{"id":79364,"date":"2022-09-15T02:22:50","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T06:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=79364"},"modified":"2022-09-15T14:27:41","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T18:27:41","slug":"emperor-of-tamil-pop-music-ae-manoharans-futile-attempt-to-be-a-film-star-in-tamil-nadu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=79364","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Emperor of Tamil Pop Music&#8221; AE Manoharan&#8217;s Futile Attempt to be a Film Star in Tamil Nadu."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By<br \/>\nD.B.S. Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>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 the Island is truly  \u201cGod\u2019s own country\u201d populated by a friendly, good-natured people.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/879BB575-4EA0-4C8C-866F-02D89353BB36-600x600.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-79376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/879BB575-4EA0-4C8C-866F-02D89353BB36-600x600.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/879BB575-4EA0-4C8C-866F-02D89353BB36-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/879BB575-4EA0-4C8C-866F-02D89353BB36-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/879BB575-4EA0-4C8C-866F-02D89353BB36.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Anthonyppillai Emmanuel Manoharan known to the world at large as A. E. Manoharan was one such person. 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 success and  honour. <\/p>\n<p>What was most commendable and praiseworthy in many of his songs was his discernible love and affection for Sri Lanka and her people. This  was vividly reflected in his songs. He sang of Lanka and its beauty, of its landscapes, mountains, rivers, people, arts, heritage, places of worship and above all the unity amidst diversity of her people.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan was a rare artiste who helped in his own small way to help bridge the ethnic divide. He sang many Sinhala songs such as\u2019\u201cSuranganeeta Maalu Genaawaa\u2019 and popularised them among world-wide Tamil audiences as well as Indian audiences of different ethnicities.<\/p>\n<p>AE Manoharan was an ebullient singer with a flamboyant appearance. Manoharan made his name as a rocking singer of popular musical numbers mostly in the Baila music genre. He was proficient in Tamil, Sinhala and English and could sing in all three languages and was hailed as the \u201cThamizh Poppisaich Chakkaravarthi\u201d (Emperor of Tamil Pop Music) of Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Acted in 260 Films<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although he made his name and earned much fame as a singer, the versatile Manoharan was also a stage and screen actor. In fact his stage and screen debuts preceded his debut as a pop singer. A.E. Manoharan has acted in 260 films in  Sri Lanka and India in the Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi Languages. Many of the films were in Tamil and to a lesser extent Malayalam.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cCeylon Manohar\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In India his screen name in most films was \u201cCeylon Manohar\u201d.  When he passed away at the age of 73 in 2018 , Tamil Nadu media organs reported his death as the demise of  \u201cCeylon Manohar\u201d.He was living in the Chennai suburb of Kanthansaavadi at the time of his death.<\/p>\n<p>Devoting the first Saturday article of each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column in recent times. This week\u2019s article therefore will focus on AE Manoharan the Pop singer cum film actor.<\/p>\n<p>Though Manoharan acted in many films  in India, the cruel truth is that he did not make an impact in any movie. The reason for this being that none of the parts he played  were substantial roles. They were essentially \u201cbit\u201d roles or \u201cextra\u201droles.. Manoharan acted in films starring some great actors like Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Jaishanker, Muthuraman, Mammooty, Mohanlal, Rajkumar, Chiranjeevi and many others. But Manoharan seldom got a worthwhile part where he could make a mark. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/E0F6DEF6-633B-448E-B2B9-9B6B27067150.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"399\" height=\"316\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-79380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/E0F6DEF6-633B-448E-B2B9-9B6B27067150.jpeg 399w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/E0F6DEF6-633B-448E-B2B9-9B6B27067150-300x238.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>He generally acted in minor roles, usually playing the villain\u2019s henchman or hero\u2019s sidekick or a relative of the hero or  heroine. In the film \u2018Jay Jay\u2019 for instance Manoharan acted as the father of the heroine played by none other than Pooja Umashankar. Sadly Indian filmdom did not utilise his immeasurable singing talent in their films either.<\/p>\n<p>Among the Tamil films \u201cCeylon Manohar\u201d has acted in India are \u2018Maangudi Minor,\u2019 \u2018En Kaelivikku Enna Pathil,\u2019 \u2018Naan Poatta Savaal,\u2019 \u2018Lorry Driver Rajakkannu,\u2019 \u2018Neethipathy\u2019 and \u2018Manithanil Ithanai Nirangalaa\u2019. Among his Malayalam movies are \u2018Maamaangam,\u2019 \u2018Thadayara,\u2019 \u2018Shakthi,\u2019 \u2018Kazhukan,\u2019 \u2018Kolilaakkam,\u2019 \u2018Thachcoli Ambu\u2019 and \u2018Aavaesham\u2019. Among his Telugu films are \u2018Chattanikki Kallu Levu\u2019 and \u2018Aarani Mantalu\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Three Sri Lankan Tamil Films.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan has also acted in three Sri Lankan Tamil Films. They are \u2018Paasa Nilaa,\u2019 \u2018Puthiya Kaatru\u2019 and \u2018Vaadaikkaatru\u2019. In \u2018Paasa Nilaa\u2019 Manoharan, then a student, played the lead role. The film produced in Jaffna was directed by Joseph Devanandan who later directed many Sinhala films as Joe Dev Anand.<\/p>\n<p> The film \u2018Puthiya Kaatru\u2019 was produced by Trade Unionist V.P. Ganesan, the father of  Colombo district MP and Tamil Progressive Alliance(TPA) leader  Mano Ganesan. Manoharan had a guest role in the film. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018Vaadaikkaatru\u2019 was directed by the legendary Premnath Moraes. It was based on a novel by popular writer \u2018Sengai Aazhiyaan\u2019. Manoharan acted in the role of Simeon the second lead in the film.<\/p>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/B_tg7MNWW14?controls=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>Pilot Premnath<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan got to sing in all three Tamil films made in Sri Lanka. He also sang a song \u2018Udarata Menike\u2019 with Tamil Nadu singer L.R. Easwari in the film \u2018Pilot Premnath,\u2019 which was an Indo-Lanka joint production shot mainly in Sri Lanka  starring Sivaji Ganesan and Malani Fonseka in the main roles.<\/p>\n<p>Manoharan\u2019s stage and screen debuts as a lead actor or hero were in Jaffna. The drama was \u2018Ithaya Oasai\u2019 and the film \u2018Paasa Nilaa\u2019. How this came about is an interesting tale.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Anthonyppillai Emmanuel Manoharan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Anthonyppillai Emmanuel Manoharan was born in 1945 at Bogawantalawa in the Central Province of the island then known as Ceylon. His father was a Jaffna Tamil from Eeachamoattai near Paashaiyoor in Jaffna.  His mother was an Indian Tamil from Bogawanthalawa. After marriage ,Manoharan\u2019s father domiciled himself permanently in Bogawantalawa, where he became the Principal of Bogawantalawa Maha Vidyalayam. <\/p>\n<p>The family was devoutly Catholic and pillars of the Holy Rosary Church in Bogawantalawa, where Manoharan\u2019s flair for singing was first noted. He was part of the church choir from a very young age. His father played the organ and mother was choir leader. Apparently music and singing were a family virtue.<\/p>\n<p><strong>C.T.Fernando<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan was schooled initially at Bogawantalawa and Talawakelle. Later on he was sent to St. Mary\u2019s College, Nawalapitiya where the great singer C.T. Fernando too had studied earlier. CT with his breakout song \u2018Pin Sindu Wanne\u2019 had begun to make waves as a singer at that time. The school was very proud of its old boy and Manoharan was no exception. He too wanted to emulate CT at that impressionable tender age. Later on Manoharan was to acknowledge in interviews that C.T. Fernando was an inspiration and role model.<\/p>\n<p>After completing his primary education at Nawalapitiya, Manoharan was sent to St. John\u2019s College, Jaffna for his secondary education. He was boarded at the school hostel. He was a popular student known for his playfulness. He made a name for himself as an actor in school dramas and a singer in concerts. The peak of his school career at St. John\u2019s was the \u2018Ithaya Oasai\u2019 drama.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Ithaya Oasai\u2019 (Sound of the Heart)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Ithaya Oasai\u2019 (Sound of the Heart) was a drama put on the boards by the students of St. John\u2019s College, Jaffna in 1963\/64. The play proved so popular that it was staged to members of the public in Jaffna, Kandy, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Colombo.  I remember seeing the drama at Saraswathy Hall,Bambapapitiya along with my father who was an old boy of St.John\u2019s College.The chief actor in the play was the handsome curly-haired Manoharan studying in the then Higher School Certificate (HSC) class.<\/p>\n<p>A remarkable feature of the lead actor played by Manoharan in the drama was that he sang in his own voice on stage without lip-synching the songs. The highlight of the drama was a song set to the tune of \u2018Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai,\u2019 the theme song sung in nasal tones by Mukesh in the Hindi film of the same name \u2018Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai\u2019 starring Raj Kapoor and Padmini.<\/p>\n<p>The opening lines were \u201cOru Vaanambaadi Veeznthathadaa, Athan Vaalvu Indroadu Mudinthathadaa, En Kangalil Kanneeer Sinthuthadaa\u201d (A skylark has fallen, its life is over from today, tears flow from my eyes). The song about the death of a skylark was written, set to the melody of the Shankar-Jaikishan tune and sung mournfully by Manoharan himself.<\/p>\n<p>The drama was well-received in Jaffna. Many were impressed by Manoharan\u2019s acting. Among them was a schoolmaster from Jaffna College, Vaddukkoddai called Joseph Devanandan. He and a colleague Devan Kulathungam embarked upon a film making venture in 1965.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Paasa Nilaa\u2019 (Loving Moon).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The movie was shot in 16 mm film. The story and dialogues relating to school students was co-written by both pedagogues referred to as \u201cDev and Dev\u201d by Jaffna College students. The film was directed by Devanandan with Devan Kulathungam as associate director. Manoharan\u2019s performance in the \u2018Ithaya Oasai\u2019 drama had made quite an impression on Devanandan. He selected the Johnian  to play the lead role of Kumar in the film named \u2018Paasa Nilaa\u2019 (Loving Moon). It was the fourth Tamil film to be made in Lanka. <\/p>\n<p>The film shot in different locations in Jaffna and at the Peradeniya botanical gardens, Galle Face Green and Dehiwala Zoo was released in 1966. An enchanting number \u2018Thendral Thavalum\u2019 sung by Manoharan in the film was a hit. Since the film was in 16 mm it was screened at the Jaffna town hall and at school halls.<\/p>\n<p> Interestingly enough the live-wire behind \u2018Paasa Nilaa\u2019 Joseph Devanandan was to move on later from teaching to the cinema field as a film maker. He became famous as the film director Joe Dev Anand  making  popular Sinhala films like Geetha, Sujeewa, Sunethtra, Obai Mamai, Sukiri Kella, Minisun Athara Minisek and the Sri Lankan Tamil film \u2018Rathathin Rathamae\u2019.  He was also the associate director of the Indo -Lanka co-production \u201cPilot  Premnath\u201d.Joe Dev Anand relocated to the USA after the anti-Tamil pogrom of July 1983.He was recently honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at the  International Film Festival in Jaffna.<\/p>\n<p><strong>St. Joseph\u2019s College, Trichy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan with his penchant for singing and acting did not focus on his studies as he ought to have done. He completed his HSC  after a long time with poor grades and did not gain admission to a Sri Lankan university. Thereafter his father sent him to St. Joseph\u2019s College, Trichirappalli (Trichy) in India where he followed a BA degree course specialising in English literature. Manoharan resided at the Catholic Sacred Heart Hostel.<\/p>\n<p> Fortunately or unfortunately the \u201cacting\u201d bug had bitten Manoharan severely after his brief stint as the hero of Paasa Nilaa. He would vanish from Trichy for long periods and go to the state capital Chennai then known as Madras where he tried to get a break as an actor in the Tamil film industry. He failed miserably except for a solitary part in a film produced by the legendary MMA Chinnappa Devar.<\/p>\n<p>The film was \u2018Maanavan\u2019 (student) and released in 1970. Manoharan had a tiny role as a student in the film which starred Jaishanker, Lakshmi, Muthuraman,  Kamal Hassan, \u201cKutti\u201d Padmini and others. Manoharan was part of the ensemble in a group dance sequence for the song \u201cVisiladichaan kunjugalaa, kunjugalaa\u201d featuring Kamal and Padmini. Manoharan uttered only one line in the film. It was \u201cMani Thaan Saar\u201d meaning \u201cit was Mani only, sir\u201d. That line by Manoharan became famous among undergrads at St. Joseph\u2019s College who began teasing him by that line thereafter.<\/p>\n<p>A contemporary of Manoharan at Trichy, R.P. Rajanayahem has written about Manoharan\u2019s days at St. Joseph\u2019s in his blog. Incidentally Rajanayahem himself was involved with films and journalism later. Rajanayahem says that Manoharan referred to as \u201cCeylon Manohar\u201d then was quite popular at St. Joseph\u2019s. Since he had acted in \u201cPaasa Nilaa\u201d he was nicknamed as \u201cPaasa Nilaa\u201d first. After the \u201cMaanavan\u201d film he was teased for his one liner role and dubbed \u201cMani thaan saar\u201d. Later in a drama staged at college, Manoharan acted as the leader of a gang of robbers and was called \u201cBaas\u201d(Boss) on stage. Manoharan made such a great impact as \u201cBaas\u201d that thereafter his nickname became \u201cBaas\u201d. Manoharan\u2019s undergrad colleagues continued to call him \u201cBaas\u201d in their post-varsity days too.<\/p>\n<p>Rajanayahem also says that Manoharan was an avid fan of the doyen of Tamil actors Sivaji Ganesan. Manoharan was averse to M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and loved Sivaji. He would sing only songs from films starring Sivaji Ganesan and not MGR. <\/p>\n<p>Ceylon Manohar\u2019s renditions of songs sung by T.M. Soundararajan and lip-synched by Sivaji were much liked by fellow students. A Sri Lankan Tamil  contemporary of  his  at St.Josephs College,Raj Vytilingam recalls that a  song frequently   sung by Manoharan was  \u201cElloarum Nalam  Vaazha Naan Paaduvaen,Naan Vaazha  Yaar Paaduvaar\u201d. The song by TMS  is from  the movie \u201cEnga Maamaa\u201d and picturized on Sivaji Ganesan. Raj also rembers that the girl students of neighbouring Holy Cross,College would be in attendance at Lawley Hall to  see and hear  Ceylon Manohar whenever he performed at the Lawley Hall in St.Josephs, Trichy.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from being a singer of Sivaji film songs, Manoharan was also part of the St. Joseph\u2019s Church choir. He also proved his prowess as an actor by playing the main character Anthony in a Tamil drama called \u2018Gnaana Oli\u2019 (Light of Wisdom). The drama originally staged by the drama troupe of actor \u201cMajor\u201d Sunderarajan was re-enacted by the students of St. Joseph\u2019s College, Trichy. The same drama was made into a film also with  Sivaji Ganesan playing  \u201cAnthony\u201d in the movie.<\/p>\n<p><strong>J.P. Chandrababu<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During his undergraduate days in Tamil Nadu, Manoharan established contact with the great comedian and singer J.P. Chandrababu, who himself had studied for some years at St. Joseph\u2019s College in Grandpass, Colombo. Chandrababu whose full name was Joseph Panimayathas Rodriguez had at one time been a widely sought after comic actor, who sang his own songs on screen. But from the mid-sixties of the last century, Chandrababu\u2019s career was on the decline. He could not help Manoharan to get a break in films. Manoharan however was to tell friends later that he had learnt the art of yodelling from Chandrababu. <\/p>\n<p>Manoharan also used to sing film songs sung by Chandrababu on stage in those days. His favourite Chandrababu song was \u2018Kanmani Paappaa\u2019 from the film \u2018Thattungal Thirakkappadum\u2019 directed by Chandrababu himself. Another Tamil actor with whom Manoharan associated was S.A. Ashokan an alumnus of St.Joseph\u2019s Trichy. Ashokan too tried to help Manoharan get a break in  Tamil films as an actor but those efforts were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_79377\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-79377\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/265F2E12-87D0-40C9-9CD6-243FC8111162-600x305.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"305\" class=\"size-large wp-image-79377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/265F2E12-87D0-40C9-9CD6-243FC8111162-600x305.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/265F2E12-87D0-40C9-9CD6-243FC8111162-300x153.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/265F2E12-87D0-40C9-9CD6-243FC8111162.jpeg 718w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-79377\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">AE Manoharan in a Tamil movie, as \u2018Ceylon Manohar\u2019<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Unable to enter the Tamil film world in India Manoharan went back home in a rather disillusioned state. After returning to Lanka, Manoharan became a teacher of English at St. Patrick\u2019s College, Talawakelle briefly. The sojourn with Chandrababu and his disappointment over getting an acting opportunity in Indian Tamil films made Manoharan turn to his first love \u2013 singing. His main interest and objective in life was now to make a name as singer. <\/p>\n<p>Manoharan kept travelling to Colombo and other towns to get a chance to sing on stage. These were no major stage shows but minor ones organised on an amateurish level. Still, Manoharan did not let go of the opportunities to perform on stages, no matter how insignificant the event was. He excelled in singing the songs sung by Chandrababu on screen. He also sang the songs of C.T. Fernando and Kishore Kumar, improvising with substituted Tamil words. Soon he gave up his teaching job to focus more on singing and music.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transforming Music Scene<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the music scene in Sri Lanka was transforming and progressing in new directions. Inspired by the likes of Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard, Ricky Nelson and of course the Beatles a new genre of popular music was emerging. Earlier mainly due to the efforts of the legendary Wally Bastiansz, a distinctive Ceylonese\/Sri Lankan variety of musical form described as \u201cBaila\u201d had evolved and become very popular. Now a captivating type of music blending the Baila with Western pop song music had started emerging. <\/p>\n<p>A novel  kind of popular music and songs known as \u201cpop music\u201d began blossoming and blooming in the Island nation. More and more songs were written, composed, played and sung by more and more singers and musicians. It was Sinhala pop and Tamil pop but it was also Ceylon  pop and later Sri Lankan pop. Sinhala pop songs were sung to predominantly Tamil audiences and Tamil pop songs to pre-dominantly Sinhala audiences. There were mixed, multi-ethnic audiences where artistes from different ethnicities performed. To those who were in their teens and in their twenties and thirties in those days, the prevailing musical climate was that of heavenly bliss!<\/p>\n<p>In the seventies of the last century the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) with the visionary Susil Moonesinghe at the helm provided much scope for the growth and development of Sri Lankan Tamil arts and culture. An important manifestation of this enlightened approach at the SLBC was the encouragement and promotion of Sri Lankan Tamil songs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Poppisaip Paadalgal\u2019(Pop music songs)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was a concerted effort to include more and more Sri Lankan Tamil songs with novel, new programs. One such initiative was the weekly programme called \u2018Poppisaip Paadalgal\u2019 or \u2018Pop music songs\u2019. It was broadcast for half an hour from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays. It was immensely popular and provided a lot of opportunities to promising new singers and musicians.<\/p>\n<p>It was this SLBC program that catapulted A.E. Manoharan to all-island fame. He saw the growing popularity of Tamil pop songs and realised that the emerging phenomenon was his passport to success.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kmbmUoUsKL4?controls=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>He began writing songs and setting them to music. Manoharan had written a Tamil song based on the well -known children\u2019s fable about the \u201cKaaham\u201d (crow), \u201cvadai\u201d (spicy doughnut) and \u201cNari\u201d (fox). The traditional tale is about how a crow stole a vadai from an old woman and was about to eat it when a fox accosted the bird. The fox flattered the crow that its voice was melodious and asked it to sing. The foolish crow opened its beak and the vadai fell. The waiting fox ran off with the vadai.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Naan Ilangaik Kaaham\u2019 (I am a Lankan crow).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan, however had a different version in his song titled \u2018Naan Ilangaik Kaaham\u2019 (I am a Lankan crow). In this song the crow is not duped by the fox. Instead of opening its beak immediately when the fox asks it to sing, the crow carefully transfers the vadai to its talons and holds it firm instead of letting it fall. After all it was a smart \u201cLankan Crow\u201d was it not? The song has the opening line \u201cVadai vadaiyena Suttu Vitraal Vaayaadik Kilavi\u201d (A garrulous old woman fried and sold vadais). The catchy chorus imitated the crow\u2019s cawing \u201cKaa, kaa, kaa, kakakaa, kaa, kaa, kaa!.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/piWbj-wHfL4?controls=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>There was a musical troupe in Wattala called Thundersparks in those days. It was headed by a guitarist called Wilson. In 1971 Manoharan brought Thundersparks to the SLBC at his own expense and recorded the Lankan crow song. It became a hit overnight. Soon many lips were chanting \u201cKaa, kaa, kaa, kaa\u201d. \u201cSaivakkadai\u201d (Vegetarian Cafe) waiters were singing \u201cKaa, kaa\u201d as they served customers with vadai.(The song is worthy of being dedicated to Basil Rajapaksa)<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThamizh Poppisaich Chakkaravarthy\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The SLBC invited Manoharan to its studios and recorded more of his songs. Manoharan, the failed film actor had re-invented himself as a singer of Tamil pop songs. The popularity of his songs rose rapidly. So much so that in 1973 he was crowned in Jaffna by the then Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Chelliah Kumarasuriyar, as the \u201cThamizh Poppisaich Chakkaravarthy\u201d (Emperor of Tamil pop music).<\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4A01C669-BA9F-4B92-B9A8-E445B3F38484-600x660.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"660\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-79382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4A01C669-BA9F-4B92-B9A8-E445B3F38484-600x660.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4A01C669-BA9F-4B92-B9A8-E445B3F38484-273x300.jpeg 273w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/4A01C669-BA9F-4B92-B9A8-E445B3F38484.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Manoharan possessed an aptitude for languages and had the knack of extemporaneously rendering the same verses in different languages during performances. He had a magnificent stage presence and could electrify an audience in no time. He sang with the great contemporaries of his time in Sinhala and Tamil music catering to multi-ethnic audiences<\/p>\n<p>Manoharan in his heyday sang in concerts, music shows and songfests throughout the island. He was perhaps the most loved Tamil singer (next to Rukmani Devi) of Sinhala music aficionados in his time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Black July\u2019 of  1983<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sadly the \u2018Black July\u2019 anti-Tamil violence of 1983 and subsequent deterioration of ethnic relations compelled him to seek a new home and new life in India.. Still he would occasionally visit Lanka and participate in events.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of success as a popular singer of pop music Manoharan was unable to get over his fascination for films and passion to be a film actor. The burning desire to become a movie actor persisted  continuously within him.<\/p>\n<p>The opportunities to act in \u2018Puthiya Kaatru\u2019 and \u2018Vaadaikkaatru\u2019 and the brief encounter with \u2018Pilot Premnath\u2019 enflamed those embers again. Even before July 1983, Manoharan visited India frequently seeking a break in films. After \u2018Black July\u2019 he permanently re-located there.<\/p>\n<p>Again it was his singing more than his acting which sustained him in India. The income from playing minor roles in films was not sufficient. Manoharan sang in clubs, hotels and also performed in stage events regularly in India. He also toured many North American, European, South East Asian and Australian cities with Sri Lankan Tamil concentrations and engaged in shows there.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dream of Being a Successful Actor<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There were many chances for Manoharan to seek citizenship in a Western country but chose not to because he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu and pursue his dream of being a successful actor in cinema.<\/p>\n<p>Manoharan\u2019s health began to decline after he passed 60. His kidneys were affected, resulting in dialysis treatment. Finally he passed away in his sleep peacefully on January 23rd 2018.. <\/p>\n<p>Seeing his funeral in India via internet  was quite sorrowful and painful. In spite of having acted in so many Indian films, none connected to the film industry paid their respects. Only a few Sri Lankans in Chennai, neighbours and church members were present. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Did the Sri Lankan Skylark Blunder?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One could not  but help reflect upon the huge crowds that flocked to hear him in the past and wonder whether the Sri Lankan Skylark had blundered by seeking the mirage of celebrity status as an actor in India instead of remaining amidst hardship in his own, native Sri Lanka and doing what he did best \u2013 Singing!<\/p>\n<p> <em><strong>DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com\"><span>dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com<\/span> <\/a><\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n<p><strong>This is an enhanced version of an article appearing in the \u201cDBS Jeyaraj Column\u201dof \u201cDaily Mirror\u201ddated September 3rd 2022. It can be accessed here &#8211;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymirror.lk\/dbs-jeyaraj-column\/Pop-Singer-A-E-Manoharan-Flopped-as-a-Film-Actor\/192-244256\">https:\/\/www.dailymirror.lk\/dbs-jeyaraj-column\/Pop-Singer-A-E-Manoharan-Flopped-as-a-Film-Actor\/192-244256<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E58ku5_waBo?controls=0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><I>Ravivarman Oviyamo-Song by A.E.Manoharan<\/I><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_79379\" style=\"width: 391px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-79379\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/40E6099E-BAA5-4C71-81A2-67DCE6D04DEF.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"381\" height=\"266\" class=\"size-full wp-image-79379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/40E6099E-BAA5-4C71-81A2-67DCE6D04DEF.jpeg 381w, https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/40E6099E-BAA5-4C71-81A2-67DCE6D04DEF-300x209.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-79379\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A.E.Manoharan (c.\u20091944 \u2013 22 January 2018)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"tweetbutton79364\" class=\"tw_button\" style=\"float:right;margin-left:10px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdbsjeyaraj.com%2Fdbsj%2F%3Fp%3D79364&amp;text=%26%238220%3BEmperor%20of%20Tamil%20Pop%20Music%26%238221%3B%20AE%20Manoharan%26%238217%3Bs%20Futile%20Attempt%20to%20be%20a%20Film%20Star%20in%20Tamil%20Nadu.&amp;related=&amp;lang=en&amp;count=horizontal\" class=\"twitter-share-button\"  style=\"width:55px;height:22px;background:transparent url('https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-tweet-button\/tweetn.png') no-repeat  0 0;text-align:left;text-indent:-9999px;display:block;\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=79364\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading &lsquo;&#8220;Emperor of Tamil Pop Music&#8221; AE Manoharan&#8217;s Futile Attempt to be a Film Star in Tamil Nadu.&rsquo; &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[27,8,4,6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79364"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=79364"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79388,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79364\/revisions\/79388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=79364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=79364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=79364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}