAYE/K J YESUDAS/MD RAVINDRA JAIN

 SONG 10:THALIPPOO,PEELIPPOO/K J YESUDAS/MD RAVINDRA JAIN

Jain introduced Asha Bhosle in the same film.Her song,with a better pronunciation,is still remembered.
SONG 11:SWAYAMVARA SUBADHINA/ASHA BHOSLE/MD RAVINDRA JAIN

Director of Malayalam art house cinema Dr K S Biju did an experiment with Jain,with lyrics of ONV, for his movie,Aakasathinte Niram(2012).It was another disaster.
Director Hariharan,like Sudin Menon,tried four Hindi music directors(He tried Salil Chowdhury for his 1991 movie,Thamburan)..Ravindra Jain,Bombay Ravi,Regunath Seth and Uttam Singh.His experiment with Reghunath Seth,the Bansuri exponent born in Gwalior,who learnt under Pannalal Ghosh, was fantastic.Two songs in the film Aaranyakam(1988)are still exotic.I would rate Aathmavil Muttivilichathu Pole among the  top 10 songs in Malayalam.

SONG 12:AATHMAVIL MUTTI VILICHATHU POLE/K J YESUDAS/MD REGHUNATH SETH

SONG 13:OLICHIRIKKAN VALLIKKUDIL/K S CHITRA/MD REGHUNATH SETH

These two songs  imbibed the very essence of the movie,set in sylvan surroundings.It is sad that hindi industry didn't  take Seth seriously.Most of the film makers entrust ONV with lyrics when the composer is from Hindi.But ONV missed Naushad;It is like a miss for Mohan Lal.Adoor Gopalakrishnan  never used the skills of Mohanlal.The music composed by Naushad for Dhwani (1988) is considered the best and classical of all times.It was his only movie in the language.There are six songs in the movie, by lyricist Yusuf Ali Kecheri.One,Janaki Jaane,a Ram bhajan set to Yamuna Kalyani,is in sanskrit.Both Yesudas and P Susheela have sung the song.

SONG 14:JANAKI JAANE/P SUSHEELA /MD NAUSHAD

Manasa Nilayil Ponnolagal is in Raaga Abheri.

SONG15:MANASA NILAYIL/K J YESUDAS/MD NAUSHAD

Three more songs,Aan Kuyile,Oru Ragamala Korthu,Rathisukhasaramayi are  rendered by Yesudas.Rathisukhasaramayi is in Raaga Sindhubhairavi.And now we come to the classic duet,Anuraga Lola Rathri ,made robust by Yesudas and Susheela.Naushad retained the tune he used for the unreleased hindi movie,Habba Khatoon.Mohammad Rafi sang Jis Raat Ke Khawab Aaye in it in Raaga,Patdeep.It was the swan song of Rafi.The LAST SONG.

SONG 16:JIS RAAT KE KHAWAB AAYE/MOHAMMAD RAFI/MD NAUSHAD

The song by Yesudas and Susheela is in Carnatic Raaga Gowri Manohari.

SONG 17:ANURAGA LOLA RATHRI/K J YESUDAS,P SUSHEELA/MD NAUSHAD

If Jis Raat was the last song of Rafi,Dhwani was the last completed film of Prem Nazir.

Hindi ,having thus embraced Malayalam , has also embarrassed at times.Two more music directors,Uttam Singh and Dipen Chatterjee tried their luck.Uttam Singh,who did music for Dil To Pagal Hai,had been the main violinist for RD Burman and Ilaiya Raja.Hariharan roped him in for his 1999 movie,Prem Poojari.None of the six songs are commendable.Priyadarshan brought sound engineer Dipen Chatterjee to do music for Kakkakuyil(2001).Out of the six songs , three became popular and one,Alare Govinda a hit.

SONG 18:ALARE GOVINDA/M G SREEKUMAR/MD DIPEN CHATTERJI

Among the other two songs,Padam Vanamali and Megharagam Nerukil ,the latter seems to be a copy of some other song.

SONG 19:MEGHARAGHAM NERUKIL/K S CHITRA/MD DIPEN CHATTERJI

Every chance is there since it is a Priyadarshan film.Kakkauyil itself was a copy of Hollywood movie,A Fish Called Wanda.It became Golmaal in Hindi.
SONG 18A:EMONO SAGHANA/ANTARA/MD SALIL CHOWDHURY

This song sung by Antara,Salil's daughter is the original,as pointed out in the comment below.Shame on Priyadarshan and Dipen Chatterji.
Now it is time to embrace the Hindi bretheren. Here is the only song Mohammad Rafi has sung in a Malayalam movie.Unfortunately,it is a Hindi Song.When the music director Jithin Shyam met him,Rafi said it will take a few weeks to learn Malayalam lyrics.It was then decided to give him two Hindi songs.Aayish Kamal wrote the Hindi songs for the movie,Thaliritta Kinakkal(1980):Shabab Leke and Saaz -E-Dil Tod do.Yesudas sang Saaz and Rafi,Shabab Leke.In the movie,comedian Kuthiravattam Pappu gave him lips.

SONG 20:SHABAB LEKE/MOHAMMAD RAFI/MD JITHIN SHYAM

Next time we will meet Salilda and Bombay Ravi.Till then,goodbye
See my post,THE DUET:BENGALI EMBRACES MALAYALAM