A Master Composer Options

[hits]

What year was this film?

"VISHUKKANI" was in 1977.

Salil Chowdhury' entry into Malayalam Films started with the film 'CHEMMEEN' directed by Ramu Kariat. Based on the touching novel of the same name by the renowned Malayalam writer Thakazhy Shivshankar Pillai, the film became a landmark in Malayalam Cinema. It received the Presidents Gold Medal in 1965. The widely popular songs of 'CHEMMEEN' launched Salil Chowdhury in the Malayalam film industry. Between 1965 and the mid-90's, he composed music for over 25 Malayalam films. Salil Chowdhury formed a formidable team with the lyricist Vayalar and the poet O.N.V Kurup. He also composed the background music for three Malayalam films.

Just for the record.....some mind blowing acting by the late Malayalam actor Satyan in those movies.

[archimoz]

Dear Unni-saab, Mr. Hits,

I'm elated by the fact that the love for Salil-babu is not restricted to the boundaries of Bengal (my home-state) and Bombay (where Salil-babu strived to get durable name & fame).

I have grown up listening to his bengali gems of Lata, Hemanta, Sandhya (Mukherjee) and other singers. Then one day, my cousin & I watched Chemmeen (during a private screening in Kolkata) and without understanding a syllable, was floored by the beauty of that region, the acting & of course, the music (it helped that I knew the story courtesy Uncle Pai's 'Amar Chitra Katha'). It made me realize that Bengal & Kerala have a lot in common (besides the sickle, hammer & star!) and Salil-babu's genius did not find it very difficult to compose tunes for Malayalam films.

Please keep up the discussion on these malayalam movies (& Salil-babu's music in them). I'm enjoying every syllable of what you are discussing.

In this context, I must mention that HMV had released a 4-cassette set called 'Suvarna Malarukal' which had songs composed by Salil-babu. I had bought it eagerly from Matunga (Mumbai) but was disappointed with the recording quality. Alas, now the cassettes are almost spoilt and greet me with a screeching sound.

If any kind hearted soul can upload the songs of Salil-babu in Malayalam, I'll be eternally grateful. I know there are many of these but surely this thread can go on.

Also, if our Malayalee friends l(ike Unni-saab) can also post some reviews/comments about various South Indian musical personilities' opinion on Salil-babu, it will give us a new insight on this great composer, who lent a new dimension of dazzling prelude & interlude music in films.

Regards-Archie.

[unni]

Archie:

There is another album devoted entirely to Salil Chowdhury's Malayalam compositions, and it contains 16 songs.

I shall start uploading them, starting with this first one:



Incidentally, the son-daughter duo of Salil Chowdury, Sanjay-Antra had composed in the year 2000 what was reportedly "some very good music" for a Malayalam movie "INGANE ORU NILAPAKSHI".

[hits]

I usually refrain from using adjectives like "favorite" and "best" when describing musical creations and creators. But I must admit that it is for Salilda that I make the most exceptions. It indeed is a true tribute to his genius that his music transcends barriers of language and time.

I also find myself not lamenting on the fewer number of songs that Salilda produced with Kishore and/or Asha. The beauty of his genius lies in an unerring ability to create great music, without resorting to prolificacy.

Unni, let me thank you for your initiative here. His Malayalam creations are superb.

Check out this Janaki rendition from the movie "Madhanolsavam" (Unni has uploaded another song from this movie). The mukhda loosely translates to - "He Sandhya Samay...Yeh Ashru Kyon?"

[unni]

[hits]

This is the Malayalam version of "Raaton Ke Saaye".

[unni]

[archimoz]

Unni-saab, you are batting like Rahul Dravid. High quality & consistency going hand in hand! Thanks a lot.

Any possibility of 'pennale pennale' & 'saagara' from Chemmeen?

Regards-Archie.

[unni]

Unni-saab, you are batting like Rahul Dravid. High quality & consistancy going hand in hand! Thanks a lot.

Any possibility of 'pennale pennale' & 'saagara' from Chemmeen?

Regards-Archie.

They are both among the songs pending upload. I thought they would be "common" and had, in the meantime, lined up some lesser-known gems, such as this:

[unni]

For members who are interested in learning more about the genius of Salil Chowdhury, here is an excellent site:

http://www.salilda.com/site.asp

It even provides a cross-reference to songs in other languages based on the same tune.

[unni]

[archimoz]

Dear Unni-saab,

Thanks a lot for the Chemmeen songs.

Let me attempt to do some 'ganga pooja with ganga-jal', i.e share some South Indian songs with you! I'm reasonably sure that you'll be pocessing them but then this forum is for everybody to hear & appreciate.

Two songs from 'thumboli kadappuram' (1994). Both Yesudas & Chitra are brilliant.

Another song from 'anthiveylile ponnu' (1982). Yesudas is just dazzling. This has a bengali version by Lata-bai: 'keno je kaandaao baare baare....', but this (KJY) one is the tops!

Regards-Archie.

[archimoz]

Dear Unni-saab,

Thanks a lot for the Chemmeen songs.

Let me attempt to do some 'ganga pooja with ganga-jal', i.e share some South Indian songs with you! I'm reasonably sure that you'll be pocessing them but then this forum is for everybody to hear & appreciate.

Two songs from 'thumboli kadappuram' (1994).  Both Yesudas & Chitra are brilliant.

Another song from 'anthiveylile ponnu' (1982). Yesudas is just dazzling. This has a bengali version by Lata-bai: 'keno je kaandaao baare baare....', but this (KJY) one is the tops!

Regards-Archie.

Oh yes! Salil-babu's music, be it indianised or with a western touch, is just out of this world.

[archimoz]

For our Tamil friends:

Salil-babu composed music for an unreleased movie 'karumbu' (1973). A tandem song by Yesudas & P Susheela and another song by Sabita Chowdhury.

In the site (as mentioned by Unni-saab) www.salilda.com, there is a very illustrative article about this movie. Check this link:

http://www.salilda.com/articles/chilappathikaaram.asp

Hope you all like it.

Regards-Archie.

[archimoz]

A song by Yesudas from an un-released hindi movie 'kuhaasa' (1978). This song has a malayalam version which I think has wordings like 'maad praave....' (apologies if I've goofed it up).

Can someone please upload this song?

And S janaki's 'manaseswari' from the malayalam movie 'devdaasi'? It's a super song.

Regards-Archie.