Maargazhi Raagam- First ever Carnatic movie...
Vrinda. K. Nair
Classical music of South India is beckoning the music lovers across the world from the silver screen. In a novel concept, Margazhi Raagam, a 110 minute musical concert, is brought out to enthral them at Cinema. And, remember, it’s no film.
Thus, the music lovers got the first feel of ‘Margazhi Raagam’- the first ever visualisation of Carnatic music in silver screen. It was released across the cities in South India. Even though it was presented in a new form, in a digital visualization, and in an ultra modern theatre, the basic idea it expressed is the language of pure Carnatic.
As usual, the film starts with the display of titles. Though we expect some soft musical background for title display it was in pin drop silence. In a soft breeze appears the heroine on the screen. She is none other than our Bombay Jayashri. And she starts with 'Sarvamangala' in Mayamalavagowla raga accompanied by Embar S Kannan's violin, Patri Sathish Kumar's Mridangam and Chathra Prasanna's and Keerthana V Nath's Tamburu. Through that kriti she made the viewers alive and energetic. Then, in the movie the lights were dimmed for a couple of seconds and then, she shifted to another one in Neelambari raga. This raga with its soothing effect always Trans plants the audience to drowsiness of a sweet order. When Jayashri sung it, obviously it left the viewers into a dreamy world and the visualization also suits the occasion well; to take away the viewers like a kite.
As if the film director wants to awake the viewers from that dream world, next came an item in 'Reethi Gowla' raga. This raga always leaves a 'reethi' for the masters it sung. So, Jayashri made an elaborate 'raga visthara' accompanied by other artists. And the viewers also liked the way it performed and we can hear the appraisal sound from many areas in the theatre hall. Following that in the 'charana' time the characters in the movie started changing. First it leaves an impression that the accompanying artists changed. But after that all on a sudden the hero of the movie stole the scene. And it is obvious that he is T.M.Krishna, the owner of magnificent voice in Carnatic music. Anyway, that was an unpredictable twist in the movie. When the first song was finished by Jayashri, the viewers expected T.M.Krishna will come next. But that time he didn't come as if the time was not yet ripe. But after that in the last portion of a 'kriti' giving a complete surprise, he came, and gave an action thriller mood to the viewers.
He was accompanied by R.K.Shriram Kumar's violin, K.Arun Prakash's mridangam, B.S.Purushotham's Kanjira, Emmanuelle Martin's and Rithvik Raja's Tambura. As usual, he took away the audience also through the many intricate ways of jawali and kamaz raga which was accompanied by his body, which made the viewers, thinks that he is travelling through the ragas.
The climax was directed so perfectly in which Jayashri's master piece 'Jagadhodharana' and Krishna's 'vandematharam' captured the audience. And all the artists perfectly joined with the hero and heroine and that gives the viewers also a new experience.
"Through this attempt we actually tried to give a new face to the Carnatic music. With the emergence of many musical forms our traditional music is fading away little bit. Since, movie is a strong media we tried to give a new life to Carnatic music through the movie form. And we succeeded in that well." Srikanth Chandrasekhar, the producer of 'Margazhi raagam' says.
It cannot help saying that the makers of 'Margazhi Raagam' really achieved what they meant. And they really deserves appraisal for the efforts taken to sustain a musical form which has a very old tradition.
Vrinda. K. Nair
Classical music of South India is beckoning the music lovers across the world from the silver screen. In a novel concept, Margazhi Raagam, a 110 minute musical concert, is brought out to enthral them at Cinema. And, remember, it’s no film.
Thus, the music lovers got the first feel of ‘Margazhi Raagam’- the first ever visualisation of Carnatic music in silver screen. It was released across the cities in South India. Even though it was presented in a new form, in a digital visualization, and in an ultra modern theatre, the basic idea it expressed is the language of pure Carnatic.
As usual, the film starts with the display of titles. Though we expect some soft musical background for title display it was in pin drop silence. In a soft breeze appears the heroine on the screen. She is none other than our Bombay Jayashri. And she starts with 'Sarvamangala' in Mayamalavagowla raga accompanied by Embar S Kannan's violin, Patri Sathish Kumar's Mridangam and Chathra Prasanna's and Keerthana V Nath's Tamburu. Through that kriti she made the viewers alive and energetic. Then, in the movie the lights were dimmed for a couple of seconds and then, she shifted to another one in Neelambari raga. This raga with its soothing effect always Trans plants the audience to drowsiness of a sweet order. When Jayashri sung it, obviously it left the viewers into a dreamy world and the visualization also suits the occasion well; to take away the viewers like a kite.
As if the film director wants to awake the viewers from that dream world, next came an item in 'Reethi Gowla' raga. This raga always leaves a 'reethi' for the masters it sung. So, Jayashri made an elaborate 'raga visthara' accompanied by other artists. And the viewers also liked the way it performed and we can hear the appraisal sound from many areas in the theatre hall. Following that in the 'charana' time the characters in the movie started changing. First it leaves an impression that the accompanying artists changed. But after that all on a sudden the hero of the movie stole the scene. And it is obvious that he is T.M.Krishna, the owner of magnificent voice in Carnatic music. Anyway, that was an unpredictable twist in the movie. When the first song was finished by Jayashri, the viewers expected T.M.Krishna will come next. But that time he didn't come as if the time was not yet ripe. But after that in the last portion of a 'kriti' giving a complete surprise, he came, and gave an action thriller mood to the viewers.
He was accompanied by R.K.Shriram Kumar's violin, K.Arun Prakash's mridangam, B.S.Purushotham's Kanjira, Emmanuelle Martin's and Rithvik Raja's Tambura. As usual, he took away the audience also through the many intricate ways of jawali and kamaz raga which was accompanied by his body, which made the viewers, thinks that he is travelling through the ragas.
The climax was directed so perfectly in which Jayashri's master piece 'Jagadhodharana' and Krishna's 'vandematharam' captured the audience. And all the artists perfectly joined with the hero and heroine and that gives the viewers also a new experience.
"Through this attempt we actually tried to give a new face to the Carnatic music. With the emergence of many musical forms our traditional music is fading away little bit. Since, movie is a strong media we tried to give a new life to Carnatic music through the movie form. And we succeeded in that well." Srikanth Chandrasekhar, the producer of 'Margazhi raagam' says.
It cannot help saying that the makers of 'Margazhi Raagam' really achieved what they meant. And they really deserves appraisal for the efforts taken to sustain a musical form which has a very old tradition.
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