Kamal Hassan - The unsung singer!

Kamal Hassan, is very well known as a multi-faceted actor, hell-bent film-maker, and an avid dancer. But few people must have adored Kamal Hassan as a singer. It might raise an eyebrow, if I were to tell you that Kamal has sung close to 75 tracks, and as it turned out be, most of the songs were runaway hits. Lot of the people though denigrate Kamal, accusing him that, he forcibly persuades music directors to have him sing at least a track in films he's casted on. But people, fail to understand Kamal is qualified enough to do the singing himself(occasionally). Why???

Kamal under the tutelage of Dr Balamurali Krishna has practiced carnatic music and Mr. Krishna was so impressed with Kamal, that he asked for 2 and a half years while Kamal continued with him, and he would make sure to get Kamal on stage with him. Kamal engrossed with movies couldn’t really afford the time! Dr. Krishna was so fond of Kamal, in the Miley Sur Mera Tumhara short film, he wanted Kamal to sit next with him on the Tanpura, but Kamal humbly declined saying it'd be unfair.

Ilaiyaraaja was the first MD to spot the singer in Kamal and gave him ample opportunities to sing all-along in their long term illustrious association. Memorable films include Aboorva Sagotharargal, MMKR, Virumaandi and the recent Mumbai Express. Kamal has also sung for other music directors which includes ARR, Karthik Raja, Bharadwaj, Vidya Sagar, Yuvan Shankar Raja…

I thought it’d only be befitting a post to come out with a compilation of my personal favorites

Kamal has sung for Ilaiyaraaja and other Music Directors…

So here it goes for the ultimate connoisseur of music!

• Vizhiyorathu Kanavum - Raja Paarvai
• Vikram...Vikram… - Vikram
• Ammammamma Vandadhingae - Per Sollum Pillai
• Potta Padiyudhu - Sathya
• Raja Kayya Vecha - Apoorva Sahodarargal
• Sundari Neeyum - Michael Madhana Kamarajan
• Kanmani Anboda - Guna
• Inchi Iduppazhaka - Thevar Magan
• Thanmanam Ulla Nenjam - Mahanadhi
• Ram Ram Salaam - Hey Ram
• Sanyaas Mantra - Hey Ram
• Unnai vida - Virumaandi
• Maada Vilakke - Virumaandi
• Ninaivo Oru Paravai - Sigappu Rojakkal
• Yaar Yaar Sivam - Anbe Sivam
• Alwarpettai Aazhuda - Vasool Raja MBBS
• Muththe Muththammah - Ullasam
• Peek Into Assasin's Life: Neruppu Vaayinil - Pudhupettai
• Kadhal piriyathu kavidhai - Pancha Thanthiram
• Injirango Injirango - Thenaali
• Kadavul Paadhi - Aalavandan

A funny incident!

After a grueling day at work, I came down to Tidel Park to board my 7.30 PM bus to reach home. As usual, Rajiv Gandhi Salai was bustling with traffic, where bikers define their own rules, pedestrians cross the roads at will, overcrowded MTC buses defy gravity and the share auto(the mangled remains of a crashed Auto Rickshaw, when rehashed gives birth to a strange thing called Share Auto ) wallas beckon the tagged gentlemen and women for one-helluva-ride!

It was 8PM, I was still waiting with bated breath, wondering whether the bus had already left! When the clock ticked 5 min past 8, bus finally arrived and I puffed away a huge sigh of relief. People (fellow employees) took-off like a bat out of hell, to ensure they got seat. I was the last to board the bus, and fortunately I got a window seat. Moments later, I noticed that the person who was sitting in the front seat was a Mobileaholic,a conclusively proven fact, for he was talking ever since I had reached the bus stop, CUG was doing the trick, I guess. 'He is a non-stop-non-sense' I thought to myself. His antics were irritating me… And what surprises me the most is, these are the same people( both men and women) who notch a vociferous 110 Decibel while a striking normal conversation, and invariably drop down to a feeble 30 Db, while talking to their special-someone. This is a trick, these people posses up their sleeve. And I wonder what these people talk all the time, all day long…

Coming back to the story, The trip sheet which is normally passed in the bus, is supposed to be filled-in by every associate which captures the basic details like Associate ID, Destination et al, and this gentleman, seated at the front did not care to fill it when it was passed to him, nor did he care to pass it to me. I was waiting patiently for my turn to fill it up, and I would then doze-off happily. I was closely monitoring him, he would just go about start filling-in, and then be immersed in the conversation doing all sorts of non-verbal gimmicks. He would then again have a look at the trip sheet, start filling-in and again would get lost in the conversation. Finally he made up his mind and started filling-in something concrete and just when I thought he was done with it, he puts aside the trip sheet pad and again started talking. I got enraged and by the time the bus reached Guindy, I totally lost my cool and said 'Boss are you going to pass that trip sheet or not' and he responded saying ' The pen doesn't write'!

I sheepishly smiled and curled up in my seat…

Sathyam 'Extravagant' Cinemas!!!

I really detest starting-off blogging on the break of a new year, with an unpleasant experience. But then, I couldn’t help it! While most of the Chennai-crowd were merrily celebrating the New Year at party halls, beaches and resorts, I chose to visit Sathyam Cinemas!

I quickly discovered Sathyam had something new in store for us. What??? LCD screens at restrooms, gaudily displaying the new releases and show timings… What a crock of shit that was! Sathyam Cinemas hitherto had done some significant renovation, reorganization and restoration. Worth a mention is the plush seating, RDX, Magic-Hat, Fuel, Pure Cinema et al…

But this one??? How on earth is this going to command a better movie-watching experience for the viewer? Looks Sathyam were left with surplus funds, and decided to piss it over… Utterly Preposterous…

It wouldn't spring up as a surprise if Sathyam shoots-up the ticket price in the name of such barren benefits and make ‘stinking’ profits! Beware where your money goes!