Sunday 16 December 2012

Stories of Papanasam Sivan's cinema history

Papanasam Sivan makes a great subject for study, discussion and talks.
He was the focus at the first session of a daylong event held today at Arkay Centre. The host - Jayadharini Trust.

Sivan's daughter, Rukmini Ramani, rushing in from the first day of margazhi bhajan rounds of the mada veedhis of Mylapore, had stories to tell but was politely asked to wind up as the inaugural event dragged on.

But she made one plea - the need to have a memorial that celebrates Sivan's work and contribution.

Film director and producer, the veteran Muktha Srinivasan also had his stories to share. Key was the fact he underlined - that in Tamil cinema, Sivan was the leading man in film music for 17 long years.

The key talk though was by writer historian Randor Guy and he had a packed hall on a Sunday when there were a dozen events of the 'season'.

Using visual clips, film and audio clips Guy shared his own stories on Sivan, a man who ventured to Trivandrum with little in his pocket, learnt Sanskrit, music and the arts, and came to be in Madras.

Guy said that though Sivan came under Sundaram Iyer, father of S. Rajam and Veena Balachander in Mylapore it was film maker K Subrahmanyam ( dancer Padma's father) who tapped his talent and used him in cinema.

Randor Guy said that Sivan, very adept in Carnatic music was in doubts about how he could work in cinema, scoring for films of that time till his classical music and simple songs got quick acknowledgment from the cinema greats of that time and he was well on his way of being the sought after man in cinema.

Sivan's songs featuring M S Subbulakshmi in her singing roles were screened here. And audios of some poignant, memorable songs were also played.

Nice fringe event in the early part of Season 2012.

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