Sunday, September 13, 2009

Kavignar Kannadasan


From Left My father in law Dr.M.Ramachandran, Wife padma, Me, my Mom and Kavignar




Page 287 - In this Book he refers to himself as "avan" - in the third person


During the Wedding Reception - also in the Picture Mr.R.Krishnaswamy , Advocate




Page 341 of his Book - vanavasam.


I have been reading the book "Vanavasam" a biographical account of his years in the DMK by Kannadasan , the greatest lyricist , Tamil Cinema has ever produced, my view at any rate. There was many a time that I have met him, indeed it will not be incorrect to say that he, MGR, Kovai Chezhiyan, Sridhar ( Director) were all close friends of my dad - from the Entertainment Industry. I have consciously avoided mentioning Anna and kalaignar for we will, for this blog consider them as from the field of Politics.





Many are aware that Kannadasan went to my good friend G.Thyagarajan's recording (Moondram Pirai Producer) and Kanne Kalaimaane , a real beauty, turned out to be his last recorded song. Before going there that morning, around 8 AM , he landed up at home. I was downstairs and he asked me to call my Dad, who had probably not yet woken up or had just done so. It was the time when , they both had some tiff......they fought pretty often like Husband and wife - so close was their friendship.My dad came on the phone and told kavignar he will not see him, when Kavignar said that he was off to America and wanted to say bye....My dad told him to go there get well ( a euphemism for Kavignar to get rid of a few habits) and come back and that on their return My dad and he will share a drink - something they used to do on a daily basis , till this tiff. Kavignar put the Phone down, and told me - Bala ( thats how his friends called him) Kovichikittu irukkan, poittu varennu sollu.....I said seri Uncle and he was off......this was sometime in September 1981. He passed away that October 17th.





For A full ten years - till 1991 , when my Father passed away , almost daily , he used to lament - sollikittu poga vandhaan, paarka mattennu solli anuppittene.....I saw two references to my father in this book - which I have reproduced....The snaps with kavignar were taken during my wedding Reception - July 1979.

15 comments:

Sriram said...

Hi Mr.Mohan Ram - Glad I came across your blog. I am currently reading the book Vanavaasam by Kaviarasu Kannadasan - a really amazing book which reveals very startling facts. I was searching for literary reviews of the book and chanced upon your blog.

I have not read all entries in your blog yet, but its really interesting so far. I am a big fan of yours - especially your role of Sreenivasan (seenu sir) in Anandam serial of Sun TV was superb - I generally do not watch serials at all, but this one I watched for your and Sakshi Siva (A C Durai) performance.. terrific work!

I currently live in the US - looking forward to more interesting blogs from you. If you have time, please write to me at sriramsampath@gmail.com.

Thank you!

dondu(#11168674346665545885) said...

தமிழில் எழுதலாமே.

அன்புடன்,
டோண்டு ராகவன்

Venkat said...

Sir,
I found that,You are ardent deveotee of Sri.Sai Baba.

I dont mean to be rude,blasphemic or offending.
I am asking this only for national good.
Can you please request Sr.Sai Baba(if he has not contemplated this already) to bestow indian trasury with lots of gol,and perform other profitable deeds for the country,so that :

- the poverty line of india could be erased just like that.
- 1 re will become equal to several thousand dollars,

Sr.baba could also make a magic so that, - any body who gets elected to govt,will become selfless by nature.

and much much more.

I am a lay person,and could only think of these off the top of my head.

Thank you sir.
beg you to do the needful.

Anonymous said...

very useful read. I would love to follow you on twitter.

உண்மைத்தமிழன் said...

தகவல்களுக்கு மிக்க நன்றிகள் ஸார்..!

நட்பென்றால் இப்படித்தான் இருக்க வேண்டும்..!

எழுதுவதிலும் ஒரு நேர்மையைக் கடைப்பிடித்து அதையும் வாழ்வின் கடைசிவரையில் பின்பற்றியிருக்கிறாரே கவிஞர்.. நினைத்தாலே மனம் பூரிக்கிறது..!

தங்களுடைய தந்தையின் வருத்தம் எந்த அளவுக்கு இருக்கும் என்பதை நினைத்துப் பார்த்தால் கொடுமையாகத்தான் உள்ளது..!

Anonymous said...

sir,
it is a sweet surprise that your father is vp.raman. i almost wept on reading the last lines of your father.

Maanasthan, Chennai said...

Ungalin sameebathiya Serial "Maamaa Maapley" thavaraamal paarthu varugiren. Summa Sollakoodaadhu. Pinreenga. Adhuvum title songla "Tirupathi Perumal" getup super. Asal perumaalaiye paatha maadhiri irukku. Samayathula konjam over acting panra maadhiri irundhaalum comedy endru varumbodhu sila vishayangalai poruthokollalaam. Keep it up. S. Mani - maniviji@gmail.com - Mob : 98404 57141

Anonymous said...

Sir, I have been searching the soft copy of Vanavasam book, but i couldn't get into it so far, please let me know if there is anything loaded anywhere.. btw, i stopped at here while i was searching vanavasam book :-)

Sridharan said...

Hi Mr. Mohan Ram
I read with interest your entries on Kavignar Kannadasan.
Why I'm writing this because of an anecdote I heard in Vijay TV today. Visali Kannadasan told that Kavignar wrote Engae Nimmathi when he was getting cured for Pethedine abuse. I think this is wrong. Puthiya Paravai was released in 1964, and I think Kavignar was cured of Pethedine abuse late in 1969 or so. Am I correct. Kindly clarify.
Sridharan
dsridharan@gmail.com

Sridharan said...

Hi Mr. Mohan Ram,
I read with interest you entries on Kavignar.
Why I'm writing this is because I heard in Vijay TV today 01/06/11, that Kavignar wrote Engae Nimmathi song in Puthiya Paravai when he was getting cured of Pethedine abuse. I doubt this because Puthiya Paravai was released in 1964 and Kavignar was treated for Pethedine abuse well after that year and too at the behest of Merryland Subramaniam. But Visali Kannadasan was saying Kavignar wrote this song after being hospitalised at the intervention of MGR. Can you elucidate?
Sridharan

Unknown said...

Dear Sridharan,
Firstly my apologies for the delay in Replying....To my knowledge it is wrong to say that Kavignar wrote engey nimmadhi when he caught in under the pethidine trap.
MSV told me a different story on how they had problems in getting the lines and tune etc when Sivaji came in and said he wanted to do the song in the style of a pantomime with both heroines coming in the song - he especially showed the movement for "endahu kaigal meettum podhu veenai azhukindradhu etc.
This inspired them both and kavignar got the lines... I have this on authority as it was told to me by MSV and not second hand.To my knowledge this is the accurate version - in any case at the time of Pudhiya Paravai - Kavignar's drinking was itself not a problem,,,his Pethidine days began well after him getting the Kavitha Hotel....

Sridharan said...

Dear Mr. Mohan Ram

Thanks for the Reply. I thought so.

Like your acting, the reply also was precise and to the point.

I don't know how a seasoned presenter like Gopinath allowed such falsehood to be telecast when it was very obvious that Visali was confused with the years. I can't reach Gopinath since he doesn't have a email or a blog.

Thanks very much

Rakesh Kumar said...

Mohan Ram-sir, thank you for the recollection and pointing out the reference. I've read both Vanavasam and Manavasam, more than a decade ago, and can't recall that part. Thanks for reminding.

Unknown said...

Where I get vanavasam book in online PDF forms if you know kindly pls send link in my id rajamohansea@gmail.Com

SETHU said...

Dear Mohan Ram Sir,

I am immensely glad of your anecdotes on the great poet, Shri Kannadasan. Luckily I had your blog and interesting to go through.

Normally whenever you are talking in TV on Nagesh, Sivaji Ganesan etc., I try not to miss the programme and if missed, I used to download to my mobile through You Tube. Such a likenss I have on you for the clarity in your convenying and truth in it.

Thank you, Sir, for your storing the important anecdotes which are a treasure to all.

God blesses will be always be with you to keep you in good health and peaceful life.

With warm regards,

S. SETHUNARAYANAN
[nsethu2012@gmail.com]

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.