[Lillie_Steins]

Naan Nirantharamanavn Azhivathillai
Entha Nilailum Enakku Maranamillai
(Kannadasan Ratha Thilagam-1962)

Valee was looking for chances to write songs. Though he was starving, he decined an invitation from Kannadasan to work under him, all because Valee wanted to be independent. After much struggling he decided to return to Sri Rangam- heart broken. It was these lines that changed his heart to persevere:

Unakkum Keezhe Ullavar Kodi
Ninaithu Paarthu Nimmadi Naadu

In fact Valee's debut was the song "Konjidum Mangai Kumari Aanaal" (Film:Azhagar Malai Kalvan: Sung by PS: MD - Gobalan). He continued to struggle. He wrote here and there incinsisently, owing to few chances.

In 1964 owing to some misunderstanding with Kannadasan, MGR made an open statement that henceforth Valee would write for his films, at a time when Kannadasan was the main writer of his songs. Kannadasan too immediately responded by giving another satement that he would cease to write for MGR -starred films.

Then came Deivathaai (first of Sathya Studios production)and Saravana Screen's Padagotti where all songs were penned by Valee.

Following the success of these film songs, a special gathering was arranged to honour Valee. Kannadasan was invited to preside. Many poets overpraised Kannadasan, indicating that Valee was second to him. When Kannadasan spoke, he praised Valee and gave his own gold chain to Valee for the following lines:

"Velli nalave Vilakkai Eriyum
Kadalthaan Engal Veedu
Mudinthaal Mudiyum Thodarnthaal thodarum
ithuthaan engal Vaazkai-
Ithudaan engal Vaazhkai"

This came as a surprise to all present.

MGR used Valee to check Kannadasan. it is in history that more than anyone else it was MGR who paid keen attention to each and every line, nay words in the songs. Finally MGR too was pushed to realise that Kannadasan was simply incomparable. When Aayirathil Orivan was in the making, Valee could not bring out the peotic depth of Kannadasan. MGR, who was not in talking terms with Kannadasan phoned Kannadasan and summoned him to the studio where Valee and MGR were struggling to create the lyrics for a particular sitution. When Kannadasan turned up, within a fleeting moment, he wrote that great song in the presence of Valee. The song is

Odum Megangale Oru Sol Keleero
Aadum Manathinile Aaruthal Thaareero

MGR who was more than fully satisfied, requested him to complete all the other songs for the film, apart from those already written by Valee. Just listen to "Naanamo Innum Naanamo" and "Atho Antha paravai Pola vaazha Vendum"

Atho antha paravai tune is used as the national anthem in Vietnam.


KS Gobalakrishnan, who had counted on the strength of Kannadasan songs in his movies, threw a friendly challenge upon Kannadasan and used Valee in Karpagam. Kannadasan appreciated "0Pakkathu veettu paruva machaan" song lines. However, in his next movie, Gobalakrishnan came back to using Kannadasan for reasons only KSG could explain.

In the mid 1960s the Tamilnadu song fans were rather confused as they quoted Kannadasan for songs by Valee and vice versa in a few cases. That was because among the contemporaries then, it was only Valee who could go closest to Kannadasan.

Valee's open statement was that Kannadasan was his poetic mentor. Valee again had made it very open that his greatest achievement in the cine field was to have gained accolades from Kannadasan.

A few others did come close to Kannadasan's peotic power, but that was only short- lived.

Valee is the closest, and perhaps next to Kannadasan, but he in no way replaces Kannadasan.

Manisekaran