My favorite singers and their songs in Indian film music - Part I

Till early 2000, I paid no attention to the music credits of an album/movie. I really didn't realize the importance of the singers contribution to the song. This could partially be because of my lack of exposure to music apart from Ilayaraja songs which (until then) featured the usual SPB, KJY, S. Janaki and Chitra. A.R. Rahman did introduce new singers in every album of his, but as I said I was not exposed too much to his songs.

Alaipayuthey's music in March/April 2000 made a big difference to my ears. The Bru coffee commercial with 'Snehidhane' in the backdrop made me wonder who sung this song. It surely was not Chitra, Sujatha, Kavitha Krishnamoorthi, Nithyashree or Harini (the ones that sung a lot of songs then). It surely was a North Indian singer, but not Alka Yagnik. I got the cassette of Alaipayuthey along with Kandukonden (both of them musical wonders) and went over the cover and it was a singer named Sadhana Sargam. I was like - 'Have I heard her before?, Why hasn't she been singing too many songs?.' Right after that I saw she had Konjum Mainakkale in Kandukonden. I started liking her a lot after 'Anbae Idhu Nijamthana' - which was a totally overlooked song in the album Rhythm. The instrumentation in the song is near perfect.
It was then that I started following the singers and I can proudly say - I can recognise most of the singers in songs (atleast until 2005 or 2006, now there are lot new singers).

Sadhana Sargam - She was, is and shall remain one of my favorite singers in Indian music. Her tamil pronunciation may have not be good during her initial years, but for a North Indian - she surely sings better off now with the subtleties in zh, la, and La these days. And probably, I didn't really understand the lyrics of the songs. She won a national award for rendering a Tamil song 'Pattu Solli', I felt it was not her best and definitely had better songs before that and after that. A few of her songs (actually many of them) which are my favorites (in no specific order) can be found at the end of this blog (I removed it from here since it was a tad too long list :P ):

In most of the songs, Sadhana was accompanied by Hariharan, who happens to be another of my favorite singers. Hariharan, introduced to the regular people like me by A.R.Rahman in Roja is probably one singer who does a lot of improvisations on stage and never will his rendition on stage sound like the actual one. With a crispy voice, he had gems like Pachai Nirame (Alaipayuthey), Vennilave, Poi Solla Koodathu Kaadali (Run), Uyire (Bombay), Ay Hairathey (Guru), Thottal Poo Malarum (New), Irava Pagala (Poovellam Kaettupar), Kandukonden, Nila Kaigiradhu (Indira), Nahin Samne (Taal), Yamuna Theeram (Anand) and many more. I was lucky enough to watch him perform live in Phoenix and also had a picture taken with him.

In 2002, I awaited for the movie that stirred up emotions - Kannathil Muthamittal. The title track sung by Chinmayi and Jayachandran was simply spectacular, and the versatile Chinmayi found a fan in me. Her song for the TV soap - Anbulla Snehithiye is probably one of the very few title tracks of soaps that was remembered for its softness and sereneness (as opposed to the loud ones). Chinmayi has evolved as a successful film singer, RJ, TV anchor, dubbing artiste apart from the classical singer and dancer she originally is. A few of her songs that are my favorites - Tere Bina (Guru), I Miss you da (Sakkarakatti), Oru Nanban Irundhal (Ennake 20 Unakku 18), Santipomma (E20U18), Oru Deivam Thantha (Kannathil), Sahana Saaral (Sivaji), En Uyir Thozhiye (Kangalal Kaidhu Sei), Enna Ithu (Nala Damayanthi), Enadhuyirae (Bheema). As a dubbing artiste she did a real good job in Jillunu Oru Kadhal, amongst many others. She also was a good anchor on the show Airtel Super singer.

Speaking of Super Singer, the three judges on the show - Unnikrishnan, Sujatha Mohan and Sreenivas have been my favorite singers at some point of time. Unnikrishnan had gems in Ennavale (Kadalan - his very first song), Narumughaye (Iruvar), Kuliruthu (Taj Mahal), Sudum Nilavu (Thambi), Verenna (Minnale), Poovukkul (Jeans), Kaatre En Vaasal (Rhythm), Thirakadha (En Swaasa Katre), O Vennila (Kadhal Desam), Thendrale (Kadhal Desam), Veesum Katrukku (Ullasam), Nejodu Kalanthidu (Kadhal Konden).

Srinivas - the melody breaker 'Netru Munniravil Unnil' in Snehidhane is probably the only male singer with such a soft voice who made it big by singing select songs that provided justice to him and the song. His 'Mangalyam thanthunanena' will probably have taught most people (including me) the unforgettable wedding sthotram. 'Kaisi Hai Yeh Rut' from Dil Chahta Hai is one of the unforgettable melodies in Hindi cinema. Add Azhage Sugama (Paarthale Paravasam), Ennai Panthada (Ullam Ketkume), Kadhal Solvadhu (Badri), Chotta Chotta (Taj Mahal), Alangatti Mazhai (Thenali) to the list of my favorite songs. His one minute song - Mouname Unnidam from Mozhi was a good one and and fitted well in the movie too. The fast-paced Asathura in E20U18 was yet another song by this soft-spoken singer.

Sujatha mesmerized everyone in Netru Illada Maatram from Pudhya Mugham. Re-discovered by A.R.Rahman in Pudhu Vellai Mazhai (Roja), Sujatha was an integral part of many good albums that came out in the late 90's and early 2000's. Poo Pookkum Osai (Minsara Kanavu), Athisayam (Jeans), En Veettu Thottathil (Gentleman), Nejodu Kalanthidu (Kadhal Konden), Aasai Aasai (Dhool), Ishq Bina (Taal), Paadava (Little John), are few of my favorite songs of this ever-smiling singer whose daughter is beginning to make waves in the music world.

To be continued.... with many other singers and their songs.

Sadhana Sargam favorites:

Vennilave (Chanda Re) - Minsara Kanavu (Sapnay)
Chudithar Anindhu - Poovellam Kaettupar
Snehidhane (Chupke Se) - Alaipayuthey (Saathiya)
Anbae Idhu - Rhythm
Anbae Sugama and Azhage Sugama - Paarthale Paravasam
Dil Mera Ek Tara - 16 December
Pehla Nasha - Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
Akkam Pakkam - Kireedam
Swaasame - Thenali
Amma Un Pillai - Naan Kadavul
Udhaya Udhaya Ularaile - Udhaya
Naina Neer Bahai, Piya Ho, Aayo Re - Water
Poo Vaasam - Anbe Sivam
Merke Merke - Kanda Naal Mudhal
Ragasiyamai and Un Perai Sonnale - Dum Dum Dum
Aao Naa - Kyun Ho Gaya Naa
Kitni Baatein - Lakshya
Kuch Naa Kaho - Kuch Naa Kaho
Gup Chup Baatein - Love You Hamesha (unreleased)
Ahista Ahista - Swades
Pani Katre - Run
Manmadhanae - Manmadhan
Kaadu Thiranthe - Vasool Raja MBBS
Kadhal Vandhadhum - Poovellam Un Vaasam
Kadhal Vettukili - Parasuram
Enadhuyire - Bheema
Kalaiyil Dhinamum - New
Thigu Thigu - Ah Aah

And I guess this list got a little too long :) .

Hariharan's concert in Phoenix

It was the 23^rd March, a few days before couple of submissions and meetings. I knew it was going to be a nasty weekend ahead, but I couldn’t give up something that I’d planned a few months ago. It was singer Hariharan’s concert ‘SRISHTI’ that was to take place in Mesa, AZ. It was marketed as ‘Hariharan in Phoenix’ and was probably the first time that the ‘Phoenixites’(ala Mumbaiites, Delhiites….. or is there a better way, ‘Phoenicians’??) were getting to see Hariharan.

For those who aren’t familiar with Hariharan, he is one of the renowned playback singers in the Indian film industry, who was into Ghazal singing for quite a while till A.R. Rahman used him for a song in his debut film ‘Roja’ in 1992. It is pretty unfortunate that Hariharan was not noticed by the masses till then, except by the Ghazal-loving people. It is after the song in Roja, ‘Thamizha, Thamizha’, that he was noticed by the conventional film-makers and music directors who begun using his voice. His song ‘Uyire Uyire’ from Bombay is still one of the finest songs ever in the history of Tamil cinema. In 1996 he formed ‘Colonial Cousins’, with Leslie Lewis and the very first pop album and its successors were well received by the Indians. He’s been singing in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and a couple of other languages.

It’s not strange that, never are his renditions of a song, identical. That’s something to his advantage and disadvantage (the former is true in most cases). And he always begins a song in a totally different way, before getting into the actual lyrics of the song. This was really one of the interesting things that happened during this concert. He kept the entire audience guessing what song he was going to be singing, and this surely was something a music fanatic would love to do. Myself, Supraja, Shanta and a few of Shanta’s friends were together and were seated in the last row of the balcony(is that what they call it here?, well atleast it was on the second level(first floor by Indian norms)).

The concert supposed to begin at 7 pm started with an atrocious introductory speech, and a dance for a medley of ‘Nahin Samne’ from Taal, ‘Premalekha’ a song from a Telugu movie(sounded close to a song in a Tamil movie called ‘Nee Varuvai Ena’, probably a remake), and a song from a Tamil movie Ullasam. If this was an indication to the kind of songs he was going to be singing, I definitely felt I was going to hate the concert, since except for the first song, I didn’t enjoy listening to the other two.

I expected him to sing a couple of Ghazals as well and I was not wrong. I am not a person into Ghazals, but love listening to them whenever I get a chance to listen to them. He started with a couple of Ghazals and the strictly normal audience (nothing to do with the probability distribution), was getting bored and people began to talk and he was forced to cut them short and start singing movie songs. He made a mention at the beginning of the concert that he was going to be singing ‘Urdu Blues’ and some ‘Sufi Music’. The terms ‘Blues’ was coined because the uniform for people singing blues was Blue in color, seems interesting.

A list of songs/Ghazals that Hariharan sung that evening:

Kash Aisa Koi Manzar

Usne Jab Mujhse Kiya

E Aayine Se Pehle - this song had some really excellent keyboard notes. This was what he called Urdu blues.

Eh de Masti Hain – He began this song by teaching a few swaras to the Phoenix people, and made them repeat it, but ultimately ended up in a faster rendition which no one could repeat J. With this began Ga Ga Ni Ga Ri Sa Sa, Eh De Masti hain, Log Kehte Hain.

It was by this time that the audience became restless and began with an unusual song, but loved by everyone.

Nila Kaaygiradhu – This is from a Tamil movie Indira, set to music by ARR. He also gave an English translation to the song.

Yeh Lamhe Yeh Pal Hain

Ennai Thalatta Varuvaalo – A song from ‘Kadhalukku Mariyadhai’, something that I didn’t expect nor did I enjoy this one. This might be because I am biased against the Tamil actor Vijay.

He finally came up with the song from’Yaadein’, Baatein Bhool Bhool Jaathein Hain, Yaadein Yaad Aathi Hain. This song end with the Phoenix people singing the song. This was the end of first part of the concert.

The Sankara Eye foundation that organized the concert, had a 10 minute show of what they were doing in India and this seemed to be a really nice initiative. There was a 10 minute break till 9 pm. The restaurant Udipi Café seemed to cash on this opportunity by providing with dinner for the audience, however at a reasonable cost.

The second part of the concert had a greater number of songs. Hariharan was joined by one of his students Chandrayi, who was the female lead for the few duets he sung.

Bahon ki Dharmiyan – This was a really soothing number from ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’

Nelloru Nele Jaana - the dubbed version of immensely popular ‘Kurukku Sirithavale’ from Mudhalvan. He however seemed to sing a few lines from the Tamil version in the middle. But neither Hariharan nor Chandrayi could get their Telugu right.

He then began with a classical rendition of Krishna Nee Begane Baro, and followed it up with the Colonial Cousins version of the songs and ended it on a classical note. Only Hariharan can do it.

He next began ‘Tuj Pi Kahan…?’, and none of us knew this song, but ultimately it was a beginning to ‘Chanda Re aka Vennilave’ from ‘Sapnay aka Minsara Kanavu’ in typical Hariharan style.

It was the same with ‘More Saiyyan Ghar Nahin Aaye’ which ended in ’Roja Jaaneman’. Till then I didn’t know SPB and Hariharan had rendered that in Hindi. It seemed really good in Hariharan’s voice too.

He then sung his latest hit from the Jyothika-Kamalhasan starrer Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu – ‘Manjal Veyyil Maalaiyile’.

Next was the most awaited song – one of his recent hits, one of current favorites and what he called Sufi Music. Aye Hairathey Aashiqui from Guru. One of the features of this one was that Hariharan himself sung the ‘Dham Dhara Dham Dhara Chashm Chashm”, with great ease. Chandrayi sung this better than Alka Yagnik in the original.

Yamuna Theeram from the Telugu Movie Anand was his next song.

He had Ghazal next and a few Thukdas for an old friend in Phoenix. This included his first song.

It was then he said he was going to sign three songs before ending the concert.

He then sung Taj Mahal’s Apni Zulfen. This was followed by Nahin Saamne from Taal, which had a long ‘Preyasi…….’ And finally him at his best ‘Uyire Uyire’ from Bombay.

It was really refreshing after his concert. We also managed to get a photograph taken along with him and also his autograph. I was really excited about this and so were Supraja and Shanta. I wouldn’t want to post the photo over her though.

The only thing I don’t want to remember about this event was the way I had dressed up. I was in school till an hour before the concert and had no time to change, I was in my usual weekend attire. And that weekend was a really demanding one for me, and I was happy that I could make it to the concert.