[hitaEtela]

When a super hero ( Super human ) like Makkal Thilagam is introduced in a movie, its UTMOST IMPORATANT that the arrival is made catchy . Not only the camera work but also the background music score has to match with the situation. And if it happens to be a song sequence, only extraordinary composers can create the real impact.

So when the great man comes out of the prison ( Ilaignar seer thirutha palli ), the camera first shows 2 legs coming out of the prison. One can imagine the anxiety and restlessness amongst fans when thalaivar is introduced . Especially this movie was an exceptionally exceptional movie because MGR appears only after 22 minutes after the movie is on !

It’s a real challenge for the great masters MSV-TKR to come up with a really striking tune and orchestration.

And what a song it turned out to be ultimately ULAGAM PIRANDHADHU ENAKAAGA .
The high speed tempo set through the scintillating violin / accordion prelude convey precisely the mood of the given situation .

A sense of positive / vibrant feeling is created through the thunderous prelude and the ever enthusiastic golden voice of TMS !

A free bird ( infact a shot is being shown a bird flying ) MGR comes out happily from the cell and joyfully / cheerfully runs around singing this eternal classic .

MGR always wished / conveyed a positive start to his movies and this song is no exception .

This 1961 release T.R. Ramanna directed PAASAM is one of the very best portrayals of Makkal thilagam but sadly didn’t go well with the fans . Why his fans, even for an ardent Nadigar Thilagam fan like me never wanted MGR to die in a movie . Such has been his magnetic pulling power and charisma . This movie had commendable performance by him as a character actor but on seeing the outcome of the movie and the affection and love the fans have over him, he changed his formulae totally and never looked back. ( before, he dies in Madurai Veeran )

One can also observe Makkal thilagam’s face quickly undergoing a makeup change as soon as the song gets over. His face is shown dark as he faces disappointments / frustration and noone accepts him to give a fresh lease of life . He looks a puzzled man and tries his best to come out of his personally setback forgetting his past life but ultimately fails in his sincere attempts and dies at the end.

Ok. How does the song take off ? It’s really a rousing start with group of violin and accordion in hectic chase and the prelude runs for a magical 23 seconds before TMS starts with Ulagam pirandhadhu enakaga , odum nadhigalum enakaga.

Only Kavignar Kannadasan can pen such enterprising lyrics :

Malargal malarvadhu enakkaga
Annai madiyai virithal enakkaga

And during this phase, MGR had already been part of DMK and a strong force to reckon with . So, the lyrics are very carefully but poetically sculptured :

Kaakai midhakkum oligaliley
Kadalil thavazum alaigaliley
IRAIVAN IRUPADHAI NAAN ARIVEN
ENNAI AVANEY THAAN ARIVAAN !!

MGR didn’t want to antagonize the staunch aethists and hence went soft on the existence of God but presented it in a very subtle manner !

Now, he talks about his future plans :

Thavazum nilavam thanga radham
Tharagai padhitha manimagudam
Kuyilgam paadum kalai koodam
KONDADHU ENADHU ARASAANGAM !!

And he never forgets to cover his formula mother sentiment :


Ellam enakkul irundhalum
Ennai thanakkul vaithirukkum
ANNAI MANAME EN KOVIL
AVALE ENDRUM EN DEIVAM !!


Actually, immersed in the MGR world, I forgot about the greatness of the song’s orchestration.

This is one yet another song wherein TMS lives / breaths like MGR.

The interludes run at jet speed with scintillating usage of Accordion ,flute, violin , hawain guitar . And when TMS sings the charanam, the tabla runs along with in a nice manner complementing the rhythm set .

Running through the tune makes me feel like the tune has been set to avaroganam format ( from high pitch to low pitch ) .

See , the same tempo of avaroganam is applied even for charanam. May be musical experts can certify please.

The beauty of the song is that the high speed tempo is maintained evenly through the song & before you could blink your eyes, the song is over !

Many say ( even Mellisai Mannar himself had admitted this fact ) that MGR used to demand for the best from the composers and always had extensive sessions with them and ask for multiple tunes for a given situation and ultimately will decide one and invariably it turned out to be a super hit song !

By the time, this movie was made, MGR already had become a major dominant force in tamil cinema as an action hero and this movie’s theme surprised many . Movies like Nadodi Mannan, Mannadhi mannan , Mahadevi and all portrayed him as a king . However, in the same year, he had played roles like Rani Samyuktha, Vikramadithan to enhance his position.

MSV – TKR ( and later MSV solo ) have given some superb starts to MGR movies and this Ulagam pirandhadhu is one such. They have also given Acham enbadhu madamaiadaa earlier !

This movie has some lovely other songs :

•Paal vannam paruvam kandu - PBS and PS
•Jal jal jal ennum salangai oli – S.Janaki ( rare those days )
•Uravu solla oruvar indri vazbavan ( PS )
•Maalayum iravum sandhikkum idathil ( PBS and SJ for Kalyankumar & his pair )

PBS rarely sung for MGR ( another was ennaruge nee irundhal from thirudadhey and Neeyo naano yaar nilave ) . Paal vannam is another class song .

Also , by this time, the MSV-TKR duo had established a firm footing in tfm and what followed soon , we all know. Amazing albums for MGR/Shivaji / Gemini Ganesan / Muthuraman and all and created history , the songs which are being widely heard even today ! The duo became a formidable pair and the songs during this period are real gems to preserve for ever.

Wonder what would have happened to MGR’s career if he had continued playing such character roles ! He never took a chance until the mid 70s when he played a middle aged man role in Naan yen pirandhen but by this time, his cine career was reaching its end ( while the political career was on the rise ). Makkal thilagam was ever , a shrewd decision maker and he must have quickly assessed the situation & changed his formula to action oriented movies .