M.K. Thyagaraja Bagavadhar

[Oldposts]

Sathya Keerthi

MKTB Part II

JAIL TERM
Chintamani ran for one year in Gaiety theatre. But Haridass ran in the Madras Broadway theatre for 3 consecutive Deepavalis. Around this time there was a yellow magazine called Hindu Nesan which was notorious in publishing the "Arputha LeelaikaL" of those involved in the cine field. The articles also mademention of NSK and MKTB. The editor Lachumikanthan was murdered. MKTB and NSK were impilcated and arrested. This caused traumatic shock waves to run in Tamilnadu. This was the time when MKTB was at the height of his glory and fame. As he was passing the days in prison Haridas gained popularity. The irony is that the person of MKTB lost out in popularity. In those days those linked with murderer incidents used to be excommunicated in society. Haridas was so popular that it was the first film to be re-released in colour tint. In those days portions of the films used to be given single colours called tints. This was the beginning of the advent of colour films. Portions of Haridas were given colour tints. In the second release the entire film was given colour tint-thereby became the first film to be given tint throughout.(The first full colour film is Ali Baba)

Just before going to prison MKTB had been booked for 20 films in a row. He even took advance. While in prison he was most depressed, distressed and dishearted. This is because no producer came to visit him there. His close friends deserted him. Those who used him as a golden goose discarded him. Some did turn up- to request MKTB to return the advance, thinking that he would never be released. This hurt him further. Meanwhile the producers took a different approach. Thinking that MKTB would never be released, they went on to create a substitute for him to act in the films scheduled for MKTB to act. This is how they dragged the Karnataka's Honnappa Bagavathar. They used him to produce Kalidas. It wa a flop. Then they tried another film called valmeeki. Also a flop! Now they realised that people could only rival MKTB, but caould never replace him.

Fortunately MKTB and NSK got early release through the good office of influential people who were also the fans of MKTB. Luck was in favour of NSK when he became an active member in DMK. The DMK promoted him. But MKTB was not a supporter of the ideologies og of the DMK. So NSK and MKTB who parted.

When MKTB was released he was invited for a kachery where he could not see the usual crowd. He was sad to learn that he was no more a crowd puller. By this time the very film producers who never patronised him in jail came forward to use MKTB(based on the success of Haridas) in new films. But MKTB refused totally in anger. He decided to test his strength in the film industry.
1. Rajamukthi- He used totally a new comer in the film industry to write dialogue. It was Chirukathai mannan Puthumaippithan who wrote the dialogue. The film was a flop. Puthumaipithan developed acute tuberclosis which lead to his death. But the film with CR Subbaraman as the MD had very good songs like Unnai allal oru thurumbasayumo, manida janmam meendum vanthidumo, ingumangum, enna anantham, piravik kadal, manam nininthu etc.
2. He then tried taking the film Amarakavi, using uvamai kavignar Suratha to write dialogu. Another flop. This film had good songs like ellaam inbamey, sevai seithaaley vaazhalaam.

3. The last attempt was the film Puthu Vazhvu.Here both G.Ramanathan and CN Pandurangan were used as MDs. He studied the changing trend in the cine field and took this film. It has a social film with sound social theme.He used the most sizzling glamourous actress of the time-Mathuri Devi. He even introduced a dream scene of Romeo-Juliet style. The song for this scene is the most melodious "thEn Kuyil poley" which he saang with Jikki-probably the only song with Jikki. Somehow this film also did not fare well.Ths wonderful songs in Puthu Vazhvu are like Suttu vizhi chudar thaan Kannamma, thAnam avasiyam, uNmai onRe pEsum nalla uyar guNam veNDum"

When he took Thiruneelakandar before going to Jail it was well received. But these three other last movies did not do well. He lost all his property. The films may be commercially failures, but the quality of the songs was not the least compromised.

Then there was a last attempt to rehabilitate him. The film Sivagami was produced. MKTB sang songs like "Atputha Leelaikalai, gnana sabayil, AravAram, and Anantha nadana vinotha. But half way he died and the film was completed with a new actor who did not pick up. TMS had to sing to make up for the loss. Those songs are "vaanil muzhu mathiyai kaNden vanathil oru poeNNai kaNDEn" and the duet with Solamangalam Rajalachumy"andgumingum Attam pOda vaikkuthu AnAlumAnanthamAi irukkuthu".

To be continued tomorrow. Good night/morning.