A Poet Extraordinaire

Some people eat to live. Whatever comes their way, they would eat, mindful of the calories and ensuring their nutritional values. Others live to eat. They do not mind toiling in the blazing sun or braving the heavy traffic to savour his prized street food, flaunting it in his social media page and insisting that his choice of food is to die for.

While some would hum to a tune, listen to it for a while, then forget about it altogether. Then it would be another song and another obsession. Some of us would dissect and analyse its lyrics, musical composition, ragaa, and taala just for the kick of it.

Pandi Durai is one such character. Malaysians first knew him as a Tamil newscaster on Malaysian TV. He was later heard on RTM Channel 6 radio at noon on Sundays, discussing Tamil culture and language through Tamil cinema songs. It came to be quite a hit among Tamil language connoisseurs. He later organised annual conferences to appreciate the compositions of Poet Kannadasan in Tamil cinema. Kannadasan can easily be crowned as the most creative and erudite composer of Tamil. His knowledge of Tamil grammar, vocabulary, and poetry is beyond compare. His ability to pen beautiful, poetic lyrics filled with wordplay and smart innuendoes is undoubtedly genius. 

Juggling between his job as an advocate in the Malaysian Courts, his passion for the Tamil Language and his keen interest in Tamil cinema songs of the yesteryears, he started this function to appreciate the lyrical genius of Poet Kannadasan's songs. These events have been held annually for some time now. I recently attended one such event in a packed auditorium in Kuala Lumpur. Equipped with an excellent sound system, a live band, and three excellent singers and musicians, the function lasted close to five hours on a Sunday afternoon, bringing joy and contentment to people who appreciated the Tamil language and culture, as well as the hidden messages behind Kannadasan's evergreen compositions.

Amidst the song renditions, Paandi Durai interjected with his understanding of what Kanndasan was trying to say in his songs. He went on to unveil some of the cryptic messages Kanadasan may have intended to convey. There were also some innocent-sounding songs that, if decoded, may be X-rated and not suitable for a general audience. Yet, kids of the 60s and 70s were happily singing them away without an iota of clue of their lewd messages that a sex-craved lover would signal to his equally receptive partner.  

Like that, Paandi went on analysing a couple of songs under the categories of love, social message, philosophy and devotion. All in all, it was an evening that left its audience in a state of literary inebriation. They returned to the real world with the comfort that their ancient language has stood another generation of assault from other lingua francas of the world. 

One particular song that intrigued me that evening, that I have been listening to throughout my life without knowing its deeper meanings, was 'Paarthen Sirithen' (பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன்) from the 1965 movie 'Veera Abhimanyu' (வீர அபிமன்யு). The film revolves around the title character, Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, the teenage warrior extraordinaire of the Kurushtera. When the director summoned Kannadasan to pen a sweet love song for Abhimanyu and his on-screen love interest. Kanadasan decided to be cheeky and composed a love song with the word 'then' mentioned 65 times. 'Then' in Tamil means honey. In it, he used 'then' as honey, the essence in the lover's beauty, the joy of their love, the passion of their union and the ecstasy of their passion. Many things are left to the listeners, but imagination sometimes has no limits. 'Then' is also used as an adverb. Through the programme, I also discovered that the word 'malai' can mean 'stunned' as well as 'mountain'. The poet cleverly uses this wordplay in a verse; the honey from the mountain, she is stunned. 

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

அன்று உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

அன்று உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

கொடித் தேன் இனியங்கள் குடித்தேன் என

ஒரு படித் தேன் பார்வையில் குடித்தேன்

கொடித் தேன் இனியங்கள் குடித்தேன் என

ஒரு படித் தேன் பார்வையில் குடித்தேன்

துளித் தேன் சிந்தாமல் களித்தேன்

ஒரு துளித் தேன் சிந்தாமல் களித்தேன்

கைகளில் அணைத்தேன் அழகினை இரசித்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனை தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலை தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

மலர்த் தேன் போல் நானும் மலர்ந்தேன்

உனக்கென வளர்ந்தேன் பருவத்தில் மணந்தேன்

மலர்த் தேன் போல் நானும் மலர்ந்தேன்

உனக்கென வளர்ந்தேன் பருவத்தில் மணந்தேன்

எடுத்தேன் கொடுத்தேன் சுவைத்தேன்

எடுத்தேன் கொடுத்தேன் சுவைத்தேன்

இனித் தேன் இல்லாதபடி கதை முடித்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

நிலவுக்கு நிலவு சுகம் பெற நினைந்தேன்

உலகத்தை நான் இங்கு மறந்தேன்

நிலவுக்கு நிலவு சுகம் பெற நினைந்தேன்

உலகத்தை நான் இங்கு மறந்தேன்

உலகத்தை மறந்தேன் உறக்கத்தை மறந்தேன்

உன்னுடன் நான் ஒன்று கலந்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனை தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

It was a time when personal intentions could not be expressed explicitly. Private desires were often spoken in double-speak, hoping that the intended recipient would get the hint. Kannadasan's song lyrics have always been hailed as poetic, revolutionary and of high literary value. His wordplay in Tamil and additions of scriptural teachings are beyond the imagination of an average man.

Many of Kannadasan's songs and poems end with rhythmic cadences. It is said that when a director repeatedly harassed him to write a song by May, he did so. He cooked up a song ending with 'mei' at every verse (அன்பு நடமாடும் கலைக் கூடமே - Anbu Nadamadum kalaikudame in Avanthaan Manithan, 1975 movie).

Kannadasan can also be cheeky at times. Once, his musical director, MS Viswanathan, did not turn up on time for a composition session. MSV had overslept after a late session. Annoyed, Kannadasan wrote something to mean 'why does he care, he is sleeping. I am the person who will be caught!' Somehow, it was appropriate for the scene they were composing. It became a hit without anybody realising the hidden message. (அவனுக்கென்ன தூங்கிவிட்டான் - Avanukku Enna, Thungivittaan in Periya Idathu Penn, 1963)

The most bizarre story about Kannadasan's ingenuity is supposed to be seen in 1961 Paava Manipu. A Muslim family adopted a Hindu boy. He grew up as a devout Muslim man and is active in religious and charity work. He was seen taking part in an Islamic procession singing praises of Allah. This song, composed by Kannadasan, has every verse ending with 'Om'. This was the poet's subtle way of showing that this Muslim man has Hindu roots. Nobody knew till many years later. Imagine an Islamic song with ‘Om’, the divine Hindu sound, at every verse. Integration or what?

The event witnessed a tear-evoking moment when the audience was informed that Kanadasan’s son, Annadorai, was in attendance. He was later honoured in the typical Tamilian way, with a silk shawl and a garland. 

A Sunday afternoon well spent. 

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It is not the gun!

Surrender(Tamil; 2025)

Written & Directed by: Gowthaman Ganapathy)

Thanks, MS, for the recommendation.

https://www.sunnxt.com/tamil-movie-surrender-
2025/detail/231547

At first glance, it may look like a generic B-grade film with gangsters and dirty cops on their payroll. As the story unfolds, there is a lot of violence and mind-bending, gravity-defying fight scenes. Once viewers look beyond all that and focus on the actual story, it becomes engaging. There are numerous subplots at the police station and among the gangsters. To make things more complicated, elections are just days away, and money is being siphoned from politicians to the gangsters, only to go missing. 

The law may mandate all gun owners to surrender their weapons to the nearest police station, which would be returned once the election results are announced. This aims to reduce voter intimidation and violence in the days leading up to the elections. The title given to this film is the 'surrendering' of weapons. 

An actor, Mansoor Ali Khan (in a cameo role), arrives at the police station to surrender his gun. The gun is received by a low-ranking senior constable (by age), who has been bypassed for promotion. The following day, during stock-taking, the gun inadvertently goes missing as he absentmindedly leaves it by the window. The team is given 48 hours to locate the pistol before the case is reported to higher authorities. 

A gung-ho rookie Sub-Inspector joins the station to work with the motley crew, which includes a fiery lady police officer and a strict Head. Meanwhile, a local politician tries to get the money intended to bribe his voters. The money should have come from the gangsters via a corrupt policeman. The policeman double-crossed the gangsters with an elaborately planned accident and claimed a concussion. 

The rest of the film shows how the police struggle to find the pistol as the gangsters scramble to recover the missing one and the double-crossing policeman. The loose ends are tied up at the very end, delivering poetic justice. The interesting aspect is that everything was performed quite skillfully by new faces, at least to me. (7/10)

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Of Venus and Asuras....

Vidivelli (விடிவெள்ளி, Morning Star, Tamil; 1960)

Written, Directed: Sridhar

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431188/

Thanks to SK for keeping me informed about this a long time ago. On a clear morning, if we look into the sky, we can see planet Venus. It appears as a bright light that does not flicker, unlike a star, and has a yellowish tint.

In Tamil, Venus is called Velli (வெள்ளி), and sometimes Sukhran (சுக்கிரன்) in Vedic astrology. Sukhran is a deity in the Navagraha system, associated with beauty, wisdom, love, and wealth, and is a guru to the Asuras. Therefore, Friday (Vellikizhamai, வெள்ளிக்கிழமை) is connected to Sukhran and the planet Venus.  

Asuras are not inherently negative characters, as we have come to understand. In the earlier Vedic scriptures, Asuras are depicted as powerful forces comparable to the Devas. Over time, in Hindu writings, they became synonymous with uncontrolled senses and powers. Paradoxically, on the other side of the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation, among the Zoroastrians, there is a blurred distinction between good and evil. Ahura, as in Mazda Ahura, the primary Deity in the Zoroastrian religion, is an Asura (pronounced Ahura).

Vidivelli translates to 'morning star', i.e., Venus, which is visible before sunrise, poetically representing a positive turning point in life, the light after darkness.

This obscure film escaped the notice of most Tamil cinema enthusiasts. Although Sridhar released many innovative movies addressing compelling social issues, this particular film seems quite uninspired. His major hit as a debut director was 'Kalyana Parisu' in 1959. Most of Sridhar's successes came afterwards - including Nilavu (1961), Nenjil Or Aalayam (1962), Kattallika Neramillai (1964), and Vennira Aadai (1965).

It tells the story of a brother stealing a necklace to give his sister as a dowry. Although he feels guilty about the whole affair, he feels compelled to do it because he believes it is his duty as the elder brother to provide for his younger sister. As fate would have it, the brother secures a job with the very same people he had stolen the necklace from. Neither party realises who they are dealing with.  

The sister is happily married and was showing off her necklace one day when her husband realised that there was a photograph of a young man in its locket. The husband suspects her of infidelity and chases her back to her mother's home. The emotional brother now has to prove his sister's loyalty and admit his own crime. Things get complicated when the brother falls in love with his boss's daughter, from whom he had stolen the necklace, and her father is not too pleased with her choice.

Amongst film circles, this movie received much admiration for its direction, storyline, and stellar cast. The benchmark for the commercial success of any Tamil film is its ability to run in cinemas for over 100 days. 'Vidivelli' achieved this.

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Only for the diehard!

Coolie(Tamil; 2025)
Story & Direction: Lokesh Kanagaraj

https://www.tgv.com.my/movie/coolie

In 1983, the Hindi cinema went agape when, during the shooting of the movie 'Coolie', Amitabh Bachchan sustained a serious injury. One of his stunts went awry. He landed on the floor instead of the table and sustained life-threatening intra-abdominal injury. His condition was serious. His heart stopped once, and he had to undergo multiple surgeries and time in the ICU. While he was in the hospital, the whole nation was in tenterhooks. Daily prayers were held whilst radio stations gave daily updates on his condition. Close to a hundred thousand people turned up during the recommencement of shooting. The people's response to the turn of events was so eclectic that the moviemakers changed the ending of the movie. Bachchan's character was supposed to die, but it was decided that he should live. It smashed all box office returns at that time. Coincidentally, the protagonist was a Muslim donning the railway porter tag, which bore the number '786', which is a significant number to Indian Muslims culturally. It is linked to divine salutations 'Bismullah Rahmani Rahim'. His character helped to strengthen the fractured Muslim-Hindu relations then, as well-wishers of both faiths had numerous prayers during Amitabh's trying times. 

Do I see communist links?

Amitabh Bachchan was so pleased with how it all turned out with the national support and the subsequent box office returns that he was heard to have mentioned in an interview that there can never be another Coolie. Another Coolie did come eventually by an actor elevated to Bachchan's status in the Southern cinema, Rajnikanth. This time, the Coolie tag carried the number 1421, the director's father's tag number when he worked diligently as a bus conductor. 

As in most big cinema releases these days, a big buildup is created before its launch. First, they attack the social media spaces with announcements to rile the excitement. Then they will inaugurate the audio launch. It will give the impression as if everyone knows the song by heart and compel people to hum to the tune. After much hoopla, the movie would be launched with much pomp and splendour, like pouring barrels of milk over the actor's effigy. By that time, die-hard fans would be fighting tooth and nail trying to get tickets for the first day screening of the show. 

This culture, which was mainly confined to the state of Tamil Nadu before, has now permeated into Malaysia. 

Just the other day, a Malaysian social activist was relating her experience at a restaurant. It was about noon on a working day when she was having her meal. She noticed a young family of four, father, mother and two preteen children, engaged in a meal and deep conversation. She overheard them conversing about the first day, first show of Rajnikanth's 'Coolie' that they were about to watch. 

The social worker was dumbfounded by how Rajni's movie, in the parents' eyes, could take precedence over sending their children to school. Times have changed much since Amma chided that nobody would be asked about Tamil movies in a scholarship interview. 

Coolie is made to appease Rajnikanth's fans, period. It is like watching 'Kill Bill'. Nobody should ask who Bill is, and why we should kill Bill. Just Kill Bill, and it was so good that it needed a sequel.

Kudos to the story writers for being able to keep their audience engaged in this long movie, which actually had continuity. Nevertheless, there were some glaring faux pas, like an MPV cannot escape from a rickety motorcycle in a car chase and how the bad guys always have the opportunity to keep up with the good guys. Shhh! You are not supposed to ask questions. Kudos to his make-up team and CGI, Rajni, looks good for his part. The fighting scenes? Forget it. Ten, twenty, hundred, no problem. He does not have to move much. The baddies will go flying without inflicting even an abrasion. At the end of the movie, he goes away with a band-aid on his temple. That is all.

Coolie (1995)

His movie is about nostalgia. His age-old opening credit, 'Super Star Rajni' appearing in single letters, has appeared all the way from the 90s. To mark his 50th anniversary in Tamil films, snippets of old visuals are used to reminisce about his quirky mannerisms. All in all, they are banking on nostalgia. The story is masala, and Tamil cinema has much more to offer, but who cares? It's Rajni! The movie may be studded with megastars from the Sandalwood, Tollywood, Mollywood and even Bollywood, to make this a pan-Indian fare, but they all appear as pale shadows of whom they came to see... Rajnikanth!

(P.S. In 1995, there was a movie by the same name, Coolie, starring Mr Muscle Man and Mr Madras, Sarath Kumar and Meena.)

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A love song for a serial killer?

Moodu Pani (Tamil, மூடு பனி; 1980)
Screenplay & Direction: Balu Mahendra

The only time this movie is remembered is when the superhit song from its original soundtrack is played. And, mind you, this song is played at many functions. That super-duper hit song I am referring to is 'En Iniya Pon Nillave' (என் இனிய பொன் நிலாவே). It does not take much to recognise that song. A few seconds into its opening guitar sequence, it clicks. The song was composed by Illayaraja, also known as 'The Maestro' these days, as more music connoisseurs are realising that his compositions are complex and deserving of orchestral performances.

Like many of his compositions, this song can be regarded as another masterpiece. Although it might seem, at first glance, to be a Western piece featuring prominent guitar sounds and rhythm, it actually blends elements of Carnatic and Hindustani ragas. Naturally, flutes are a universal instrument. Indian musical experts state that this particular song is performed in Natabhairavi, a Carnatic raga. Apparently, two talas were employed in this song, one after the other, to express the discordant emotions conveyed in the scene. 

In the scene, the protagonist, a mentally disturbed man who grew up witnessing his mother repeatedly being abused by his father while keeping a mistress, develops an intense aversion to women, especially sex workers. A psychiatrist suggests that he should get married. When a girl he proposes to declines his advances, he turns into a kidnapper. He confines the woman in a bungalow to coerce her into submission. Realising that resistance is futile, she tries to put up a front in front of him. She pretends to show genuine interest in him while the kidnapper pours out his heart. Reflecting these emotions, the tune is designed to oscillate between creating an uneasy feeling and an outpouring of emotions; between anxiety and love.

The song is played in the minor chord (Aeolian scale) of melancholy, often associated with sadness and break-ups. There is inherent loneliness and despair in both parties. The girl had her intentions to escape her captor, and the man had his tumultuous emotions and bottled-up rage. This is not a happy love song. There is no jubilation. It is a glimpse into the mind of a madman. The melody and lyrics are not mere fillers to complement the film score but serve to reinforce the story and reveal what is not explicitly stated in the lines.

This is Illayaraja's 100th film, in which he composed the songs. It belongs to one of the rare genres of Tamil cinema—a psychological thriller written in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Like Norman Bates, the protagonist kills women and keeps the remains of his dead mother under the sheet. 

Here's a little trivia. The initial tune he submitted for this scene was 'Iniya Nila Pozhikirathu' (இனிய நிலா பொழிகிறது). However, it was rejected by the director because it sounded too cheerful and optimistic. This song was later utilised in another film, Payanangal Mudivatharvillai, which also became a hit song. Gangai Amaran, Illayaraja's brother, composed the lyrics, and KJ Yesudas lent his melodic voice to the final version.

Reference: Youtube: Oru Naal Pothuma Ep 186

Sad love song!

Hopeful love song!

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Give a miss!

Thug Life (2025)
Director: Mani Ratnam

https://www.justwatch.com/za/movie/thug-life-2025

Following the release of this film, one realises the extent to which external forces are harnessing the power of social media to sway public opinion on various matters. Furthermore, films act as platforms for disseminating the ideologies of political parties.

Even before the film's release in Karnataka, during his promotional tours, Kamal Haasan, the central star of the movie, inadvertently – or perhaps not – provoked a diplomatic row between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In his speech, he stated that the Kannada language is an offshoot of the Tamil language. This was not taken lightly by loyalists and politicians alike, who spoke the Kannada language. 

It is no secret that Kamal Hassan's political party is currently allied with the DMK, the ruling party of Tamil Nadu. The DMK practises divisive politics based on language, ethnicity, and anti-Hindu sentiments. Kamal Hassan is merely announcing his resurgence in Tamil Nadu politics. The State of Karnataka was a latecomer, having been carved out of the Mysore Presidency in 1956 on linguistic grounds, and has faced conflicts with Tamil Nadu over the flow of water from the River Cauvery, the worst of which occurred in 1991. This was when anti-Tamil looting and the burning of vehicles bearing Tamil Nadu number plates escalated after a Tribunal ordered the release of Cauvery water into Tamil Nadu. Although Hassan's statements were not incorrect, the Kannadian fundamentalists are unlikely to accept any of this. It is irrelevant that Tamil is an older language with evidence from ancient tablets, or that both languages may have arisen from a common ancestor, the Proto-Dravidian language.

The row has taken on monumental proportions, with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce collaborating with politicians to ban its screening in the state of Karnataka.

The film itself was not groundbreaking. Movie enthusiasts have encountered numerous films with similar storylines. In fact, Nayagan, which the director made in 1987 with the same star, featured a son avenging his father's death, just as this one does. Narratives of betrayal and rebellion among gangsters are nothing new. Netizens were quick to point out several glaring plot holes. There is an awkward moment when an adopted daughter might have married her brother. In another instance, both father and son could be vying for the same woman in intimate relationships. The characterisation is superficial, and there are far too many characters who do not contribute significantly to the story.

 

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people
/thuggees-002145

I was more interested in the origin of the word 'thug'. It has Indian origins. It was during the time of the British Raj, and the colonisers were eyeing the mineral-rich interior lands, which were home to a tribal group that prayed to a form of Kaali named Thugee. The Thugees naturally wanted to defend their land. Just as the Mau Mau people of Kenya were vilified by the British to create stories of them being cannibals and baby snatchers, the Thugees were described as deadly assassins who moved in groups to identify their prey. Their weapon of choice was a bandana, with which they would strangle their victims and kill them. The Thugs were feared so intensely that they entered the English lexicon.

There is another connection between thugs and the origin of the word 'assassin'. Not all thugs are Hindus; some are Muslims. The Muslim influence can be traced back to the mid-1200s in Persia. There was a group of mercenaries who were compensated with hashish; hence, they were called 'Hashshashins'. The Hashshashins became known as assassins in the English language. They moved about, fighting for and against the Muslim kingdom while opposing the Crusaders. They battled the Mongols quite disastrously, who chased them away to India, where they lived among tribal communities. They mingled with the Thugee worshippers and collaborated with them. The Hashshashins revered Kali but did not worship Her. Of course, all this could merely be a figment of the British Raj's imagination, conjuring a bogeyman out of the Indians.

 

(P.S. A film that is not worth discussing. There are already far too many YouTube channels offering brutal rundowns on this movie.)

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