Bombay Ravi transformed Malayalam melody
Bombay Ravi(1926-2012) was born in Delhi.He shifted to Mumbai in 1950.
He was born as Ravi Shankar Sharma.He learnt music listening to the bhajans his father sang.He had no formal training;he taught himself Harmonium.
He was a trained electrician.He didn't want to shock anyone;So he went to Mumbai to try his luck in Bollywood.He lived on the streets;Slept at night at the Malad railway station.In 1952,Hemant Kumar asked Ravi to sing backing vocals for Vandematharam in the movie,Anandmath.His musical journey began.Chaudwin ka Chand(1960) made him immortal.
He took a break for 12 years, from 1970.In 1982,he made a come back with Nikaah.Hariharan,a music aficionado,convinced Ravi in 1986 to make his foray into Malayalam ,with Panchagni.Ravi has composed music for only 15 Malayalam movies.Six of them were for Hariharan:Panchagni,Nakhakshatangal(1986),Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha(1989),Sargam(1992),Parinayam(1994),Mayookham(2005).Panchagni,scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair,told the story of a heroine of the erstwhile Naxalite movement,who had to face grim realities again,while trying to have a normal life.The character had a shadow of the revolutionary,K Ajitha,daughter of Kunnikkal Narayanan from Kozhikode and Mandakini from Maharashtra.It was a Naxalite family.Both the songs from the movie by ONV,replaced cacophony in Malayalam with melody,and became a rage.
SONG1:SAGARANGALE/FILM:PANCHAGNI/YESUDAS
SONG2:AA RATHRI MANJU POYI/FILM:PANCHAGNI/CHITRA
Same year,Hariharan came up with Ravi in Nakhakshathangal.The movie had Guruvayur temple as backdrop.Singer Jayachandran donned an important role in the film and sang two songs:Kevala Marthyabhasha and Vreelabharithayay.There were five songs in the movie.Manjal prasdavum,Neeraduvan Nilayil,Aareyum Bavagayakanakkum are the rest. Ravi got the state award for music director and Chitra won the national award for the best female play back singer for Manjal prasadavum.
SONG3:MANJAL PRASADAVUM/FILM:NAKHAKSHATANGAL/CHITRA
Ravi gained another national award for Chitra for the song,Indu pushpam in Vaisali(1989).It was another night song after Aa rathri manju poyi...
SONG4:INDU PUSHPAM/FILM:VAISALI/CHITRA
Though all the songs in Nakashathangal are still fresh in memory,there is a poem by ONV which is seldom mentioned.
SONG5:VREELABHARITHAYAY/FILM:NAKHAKSHATHANGAL/JAYACHANDRAN
After two Hariharan movies,Ravi composed music for Theertham(1987) directed by Mohan.Usually it is not seen in the list of Ravi movies,because the songs are not available.I have seen the movie,which tells the story of a Nambudiri girl,played by Pallavi Joshi.Maybe the makers of the movie thought it not worthwhile to bring out the record,because two of the songs were by Nedumudi Venu & chorus.The songs,Ganapathiye Nin Achan and Aathintho,written by my friends,Kavalam Narayana Panicker and Balachandran Chullikkad had absolutely no Ravi touch.It had the typical Kavalam folk touch.A third song,Bas More Nainaan by Alka Yagnik is shown in the credit;the lyrical credit given to Kavalam and Chullikkad.Very doubtful.I remember only the folk songs.
Coming back to Hariharan movies,Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha had five songs,out of which two,written by poet and administrator(he was Chief Secretary,Kerala;after that Vice Chancellor)stand out:Chandanalepa sugandham and Kalarivilakku(Chitra).
SONG6:CHANDANALEPA SUGANDHAM/FILM:ORU VADAKKAN.../YESUDAS
Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri wrote two songs.Indulekha Kan thurannu(Yesudas) and Unniganapthi Thampurane(Chitra,Ashalatha).Indulekha is still remembered.The last,Enthinavidam Parayunnacha was from the folk Vadakkan pattu.
The musical melodrama,Sargam had nine songs,five of them by poet and Krishna devotee,Yusuf Ali Kecheri.1.Kannadi aadhyamayen(Chitra) 2.Pravahame(Yesudas),3.Aandolanam(Yesudas,Chitra),4.Krishnakripasagaram(Yesudas)
5.Sangeethame(Yesudas).Ravi won the state award.
SONG7:KRISHNAKRIPA/FILM:SARGAM/YESUDAS
1994 was the land mark year for Ravi.He got the national award in 1995 for the two movies he did in Malayalam in 1994:Parinayam directed by Hariharan and Sukrutham by Harikumar.Parinayam was based on the caste inquisition of Thatri in 1905.It had four songs,written again,by Yusuf Ali:Vaisakha poornimayo(Yesudas & Chitra versions)2.Samajasancharini(Yesudas,Chitra versions)3.Anjusarangalum(Yesudas)4.Parvanendumukhi.The best in the movie,Samajasancharini was in fact composed by Manoj krishnan,assisting Ravi at that time.Hariharan and Yusuf Ali insisted that Manoj do it-Ravi was absent,but they urgently needed the song.This has been revealed by Yusuf Ali.Manoj from Palakkad,whom I know personally,set it to raga,Kamboji.Manoj,later in 1997,sang Chundathu Thenulla for Ravi in the album,Aavani Kanavukal.In 1998, he sang a solo,Samagana (Yesudas had a version)for Ravi,in Kalivakku.I met Manoj after Yusuf Ali's confession.He did music for a Tamil film later.He played the song by Subha in that film,in his car,for me.That movie didn't see light of day.
SONG8:SAMAJA SANCHARINI/FILM:PARINAYAM/YESUDAS
So,to do justice to Ravi,let us listen to him.Another night song:
SONG9:VAISAKHA POURNAMIYO/ FILM:PARINAYAM/CHITRA
Both movies were scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair.The Back ground score for Sukrutham was done by Johnson who won the national second best music director award the same year.He won the national best back ground score award for Malayalam film too.The movie script took a holistic approach to death,taking a leaf out of MT's own life when he was a journalist.Death is a moment to rejoice.The hero walked toward a running train,detached.Among the four songs,Kadalinnagadhamam is a gem.Lyrics by ONV.
SONG10:KADALNNAGADHAMAM/FILM:SUKRUTHAM/YESUDAS,CHITRA
The last work of Ravi, in Malayalam ,too, was for Hariharan.Mayookham(2005)had six songs,including a sloka,Tha Geha Krithya Niratha sung by Vijitha Jai Ganesh.For the first time,Hariharan himself wrote two songs:Kattinu Sugandham (Yesudas)and Chuvarillathe(Jayachandran).Mankombu Gopalakrishnan wrote,three:Ee Puzhayum(Yesudas),Dhanumasa pularikal(Sujatha) and Bhagavathi Kavil Vacho(MG Sreekumar).We see a waning Ravi here.Ee Puzhayum is the average one among them.It was the Debut movie of Mamta Mohan Das.
SONG 11:THA GEHA KRITHYA NIRATHA/FILM:MAYOOKHAM/VIJITHA
Ace director Bharathan called Ravi for Vaisali(1989) and Padheyam(1993).Though Padheyam is not a good work of Ravi,Vaisali was a land mark.Except Poomullakkattil by Chitra,all songs were hits.It told the Rishyasringa story.I was not aware of the Rishyasringa temple at Kigga,Sringeri, and that Sringeri got its name from him,at the time when I saw the movie.It seems Bharathan didn't knew either;the movie was shot in Idukki.Kigga itself is amazing - I was there four months back.Vaisali was scripted by MT and Padheyam by Lohitha Das.Actor Gopi was one of the producers of padheyam,a compelling story of an unusual love between a young girl and a senior poet.It was Chippi's debut film.Out of six songs by Kaithapram,only two are remembered:(Chandrakantham kondu(versions of Yesudas & Chitra) and Rasanilavinu Tharunyam.
SONG 12:RASANILAVINU/FILM:PADHEYAM/YESUDAS,CHITRA
Jayaraj,had assiste Bharathan, for six movies,from,Chilambu(1986).He had met Ravi during the recording of Vaisali.Jayaraj,aptly named his debut movie,Vidyarambham(1990).Three songs in the movie,Uthralikkavile(Yesudas),Poovarambin Thazhe(Chitra) and Pathira kombile didn't click much.Kaithapram,it seems,was not having the same wave length.Uthralikavile, was set to raga,Mohanam;Bhoopali in Hindustani.
SONG 13:PATHIRA KOMBILE/FILM:VIDYARAMBHAM/YESUDAS
The case was different when Yusuf Ali teamed up with Ravi,once again proved by Gazal(1993).Out of nine songs in the movie,Isal Thenkanam and Sangeethame are ever green.
SONG14:ISAL THENKANAM/FILM:GAZAL/YESUDAS,CHITRA
Its original was Mujhe Pyar ki Zindagi dene Wale sung by Rafi and Asha Bhosle in Pyar Ka Sagar.Of course,Hindi tune was also by Ravi.
MUJHE PYAR/FILM:PYAR KA SAGAR/RAFI,ASHA
The best of Yesudas appeared in an unreleased movie,Kalivakku(1998).It was to be directed by either Vinu or Paul Njarakkal.It was also the best of K Jayakumar.
SONG 15:YADUKULA KOKILA/FILM:KALIVAKKU/YESUDAS
SONG 16:GAGANA NEELIMA/FILM:KALIVAKKU/YESUDAS
SONG 17:SAMAGANA LAYA/FILM:KALIVAKKU/YESUDAS
Three songs in the movie,Five Star Hospital(1997), directed by Thaha retained some of the inherent qualities of Ravi:Maranno nee nilavil,Ithra Madhurikumo and Vathil Thurakku Kaalame.It had one song by K G Markose-Anadi Gayakan.Lyrics were by Yusuf Ali.Maranno nee nilavil reminds me of the Naushad songs in Dhwani.
SONG 18:MARANNO NEE/FILM:FIVE STAR HOSPITAL/YESUDAS
There is nothing home to write about the songs in Manassil Oru Manjuthulli(2000).It was the only movie directed by Mumbai business man,Jaikumar Nair with serial actors Krishnakumar and Praveena in lead roles.Along with M D Rajendran,Suresh Ramanthali too wrote lyrics.
Ravi's only Malayalam album,Aavani Kanavukal (1997)had 10 songs.Six solos of Unni Menon,one duet of Unni Menon with S Janaki,One each of Janaki and Daleema.Both Unni Menon and Manoj Krishnan had their versions of one song,Chundathu Thenulla...
While Ravi was very active in Malayalam,Ousepachan,reputed Malayalam composer,lifted a 1965 Hindi tune of Ravi and used it in the Priyadarshan movie,Megham(1999).
SONG:NJAN ORU PATTU PADAM/FILM:MEGHAM/YESUDAS
SONG:O MERE ZOHRA JABEEN/FILM:WAQT/MANNA DEY
Ravi died a sad man-in his final years,he was harassed by his estranged son,Ajay Shankar and his wife,the Marathi actress,Varsha Usgaonkar.Ravi lamented that his son and his wife wanted to throw him out of his house(The Deccan Chronicle,27 December,2011).Ravi's wife had died in 1986.
Reference:1.malayalachalachithram.com 2.malayalasangeetham.info.3.My talks with Manoj Krishnan,Ravi's assistant
See my post,THE DUET:BENGALI EMBRACES MALAYALAM
Bombay Ravi(1926-2012) was born in Delhi.He shifted to Mumbai in 1950.
He was born as Ravi Shankar Sharma.He learnt music listening to the bhajans his father sang.He had no formal training;he taught himself Harmonium.
He was a trained electrician.He didn't want to shock anyone;So he went to Mumbai to try his luck in Bollywood.He lived on the streets;Slept at night at the Malad railway station.In 1952,Hemant Kumar asked Ravi to sing backing vocals for Vandematharam in the movie,Anandmath.His musical journey began.Chaudwin ka Chand(1960) made him immortal.
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| Bombay Ravi |
He took a break for 12 years, from 1970.In 1982,he made a come back with Nikaah.Hariharan,a music aficionado,convinced Ravi in 1986 to make his foray into Malayalam ,with Panchagni.Ravi has composed music for only 15 Malayalam movies.Six of them were for Hariharan:Panchagni,Nakhakshatangal(1986),Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha(1989),Sargam(1992),Parinayam(1994),Mayookham(2005).Panchagni,scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair,told the story of a heroine of the erstwhile Naxalite movement,who had to face grim realities again,while trying to have a normal life.The character had a shadow of the revolutionary,K Ajitha,daughter of Kunnikkal Narayanan from Kozhikode and Mandakini from Maharashtra.It was a Naxalite family.Both the songs from the movie by ONV,replaced cacophony in Malayalam with melody,and became a rage.
SONG1:SAGARANGALE/FILM:PANCHAGNI/YESUDAS
SONG3:MANJAL PRASADAVUM/FILM:NAKHAKSHATANGAL/CHITRA
Ravi gained another national award for Chitra for the song,Indu pushpam in Vaisali(1989).It was another night song after Aa rathri manju poyi...
SONG4:INDU PUSHPAM/FILM:VAISALI/CHITRA
Though all the songs in Nakashathangal are still fresh in memory,there is a poem by ONV which is seldom mentioned.
SONG5:VREELABHARITHAYAY/FILM:NAKHAKSHATHANGAL/JAYACHANDRAN
After two Hariharan movies,Ravi composed music for Theertham(1987) directed by Mohan.Usually it is not seen in the list of Ravi movies,because the songs are not available.I have seen the movie,which tells the story of a Nambudiri girl,played by Pallavi Joshi.Maybe the makers of the movie thought it not worthwhile to bring out the record,because two of the songs were by Nedumudi Venu & chorus.The songs,Ganapathiye Nin Achan and Aathintho,written by my friends,Kavalam Narayana Panicker and Balachandran Chullikkad had absolutely no Ravi touch.It had the typical Kavalam folk touch.A third song,Bas More Nainaan by Alka Yagnik is shown in the credit;the lyrical credit given to Kavalam and Chullikkad.Very doubtful.I remember only the folk songs.
Coming back to Hariharan movies,Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha had five songs,out of which two,written by poet and administrator(he was Chief Secretary,Kerala;after that Vice Chancellor)stand out:Chandanalepa sugandham and Kalarivilakku(Chitra).
SONG6:CHANDANALEPA SUGANDHAM/FILM:ORU VADAKKAN.../YESUDAS
The musical melodrama,Sargam had nine songs,five of them by poet and Krishna devotee,Yusuf Ali Kecheri.1.Kannadi aadhyamayen(Chitra) 2.Pravahame(Yesudas),3.Aandolanam(Yesudas,Chitra),4.Krishnakripasagaram(Yesudas)
5.Sangeethame(Yesudas).Ravi won the state award.
SONG7:KRISHNAKRIPA/FILM:SARGAM/YESUDAS
1994 was the land mark year for Ravi.He got the national award in 1995 for the two movies he did in Malayalam in 1994:Parinayam directed by Hariharan and Sukrutham by Harikumar.Parinayam was based on the caste inquisition of Thatri in 1905.It had four songs,written again,by Yusuf Ali:Vaisakha poornimayo(Yesudas & Chitra versions)2.Samajasancharini(Yesudas,Chitra versions)3.Anjusarangalum(Yesudas)4.Parvanendumukhi.The best in the movie,Samajasancharini was in fact composed by Manoj krishnan,assisting Ravi at that time.Hariharan and Yusuf Ali insisted that Manoj do it-Ravi was absent,but they urgently needed the song.This has been revealed by Yusuf Ali.Manoj from Palakkad,whom I know personally,set it to raga,Kamboji.Manoj,later in 1997,sang Chundathu Thenulla for Ravi in the album,Aavani Kanavukal.In 1998, he sang a solo,Samagana (Yesudas had a version)for Ravi,in Kalivakku.I met Manoj after Yusuf Ali's confession.He did music for a Tamil film later.He played the song by Subha in that film,in his car,for me.That movie didn't see light of day.
SONG8:SAMAJA SANCHARINI/FILM:PARINAYAM/YESUDAS
So,to do justice to Ravi,let us listen to him.Another night song:
SONG9:VAISAKHA POURNAMIYO/ FILM:PARINAYAM/CHITRA
SONG10:KADALNNAGADHAMAM/FILM:SUKRUTHAM/YESUDAS,CHITRA
SONG 11:THA GEHA KRITHYA NIRATHA/FILM:MAYOOKHAM/VIJITHA
Ace director Bharathan called Ravi for Vaisali(1989) and Padheyam(1993).Though Padheyam is not a good work of Ravi,Vaisali was a land mark.Except Poomullakkattil by Chitra,all songs were hits.It told the Rishyasringa story.I was not aware of the Rishyasringa temple at Kigga,Sringeri, and that Sringeri got its name from him,at the time when I saw the movie.It seems Bharathan didn't knew either;the movie was shot in Idukki.Kigga itself is amazing - I was there four months back.Vaisali was scripted by MT and Padheyam by Lohitha Das.Actor Gopi was one of the producers of padheyam,a compelling story of an unusual love between a young girl and a senior poet.It was Chippi's debut film.Out of six songs by Kaithapram,only two are remembered:(Chandrakantham kondu(versions of Yesudas & Chitra) and Rasanilavinu Tharunyam.
SONG 12:RASANILAVINU/FILM:PADHEYAM/YESUDAS,CHITRA
Jayaraj,had assiste Bharathan, for six movies,from,Chilambu(1986).He had met Ravi during the recording of Vaisali.Jayaraj,aptly named his debut movie,Vidyarambham(1990).Three songs in the movie,Uthralikkavile(Yesudas),Poovarambin Thazhe(Chitra) and Pathira kombile didn't click much.Kaithapram,it seems,was not having the same wave length.Uthralikavile, was set to raga,Mohanam;Bhoopali in Hindustani.
SONG 13:PATHIRA KOMBILE/FILM:VIDYARAMBHAM/YESUDAS
SONG14:ISAL THENKANAM/FILM:GAZAL/YESUDAS,CHITRA
MUJHE PYAR/FILM:PYAR KA SAGAR/RAFI,ASHA
SONG 15:YADUKULA KOKILA/FILM:KALIVAKKU/YESUDAS
SONG 18:MARANNO NEE/FILM:FIVE STAR HOSPITAL/YESUDAS
Ravi's only Malayalam album,Aavani Kanavukal (1997)had 10 songs.Six solos of Unni Menon,one duet of Unni Menon with S Janaki,One each of Janaki and Daleema.Both Unni Menon and Manoj Krishnan had their versions of one song,Chundathu Thenulla...
While Ravi was very active in Malayalam,Ousepachan,reputed Malayalam composer,lifted a 1965 Hindi tune of Ravi and used it in the Priyadarshan movie,Megham(1999).
SONG:NJAN ORU PATTU PADAM/FILM:MEGHAM/YESUDAS
Ravi died a sad man-in his final years,he was harassed by his estranged son,Ajay Shankar and his wife,the Marathi actress,Varsha Usgaonkar.Ravi lamented that his son and his wife wanted to throw him out of his house(The Deccan Chronicle,27 December,2011).Ravi's wife had died in 1986.
Reference:1.malayalachalachithram.com 2.malayalasangeetham.info.3.My talks with Manoj Krishnan,Ravi's assistant
See my post,THE DUET:BENGALI EMBRACES MALAYALAM
