Disco, Disco, Notes of Nostalgia

0.5 Paise, 0.75 Paise, Re.1

Believe me or not, the above were the ticket rates of my Village Cinema Hall (‘Poondhottam’ Ganesha Talkies). The cost of a high class Chair ticket (you’ve to sit straight, otherwise you’ll get sprain) was Re.1, next bench ticket cost (while watching movies, you’ll do some exercise, otherwise, you’ll end up with back pain) was 12 annas, and finally the cost of my favorite floor ticket (no sprain, no back pain) was 50 paise, which was even below than the rate of a interval-time snack, as the rate of an alu boanda was 60 paise (the peas makes you mouthwatering). Usually, I preferred to the floor ticket, and for better view, I used to ‘mountain’ sand and sat in that sand mountain, that time you will feel like a kind sitting in his ‘Simmasanam’. And don’t call me crazy, I spent 10 rupees for a single movie, not bought the ticket in black, but went to a Kamal movie ‘Kakki Sattai’ for twenty times, this film ran in our theatre for 3 weeks, the very first day, unfortunately, I ended up with a board, which smiled at me sardonically, “House Full”, which was unusual for our Ganesa theatre. Being an ardent fan of Kamal, I whistled for Kamal’s dance for the song “Namma Singari Saraku”, and applauded for his fight sequence with Bob Krishto, (Dai thali eppadi Englishkarando sandai poduran paaruda. Bruce lee ellam pitchai vanganum da), like that there were many nostalgic moments. More than watching films in Ganesa theatre, I love songs which usually played in the interval times of movies. There were only few fixed songs, like “Maanai Thedi Machan Vara Poren” from Naadodi Mannan, and TM Soundrajan’s stylish “Yaaradi Nee mohini”. As time evolved, our talkies also got popularity by releasing “Bhavadhipuram Railwaygate” in the very first day, and increased the ticket rate by 50%, (mudhali orediya rate a oosathitanda), then talkies owner changed the playlist of songs too, for the interval time, hence we got some new songs to listen in which I did love two songs, one is “Poothukuttu OOthudadi vaanam” from Paaum Puli” and another is “Dhinam Dhinam” from “Thangaikor Geedham”

For “Thangaikor Geedham”, the music was composed by TR, those days both TR and Bhakhyaraj got the popularity equivalent to that of Kamal and Rajni. Bhakyaraj got the popularity for his screenplay, till date, he is the sole master of Tamizh movie screen for screenplay, whereas TR got the popularity for his versatility in music, lyrics, and last but not the least, his settings for song sequence (ookali, settings ke mukkaruva seriyapoachuda) , and this song “Dhinam Dhinam” is one such song with disco effect, well sung by SPB, the pet singer for TR.

Straightaway SPB goes vibrant like Sachin’s slicing cover drive; SPB starts the song with his casual “hai hai”, and then the steady start of “Dhinam Dhinam”. He dominates the chorus singers too, and compete single handedly with them with his “hmm ahhaa, tham tha tarigidom”, as he always takes liberty while singing under the batons of Raaja and TR.

In those childhood days, I was crazy only to SPB’s (but was thinking that hero was singing) humming, alapana’s, crying and laughing. In this song aslo, I enjoyed his effective way of taking the song to the dancing stage with his humming, along with that interval time ‘Kai muruku’ (10 paise). But, in recent times only, I realized his effective way of giving importance to each and every words, and for an instance, just listen to the lines,

“Ennaiyena Ninaithu Unnaithane azhaithen”, here in this lines he gives dual meaning to the word “Ennaiyena” (oil/myself), he is the master.

I can’t express some of SPB’s expression by words, especially in this song “Mounamaghi poanal manadhinil Azhuven”, he gives apt expression to all the four words of this line. And as you all aware, I love SPB’s finishing always, in this songs, he finishes “Disco Disco” with a “aha”, which is beyond the text blogs, come to me and ask my soul, it’ll tell those expressions.

Even today, whenever I listen to this song, especially that “Disco Disco”, I start a backtracking to my childhood days, that Ganesa talkies, tent house with a single gate, bamboo board for displaying posters, so-called white screen (Silver screen with some chemical reaction), canteen’s Kai muruku, and that DISCO DISCO from SPB’s honey’d throat, notes of nostalgia, which will ring in my ears for ever, even in my necropolis.

Note : In this, the tamizh text within 'bracket' was by my childhood friend, for him that ENGLISH is "Kilo enna velai?".

- S. Balasubramanian (www.prodigyhub.org)