Apoorva Sagodharargal is the soundtrack to the 1989 Tamil-language masala film of the same name directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao with Kamal Haasan leading an ensemble cast featuring Jaishankar, Nagesh, Gautami, Rupini, Manorama, Srividya, Janagaraj, Moulee, Delhi Ganesh and Nassar. The soundtrack featured six songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Vaali.[1][2] The dubbed Telugu and Hindi versions, Vichitra Sodarulu and Appu Raja, featured only five songs which are written by Prem Dhawan and Rajasri.[3][4]
| Apoorva Sagodharargal | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 14 April 1989 |
| Recorded | 1988–1989 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 28:22 |
| Language | Tamil |
| Label | Echo |
| Producer | Ilaiyaraaja |
Development
editAfter his previous collaboration with Raja Paarvai (1981), Rao recruited Ilaiyaraaja to provide the musical score for Apoorva Sagodharargal and Vaali wrote the lyrics. According to Ilaiyaraaja, Haasan explained the particular situation in the story (regarding a marriage) to which Ilaiyaraaja composed the tune, but Haasan, despite liking the tune offered, was not overall satisfied. He then presented the song "Naan Paarthathile", composed by M. S. Viswanathan for Anbe Vaa (1966) and based on that Ilaiyaraaja composed the song "Puthu Maappillaikku".[5] Haasan has stated that, after watching a performance at an Academy Awards ceremony, he wanted Ilaiyaraaja to compose a song like that; this resulted in adding the gibberish lines "bababa... bababari..." before the song's introduction.[6]
The song "Unna Nenachen" was rewritten by Vaali five times until the sixth attempt satisfied Haasan.[7] The song "Raja Kaiya Vachchaa" has two versions: one by Haasan, which was used in the film and in the audio cassette, and another sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, which was included in the audio LP.[1] The song was used as a place-holder for the originally intended track "Ammava Naan".[8] This song was shot with Haasan and Gandhimathi (who was the initial choice for Haasan's foster mother)[9] for 10 days, before being excluded from the film due to script changes.[10] However, after its successful theatrical run, the song was included as an added attraction.[11][12] The visuals of "Raja Kaiya Vachchaa" takes inspiration from the American film Grease (1978).[13]
Track listing
editTamil
editAll lyrics are written by Vaali
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raja Kaiya Vachchaa" | Kamal Haasan | 4:56 |
| 2. | "Raja Kaiya Vachchaa" (Reprise) | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:55 |
| 3. | "Puthu Maappillaikku" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Unna Nenachen" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:38 |
| 5. | "Vaazhavaikum Kaathalukku Jey" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:40 |
| 6. | "Annaaththe Aaduraar" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:39 |
| Total length: | 28:22 | ||
Telugu
editAll lyrics are written by Rajasri
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raja Cheyyi Vesthe" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:50 |
| 2. | "Bujji Pelli Kodukki" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Ninnu Thalachi" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:26 |
| 4. | "Vedi Vedi Aasalaku" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | 4:30 |
| 5. | "Aadedhi Nenura" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:28 |
| Total length: | 22:46 | ||
Hindi
editAll lyrics are written by Prem Dhawan
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raja Naam Mera" | Kamal Haasan | 4:50 |
| 2. | "Woh To Bana Apna" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Asha Bhosle | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Tune Saathi Paya Apna Jag Mein" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:25 |
| 4. | "Matwale Yaar Teri Jai" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Asha Bhosle | 4:30 |
| 5. | "Aaya Hai Raja" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:28 |
| Total length: | 22:45 | ||
Reception
editKhalid Mohamed of The Times of India described that, along with the visuals of P. C. Sreeram, Ilaiyaraaja's "ring-rang rock pop music score" served as the film's key contributor,[14] Anand Kumar RS of The News Minute described the music as "fantastic" with the background score "just elevates the scenes by a few notches" and also complimented Vaali's lyrics.[15] Rajesh Rajamani of HuffPost described "Raaja Kaiya Vachcha" as one of his "self-referential songs where he invokes the name Raaja (king), a monicker often used by fans";[16] the lyrics "raaja kaiya vachcha adhu wrong-ah ponadhilla" (transl. If Raja touches something, then it does not go wrong), often regard to his illustrious career, which, according to Rajamani, "had made his critics accuse him of extreme narcissism".[16]
Legacy
editFollowing Vaali's death in 2013, The Hindu included "Unna Nenachen" among his best songs in their collection, "Best of Vaali: From 1964 – 2013".[17] Roktim Rajpal of Deccan Herald also included "Unna Nenachen" as the best five songs sung by Balasubrahmanyam, which was published post his death in September 2020; Rajpal described it as "one of the finest sad songs of all time".[18] "Annaaththe Aaduraar" was included as one of the "16 Tamil dance party songs" by The News Minute.[19]
In popular culture
editElements of "Annatha Aadurar" were used in the song "Saroja Saman Nikalo" from Chennai 600028 (2007).[20] In the same film, the emotional theme music from Apoorva Sagodharagal was reused in a sequence where Gopi (Vijay Vasanth) loses his favorite cricket bat, after Sharks team's defeat in a betting cricket match with schoolchildren.[21] This theme was humorously remixed as the "Gopi Bat Theme" which was featured in the sequel, Chennai 600028 II (2016).[22] In October 2020, Assamese musician sisters Antara and Ankita Nandy, performed "Annatha Aadurar" as a tribute to Balasubrahmanyam.[23]
References
edit- ^ a b "RARE: Original LP cover of Kamal Hassan's "Aboorva Sagodharargal" (Tamil, 1989)". The Cinema Resource Centre. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Aboorva Sagodharargal (1989)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Vichitra Sodarulu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Appu Raja (1990)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Happy Birthday Ilaiyaraaja: When the genius composer spoke about picking old tunes for new songs". The Indian Express. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (4 September 2014). "And more on the Ilaiyaraaja connection". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "கவிஞர் வாலி உடல் தகனம்". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 18 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ சந்திரமௌலி, எஸ். (14 May 1989). "குள்ளக் கமலை உருவாக்கியது எப்படி?". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 9. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Manorama wasn't Kamal's first choice". The Times of India. 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ Srivatsan, S (13 April 2019). "Why Kamal Haasan's 'Apoorva Sagodharargal' is 30-years-young". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ Jeshi, K. (26 January 2011). "Films in spotlight". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "″ஒரு துப்பாக்கி கையில் எடுக்காதே, எந்தத் தோட்டாவும் என்ன துளைக்காதே!" – கமல் சொல்லி அடித்த 'அபூர்வ சகோதரர்கள்'". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 14 April 2020. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ Dhananjayan 2011, p. 120.
- ^ Mohamed, Khalid (2 July 1989). "Superstar, naturally". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ RS, Anand Kumar (16 April 2019). "30 years of 'Apoorva Sagodharargal': Why Kamal Haasan's film is unforgettable". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ a b Rajamani, Rajesh (7 June 2020). "To Appreciate Ilaiyaraaja's Anti-Caste Politics, You Have To Listen To His Music". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Best of Vaali: From 1964–2013". The Hindu. 19 July 2013. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ Rajpal, Roktim (25 September 2020). "S P Balasubrahmanyam death: 5 iconic songs that made SPB pride of Telugu, Tamil cinema". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ Staff, T. N. M. (24 July 2020). "Kamal's 'Annathey Aduraar' to Sai Pallavi's 'Rowdy Baby': 16 Tamil dance party songs". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Chennai 600028 Music Review". IndiaGlitz. 26 February 2007. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ Gopi loses his favorite cricket bat | Chennai 600028 (Motion picture) (in Tamil). Sun NXT. 21 March 2022. Event occurs at 4:42. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Shivakumar, Vivek (23 April 2020). "Venkat Prabhu: 5 Instances When The Director And His Team Celebrated Inside Humour In Tamil Cinema". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "Watch: Assamese sisters sing SPB's 'Annathe Adurar', pay tribute". The News Minute. 5 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
External links
edit- Dhananjayan, G. (2011). The Best of Tamil Cinema, 1931 to 2010: 1977–2010. Galatta Media. OCLC 733724281.