Like most other arts, dancing is known for its varieties, nuances and subtleties. Some of the enchantingly popular names of India’s proud dancing varieties include Bharatha Naattiyam Bhangra,Dandiya,Kuchipudi, Kadhak,Kerala Nadanam, Mohini Attam,Keisabadi,Odissi AKA Orissi {the last two from Odhissa }and so on.These traditional Indian dance forms particularly Baratha Naatyam used to be a preferred addition to Indian Cinema.Tamil films offered immense scope and opportunity to professional dancers, in the early decades. Famous dancers like Gopi Krishna, Kumari Kamala {who started her dance celebration even as Baby Kamala} Vaijayanthimala Padmini{with her sisters Lalitha and Raagini} and L.Vijayalaksmi were all professional dancers creating a brilliant appeal in their dance shows. Later entrants like J.Jeyalalitha, Shobana, Sankarabaranam fame Manju Bharghavi, Amala,Banupriya and Revathi were also trained well in Baratha Naattiyam to lead their respective generations.
Among actors, the two notable dance numbers
assiduously practiced and enthusiastically delivered by the mass hero MGR, can
hardly be erased from the memory of those, who saw them in the films Mannaadhi Mannan and the
other, Kudiyirundha Koil,{rated to be one of the best films of MGR} The
former was a classic Bharatha Naatiyam piece and the latter a Bhangra variety.The most important fact here is,MGR competed with two veteran and dynamic dancers like Padmini
and LVijaya lakshmi. Sivaji Ganesan’s grand dancing display as irate Lord
Shiva, dancing his Rudra thaandavam in Thiruvilaiyaadal brought out his
grit and conviction in giving his best
in any performance.Sivaji’s tumultuous dance sequence in spite of his fat
physique poignantly presented his tremendous capacity for emoting through his
body and mind. That was indeed another rich show of Sivaji the actor par
excellence.
Can Tamil Cinema ever exist without the golden
memories of the dance scene, flawlessly demonstrated by the two magnificent
women ,Vijayanthimaala and Padmini, in the epic like film Vanjikkottai Vaaliban? The competitive dance programme showed them both, as equally competent and
equally incomparable. It was not only P.S.Veerappa the unbeatable villain actor
who said’ Sabash Sariyaana Poetti’{Well done! A proper cotest.} but
also the entire audience in all the theatres who corroborated his statement.
What a splendid performance in dancing that was, with infallible body
movements, involving the whole gamut of Bharathanatyam and with the musical
component fantastically augmenting the quality of the dance scene. It is one of
the most glorious chapters of Tamil film history.
Vijayanthimala’s dancing might could have been witnessed in quite a few other movies like A.V.M’s Vaazkai,Gemini Pictures’ Irumbuthirai, and Modern Theatres’Bagdad Thirudan But Padmini’s dancing caliber was fully utilized by Tamil Cinema in a number of films, of which her peacock dance in Iru Malargal and the initial dance sequence for the sog Mannavan Vandhaanadi Thozhi, in Thiruvarutchelvar,stay as ever green memories.Thillaanaa Mohanaambaal an epic stature movie on music and dance, will be an immortal work of art for various reasons, including the two dance sequences of Padmini,for the songs ''Maraindhirundhu Paarkum Marmamenna'' and ''Nalandhaanaa?''
Vijayanthimala’s dancing might could have been witnessed in quite a few other movies like A.V.M’s Vaazkai,Gemini Pictures’ Irumbuthirai, and Modern Theatres’Bagdad Thirudan But Padmini’s dancing caliber was fully utilized by Tamil Cinema in a number of films, of which her peacock dance in Iru Malargal and the initial dance sequence for the sog Mannavan Vandhaanadi Thozhi, in Thiruvarutchelvar,stay as ever green memories.Thillaanaa Mohanaambaal an epic stature movie on music and dance, will be an immortal work of art for various reasons, including the two dance sequences of Padmini,for the songs ''Maraindhirundhu Paarkum Marmamenna'' and ''Nalandhaanaa?''
On the lighter side were,
the titillating dance scene of K.R .Vijaya for the song Thedinein Vandhadhu in
Ootty Varai Uravu, and J.Jeyalaitha’s several beautiful dance sequences
including the one for the song Oraayiram Naadagam Adinaal in Sumaddhi En
Sundari.Of the two actresses,Jeya lalitha was a trained classical
dancer and her expertise in this regard was a visual extravaganza from her very first film Vennira Aadai in
which she was shown as a character interested in dancing. Films such as
Aayirathil Oruvan, Kannan En Kaadhalan and Adimai Penn continued to display her
dedicated dancing potential. Latha,her successor as MGR's heroine, was also moderately trained in classical dancing.Her dance in MGR's last film Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundara Pandian deserves a special mention.
Among the next generation actresses,Shobana's dancing credentials were established in films like Enakkul Oruvan and Thalabathi. Later, it was Revathi who showed interest and acumen in classical dancing and her power of dancing was sufficiently vindicated in that most popular dancing scene in Vaidhegi Kaathirundhaal for the song 'Azhagu Malar Aaada'.Ramya Krishnan who is another good dancer has gracefully exhibited her capabilities in this regard in Padayappa for the song 'Minsaara Kanna' and in a few other films.The other notable dancer is Banupriya an actor contemporary of Revathi and Ramya Krishnan. Similarly,Aiswarya Bachan's sparkling dance scene for the song 'Kannodu Kaanbadhellaam' in Jeans was also adequately appealing.
Among the next generation actresses,Shobana's dancing credentials were established in films like Enakkul Oruvan and Thalabathi. Later, it was Revathi who showed interest and acumen in classical dancing and her power of dancing was sufficiently vindicated in that most popular dancing scene in Vaidhegi Kaathirundhaal for the song 'Azhagu Malar Aaada'.Ramya Krishnan who is another good dancer has gracefully exhibited her capabilities in this regard in Padayappa for the song 'Minsaara Kanna' and in a few other films.The other notable dancer is Banupriya an actor contemporary of Revathi and Ramya Krishnan. Similarly,Aiswarya Bachan's sparkling dance scene for the song 'Kannodu Kaanbadhellaam' in Jeans was also adequately appealing.
Heroes and heroines of today, have shifted their
focus towards Western varieties of dances like Disco.Break dance,Belly dance,Ballet,Salsa,Line dance and a few others. In fact, even during the last century,Western dance types
were celebrated by many actors, including the fabulous comedian J.P.Chandrababu, whose rock and roll numbers were of a striking mode. Films like Periya Idathu
Penn,Pudhiya Paravai, Parakkum Paavai and
Panam Padaithavan gave a fillip to Western varieties of dances that were a
great delight to watch. But almost all heroes of today, have moved towards
novel concepts in inventing stunning
body movements, both sprint and gliding, as if the entire course of dancing is a
sequel to profound training sessions in calisthenics.
The credit for the highly innovative concepts creating exquisite dimensions of physical excellence in the name of dancing, goes to trend setters like, dance master Sundaram, his sons Prabudeva and Raju Sundaram and others like Raghav Lawrence and Kala.The nimble body movements, establishing a fascinating reach with the audience, showed Prabu Deva,Raju Sundaram and Lawrence as dancers of exceptional standard in many films.The ebullient dancers among heroes today are, Vijay, Barath, Simbu, Danush and Vishal and they all have their performance dedicated to the trainers mentioned above.
The credit for the highly innovative concepts creating exquisite dimensions of physical excellence in the name of dancing, goes to trend setters like, dance master Sundaram, his sons Prabudeva and Raju Sundaram and others like Raghav Lawrence and Kala.The nimble body movements, establishing a fascinating reach with the audience, showed Prabu Deva,Raju Sundaram and Lawrence as dancers of exceptional standard in many films.The ebullient dancers among heroes today are, Vijay, Barath, Simbu, Danush and Vishal and they all have their performance dedicated to the trainers mentioned above.
The only actor
who has untiringly retained the gusto
of multiple dancing potential is,the all
rounder Kamalahasan.He is well versed in classical dance, Western varieties
and some of the age old multi-cultural dance types like Kadhakali, Kuchipudi and Mohini Aattam. Whatever he performs, he takes into himself the original stuff, with zeal and unquestioning commitment. Be it Salangai Oli or Nizhal
Nijamaagiradhu or the latest Viswaroopam, Kamal as a dancer is a class by
himself and proves to be the truest son of Art in its totality. There are a
number of films to prove his excellence in imbibing the Western dance forms too.
Dance, like music, is
an inseparable segment of cinema; but unlike music, it makes vital visual
entries to visit the mind for a while or to stay as memory, for long. Unlike
songs which can be heard even without watching the movie and enjoyed as an
invisible treasure, dance requires at least a one time watch, to be watched
again either on the screen or through imagination. A highly exhilarating dance
number like the one for the song ‘Ada
Aalthotta Boobadhi Naanadaa’ from the film Youth, can be re- experienced
through the imaginative process, any number of times, after a single visual
absorption.
Beyond all this, it is a known fact, that dance by itself can not exist without the musical addition.It is music that energizes the existence of dance and binds the dancer to the appropriate mood and form of dancing. In other words,dance percolates into an audio visual experience on the screen, only by travelling on a musical track, as the foremost aesthetic principle of film making.Tamil films in this respect, carry the legacy of dancing, with periodical addition of interesting and inventive patterns, as the greatest pride of human imagination.
Beyond all this, it is a known fact, that dance by itself can not exist without the musical addition.It is music that energizes the existence of dance and binds the dancer to the appropriate mood and form of dancing. In other words,dance percolates into an audio visual experience on the screen, only by travelling on a musical track, as the foremost aesthetic principle of film making.Tamil films in this respect, carry the legacy of dancing, with periodical addition of interesting and inventive patterns, as the greatest pride of human imagination.
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I am searching for a Thillana sung by P. Leela. Only the swaras and jathi were there. Unfortunately I don't remember the film, but it used to be played once in a while in Ceylon Radio, every Thursday for half an hour in the mornings in the early 1970s. Could you give me some clue to trace it? It is not traceable in the regular lists of film songs by P. Leela or dance music, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe only two famous P Leela songs for dance sequences that I remember are Kaathiruppaan Kamalakannan fom Uthama Puthiran and Mugathil Mugam paarkalaam from Thanga Padhumai.I do not know this will help your memory lane.Sorry for not being able to help your memory and sorry for this late response from my end.
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