By D.B.S. Jeyaraj (This Article Written 9 Years ago is re-posted to commemorate P.Susheela’s 90th Nirthday) “Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass… how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?” – Percy Bysshe Shelley, ‘Ode to a Skylark’ An indispensable feature of Indian language films are the song sequences. The …

Continue reading ‘Southern Skylark Susheela Soars To ‘Record’ Heights In Singing Film Songs ♫♥’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Popular Tamil film actor M. N. Nambiar who excelled in playing “villain”roles on screen was born on March 7th 1919. This article appearing in the “Spotlight” cinema Column of the “Daily FT” on November 28th 2015 is being re-posted here with minor changes in the first paragraph to denote the 106th birth anniversary …

Continue reading ‘M.N.Nambiar : The Virtuous Villain of Tamil Cinema who Terrified People by his Grimaces and Scowls’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 8 “Neeyay Unakku endrum Nigaraanaavan” is a sparkling song from the old Tamil film “Baley Pandia” produced and directed by B.R.Panthulu in 1962.Sung by maestro TM Soundararajan(TMS) and “Konnakol”expert M.S.Raju(not to be confused with the Telugu film producer) the song was picturised in the film on actors Sivaji Ganesan …

Continue reading ‘“Neeyay Unakku Endrum Nigaraanavan” ~ Sparkling Song in “Baley Pandiya”film sung by TM Soundararajan ~ MS Raju ♫’ »

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 7 Sishtla Sreeramamurthy Janaki popularly known as S. Janaki is widely praised as the “Nightingale of the South” .In a splendid career spanning over fifty years Janaki has sung over 20,000 songs for films made in 16 different languages.The Southern nightingale has won four national awards and 31 …

Continue reading ‘♥ “Singara Velanae Deva”- S.Janaki’s Superb Solo in Abheri Raga with Karukkuruchi Arunasalam’s Nadaswaram Accompaniment ♫’ »

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 5 I love rain! One of the things I loved to do as a boy and even as a young adult was to get soaking wet in the rain. If it started raining while I was on my way home from school I simply got wet instead of …

Continue reading ‘‘Kaanaa Inbam Kaninthathaeno’ – Splendid “Singing in the Rain” Song ♫’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -4 “Ruritanian Romance” is a genre consisting of stories, novels, dramas and films set in a fictional country. Anthony Hope’s novel “Prisoner of Zenda” based in the imaginary state of Ruritania was the pioneering novel that spawned this popular genre. Literature, theatre and films of this genre are generally about …

Continue reading ‘✿ “Roja Malarae Rajakumari” ♛ ♥ ~ Popular Song by PB Sreenivas – P.Susheela Duo ♫’ »

by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -1 This article is the first in an on going series about film songs I have come to love over the years.Watching Tamil movies on screen and listening to Tamil film songs over radio was an integral part of life for me as a child growing up in Colombo. The …

Continue reading ‘“Neela Vannak Kannaa Vaadaa” – Uplifting Lullaby Sung By Balasaraswathi Devi ♥ ♫’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Vikram,Vikram” is the Mantra being chanted by many a film fan these days. The Tamil action thriller “Vikram” along with its dubbed versions in Hindi,Telugu,Malayalam and Kannada was released worldwide in over 5000 Screens on June 3. It has proved to be a box office blockbuster since then. Vikram is having a successful …

Continue reading ‘Kamal Haasan Makes Stunning Return to Cinema From Politics With Blockbuster “Vikram”’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (June 24th is the 94th birth anniversary of popular music composer Manayangath Subramanian Viswanathan (MSV) who along with Tiruchirappalli Krishnaswamypillai Ramamurthy (TKR) blazed a musical trail together in Tamil films for a period of 13 years. MS Viswanathan and TK Rammmurthy were known popularly as the “Mellisai Mannargal” (Monarchs of light music).This Article …

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By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe grabbed media attention a few weeks ago when she spoke out strongly in support of President Gotabaya Rajapksa. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) Galle district MP who enjoyed much popularity as a successful actress for many years had been appointed State minister of Culture and Performing Arts by …

Continue reading ‘Ex-Culture Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe was a Dazzling Actress who Sizzled on the Silver Screen’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Anthonypillai Emmanuel Manoharan known to the world at large as A. E. Manoharan was a multi-faceted personality possessing many talents. He was a singer, musician, broadcaster and stage and screen actor but it was his singing that brought him great honour. Manoharan, who passed away on 23 January this year at the age …

Continue reading ‘Popular Sri Lankan Singer A.E. Manoharan Failed To Shine In India As Film Actor “Ceylon Manohar”’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Yaarlpaanam” (Jaffna/Yapanaya) regarded by many as the cultural capital of the “Ilangai Thamizhar” of Sri Lanka hosted an international film festival from 15 to 21 September. Jaffna, the capital city of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, is probably the only city in the world named after a musical instrument. The Tamil name ‘Yarlpanam’ is …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna Film Festival and Indigenous Tamil cinema in Sri Lanka before ‘ 1983 Black July’’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article is a condensed version of an article written on the occasion of Ms. Jayalalithaa Jayaram’s 60th birthday in 2008.It was reproduced here on the occasion of the Tamil Nadu Chief minister’s 66th birthday early this year on February 24th. Now it is posted here again without any changes at a time …

Continue reading ‘Jayalalithaa Jayaram: From Alluring Actress to Powerful Politician’ »