Eternal Sundara Dasu M S Rama Rao - Part I

(July 3, 1921 - April 20, 1992)

Those were the days when the actor or the actress used to sing for themselves. He who aspired to become a singer had to be an actor. But with the advent of Sundaradasu M S Ramarao, the scene in the Telugu film industry changed. He was the first Playback Singer in the Telugu Film Industry & a music composer. I was one of those fortunate kids who knew him personally during his December of his career.

Sundaradasu M S Rama Rao, though being the first playback singer in Telugu film industry and having sung some of the memorable songs, he truly got his recognition for his Telugu Version of Hanuman Chalisa, which he translated & recited in his own inimitable style that people could easily understand and recite. He narrated the epic Sundarakanda (one part of the epic Ramayana) in form of Songs in Telugu. He was awarded the name of 'Sundara Dasu' in 1977.

Some of his songs in his inmimitable style that we can enjoy:


History Byte: Late O.P. Nayyar had composed the song and the lyrics was written by Sundara Dasu M S Rama Rao when he visited one of the 7 wonders of the world Taj Mahal along with his wife. He was so fascinated he told me that he just sat in front and penned this song.


History Byte: Film-Patala Bhairavi
Song: Prema Kosamai Vallalopadi na Papam Pasi Vadu


It is interesting to note that for all NTR home productions Music was by TV Raju and will have voice of MS RamaRao whether full song or a short one.


It may be a surprise to know that he sung many duet songs. He sung many memorable songs special and unique of him.


Small clip from Hanuman Chalisa by MS Rama Rao

History Byte: I used to be woken up by my dad and our old Murphy Radio used to be playing this song "Sri hanumanu gurudevula na yeda palikina sita rama katha"


History byte: Yashodha Kisora song from the telugu old mythological movie "Vinayaka Chavithi ".


Karthavarayani Kadha 1958 is directed by Ramanna and music by G Ramanathan & Aswathama.


History Byte: Shavukaru 1950 is directed by LV Prasad and music direction is by Ghantasala. The movie is a popular one and considered as a milestone in Telugu cinema. Singer: SUNDARADASU MS RAMA RAO


HistoryByte: Sati Anasuya 1957 is produced by Sundarlal Nahata.
and music is by Ghantasala. MS RamaRao's songs like this are always special.

Diwali - Festival of Lights

Happy Diwali friends!

It’s time again to celebrate Diwali-The Festival of Lights, or the victory of good over evil whether you are in India or anywhere in the universe.

As kids we used to hate getting up early, but here was a morning we used to get up on the first alarm from our parents as if it was the most important day in our life and today remembering back I can tell you those were definitely some of our best diwali mornings. I am sure the kid in you would definitely second me today on this.

I am sure all of you would accept with me that during our childhood we would try not to sleep the night before diwali eagerly waiting for the morning to arrive but eventually used to fall sleep.

We used to wait for my mother to rinse our hair with oil for the head bath, salute the god, wear new clothes, go out and freak with friends bursting crackers. Once finished we used to go to our friends house to eat sweets.

I do not know whether it is the spiraling prices, the inflation factor, or the experience that comes along with the age that has taken away the enthusiasm of a child in most people like us. In fact we are happy today to see our children enjoying diwali, mostly being like Non-Playing Captains.

I wish to conclude by saying that I believe

“There is greater pleasure in giving rather than receiving”.

“Happy Diwali”.

In this age of Facebook, Orkut and Twitter which have become the order of the day, its surprising to note that even your friend next door wishes you happy diwali on this social Networks.

This strengthens my feeling that
"Heart to Heart though apart, they cannot destroy the Memories apart"

I sincerely wish & hope to try and get back that enthusiasm by atleast reliving those moments through the songs of our times

Bhasker M Sundaresan

Remembering Hrishikesh Mukherjee on his birthday

Dada Saheb Phalke - Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Born on 30 September 1922, and lives on…..

Every time it’s Hrishi-da’s birthday, it makes me (or should I say us) remember all the great movies that I have seen growing up. I especially remember “Anand, Anari. Chupke Chupke, Mili, Abhiman, Guddi, Golmaal, Khoobsurat, Asli Naqli” to name a few & I am sure you would agree with me that you can also identify with these movies.

Most interesting fact that I have noticed in all his movies is that there are no villain’s in his films. Characters in his movies were just human, like you me & Anand. Probably Hrishi-da never believed in creating larger than life Characters like the “Gabbar Singh’s, or Mugambo’s”, in his movies, you had only bad people in his films. In short, I can say for sure Hrishi-da has given us wholesome entertainment which shall be cherished and enjoyed by every Indian for ages to come.

He has left a successful formula, that to entertain it is not necessary to have villains in the movie. If my memory serves me right, we have seen the same formula being adopted by director Raju Hirani in his 3 films Munna Bhai, Munna Bhai MBBS & 3 Idiots, You can notice there are no villains in these films, except for bad people.

Hrishi-Da had directed 42 films during his career spanning 4 decades. He made films in which most of the middle class people can find themselves; he was the pioneer of the “middle cinema” of India. His movies always echoed the middle class ethos. He started his career under Bimal Roy, he was part of the team who made Do Bigha Zameen and Devdas.

His debut directorial venture, Musafir (1957), (It had 3 different stories in one film) was not a success, he was much ahead of his times. but he persisted and received acclaim for his second film Anari in 1959. You can also say that he pioneered the concept of parallel cinema. "He started the trend of parallel cinema much before it actually started. His early films like 'Anari', 'Anuradha', 'Musafir' and 'Mem Didi' were not just boy-girl stories.

In a career spanning four decades he directed films like Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anuradha, Asli-Naqli, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Mili, Aashirwad, Khoobsurat, Bemisal, Bawarchi, Saanjh Aur Sawera, Phir Kab Milogi, Rang Birangi, Pyar Ka Sapna, Naram Garam, Namak Haraam which will remain in the history of Indian Cinema for times to come.

You could instantly relate to the characters in the stories he told, and in the very process smile, laugh as well as cry. At the end of the day, he touched our hearts through his wonderful movies and that's what matters.

Let’s enjoy by revisiting some magic moments that he has created on screen for our enjoyment:


Sorry to start with this clip but hrishi-da lives


History Byte: Film-Chupke Chupke


History Byte: Film Anari
The film won 6 Filmfare awards and Rajkapoor won for Best Actor,
Shankar Jaikishen for Best Music, Lalita Pawar for Best Supporting
Actress, Shailendra for Best Lyrics, Mukesh for Best Playback Male
& for Best Feature Film in Hindi


History Byte: Film Satyakam
The film won the National Film Award For Best Feature Film in Hindi
Rajinder Singh Bedi won the Filmfare Best Dialogue Award


History Byte: Film-Anuradha
The Music for this movie was composed by Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravishankar,
One of his rare forays into Hindi Film Music, This film won the National
Filmfare award and was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin
International Film Festival


History Byte: Film-Musafir
First film directed by Hrishi-Da


Song from Asli Naqli


History Byte: Film: Anupama
Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award: Jaywant Pathare (B&W category)



History Byte: Film Anand
Kishore Kumar was the first choice to play
Rajesh Khanna's role in this movie, he had refused at the last
minute, so Rajesh Khanna got his chance to act in this movie.


History Byte: Film Khubsoorat
Rekha won Best Film Fare Award for best actress in this film in 1981


History Byte: Film Mili
This film was made in telugu by the name "Jyothi", which won Jayasudha
the Nandi Award for best actress


History Bite: Film Mili
Jaya Bhaduri was pregnant during the making of the film. Most of her
shots have been taken very carefully, as to avoid her profile view


History Byte: Film Guddi
Vani Jayaram was awarded Tanzen Award in 1972, for
"Bole Re Pappihara" (one of the most popular songs in her career


History Byte: Film Golmaal
Amol Palekar won the Best Actor Filmfare Award for this movie,
Utpal Dutt won the best comedian filmfare and Gulzar Saheb for
Aane Wala Pal song as Best Lyricist Filmfare award


History Byte: Film Abhimaan
Jaya Bhaduri Won the Best Acress Filmfare Award


History Byte: Film-Rang Birangi
Utpal Dutt won the Filmfare Award for best Comedian as "Durandhar Batawadekar"


Song from Rang Birangi


History Byte: Film-Ashirwad
Ashok Kumar won the Best Actor Filmfare Award


Song from Ashirwad


History Byte: Film-Bawarchi
Comedian Paintal won the Best Comedian Filmfare for his performance
in this film


Scene from Bawarchi


Song from Sanjh aur savera


Alaap


Aashiq


Chhaya


Song from Jurmana


Phir Kab Milogi

"Moments & Memories Never Expire"  Bhasker M Sundaresan

Pls post your sincere and honest comments about how you feel on this post. So as to enable me to post better things in future.

Indian Music - Flavor of the day, Hindustani

Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar, belongs to the Mewati Gharana, is an internationally acclaimed artiste in the field of "Hindustani Music".
He had started learning Hindustani Music at an early age of 8. Gave his first performance when he was 11. He had his formal training from his mother Smt. Shobha Abhyankar, and then was groomed by Pimpalkhare JI & his Guru Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj Ji. He is really blessed with a mellifluous voice.
He is the recepient of some prestigious awards like President's award from the All India Radio (1990), FIE Foundation National Award (1996), the most coveted National Award (1998) as the Best Playback singer for the Hindi Film "GodMother", he was also bestowed the Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar.
Without going into further details lets enjoy the flavor of Hindustani music through Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar Ji's Voice.


Raag "Jaunpuri".


Raag "Ahir Bhauravi"


Raag "Gunakali"


Ja Re Ja Re


with "Pandit Jasraj JI"


"Jasrangi" a unique experiment.

Ok friends you can also contribute to this articlce by adding your comments and some links as you may like of Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar ji.

Bhasker M Sundaresan
www.bms-music.blogspot.com