A feast for film music buffs in the offing

Ravi Muthumanickam, a popular singer of our community will accompany the visiting pair Mukesh and Usharaaj on stage at the Westlake Boys High School Auditorium on July 17 at 7 pm.

The programme, called, Anrum Inrum Enrum (combination of melodies of the past and present for eternity), will comprise songs dating back to the 1950s, when actors were also singers.

Endowed with the talent to imitate a number of artistes of yesteryears, Mukesh will render numbers that would be reminiscent of Thyagaraja Bhagavadar, Sirkazhi Govindarajan, T M Soundarajan and P B Sreenivas, to name a few.

Oscar Award Winner Allah Rakha Rahman introduced Mukesh in ‘Kankalal Kaithu Sey’ (‘Arrest with your eyes’). Although with a modest score of just 100 songs to his recorded credit, Mukesh has forced music directors, directors and lyricists to pause and appreciate his innate ability to render soulful songs.

This Reporter was fascinated to hear a medley of numbers replicating three songs, one each of Bhagavadar, Sirkazhi and TMS sung on the same Raga, not to overlook ‘Kallellam Manikka Kallaguma’ (from 1962 Tamil film ‘Alayamani’) and ‘Kannan Vandan’ ( ‘Ramu’ 1968). ‘Thirutu Payale Thirtuttu Payale’ sung in his ‘own’ voice was equally mesmerising.

Usharaaj is another powerful singer, whose competence in bringing forth the melodious voice of P Susheela has won her a large chain of fans throughout the world. Some of the impressive numbers that this writer has heard are Chittkuruvikku Enna (Savaaley Samali), Malai Pozhudin Mayakkathile (Nenjam Marappathillai), Nalai Intha Neram (Uyartha Manithan), Pakkathu Veetu Paruvamachan (Karpagam) and Unnai Naan Sandithen (Aiyrathil Oruvan).

Ravi Muthumanickam is another artiste of high calibre. He often spends more time in organising concerts than participating in them.

“It is hard to secure sponsors with several programmes held throughout the year. Economic downturn has made the task even more difficult,” he said.

Proverbial paucity of finance precludes good and honest organisers like him from seeking popular venues in town.

Yet, it is hoped that the forthcoming programme will enlist wider sponsorship and public patronage.

His immense talent to reproduce the voices of ‘softees’ like A M Raja, P B Sreenivas and S P Balasubrhamanyam has earned Ravi an enviable reputation as a singer of distinction.