Ennodu Paattu Paadungal - Episode dated 24.03.2007

Dear SPB Fans,

I am glad to bring to you all one more episode -EPP-24.03.07 (courtesy : Covai Ravee for the audio file links).

The contest started off with a fresh set of 6 contestants and will last till next episode.

Details of the program as follows :

Kural for the Episode :
The message it conveyed was "eat only as much as you should, else it would lead to all health problems. Never overeat. Only then, one will have something to give to other needy people". he said. He found a good doctor in Valluvar who had prescribed controlled eating in his Kural. Our SPB immediately followed this up by saying "you will be wondering how come the fat SPB is saying this to you all. My being fat is due to other reasons and not due to food"

Introduction of the Chief Guest / Judge :
Our SPB introduced Mr. V.Raju (84 olds old) who had performed for 65 years in the Tamil Music Industry. His repertoire included playing instruments/arts like konnakoal (jadhi), veenai, mandolin, sitar and also santhoor which was first introduced by him in South Indian Film Industry. He was the one who performed the jadhis for M.R.Radha in the film "Balae Paandiya" for the song "Neeye Enakku Endrum Nigaraanavan...". He has performed whistling in many Susheela songs like "Nenjathile Nee Netru vandhaaiy......", "neeroadum vaigaiyile... (our SPB whistled for this quite beautifully in the program). He wondered how Mr.Raju could do it so well when only manual recording was possible in those days. He also used to teach veenai & mandalin. He is senior to MSV and has been part of MSV troupe. He has two sons Logu & Seenu who are also musicians performing in ILayaRaja 's troup. He has performed for all MDs in the South and also for some North MDs.

First Round of the Contest :
The list of songs of this contest were,
1) Sonnadhu nee dhaanaa sol sol...... from Nenjil Oar Aaalayam (Susheela)
The contestant was Ms.Asha from New Delhi. She introduced herself and one understood that she did not know Tamil and that her mother tongue is konkani. She had written the lyrics in English and had practised the song by listening to the audio several times. Our SPB asked her how come she happened to participate in this program. She said that at first she had no interest but due to her mother's persuasion she had sent her recorded song to Jaya TV and got selected and she expressed her thanks for that now. Our SPB thanked her mother for instigating Asha. She started off and did quite well reproducing the right emotions and sangadhis of the Susheela number. Our SPB had immediate appreciation for her Tamil pronounciation and applauded her well for her rendition too. However, he pointed certain small mistakes in landing notes at higher pitch. ManoBala the permanent judge cum scorer, on his part, briefed about the picturisation of the song highlighting that with limited facilities those days, the cameraman Vincent had done a wonderful job by good improvisation of camera movements and it was a good learning for upcoming directors like him in those days. Our SPB mentioned that sitar exponent Ahmed Hussain from North played sitar for this song who later settled in chennai and taught many children. He once again thanked Asha for her Tamil.

2) Kangal enga nenjammum ange .... from Karnan (Susheela)
Gayatri rendered this song well. Our SPB mentioned that all parameters were good but called for little more involvement while singing. He also provided information that all songs for the film were completed in 3 days flat (actually planned 10 days) at Bangalore. It happened that Kavignar Kannadaasan started writing and lyrics flowed just like that . Dhilruba (by exponent Raam Naik from North) & saarangi were extensively used for this film. Santhoor by Raju. Our SPB had gathered all these info from MSV.

3) Poongaatrile ...... from Uyire (UnniMenon)
Bharath rendered this song. Our Great's comments were "well tried". He talked of better control of sruthi at higher notes, Expression, dynamics & volume control and asked him to improve in next round.

4) Ilamai Enum Poongaatru .... from Pagalil Oar Iravu (SPB)
Sathish rendered this. Our SPB's comments was only on diction with care on pronouncing "Naa" in words like Gavanam & Payanam. (small & big naa). He said that as the saying goes "Big people think alike", similar tune had earlier been used by O.P.Nayyar for an Hindi song 'Jaaye Aapka' (he also sang a bit of that song). IR never copied this, it is just that great musicians think alike. He also said that wherever IR had copied or drawn inspiration from SDB or MSV he had made it public. SPB queried Mr.Raju about his association with IR and he said that he had played the santhoor for the BalamuraliKrishna song "Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiraan...". It seems IR always mentions this song to Mr.Raju appreciating the instrument play and wondered why he doesn't play for IR. However our SPB mentioned that his two sons had become a permanent part of IR's troup. Normally IR does not compose any song without the santhoor. SPB also said that MDs like KVM, MSV & IR were so great because they gave due importance to all aspects namely the film, song situation, the lyrics & the singer and did not compose just for the sake of making music.

5) Pesulaavudhe Then Malar.... Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam (Ghantasala & PS)
Raagini sang this wonderful song well. Our SPB mentioned that this was in Hamsaanandi raagam and his first experience with the raagam which had a kalayani finish for this song. This song had lot of classical sangadhis. He mentioned that when this film was dubbed in Hindi, Rafi saab was called to render this song along with Lataaji. It seems Rafi at first refused saying that he was not capable of rendering such classical compositions and recommended singer Mannadi for the song. However, the MD wanted only Rafi voice and it consumed lot of takes before taking shape. This was narrated by Lataaji, he told. He also said that in many competitions, contestants render this song and usually ended up bagging the honours. He wondered regarding the fate in this contest. He just pointed a small mistake in one of the sangadhis and advised the singer not to move away from the mic even if one knows that there is a mistake in rendition. Other than this, he said that it was a difficult song well rendered.

6) Munbe Vaa........ from Jillendru Oru Kaadhal (Shreya Ghoshal)
Malathi sang this song. Before that, our SPB was happy to note that all the contestants were either engineers or doctors and said at a later date he would find pride in saying that this great engineer/doctor sang before him in a competition (so nice of him). He asked the contestant why she had selected such a difficult song. However he praised her for her good rendition. At this instance, he said it would not be right on his part if he did not speak about Shreya Ghoshal. It seems she is a Bengali girl who had won a singing contest at a young age of 19 and had gained entry to film singing. He appreciated her (shreya) for her good singing and Tamil diction which was the best among the present crop of bollywood singers crooning in Tamil. He then mentioned that it was always difficult how ARR defines his composition. One never knows where a Pallavi & Charanam will start and end but somehow he had a knack of introducing great sounds at places to make the composition beautiful. He said that ARR was able to strive after MSV & IR because of the change and individuality he had brought into his compositions. This is what brings fame, he said. Musicians nowadays are just trying to unearth how he had composed. Similar was the case during IR's reign, he said. He also lauded ARR for his simplicity for he never spoke ill of anyone. He was one who inspite of international acclamation never sought publicity and concentrated on work, his other attributes being hard work, god fearing, respect to seniors....

Message from our SPB :
The message for this episode was "never get hasty to cross railway tracks. Many people squeeze below the gates or on the sides and try to hurry through before the train passes. There is no need for that thereby endangering our lives. A few minutes wait is not going to make a big difference when compared to the value of our life. At unmanned crossings, vehicles tend to ignore signals and there is always a chance of breakdown on the tracks and one cannot file a case against the Railways as it is their prescribed path and it is only we the public who should take care to protect our lives. One should never be in a hurry to go "up" because life is precious and there are many dependents. Same is the case when moving between platforms. Many take the easier route of jumping & running across the tracks while overweight people take to overbridges. He also humourously proclaimed "do not think i cannot jump and move over tracks, it is just that i don't do it" . He requested one and all to show restraint and follow rules.

SPB song :
He closed off the episode with the song "Nilavu Thoongum Neram"