{"id":23037,"date":"2013-07-20T22:04:46","date_gmt":"2013-07-21T02:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=23037"},"modified":"2013-07-20T23:01:40","modified_gmt":"2013-07-21T03:01:40","slug":"poet-vaalee-whose-staying-power-was-due-to-his-astounding-ability-to-evolve-with-the-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=23037","title":{"rendered":"Poet Vaalee Whose Staying Power was due to his Astounding ability to Evolve with the Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Malathi Rangarajan<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Vaali<\/a>

Vaali (born T. S. Rangarajan; 29 October 1931 \u2013 18 July 2013)<\/p><\/div>\n

Rangarajan of Srirangam may have become the popular poet, dramatist, novelist, painter, lyricist, actor and even director Vaalee, but at heart this theist was a simple man. Besides being an ardent admirer of his prodigious talent, I have been in awe of the genuineness of the multi-faceted personality who treated all those who came his way with respect.<\/p>\n

I attended his functions because of the urge to listen to the litterateur and master orator. Casual and friendly, yet poignant and philosophical, his speeches were akin to taking a walk down literary lane. As I run the recording of my last interaction with him, I realise the void his passing away has created, both in cinema and the world of Tamil literature.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The inimitable wordsmith didn\u2019t come to Chennai to eke out a livelihood in films but to study Commercial Painting at the School of Arts here! Then why did he quit midway? \u201cBecause I realised I wouldn\u2019t go far in it,\u201d he candidly told me. \u201cI came from an affluent family. Yet if I decided to slog it out it was because I wished to. (Ishatapattu kashtapattaen). And, till a little later, I didn\u2019t even know there was a poet and lyricist in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Happy being a small-time playwright and bringing out a handwritten magazine, his initial idea was to try his hand at penning dialogue for films. Lyrics just happened and led to his writing more than 15,000 songs! \u201cAt a function Aaroordas told the audience, \u2018I entered cinema to become a lyricist and became a dialogue writer while Vaalee came into it to write dialogue and ended up as a successful lyricist.\u2019\u201d True, like Kannadasan, who initially aspired to become a dialogue writer, it took Vaalee a while to realise his potential to pen verses. \u201cSee the paths life takes us through?\u201d<\/p>\n

Belief in karma<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you forthright and fearless to a fault,\u201d I had asked him. \u201cThat\u2019s because the edifice of my life has been built on a strong foundation of antagonism from several quarters,\u201d he had laughed. \u201cNot that it deterred me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The staying power of this poet lay in his astounding ability to evolve with the times. From A.R. Rahman to Anirudh, all the composers went over to his place to get the lyrics for their films because the youthfulness and zest he brought to the songs were incomparable. I told him about the effervescent duet in Ajith\u2019s Mankaatha which had a topical reference to Bin Laden. He smiled cheekily and said, \u201cIt\u2019s not my power, as you say, but Providence that decides the course of one\u2019s life. I believe in destiny and more than that I believe in karma. If you walk in the rain you are bound to catch a cold and if you roam in the sun you must be prepared for the headache it gives you.\u201d Till date, I\u2019ve not heard the karma theory made so succinct and simple!<\/p>\n

Of course, at the other end of the spectrum were his deeply devout treatises such as Paandavar Bhoomi that were published at regular intervals. His contribution to Tamil Literature will live on.<\/p>\n

Didn\u2019t he ever feel like calling it a day? \u201cWhy should I?\u201d He shot back. \u201cWhen you like what you do you don\u2019t feel tired or frustrated. Be it lyrics for films or hardcore literature, I\u2019ll never stop till the end.\u201d He kept his word. His book Azhagiya Singar that was released a fortnight ago and his lyrics for Maryan that released yesterday bear testimony to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd remember I spell my name with two \u2018a\u2019s and two \u2018e\u2019s,\u201d he told me as I took leave from him after an interaction.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t forgotten, Mr. Vaalee……..
\n
\nCOURTESY:THEHINDU<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Malathi Rangarajan Rangarajan of Srirangam may have become the popular poet, dramatist, novelist, painter, lyricist, actor and even director Vaalee, but at heart this theist was a simple man. Besides being an ardent admirer of his prodigious talent, I have been in awe of the genuineness of the multi-faceted personality who treated all those …<\/p>\n

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