If you are among those who believe that Tamil songs of yesteryears were more meaningful and ‘ear worthy’ and that the Golden Age of Melody has long gone, you would have enjoyed every moment of ‘Innisai Nighazchi’ (Music Programme) held at the Westlake Boys High School Auditorium in Auckland on July 17.
But if you are one of those who missed the programme organised by Ravi Muthumanickam with upcoming Tamil playback singers Mukesh and Usharaaj (artistes of the Tamil film industry) with local talent, you have every reason to feel sorry.
For, you missed a chance not only to listen to some of the most memorable songs of the Tamil film industry but also witness the ability of the visitors to replicate the voice of the original singers on screen.
Mukesh proved that he is a combination of the great singers whose songs were behind the success of many Tamil films; rendering a majority of the numbers at the Programme.
Evergreen belts
Beginning with Sindhanai Sei Maname (a great song from ‘Ambikapathy’) in the true voice of T M Sounderarajan, he presented Sentamil Thenmozhiyal (a melodious number sung by the late T R Mahalingam in ‘Malayitta Mangai’) and Manmatha Leelaiyai Vendrar Undo (sung by Thyagaraja Bhagavatar in ‘Haridas’).
He excelled himself in rendering Ullathil Nalla Ullam, in the true voice of Sirkazhi Govindarajan (‘Karnan’). Mukesh attracted a loud applause for this immortal song, written by Kannadasan and picturised on the late N T Rama Rao.
He also rendered his ‘own’ songs sung over the past two years. These included Nee Kadhalikkum Ponnu (a solo number from ‘Kutty’), Oyyale Oyyale (‘Manmatha Ambu’) with Vishnu Priya, Odi Odi Vizhayadu (‘Masilamani’) and Vara Vara Pinnale (Mappillai) with Rohanti Ravikulan.
Tranquil singer
Humility and serenity were the hallmarks of Usha Raaj, who was also instrumental to the success of the programme. She drew accolades for her superb rendition of Naali Indha Velai (acknowledged as a ‘challenging number’ by P Susheela who sang the number for ‘Uyarntha Manithan’) and Atthai Madi Metthayadi (‘Karpagam’). She regaled her Kerala fans with Kunnathe Konnakkum (from ‘Pazhassi Raja’).
Her duets with Ravi Nila Kayum Neram (‘Chembaruthi’), Aadi Manidhan Kadalukku (Bale Pandya) and Nilavum Malarum Padudhu (‘Then Nilavu’) were equally vivacious and melodious.
Our Master
Ravi was also in his elements with every song, although my favourite was Veetukku Veedu Vasapadi Venum (written by Vali and composed and sung by Ilayaraja for ‘Kizhakku Vasal’). It was one of the finest songs of the 1980s.
While his mastery was evident in Kadalin Deepam Onru (‘Thambikku Entha Ooru’) and Shankara (‘Shankarabharanam), the song, Ponnondru Kanden Penn Angu Illai (‘Paditthal Mattum Podhuma’) and the title track from ‘Nalai Namathe’ performed with Mukesh called for encore.
Ravi had told us a couple of years ago that his ambition was to organise musical evening with a mix of film artistes and local singers and instumentalists.
The Melody Night held in Wellington (on July 16) and Auckland proved beyond doubt that such a feat was possible.
All it needed was a couple of hundred more people in the audience to fill the audiotorium.
