MAMBALAM TIMES

March 9 - 15, 2013 MAMBALAM TIMESPage 5Book release EB junction box knocked down 3-day coaching forTAMIL CINEMA 75 - on Sundayby minivanbank exams forBy Our Staff Reporterwomen candidatesA LOOK BACKThe Chennai branch of WaterfallsInstitute of Technol-By Our Staff ReporterEsakki Eve Empowermentogy (34/20, Thirumurthi( 27, Rameswaram Road, T.Street, T. Nagar) will release aNagar), will conduct a free 3-book authored by K. V. Swaminathantitled “Science andday coaching class for womenTechnology Initiative in G7scheduled to take bank examsCountries” on Sunday, Marchnext month, from Monday,10, at 2.45 p.m in Hall No. 3,March 11, to Wednesday,IIT Campus, Guindy.March 13, in its premises.Swaminathan (Founder andIt will cover winning strategiesChairman, Waterfalls Institute)and preparing for bothis the former advisor towritten exam and interview.Govt. of India for Science andSpeed maths, English grammar,Technology.current events, aptitudeHe is also the Chairman ofand memory techniques will beRajiv Gandhi Cancer Researchtaught.Hospital (Delhi).The participants will beThe first copy of the book willtested with a model questionbe received by T. Ramasamipaper at the end to assess their(Secretary, Ministry of Scienceimprovement.and Technology).Since there are limited seats,Ramasamy will also give aBy Our Staff Reporter on being informed by the localtalk on “India’s Aspirations inregistration will be done on aScience”.An EB junction box on the residents and cut off the power ‘first come, first served basis’.All are welcome.margin of Madley Road, near supply to the box.Please call 92822 33333 orAnother book on ‘Intellectual Mambalam Times office, T. The main cable which was 93848 44405 to register.Property” authored by Swaminathanwas released last minivan at 3 p.m on March 7. couple of hours. No one wasNagar was knocked by a damaged was repaired in amonth.EB workers rushed the spot injured in the incident.By RANDOR GUYTAMIL CINEMA AND MUSIC - 48‘Krishna Bhakthi’ was produced by Lena Chettiar and wasdirected by the successful editor-turned-filmmaker, R. S. Mani(the maker of, films like ‘ En Magan’ , ‘ Kannagi’ , ‘ Devaki’ and‘Maman Magal) who also wrote the screen story. It wasinspired by the notorious figure of history Rasputin, the MadMonk of Czarist Russia, and a French novel ‘ The Monk.’ . NotedTamil writers, S. D. S. Yogi (also a scholar, poet and filmmaker),‘Sandilyan’ and Ku. Pa. Sethu Ammal wrote the dialogues.Lyrics were by Udumalai Narayana Kavi, one of the bignames of Tamil cinema of his day. The sadly under-rated S. V.Venkataraman and the classical musician KunnakudiVenkatarama Iyer, composed the pleasing songs. The leadplayers included P. U. Chinnappa, T. R. Rajakumari, SP. L.Dhanalakshmi (Rajakumari’s aunt), K. R. Ramasami, D.Balasubramaniam, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Mathuram and P. A.Periyanayaki, the singing actress and playback-singer. Thefilm was a major success and many of its songs becamepopular.MLV was to have acted in the M. K. ThyagarajaBhagavathar’s ‘come back’ movie ‘ Raja Mukthi’ (1948) whichwas made in Poona (now Pune). After Bhagavathar wasarrested in December 1944 for his alleged involvement in thesensational and historic Lakshmikantham Murder Case, heunderwent a 30-month term in prison and was acquitted as‘Not guilty’ in April 1947. Then he promoted his own film unit‘Narendra Pictures’ and its first film was ‘Raja Mukthi.’ MLVwent to Poona for acting but, for many reasons, she chose notto act and instead she took her bow as a playback singer in thisfilm. She sang duets with Bhagavathar and the songs becamepopular while the movie flopped in spite of its prophetic title.‘Raja Mukthi’ had M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, V. N.Janaki, P. Bhanumathi (her first Tamil film, and she played thevamp in it), Serukalathur Sama, P. G. Venkatesan (known as‘Saigal of South India’ ), noted character actor M.R.Swaminathan, M.G. Ramachandran (in a minor role), P.S.Veerappa, M. G. Chakrapani, C. T. Rajakantham and ‘Baby’Rajamani (stage, screen and TV star V. Gopalakrishnan’ssister).MLV sang the songs ‘ Kulakodi thazhaikka’ (ragaRamapriya), ‘Enna Aanandam’ (raga Simhendramadhyamam,duet with MKT), ‘Santhoshamai anbar…..’ (duet withP. Bhanumathi), ‘ Aaraaro’ (raga Yaman Kalyani), IngumAngum’ (raga Madhyamaavathi, duet with MKT).The lyrics were by Papanasam Sivan, and C. R. Subburamanwas the music director. Unusually in this film there was a ‘SongTrainer.’ That was Alathur Sivaubramania Iyer, one of thefamous Alathur Brothers. The director was the well-knownfilmmaker of 1930-1940s, Raja Chandrasekhar, who haddirected MKT in the hit film, ‘ Ashok Kumar’ (1941).MLV later went to Coimbatore to act in the Rayal Talkie film‘ Sudharshan’ (1951). The folk myth tale of the Maratta potterSaint Gora Kumbhar, the film was long in production for manyreasons. In competition with it, the Indian movie mogul S. S.Vasan had produced the same tale as ‘Chakradhari’ (1948)with Chittoor V.Nagaiah, Pushpavalli, and her sisterSuryaprabha in the lead roles. The film was a major hit and itaffected the other production badly. This was one of thereasons for the delay.The potter-saint tale has two female roles, both his wives. In‘Sudharshan’ , the hero was P. U. Chinnappa and the first wifewas the leading Tamil-Telugu film star, Pasupuleti Kannamba.MLV was cast as the young second wife. After a few reels wereshot, MLV opted out the film. In came buxom Mangalam (ofYogam-Mangalam duo).Why did MLV walk out of the roles that came her way? In along chat with this writer during the late 1970s, she said, “I didnot feel happy in the film world as I did in the Carnatic musicworld. There were too many kinds of pressures on me frommany quarters. You know how it is in cinema world ... You knowbetter and I do not have to tell you in detail. One director saidthat my face was unfit for the camera because I had refusedto dance to his tunes! You know him ... so no names! I realizedin the very beginning that unless you yield to such pressuresyou could not get anywhere in cinema. I did not like it and I hatedthe very atmosphere. I don’t say that people in our music worldare all saints! No. But it is not like the film world. Once you givein once there is no limit thereafter. When you get old, you do notget roles and nobody will even look at you! I know many old filmartistes who are now starving. Therefore, I decided not to actbut only sing playback which I did for many years in Tamil filmsand also some in Telugu. When my involvement with Carnaticmusic began to get deeper and deeper and I got busy with myconcerts and records, I moved away from cinema completely”.(To be continued)Wins medals in nationalathletic meet for handicappedVandikkaran Street, WestMambalam) won the goldmedal in 100 m running raceand the silver medal in the 400m running race in the 7 th NationalGames for the Disabledconducted by All India HandicappedRehabilitation Centerin Chennai last week.She won the first place inlong jump and was runner-upin the throwball contest in 12 thBy Our Staff ReporterA. Hindu (resident of 57,State Level Sports meet fordifferently-abled persons heldin Chennai last month.She is a Std. 12 student inCorporation Girls Higher SecondarySchool, Saidapet.Toppled traffic sign board notremoved for over a monthBy Our Staff ReporterA traffic signboard on themargin of Brindavan Street(near its junction with AryaGowda Road) which got toppleda month ago is yet to be re-moved or re-erected.The square concrete basewhich is a foot high and wide islying on the road and poses adanger to motorists, especiallyat night.Art show by children on SundayBy Our Staff ReporterStudents of Varnam, an artschool, in the age group 4 - 13will display their artworkat the institute’s annual artshow on Sunday, March 10,from 4 p.m to 7 p.m in DynaWorld (16, Vyasar Street, T.Nagar).There will also be an exhibitionof Kerala murals.All are welcome.30 lingamson display forMaha Shivaratrion SundayBy Our Staff Reporter30 different types of Shivalingams will be on exhibit from6 p.m on Sunday, March 10, inKasi Viswanathar Temple(Kuppaiah Street, West Mambalam)on the occasion of MahaSivarathiri.The exhibit will includeSwarna Lingam, Pushpa Lingam,Anna Lingam, SpatikaLingam, Vibhuthi Lingam,Sandana Lingam, KungumaLingam, Fruits Lingam and IceLingam.GAMBLERSANONYMOUSmeets at Holy Angels Conventevery Sundayfrom 11.30 a.m to 1 p.m.All compulsive gamblers whowish to get rid of the habitare welcomeCMYK