Topic started by Srini (@ 210-210-61-106.lan.sify.net) on Tue Jan 21 11:33:08 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Hi all:

I can't think of any singer in India who had taken efforts to sing consistently in three different voices, from the simple recognition of which even a blind man can attribute a given song to either of the two towering heroes of a given period, the third voice meant for artistes 'other' than the former two.

Today, singers will shudder in disbelief that such singers may have existed amidst us. Uyar Thiru. T M Soundara Rajan is a rare gem who is one such gifted person who has enlivened Tamil songs for decades together, and with such excellence that was unparalleled by singers in later years but also his contemporaries of yester years.

Even today, when a long forgotten [and yet in a nostalgic dormant Cache of all discerning Tamils] song plays in Radio, one could close eyelids for a moment and tell for sure if the protagonist in the song was MGR or Shivaji Ganesan or others (Jaishankar,Ashokan, et al).

Isn't that a rare and wonderful contribution that any singer could make to filmdom as well as to the singing profession itself ? How many Tamils in their 20s or 30s have noticed and appreciate this beauty ? How many film journalists or journals have acknowledged this lost wonder ?

Leave apart this nuance and excellence that TMS mastered, his impeccable rendering of classical Tamil melodies still linger in our ears (Mullai Malar Maeley.. in Uttamaputthiran, Paattum Naaney.. in ThiruviLaiyAdal etc. are simply immortal).

I feel extremely sad when today we see all satellite Tamil TV Channels dishing out extremely superficial interviews, frivolous compilation of nondescript banalities and do little justice to the rich legacy of Tamil filmdom and its doyens.

The tragic and heart wrenching last days of Thiru. V K Ramasamy is a poignant reminder of our recklessness, in the way treat people who had dedicated all their waking hours to entertain us. Mind numbing iconisation of just a few people with a concomitant (unpardonable) indifference to other talented people will ruin Tamils and their entertainment industry.

I am sorry for fuming about things other than TMS and his excellence. Well, I guess I had to relieve myself some way :-) I request you to share your knowledge and appreciation of TMS in this thread.

A simple Google search on "T M Soundara Rajan" yeilds just a couple of pages. That's a bad treatment one could do to legendary TMS. May this thread capture enough thoughts and views on him and help being a source (or sink!) for those who share similar appreciation.

I would have ideally liked to place this thread under Tamil Films section. But, I hope you understand the reasons why wouldn't I do that. Besides, TMS is an integral part of contemporary Tamil history.

Responses:

• From: Srini (@ 210-210-61-106.lan.sify.net) on: Tue Jan 21 11:40:57
  
  Hi friends:
  
  There has been a lot of change in professional and person front and hence I couldn't be seen in FH for many months. Even now, I scarcely get access to some CyberCafe. So, please don't mind if I can't participate frequetly. The idea is to pay rich respects to TMS and this being a thread that can be free from our other tirades, I hope there would neither be any need for moderation nor the thread-starter's moral obligation to hover around !! :-) Good times to you all.
  
  
• From: LayMan (@ 64-60-36-99.cust.telepacific.net) on: Tue Jan 21 15:02:10
  
  Srini - This is a good change from the usual flames! The combination of Viswanathan-Ramamurthy combo / MSV solo, Kannadasan and TMS are indeed treasures of our modern Tamil heritage / culture.
  
  Why TMS is not revered today as much as Kannadasan or MSV is a mystery. Several years ago, there was a program in Indian TV on Sivaji called Nadigar Thilagam - Our Palkalai Kazhagam. He talked of MGR, Savitri, MSV, Kannadasan and so many others - not a mention of TMS!
  
  Picking favorites from the literally thousands of TMS songs is difficult, but two stand out for: "Engey Nimmadhi" - a perfect combination of music, voice, lyrics, acting, picturization - the agony of the main character was there for all to see in that one song. The story actually moved forward in those songs - rather than stall and stutter as they do today. Another favorite - "Antha Naal Nyaabagam" - the emotion in the words describing lost childhood and friendships will bring a lump to anyone's throat. "Naadodi" in Anbe Vaa was great too - fast moving and great to see MGR enjoying what he was doing...
  
  Once Ilayaraaja came on the scene and with the fading of MGR, Sivaji and MSV, the role for TMS was sadly lost. I heard him sing some years ago in Madras - sadly his voice was not the same either...
  
  Srini - for once it has been a pleasure to participate in a thread in FH. Thanks...
  
  
• From: Tamilan-1 (@ startelcorp.com) on: Tue Jan 21 16:07:04
  
  Illayaraaja once said in singapore, there was and will be no one like TMS in playback singing. Thats a great tribute to TMS!
  
  
• From: Milton (@ sbproxy3.mystarhub.com.sg) on: Tue Jan 21 20:57:35
  
  TMS contributed a lot for MGR's popularity.He is best in Tamil pronounciation in song just like our Nadigar Thilagam in Dialogues.
  
  
• From: Santa Claus (@ crc-cache1.jaring.my) on: Tue Jan 21 23:24:04
  
  WHY?
  
  A good question. But the problem with TMS is the same thing that ails with Ilayaraaja.
  
  Both of them are highly talented and legends of Tamil cinema. Unfortunately their egos led to their downfall.
  
  If you separate the music from the man, then you get to see an exemplary artiste. But unfortunately the man is also in the music, and what you get is what you see.
  
  Many of you would have realised that TMS' fading away started in the mid-70s with the arrival of Ilarayaaja.
  But do you also realise that the first male voice Ilayaraja used was TMS'! In fact SP Bala came into the picture much later.
  
  The fallout with Ilayaraaja began when TMS announced rather indecently in SriLanka that "people who sing orampo will one day orampo from Tamil cinema."
  
  TMS' collapse began.
  
  I am a great fan of TMS and feel very sad that a man who has made millions of people happy throughout the world with his songs, is today unhappy and neglected.
  
  But the sad truth is that all these years of vanavaasam has not taught any thing to our beloved TMS. Last year at a Ninaivanjali session for Kannadhasan, which was also attended by MS Visvanathan, TMS chose to speak very highly and arrogantly of himself, instead of his experiences with Kannadhasan. The organisers had to interupt him many times and finally cut him short.
  
  MS Viswanathan, in contrast was a totally humble figure and refused to take credit for his immense contribution to Tamil movies and instead heaped praises upon Kannadhasan. Many a times, he was moved to tears.
  
  So friends, TMS is a great great singer and is a giant in Tamil movie world. Unfortunately, his ego has got the better of him.
  
  
• From: Milton (@ sbproxy2.mystarhub.com.sg) on: Tue Jan 21 23:45:15
  
  Santa claus,
  Yes,you are correct..4 year ago I also attended TMS,MSV programme on Kannadasan birthday at Kamarajar Arangam,chennai .The same thing happened as you mentioned.
  
  He sung many songs.But he didn't sing any songs from MGR movies.I thought he had some anger with MGR .As you said he praised himself and blaming everybody for not giving him due credit.He never mentioned anything about kannadasan.On the other hand great MSV recalled lot of his memories with Kannadasan.
  
  
• From: stg (@ 12.151.162.23) on: Wed Jan 22 07:42:33
  
  TMS is a singer par excellence but was not prudent with his words and said the wrong things at the wrong time also. He always has a grudge that the people label the songs as mgr and sivaji and not as TMS!! Unfortunate and I can empathise with him, but that is how its percieved and that does not make amends for his periodic outbursts. Still he is an unparalleled singer.
  
  
• From: chandrasekaran (@ ool-18bc5905.dyn.optonline.net) on: Mon Feb 17 23:07:56
  
  I agree that TMS is the best singer in tamil. His tamil pronounciations are phenominal. I do not think we will see any one like him any more. In spite of his ego we should give the due credits he deserves. In the north Indian culture and in the western culture they never fail to respect and give credits to theirs in spite of their shortcomings.
  
  
• From: Mookkan (@ cupwebproxy2.core.hp.com) on: Fri Feb 21 19:57:24
  
  BTW, TMS is, as far as I know, from the Saurashtra group of people. You know, those who fled Gujarat during Muslim invasions and settled in and around Madurai.
  
  
• From: Peter (@ 66-2-45-117-nj-01.cvx.algx.net) on: Sat Feb 22 21:19:41
  
  Yeah, that's right. He belongs to the Saurashtra community...I believe, his mother tongue is that language Saurashtra (very diff from Tamil, I've some friends from that community), inspite of that, he had a very good Tamil pronunciation, amazing...Is it b'coz of his community affliation, he didn't get due credit?, just wondering...
  
  
• From: Theepan (@ 203.94.66.130) on: Mon Mar 17 03:33:46
  
  TMS & SIVAGI ARE THE GREAT EXCELLENT MEN IN NORTH INDIAN CINEMA HISTORY.NO ONE CAN SUBSTIRUDE THEIR PLACES.STILL THEY ARE VACANCIES.MAIN DIFFERENT BETWEEN TMS& SIVAGI IS THEIR AWARDS.SIVAGI IS MOSTLEY KNOWN HIS GREATEST AWARDS BUT TMS NOT LIKE THAT.
  SIVAGI EXPRESS HIS ACTING TALENT WITH THE HELP OF THS SONG & TMS EXPRESS HIS TALENT WITH THE HELP OF SIVAGI.
  I AM REALLY SAD ABOUT TMS'S AWARD .IN 2003 FEBRUARY HE GOT FIRST AWARD (PATHMASRI;WHEN HE WAS 77 YEARS OLD) IN INDIAN LEVEL.
  MS.VIVANATHAN SAID 'THERE MAY BE THOUSAND OF SINGERS IN INDIA, BUT NO ONE CAN SING ATLEAST ONE OF HIS SONG LIKE TMS.
  ILAYARAJAH SAID 'TMS IS THE BEST SINGER & AVARUDAYA THIRAMAIKKETAVAKAIL EANNAAL ISAI AMIKKAMUDIYATHU"
  T.RAJENDAR SAID NOWADAYS THERES NO SINGERS LIKE TMS IN THE WORLDWIDE.
  
  
• From: Layman (@ 203.200.198.10) on: Fri Apr 4 06:36:19
  
  I believe TMS was awarded a Padma Bhushan or Padma Shri this year by President Abdul Kalam.
  
  
• From: Joe (@ palo5.pacific.net.sg) on: Fri Apr 4 07:25:49
  
  Yes,He got Padma shree yesterday..congrats for the great singer!
  
  
• From: bb (@ 12-234-176-52.client.attbi.com) on: Sun Apr 6 04:29:24
  
  http://www.tfmpage.com/forum/