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 103rd birth anniversary …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Tamil Nadu in South India is geographically the closest Indian state to Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu meaning Tamil country has a population of 72,147,030 according to the 2011 Census. The state has spawned many colourful political personalities. Standing out among these figures is actress -politico Jayalalithaa Jayaram who was elected as Tamil Nadu …
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 …
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 …
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 …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -3 “Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”is perhaps the most popular song sung on screen by the magnificient singer and actor of Tamil cinema – Thenkarai Ramakrishnan Mahalingam generally known as T.R.Mahalingam. He sings this number in the film “Maalayitta Mangai”produced in 1958 by poet and film lyricist “Kavignar” Kannadasan who also penned …
Continue reading ‘“Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”-Magnificient Singing by T.R.Mahalingam ♫♥’ »
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 …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Blessed are those Sri Lankans who have lived in different parts of the country, travelled widely within its borders and interacted with all people cutting across ethnic and religious barriers during times of peace and tranquillity in the past. Those who have had such broad experiences unsullied by narrow sectarianism know that …
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 …
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 …
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 …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Srinivasan Kamal Haasan known populrly as Kamal Haasan and Kamal is arguably the finest actor in Tamil cinema today. He is also acknowledged as being one of India’s foremost thespians.The multi-faceted artiste is a film director, producer, screenwriter, film lyricist, poet, dancer, choreographer and playback singer. The 66 year old actor whose …
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 …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Marikkar” Ramdas has passed away! Sadness spread among numerous fans of Sri Lankan origin scattered widely in different parts of the globe as news of the demise of the popular artiste reached them. S. Ramdas, known as “Marikkar” Ramdas was a radio, stage and screen actor cum writer who was a household name …
Continue reading ‘“Marikkar” Ramdas: The Brahmin Artiste who Transformed Into a Muslim Character’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “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 songs are usually picturised on actors or actresses who lip-synch them on screen. …
Continue reading ‘Southern Skylark Susheela Soars To ‘Record’ Heights In Singing Film Songs ♫♥’ »
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 …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The traditional April new year dawned on a sad note for me last year.I woke up to the news that well –known singer of film songs Prathivadi Bayankara Sreenivas (P.B.S) had passed away in India. He was one of my favourite filmsong singers.I grew up with the Tamil film songs of people …
Continue reading ‘♥ Remembering PB Sreenivas and His Enchanting Duets With S. Janaki ♫’ »
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’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The demise of renowned Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao has revived memories of his many films.Although most of his films are in Telugu, the great thespian has acted in several Tamil films too. “Devadas”, “Anarkali”, “Manithan Maaravillai”, “Manjal Mahimai”, “Engal Veetu Mahalakshmi”, “Kalyanapparisu” are but some of the films featuring Nageswara Rao who …
Continue reading ‘The Unforgettably Popular Film Songs of Tamil Cinema Classic “Devadas” ♫’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Among those receiving the Tamil Nadu state governments “Kalaimaamani” award this year will be the singer TK Kalaa of “Thayit Sirandha Kovilum Illai” fame.Kalaa who displayed great promise when she burst on the Tamil film scene in the early seventies faded away gradually. It is to the credit of Chief minister Jayalalitha …