Manisegaran on a few firsts

Original Thread

  • From: Manisekaran (@ wmu-51-10.tm.net.my) on: Sun Apr 12 08:25:40 EDT 1998


    Let me give a few firsts.

    1. The first Tamil film, we all know is Kaildass of 1931 release. Two persons wrote songs in the film, one is Baskaradass, the other is Nadarajachary. But Bhaskaradass is said to be the first to have written sings in that movie, and those songs were sung by the beggers in the streets as they were that pupular.
    That first song by Bhaskaradass is:

    "Indiyarkal Namavarkkul Eno Veen Sandai"

    2. The first film to have the most number of songs is India Saba of 19324 release. There were a total of 71 songs in the film.

    3. The first to actor to have written songs is PTV Krishnan. He acted in the film called "Mahatma Kabeerdass" in 1936 and also wrote songs.

    4. The first person to have acted, composed songs and acted was M.R.Swaminathan. In the old "Sakunthalai" he composed songs and sang as well.The song is:
    Kalaiyiley Ezhunthirunthu
    Kanchi Thanni Illamaley
    Kashtappadaren Kadavuley
    This song was so polpular that Mellisai Mannar used to sing it at the age off 12.


    5. Later SS Rajendran composed a song which was sung by TMS in the film called Vazhikaatti. The song is
    Thayai Kandathillai
    Thanthayai Paarthathillai

    6. We call the actor-cum politician T.Rajendar as the Sakala Kala Vallavan, all because he does multi-works in his films. In the early days there was a novelist and an orator called A. Ratnasababathy who wrote story, dialogue, songs and acted in the film called "Danger Signal" anddirected it. He is undoubtedly the original Sagala Kala Vallavan.

    7.It used to be thought that Roshana Begum is the first lady to have composed songs for movies, citing the Kungumap Pottin Mangalam from Kudiyiruhta Koyil. But as early as 1949 Director K. Subramaniam's wife Meenatchy Subramaniam of Nagappattinam had composed a song for the film "Seethakathy" The song is:
    "
    Aaru Mani Nerathukku Mel Velai Seivom"

    8. The first Aasthana Kavignar(regional) to have written story and composed song for movies was Magaraja Vaathiyar of Ettayappuram. He wrote story for the film Thayalan and wrote songs as well. PU Chinnappa acted in that film

    9. The first film to have used resemblance of Tamil literature was "Nalla Thangal" of 1935. Vidvan Paramakkudy Sivaramalingam wrote a song as follows:
    Oru Uromam Ponalum Kavarimaaan Uyir Vazhadu"
    This is a lifting from the thirukkural which goes as follows:

    "Mayir Neeppin Vaazhak Kavarimaan
    Annar Uyir Neeppin Maanam Varin"

    10. The first Seerthirutha Paadal was used in a ilm called "Bakthesa". One Papabansan Rajagopalaiyar wrote a song as follows:

    Natta Kallai Theivamenbaar
    Kettikkarar Peraiya
    Sutta Kallai Pechiyenil
    Suvargalin Per Ennada..

    11. The first song to have been picturised totally outdoor was a song by Suratha in a film called "En Thangai". That was also the first song by Surada. The song which as picturised in Santhome beach is:

    Aadum Oonjalai Poley
    Alai aaduthey..

    12. The first song to be used as a playback song in Tamil cinema history is from the MGR film Rajakumari. The MD is SM SUbbiah Naidu.It is also the first cinema song for Tiruchy Loganathan. T.L sang for MN Nambiyar.The song is:

    "Kasinimel Nangal Vaazhvathey"

    13. The first film to be shot overseas(London) was Navayuvan in 1936, starred by VV Sadakoban.

    14. The songs to have used most number of instruments range as follows:

    a. Engey Nimmathy (Puthiya Paravai)used 70 instruments
    b. Pattathu Raani Paarkum Parvai(Sivantha Mann) used 131 instruments

    c. Ninaithathai Nadathiyey Mudippavan(Nam Naadu) used 126 instruments.

    d. Ponnanthi Maalai Pozhuthu( Idaya Veenai) also used many instruments.

    Of course the first to have used most instruments is Engey Nimmathee

    15. The films that never cut discs were Kalai Arasi and Sithoor Rani Pathmani

    16. There are two songs sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan as well as Tiruchy LOganathan. Records are available for both these singers. But only songs by SG were used in the film called Gomathiyin Kaathal. The songs are:
    a) Vaanameethil Neenthiyodum Venilavey
    b) Kongunaatu Chengarumbey Thangachilayey

    See you all tomorrow. Regards