Topic started by Anand Mahadevan (@ tnt01-abe-119.fast.net) on Tue Oct 6 21:02:25 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

http://www.tamilcinema.com/cinenews/news/cinenews.htm

Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Shashi (@ eed02990.mayo.edu) on: Tue Oct 13 15:39:10 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Kaushik
  
  I thought Purushotham is called "Puru" by everybody including Raja.
  
  
• From: SR Kaushik (@ ntws412.cs.wisc.edu) on: Tue Oct 13 18:23:33 EDT 1998
  
  Sashi, It is quite possible that I confused 'Puru" for "Guru".
  
  
• From: The Fan (@ spider-wa072.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue Oct 13 19:57:35 EDT 1998
  
  Geetha:
  What did KJY say against IR? and later apologised. Please let us know.
  
  
• From: bala (@ 129.219.38.223) on: Tue Oct 13 21:36:09 EDT 1998
  
  To add to what you wonderful people have said before. I have never ever sung or hummed 'Vande Mataram' in my life time before ARR's 'Vande Mataram'. After listening to ARR's orchestration of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's 'Vande Mataram', I kept singing it. In fact, My friend and I sang the song when we were on top of the Eiffel tower!!!
  
  Anyway, ARR has given us 2 versions of the original 'vande Mataram' too. I dont think the original tune was tampered at all. 'Thai manne vanakkam' or 'Maa Tujhe Salaam' are hyper energy Patriotic songs with wonderful lyrics that can energize any kid in India and also the other generations. I dont know exactly what KJY meant, but ARR did a good job in reviving my feeling patriotism.
  
  bala
  
  
• From: badri raghavan (@ 202.54.21.173) on: Wed Oct 14 00:23:52 EDT 1998
  
  all along i was under the impression that patriotic fervour is in the lyrics and the background. take for example, thayin manikodi pareer. it conveys the sacrifices that millions have made so that we can talk whatever we want whenever we want.
  
  is vande mataram by arr of that genre? i doubt it for 2 reasons. the lyrics need to be dug out with the services of an archeologist in order to be heard properly, then understood and then realised. the other reason is that our freedom was won by peaceful and non-violent means. if the song is no noisy and loud then it reflects a different kind of freedom struggle like the russian revolution where the czar's rule was brought to an end in a bloody manner. listen to the original vm. the choice of desh, the sweet melody with minimum accompaniments and the all pervading sruti as the background.
  
  
• From: MPR (@ 173-241-224.ipt.aol.com) on: Wed Oct 14 00:37:09 EDT 1998
  
  Dear bala,
  
  It's nice to know that you and your friend had
  enjoyed 'Vande Madaram' in Eiffel tower and looks
  like it indeed invoked patriotism in you. But does
  it necessarily mean that it has to have the same
  effect on everybody? The thing you found in VM may
  not even be heard by Yesudoss. What's wrong in
  expressing his own opinon? He doesn't like it,
  so he says so.
  
  Many people here said that his popish kind of
  music attracted many youngsters very much and made
  them humming a partriotic song. But I strongly
  believe that evenif he had composed the song in
  original tune sung by other people like Lata,
  people still will be listening to his album, no
  doubt about it. But why he didn't do it? Why on
  earth he sang all the songs instead of using
  others? This whole VM is just a try to enter the
  pop music world, nothing more than that. And there
  is the whole media which is ready to hype
  anything. You name it, they will do the rest.
  
  MPR
  
  
• From: UV (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Wed Oct 14 01:04:22 EDT 1998
  
  dear Srikant,
  "VM is a great success around the world"
  
  It's been released in 25 countries and U know the number of cassettes sold?? Mere 7 lakhs.
  FYI, Dhalapathi's cassette sales for the first day itself was 5 lakhs
  
  
• From: r.ravi (@ 113.houston-06.tx.dial-access.att.net) on: Wed Oct 14 02:01:22 EDT 1998
  
  Geetha thanks ,,i didnt intend to offend u.Your info about sivamani was great.like to hear more.
  And by the way when KJY appreciates ARR everybody goes ga ga over it and when theres a criticsm KJY is trampled and thrown out. WHy pull musicians according to our whims and fancies..?
  
  
• From: Srinivas (@ pup36.stanford.edu) on: Wed Oct 14 14:35:02 EDT 1998
  
  Guys,
  VM was a hit even before it was released.
  
  From personal experience, I know that people flocked to the casette stores two hours before mid-night on 15th august 1997, knowing that it was going to be released at the stroke of mid-night.
  
  It was a case of perfect timing and succesful marketing.
  
  As MPR pointed out, it was a clever move by ARR to enter the Pop world.
  
  And like all Pop albums, it was quite limited in its impact. I doubt whether ARR achieved the impact that he set out to achieve.
  
  Personally, I feel that it lacks completeness or wholesomeness and fails to bring out the reverence and seriousness. One reason could be that ARR did not have too much time to compose the album.
  
  
• From: Ramakrishna (@ spider-to062.proxy.aol.com) on: Wed Oct 14 22:19:40 EDT 1998
  
  ARR didnt have much time to do this album is obviuos in repeating the popular tune in song Porale ponnu thaiye in Karuthamma for the Chanda Suraj Lakhon Taare in VM.
  
  
  
• From: Sharma (@ m14.chn.vsnl.net.in) on: Sun Oct 18 05:08:14 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Guys,
  
  'Vande Mataram' as such is a depiction of our Independence. And our independence is a reflection of Non-violence and silence.
  
  But the song composed by ARR is a contradiction to all the views that reflect our independence. Its a loud , noisy, irritating tune and picturised in a 'shitty' way. Sorry if I am a bit aggressive. But this is not the way our traditions and India is depicted.
  
  Sharma
  
  
• From: The Fan (@ spider-tr034.proxy.aol.com) on: Sun Oct 18 13:12:51 EDT 1998
  
  If you ask me about the Vande Mataram song, this ARR has found the chance to make his money. The song as per him is an insult. As usual he has the typical slow and irritating start for a song and the loud wailing at the end of the pallavi. We should have something better in this world to do than start slowly and irritatingly to ending loudly with a long wail! Come on, ARR please think of something genuine and honest.
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ slip-32-101-16-141.il.us.ibm.net) on: Sun Oct 18 17:53:32 EDT 1998
  
  Guys,
  This has become once again a ARR firing session.
  
  Can anyone here tell me 1 bad or poor musical or technical aspect in VM music album. As a ayudio album VM is great, no doubt about it, try to listen to it with an open heart instead being fault finders. Can anyone here come up with an album better than VM in the past few years.
  Have anyone heard the new VM album by latha and the gang - thangala! I mean it - cheap cloning with same Ideas.
  
  MrFan says:
  If you ask me about the Vande Mataram song, this ARR has found the chance to make his money.
  
  >What else we do most of the time in our life. Did ARR announce anyday! that VM was for charity, did he announce he did the work for free.
  
  The song as per him is an insult. As usual he has the typical slow and irritating start for a song and the loud wailing at the end of the pallavi. We should have something better in this world to do than start slowly and irritatingly to ending loudly with a long wail! Come on, ARR please think of something genuine and honest.
  
  >> "Tamizan tamizanale than keduvan" .
  
  It looks like KJY comment was used here to take adavantage to scream at ARR. VM is 2.5 years old,
  that fact it every one still remembers it, that itself is a great succes for a musician.
  
  
  Srikanth
  
  
• From: SR Kaushik (@ nova1.cs.wisc.edu) on: Sun Oct 18 19:34:50 EDT 1998
  
  For one there is no dearth of albums better than VM in the past few years (IMO).
  
  Why, I can comfortably say that ARR's own Kadhal Desam was better than VM. IMO, he is running short of inspiration now, which was reflected in VM, except for the "remix" Porale Ponnu thaayi which was also spoilt by the English parts.
  
  Using new and innovative chord patterns cannot make an album great. Even violin shreiks can be different music!! IMO, there is very little heart in the album, maybe only brain.
  
  
• From: r.ravi (@ 69.houston-03.tx.dial-access.att.net) on: Mon Oct 19 02:57:57 EDT 1998
  
  Kaushik u said it right.
  
  
• From: Shashi (@ eed02990.mayo.edu) on: Mon Oct 19 13:46:33 EDT 1998
  
  Here is one more reason why Vande Maataram is a success story whether you want to believe it or not.
  
  Just the releasing of the Sequel--VM 2 ; Why would anybody release a sequel if the 1st one was a failure?!
  
  BTW Srikanth I did buy VM 2 and listened to it. I agree that VM2 is not as good as VM. However, the second song Jai Jai Maatharam--by Shoba Maudgil is different and good. Even the third number which is a 'popish' interpretation of Vande Maatharam is certainly different and listenable. Offcourse, the original 1952 version by Hemant Kumar (MD) and Lata Mangeshar & chorus is excellent; for some reason I did not like its remix, ie the 1st song in the album by Lata herself (1998 version).
  
  I dont understand all the noise about modifying Vande maatharam. How come Hemant Kumar who is a Bengali himself (as Bankim Chandra) composed VM in a different tune? More importantly it was a hit in 1952?
  
  I am confused about comments about ARR's VM saying it does not reflect the nature of our Independence etc... True--Our struggle was non-violent--but that does not mean that when our martyrs were being beaten they hummed VM in Desh Raag as you are used to hearing. For God Sake they must have cried out loudly and boldly!! So what is wrong if BharatBala and ARR decide that they have to revive this spirit among the youngsters?!
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ envy.cs.umass.edu) on: Mon Oct 19 14:05:27 EDT 1998
  
  Sashi: they must have cried out loudly and boldly
  I agree with you on that. It has a completely different effect from singing the song. Folks, try it.. vandE maataram.
  
  
• From: NaNbaN (@ pa-max-ppp38.monmouth.com) on: Mon Oct 19 14:36:52 EDT 1998
  
  If we need a POP ALBUM like VM to revive our patriotism, then I can understand our patriotism level. That all also show where we stand.
  
  What do you vote for BUSINESS or PATRIOTISM?. Our patriotism album starts with POP. Wa re wa.. Seem to me that patriotism can't revived by Indian Music. The album has sold for 2 million copies. Ha ha..we have got 2 million patriots, does it sound sick. It is fellas.
  
  We can shortly expect a POP-MIXED Thaalatu for all the mothers to be played to the ULTRA-MODERN new born BABIES. You know what, babies might not sleep if there is no POP MIX in thaalatu.
  
  VM is good pop album. Pleasure to listen. The Album was successful. Everybody involved made money. Good try by ARR. Lets wish him good luck in future.
  
  Why do we have to bring patriotism here?.
  
  NaNBaN
  
  
• From: Shashi (@ eed02990.mayo.edu) on: Mon Oct 19 17:51:00 EDT 1998
  
  Hi Ravi. Thanks for agreeing. I am not sure if your last comment is sarcastic. If it is, can you elaborate why you feel that the singing of VM by ARR is not musical? I can tell you that it is in perfect sruthi.
  
  Dear NaNbaN--let me try to answer your questions.
  1. What do you vote for? I say both. Why cant you be patriotic and still do business? Mr. Tata may be a good example of both. To be frank I cannot understand what you meant by the statement "our patriotism album starts with POP' & 'Seem to me that patriotism can't revived by Indian Music'. Nobody said that if you listen to VM you will become a patriot---we do not necessarily have 2 million patriots but possibly that amount of listeners atleast if not many more and like anything in life we have some people who love it, some who hate it. Only in this case the number of listeners who liked it seemed to be greater. Did it really revive patriotism? I cannot answer that question quantitatively, but even if it did in a few (as seems to be the case with some DFers who sang VM on top of the Eiffel tower) I think it has succeeded in its mission.
  
  I am not sure about the Pop mixed thalaatu as you mention but have you heard common people singing thalaatu nowadays? Once in a while I have seen this being done and invariably because the popular culture in tamilnadu(for that matter in India) is dominated by cinema the songs being hummed as thalaatu are the various 'thalaatu' type songs from movies. Example "Thenpaandi seemayile... from Nayagan, Thooliyilae from Chinnathambi, Kanne Navamaniye... from En Bommukutti ammavukku etc. Maybe in the future if someone comes up with a pleasing/soothing pop based thalaatu (something like the soft jazz in the US) common people may hum/sing this as a lullaby--who knows? And so far as the baby sleeps what does it matter?