Dr Rajkumar - Remembered through songs Part 3
This is the third post in the blog. In the earlier posts, we covered songs from movies of the follow genres - Devotional, Mythological, Historical, Social Relevance, Social Drama. If you have missed the first 2 parts, you can read it here.
Before we start covering the songs in this post, one feedback I received earlier is to acknowledge the actors playing the supporting cast in Dr Raj movies, who equally contributed to the success of the movies. Though this list is endless, I have selected a few (just due to lack of space and also not to distract from the original intention of the blog).
Most Dr Raj movies always had romance, comic relief, action, sentiments, villainy as part of the narrative. I have listed down below in each category a small set of actors. Some of these actors (specially Narasimharaju had some songs for himself in the movies and were laugh riots. I have included one song "Yaaru Yaaru nee yaaru" in the playlist at the start below).
Comic/Character/Sentimental Roles : Udaykumar, K.N. Aswath, Balakrishna, Narasimharaju, Pandari Bai, Sampath, Leelavathi, Ramadevi, Dwarakish, Shivaram
Villians : Udaykumar, Vajramuni, Toogudeepa Srinivas, Prabhakar, Sudheer
Heroine roles : Jayanthi, Sarojadevi, Leelavathi, Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, Kalpana, Manjula, Aarathi, Jayamala, Lakshmi(Julie), Madhavi, Jayaprada, Geetha, Saritha
Before we start covering the songs in this post, one feedback I received earlier is to acknowledge the actors playing the supporting cast in Dr Raj movies, who equally contributed to the success of the movies. Though this list is endless, I have selected a few (just due to lack of space and also not to distract from the original intention of the blog).
Most Dr Raj movies always had romance, comic relief, action, sentiments, villainy as part of the narrative. I have listed down below in each category a small set of actors. Some of these actors (specially Narasimharaju had some songs for himself in the movies and were laugh riots. I have included one song "Yaaru Yaaru nee yaaru" in the playlist at the start below).
Comic/Character/Sentimental Roles : Udaykumar, K.N. Aswath, Balakrishna, Narasimharaju, Pandari Bai, Sampath, Leelavathi, Ramadevi, Dwarakish, Shivaram
Villians : Udaykumar, Vajramuni, Toogudeepa Srinivas, Prabhakar, Sudheer
Heroine roles : Jayanthi, Sarojadevi, Leelavathi, Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, Kalpana, Manjula, Aarathi, Jayamala, Lakshmi(Julie), Madhavi, Jayaprada, Geetha, Saritha
Getting back to our main agenda, I have updated the chart below with selection of movies for this post. We will be going through the songs from movies of the Musical and Romantic genres.
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Dr Raj - Selected movies by genre |
Sangeethapradhaana(Musicals)
While most Dr Raj had great music, there are only a few where the entire story was driven by music. Primarily, only two come to mind - Sandhya Raaga and Sanaadi Appanna.
In Sandhya Raaga, Dr Raj plays the role of a classical singer who goes through the travails of starting from scratch to finding a guru, becoming successful(in the process, loses his wife) and finally gives up his life on stage, singing a raaga which he promised to his dying wife that he will not sing. Each song is so great that this movie requires a blog by itself. The movie had musical greats Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Dr Balamurali Krishna along with Dr PBS/S Janaki singing under the musical direction of the genius, G.K. Venkatesh. The following songs are my favorites - "Deena Naa Bandiruve", "Eee pariya sobhagu", "Theliso illa muligiso"(last 2 songs written by Purandara Daasaru).
However, there are 3 versions of the song "Nambide Ninna Naada Devathe" sung by S.Janaki, Dr Balamurali and Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. Each one is different and enjoyable in it's own right(points to the musical genius of GK Venkatesh and the singers). I have added all 3 to the playlist below.
The second movie was "Sanaadi Appanna" where Dr Raj plays a Shehnai performer and the movie also has sentimental aspects to it which really brings tears to the eyes of the watcher. The highlight of the movie has to be the Shehnai vadan by the great Ustad Bismillah Khan ( there's a whole story behind how this happened). Dr Raj spent time with the Ustad learning the tricks of the trade, so well that you would think that he really plays the Shehnai while watching the movie. Great songs in the movie - "Ninagaagi odadi bande", "Naane thaayi, naane tandhe", "Raaga Anuraaga" but the crowning jewel of the movie is this song "Karedaru Kelede" which has singing by S.Janaki, shehnai by Ustad Bismillah Khan(with Dr Raj acting) and dancing by Jayaprada. The song is shot as a contest between the dancer and the shehnai player as to who will outlast the other and brings goosebumps to any watcher.
In Sandhya Raaga, Dr Raj plays the role of a classical singer who goes through the travails of starting from scratch to finding a guru, becoming successful(in the process, loses his wife) and finally gives up his life on stage, singing a raaga which he promised to his dying wife that he will not sing. Each song is so great that this movie requires a blog by itself. The movie had musical greats Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Dr Balamurali Krishna along with Dr PBS/S Janaki singing under the musical direction of the genius, G.K. Venkatesh. The following songs are my favorites - "Deena Naa Bandiruve", "Eee pariya sobhagu", "Theliso illa muligiso"(last 2 songs written by Purandara Daasaru).
However, there are 3 versions of the song "Nambide Ninna Naada Devathe" sung by S.Janaki, Dr Balamurali and Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. Each one is different and enjoyable in it's own right(points to the musical genius of GK Venkatesh and the singers). I have added all 3 to the playlist below.
The second movie was "Sanaadi Appanna" where Dr Raj plays a Shehnai performer and the movie also has sentimental aspects to it which really brings tears to the eyes of the watcher. The highlight of the movie has to be the Shehnai vadan by the great Ustad Bismillah Khan ( there's a whole story behind how this happened). Dr Raj spent time with the Ustad learning the tricks of the trade, so well that you would think that he really plays the Shehnai while watching the movie. Great songs in the movie - "Ninagaagi odadi bande", "Naane thaayi, naane tandhe", "Raaga Anuraaga" but the crowning jewel of the movie is this song "Karedaru Kelede" which has singing by S.Janaki, shehnai by Ustad Bismillah Khan(with Dr Raj acting) and dancing by Jayaprada. The song is shot as a contest between the dancer and the shehnai player as to who will outlast the other and brings goosebumps to any watcher.
Nee Nanna Gellalaare deserves a
mention too due to the very hummable songs tuned by Ilaiyaraaja.
The song "Nanna Neenu Gellalaare" is a fun song as a
competition between the hero and heroine in the film sung beautifully by Dr Raj
and S.Janaki.
Romantic Movies
Dr Raj was as good in romantic roles as he was in others. Most movies had a romantic angle and melodious songs. However, some come across as movies where the movie was driven by love/romance. I have selected a few.
Eradu Kanasu is the first movie which comes to mind. This is a love triangle where Dr Raj is in love with a girl (played by Manjula) whereas he gets married to another(played by Kalpana). All the songs in the movie are so good - whether it is the romantic "Tamnam, Tamnam", a man pining for a glimpse of his sweetheart in "Yendu ninna noduve", the pathos filled "Baadi hoda balliyinda", Purandara Daasa composed "Indu Enege Govinda" and the wife looking for acceptance from her husband "Poojisa lende hoogala tandhe". A lot of credit for the songs should go to the outstanding playback singing by Dr PBS, S Janaki and Vani Jayaram.
My selection is "Yendendu Ninnanu Marethu Badukiralaare", which is so popular that the tune was re-used in a Govinda movie in Hindi.
Premada Kaanike is my next selection. It is a thriller set in a romantic/sentimental plot. The songs again are very nice - whether it is "Naguveya Henne naanu jaari beeluvaaga", "Naa Bidalaare yendu ninna", "Putta Putta hejje ittu", "Chinna Endu naguthiru" or "Idu yaaru bareda katheyo"
However, my selection which was on most people's lips is the uplifting "Baani gondu elle ellide" sung by Dr Raj.
Naa ninna mareyalaare was one of the biggest hits of the seventies. It had Dr Raj romancing Lakshmi(of Julie fame), great music with Dr Raj playing a motorcyle racer.
Whether is was the title song - "Naa ninna mareyalaare" or the romantic songs "Ellelli nodali" or "Nannaseya hoove", each of them was really popular. However the song which I have selected is "Sihi Muthu Sihi muthu innondu" not only due to the wonderful lyrics, which brings Deepavali right in front of your eyes and Dr PBS's singing, but also the way the camaraderie which Dr Raj displays while acting with kids.
There are so many more movies in the list such as "Haalu Jenu", "Vasantha Geetha" to name a few, but my last selection is probably not strictly romantic. It is "Sampatthige Savaal". Apart from Dr Raj, the movie stands out for the acting by Vajramuni as the villianish Jamindaarru, his boisterous daughter Manjula (whom Dr Raj falls in love with after the initial fights) and Balakrishna as the trusted advisor to Vajramuni. The songs are also good and situational whether it is "Raaja muddu Raaja" or "Aluvudho Naguvudho neeve heli".
However the song which resulted in full time playback singing by Dr Rajkumar was the song "Yaare Koogaadali" with such great singing and offbeat lyrics(praising a buffalo for its nonchalance to what happens around it).
Eradu Kanasu is the first movie which comes to mind. This is a love triangle where Dr Raj is in love with a girl (played by Manjula) whereas he gets married to another(played by Kalpana). All the songs in the movie are so good - whether it is the romantic "Tamnam, Tamnam", a man pining for a glimpse of his sweetheart in "Yendu ninna noduve", the pathos filled "Baadi hoda balliyinda", Purandara Daasa composed "Indu Enege Govinda" and the wife looking for acceptance from her husband "Poojisa lende hoogala tandhe". A lot of credit for the songs should go to the outstanding playback singing by Dr PBS, S Janaki and Vani Jayaram.
My selection is "Yendendu Ninnanu Marethu Badukiralaare", which is so popular that the tune was re-used in a Govinda movie in Hindi.
Premada Kaanike is my next selection. It is a thriller set in a romantic/sentimental plot. The songs again are very nice - whether it is "Naguveya Henne naanu jaari beeluvaaga", "Naa Bidalaare yendu ninna", "Putta Putta hejje ittu", "Chinna Endu naguthiru" or "Idu yaaru bareda katheyo"
However, my selection which was on most people's lips is the uplifting "Baani gondu elle ellide" sung by Dr Raj.
Naa ninna mareyalaare was one of the biggest hits of the seventies. It had Dr Raj romancing Lakshmi(of Julie fame), great music with Dr Raj playing a motorcyle racer.
Whether is was the title song - "Naa ninna mareyalaare" or the romantic songs "Ellelli nodali" or "Nannaseya hoove", each of them was really popular. However the song which I have selected is "Sihi Muthu Sihi muthu innondu" not only due to the wonderful lyrics, which brings Deepavali right in front of your eyes and Dr PBS's singing, but also the way the camaraderie which Dr Raj displays while acting with kids.
There are so many more movies in the list such as "Haalu Jenu", "Vasantha Geetha" to name a few, but my last selection is probably not strictly romantic. It is "Sampatthige Savaal". Apart from Dr Raj, the movie stands out for the acting by Vajramuni as the villianish Jamindaarru, his boisterous daughter Manjula (whom Dr Raj falls in love with after the initial fights) and Balakrishna as the trusted advisor to Vajramuni. The songs are also good and situational whether it is "Raaja muddu Raaja" or "Aluvudho Naguvudho neeve heli".
However the song which resulted in full time playback singing by Dr Rajkumar was the song "Yaare Koogaadali" with such great singing and offbeat lyrics(praising a buffalo for its nonchalance to what happens around it).
I have created and shared a youtube playlist with the selected songs above. Please click on this link (will open in a new window).
There is one last part coming up in this blog, where I will cover all other genres under the genre "Family Entertainers". Subscribe to the blog above to get a notification when it is published.
There is one last part coming up in this blog, where I will cover all other genres under the genre "Family Entertainers". Subscribe to the blog above to get a notification when it is published.
Thanks for reading the article and your comments/support. Hope you could relive the songs along with me. Let me know your feedback (positive/negative) with a comment below. This will help me plan my future blogs better.
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