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Waxing lyrical on poems
K. PRADEEP
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Although R.K. Damodaran is at home in the world of poetry and lyrics, he finds writing for films a challenge.
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I admire all the great masters who have given us such simple, musical lyrics that also fuse with the visuals.
. Photo: H. Vibhu
Inspired by poetry: R.K. Damodaran
Poetry for R. K. Damodaran was the lodestar to Malayalam language. While battling with Chemistry formulae, labs and acids for two years, poetry was always like a whiff of fresh breeze. It kept Damodaran going. But it also resulted in being sent out
of a Chemistry class. Something snapped and Damodaran quit the college and Chemistry.
Getting special sanction from the university, he completed his graduation in Malayalam from Maharaja’s College. More than a degree, Damodaran had landed where he belonged to.
Anthology of poems
And when his first anthology of poems ‘Adhunaathanam,’ was released early this week, it was the realisation of a long cherished dream. Damodaran had earlier released ‘Aravana Madhuram,’ and ‘Amme Narayana,’ a compilation of his devotionals.
“In this volume I have included poems that I wrote in 1968 along with the latest ones. I’m against writers or poets having to find the money to bring out a collection of his work. Now, I have begun compiling my songs for a new collected volume,” says Damodaran. Damodaran made his debut as a film lyricist with a bang. His first song ‘Ravi Varma chitrathin…’ in ‘Raju Rahim’ became a hit.
“It is really surprising that I’m still identified by this song, written and composed nearly 30 years ago. But I have also felt that I have been bound by this song so firmly that some of the others that I wrote failed to get the same response.”
Damodaran has had the unique distinction of having his lyrics tuned by almost all the music directors in the industry.
“Except for V. Dakshinamurthy, who tuned one of my light songs, I have had the honour of working with almost all the top music directors in Malayalam cinema, right from G. Devarajan, to M. S. Viswanathan, M. K. Arjunan, Johnson, Raveendran to Deepak Dev and M. Jayachandran.”
Damodaran who must have written over 2,300 songs, for films, devotional albums, All India Radio, dramas, university youth festivals and television serials, considers writing for films most challenging.
“When I write a poem I have the freedom to use personal symbols, imagery. It is my experience and emotions that flow on to the pages. In films, there are so many restrictions.
“I still remember writing the ‘pallavi’ for the song ‘Thankakina pongal…’ for the film ‘Friends’ nearly 72 times. Siddique liked what I wrote but felt it would not go well with the audience. He insisted it had to suit the situation and the visuals. It is almost like a classically trained singer trying desperately to sing a simple, straight melody. I have always felt the strain. I admire all the great masters who have given us such simple, musical lyrics that also fuse with the visuals.”
Devotionals
Another genre where Damodaran has made his mark is devotional music.
Along with music director T. S. Radhakrishnan, he has churned out more than 600 devotional songs.
He has an enviable track record, with some of his light songs even going into collected albums. He has also written for commercial advertisements, the popular animation film, ‘Kaattile Kannan,’ and for plays.
“I consider light songs as applied poetry. I have felt very bad when your light songs are not given due credit. In one of the albums that was brought out recently, I found two of my songs in it with no credit given to the writer or the music director.”
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
