MALAYALAM FILM CHEMBARATHI.

In my collection of gramophone records a good portion consists of records purchased by me as and when they were released. Of course, the major portion is records collected by me later. But the memories connected with the former are sweeter than those associated with the later as the thrill I had experienced in buying them using the limited purchasing power on hand in those days are still fresh in mind. Like some of the songs from Hindi films .e.g.,'Hai Apna Dil' from film SOLVA SAAL (see my post on Hemant Kumar) there are several songs from Malayalam films also which evoked the same sort of sentiments and nostalgia even now.

The first of such films and songs coming to my mind is director P.N.Menon's film CHEMBARATHI and the song, 'Chakravarthini ninakku njan ente shilpagopuram thurannoo', penned by Vayalar and tuned by the maestro G.Devarajan, I am told, in Raag Kedar. The beautiful, meaningful, romantic lyrics soulfully sung by Jesudas was an instant hit when it was aired over All India Radio. It was in the year 1972 and the song even now ranks as one of the best ever in Malayalam film music.I purchased EP record ( an LP was not released,I think) from the shop 'Troica Musicana' at Tellicherry (Phone:627) in early 1973 along with a few other LP records including the LP ,' The Love Songs of Talat Mahmood'.The Chakravarthini EP record has in it four songs including the popular song,'Sharanamayyappa swamy' also in it.The composition 'Chakravarthini' has made such an instant imprint in me that this EP record has been one of the most heard records in my collection.


'The film 'Chembarathy' brought huge critical acclaim for its director, late P.N. Menon, winner of several National and State Awards . He is considered to be the flag bearer of parallel cinema in Malayalam and his films like OLAVUM THEERAVUM, GAYATHRI, ROSI, MALAMUKALILE DAIVAM, KUTTIYEDATHI, etc.,etc.are milestones in the history of Malayalam cinema. Film Chembarathi had Raghavan and Shobhana(Roja Ramani)in the lead with Kotttarakkara, Madhu, Pappu, Shankaradi etc.; indeed a film every Malayalee can be proud of.


P.S:Settling down at this place after about four decades I found that 'Troica Musicana' had downed its shutters long back.