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P.K. AJITH KUMAR
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V.T. Murali has released an album titled ‘Paduka Nilave.’
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Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup.
Singer-cum-composer: V.T. Murali.
He has sung just a handful of songs in films, but most of them were hits. V.T. Murali was able to make an impression with his very first song, ‘Othupalleelannu nammal…’ (‘Thenthulli’). His ‘Mathalathenunnan…
’ continues to be popular over two decades after it was first heard in the Mohanlal-starrer ‘Uyarum Njan Nadake.’
He, however, does not hide his disappointment at not being able to make it big in Malayalam film music, despite a promising start. “Maybe because I was shy and didn’t want to ask for opportunities. That was also the time when our music directors were hesitant to try new voices, unlike today,” says Murali, who was chosen recently for the Sangeetha Nataka Akademy award for light music.
“Since I was based in Vatakara and I had a government job, I couldn’t go to Chennai and stay there hoping to get assignments. During those days only few composers like K. Raghavan were prepared to encourage new singers; he was the one who gave me my first song in ‘Thenthulli,’ and I have learnt a lot from him,” says the singer who himself has turned composer.
Second album
He brought out his second album of light music recently, titled ‘Paduka Nilave,’ in which P. Jayachandarn, G. Venugopal, Srinivas and Sujatha have sung. “Composing is something I enjoy. I used to compose and sing Malayalam poems several years ago. Recently I tuned some poems of O.N.V. and Sugatha Kumari for children.”
Another passion for Murali, who has sung over 200 songs in plays, is the Carnatic raga Mohanam. Last year he conceived a stage show featuring songs from Malayalam films and plays based exclusively on Mohanam. “And the invitations keep coming in. The show is not just for those who are knowledgeable about music, it can be enjoyed by a lay audience as well,” says Murali.
He chose Mohanam for the programme for obvious reasons: it is one of the most widely used ragas in Malayalam films.
Explains Murali, “I have always been fascinated by the amazing variety of Mohanam; it can portray a wide range of emotions. Devarajan was the one who made the best use of Mohanam, with compositions, like ‘Ezhu sundara rathrikal…’ (‘Aswamedham’), ‘Devaloka rathavumayi…’ (‘Vivahitha’) and ‘Swargaputhri….’ (‘Nizhalattam’). I was also impressed by the way Bombay Ravi used the raga, especially in songs like ‘Manjal prasadvaum…’ and ‘Aareyum bhavagayakanakkum…’ (‘Nakhakshthangal’). ”
All those songs have great lyrics too. Says Murali, “Now, the music directors find it a challenge to compose a song to suit the limitations of most singers.”
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
