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Amma once more!
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Swati Thiyagrajan on her film on M.S. Subbulakshmi
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Slice of history Swati Thiyarajan, granddaughter of M.S. Subbulakshmi and
In the ongoing series Documentary 24X7, on NDTV 24X7, this Thursday, the channel will feature “M.S. Amma, a Shy Girl from Madurai”. Narrated by Swati Thiyagrajan, it is the story of her grandmother, arguably India’
;s most famous artiste, Bharat Ratna M.S. Subbulakshmi. According to Swati, the film is not just a biography of the lady dubbed ‘Nightingale of India’ by Sarojini Naidu, but personal childhood reminiscences of “a very soft speaking voice that belonged to a very soft person.” Swati, a senior special correspondent with NDTV, says quite early it became clear to her that she had to share her Amma with millions of Indians. “Even spending little time with her was always mesmerising. She used to prepare coffee for everybody.”
A still of M.S. from the documentary made by her
Known for her award-winning show Bornwild, Swati says though there is little about M.S. Amma which is not in the public domain, she has tried to include something exclusive in the documentary that captures her life from 1916 to 2004 in 19 minutes. The songs and narration flow into each other.
“The film begins with her famous morning prayers and also includes the Meera bhajan ‘Hari Tum Haro’, which Gandhiji requested her to sing. I have spoken to Radha and Vijaya, her daughters, who have not spoken on camera before. Then there are some pictures from the family album. I have also interviewed N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, as his father was present when the wedding was solemnised.”
Objective approach
Going back to her early life, Swati says she has tried to look objectively at her personal experiences and what was told to her over the years. She points out that coming from the Devadasi tradition, it was difficult for her to continue performing without a patron. “In the form of my grandfather, (Sadasivam) a freedom fighter she found a true friend and a companion. He was a Brahmin with a difference. A follower of Rajaji, he supported her when the morality of society worked against such women.” Subbulakshmi had no kids of her own because she chose to treat the children of her husband from his first marriage as her own. Swati feels she was also so devoted to music that she had little time for worldly concerns.
Elaborating the Gandhi episode, Swati says he wanted her to sing his favourite Meera bhajan, “but when my grandfather sent a message to the effect that she didn’t know how to sing this particular bhajan and somebody else could sing it, Gandhiji said he should prefer it spoken by her than anybody else singing it.” Talking of bhajans, Swati reminds us how Pandit Jasraj defined Subbulakshmi as an artiste who bridged the gap between Carnatic and Hindustani music.
On the lighter side, the film also talks about her saris, all one of a kind made especially for her, draped carefully over the shoulder, the unique line of four bindis on the forehead and the trademark diamonds.
About her short film career — she did only four films, including one in Hindi — Swati reasons she did films which have devotional appeal. “Those were also the times when the films were changing and the devotional flavour was petering out.”
As for the legacy of Subbulakshmi to a generation which looks for instant gratification through reality shows, Swati points out, “There are no shortcuts if you want to pursue your passion.”
ANUJ KUMAR
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