April 28, 2009

Om shanthi shanthi oh shanthi...

..the song in "Varanam 1000" has some extremely great lyrics. Wonder why music directors do not use an extremely talented and fresh idea-writing lyricist like Thamarai..bringing in a lady perspective to the songs.
Consider this line
"ennodu vaa veedu varaikkum
en veettai paar, ennai pidikkum"
(For the benefit of Tamil-challenged, here is the meaning - come with me to my home; meet people at my home, you will like me)
This is such an honest expression of a decent love, which we havent seen off late.
Then another Balakumaran-type-line in the same song:
"kadhal ennai ketkavaillai
kaettal athu kadhal illai"
A Khaleel-gibranic expression, with profound meaning, in a mere 2 lines.

Then the ghaana song "anjalai" (actually the music is so soulful and is a haunting Ghaana, Deva sir aaseervathamo? But thats another post), where she penned the pain of the lovelorn Surya, who lost her girlfriend to death, in these lines:
"velicham thanthava oruthi
avalai iruttila niruthi
jora payanathai kilappi
thaniya engay ponalo..."
(For the benefit of Tamil-challenged, here is the meaning - She gave the light, but kept herself in the dark; she started our journey and went somewhere alone)
Actually it is indeed surprising that neither the Tamil Film industry or the Tamil Cine Fans havent taken note of this extremely talented lyricist.
The lines that struck me on my face by this lyricist, Thamarai, were in "Kakka Kakka" - two songs with excellent usage of different words, rather than the cliched tamil lyricdom...
In the song "Oru ooril azhagay uruvai", the following lines:
"Viralgalai aatti aatti pesum bothilay
kaatrilum veenai undu endru thondrumay"
(For the benefit of Tamil-challenged, here is the meaning - when she talks she swings her fingers, seeing which it makes one to think that there is this musical instrument in the air)
While earlier songs, by other lyricists, had eulogised a women's beauty by way of her slender fingers being a veenai or the lady herself as a veenai waiting to be played by the Hero or such similar stuffs, here is a thought that presents a woman with all her grace and charm both in her mannerism and her poise, and how she is so MUSICAL...
And in the song "kalaba kadhala", she would have penned what exactly might go through a lady's mind...almost exactly emoting what a modern lady might anticipate on her first night.
First time, I started noticing Thamarai's lyrics, were in "Minnale" in the song "Vaseegara"...very simple lyrics that dreamily expresses how a simple girl mightwant to romance with her boyfriend.
And what a hai-ku she would have penned in "vaseegara"
"Adai mazhai varum, athil nanaivomay
Kulir kaaichalodu, sneham"
(For the benefit of Tamil-challenged, here is the meaning - when it rains, we will get drenched in it together! A friendship/love with cold and flu)
Next line is even a better haiku
"oru porvaikkul, iru thookam"
(For the benefit of Tamil-challenged, here is the meaning - Two sleeps in a single blanket!)
Thamarai, I salute you!
And my humblest salutations, for the lines that amazed me, enthralled me, enticed me, for those honest-in-the-face lyrics, that gel well with the honest love and affection that is the undercurrent of "Vaaranam Aayiram"
"Ennodu vaa veedu varaikkum
En veettai paar, yennai pidikkum"

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

really good. i appreciate this poet myself.

Anonymous said...

Nanri. I am thamarai.

Anonymous said...

Indeed i am muc recogonised and respected in the film world. Only, i restrict myself , i choose songs to my working convinience , so you get to hear a small quantity. I am too busy w home front that i get less time for profession. Anyhow , i keep writing bec this is my job. Thamarai

Guruprasad said...

Thank you Thamarai madam. I am honoured you chose to visit this blog. You have a houseful of fans (in my home) for your lyrical beauty. I would love to read more of your works - other than the movie songs as well.
Well, the quality makes up very much for all the quantity. Kudos to your efforts in your profession...