Invoking Thyagayya to denote love

Nandamuri Balakrishna, the ‘legend’ and the ‘dictator’ of modern time Telugu cinema was no different from his aging contemporaries of the ‘80s, as he established his career in the film industry.

During his filmi travel of two decades plus, like his peers, Chiranjeevi for one, he too provided a variety fare to his fans. This was before his entering the one-way street of macho action hero roles, over the past decade and more.

His release in 1990 – ‘Nari Nari Naduma Murari’- is an apt example of his family social phase, which clicked in a big way with the audience. Incidentally, this was Balayya’s 50th film, a milestone achieved in a span of around a decade after his debut in 1979.‘One man, two women and the goings on’ is a concept which has never failed to tickle the male audience, the world over.

However the narrative flows, either as an adult comedy or sheer sitcom type, the men just lap it up, may be vicariously living the hero’s character in the darkened auditoriums. Typical of the rurban comic capers of that period, this film too hit the bull’s eye pretty effortlessly.

The song “Manasuloni Marmamulu Thelusuko”, one is surprised to know, is credited to Saint Thyagaraja Swamy. KV Mahadevan, seems inspired by his counterpart Ilaiyarajaa who used a Carnatic lilt to his ‘Ninnukori Varanam’ in the 1988 release ‘Gharshana’, a rage till today. Rajaa earned the displeasure of the purists but Mahadevan, unmindful of the consequences, decided to convert a devotional song into a romantic one.

Innocent days of the ‘90s, one may say, but Nirosha, the dusky 19-year-old heroine retains her limits of seduction even as she implores the hero Balakrishna to understand the mysteries clouding her mind. The description of the hero, akin to the Lord Rama himself, resplendent in his majestic frame and demeanour is retained faithfully and set to tune, breezily by the veteran composer.

Cinematography wise, shot indoors, the song is not anything to be visually pleased about. The camera too moves in and out, capturing the mid-profiles of the romantic pair, only to show that it is not the chemistry that is at work here. If and ever the viewer has to draw his inferences, it is more implicit, one understands.

The one-way love, achingly expressed by the heroine, as she shuts the lights one after the other to heighten the passionate mood is understandably rebuffed by the bemused hero. One can only admire the ingenuity with which the lyrics have been set to a cinematic environment, as has happened in this case –“munupu premagala doravai sadaa dhanuvunelinadi goppakaadayaa”, “madini prema kadha modalai ilaa adupu daatinadi aadukovayaa”, “kanikarammuto ee vela kanikarammuto ee vela naa karamu pattu thyaagaraaja vinuthaa”, “manasuloni marmamunu thelusuko”, “naa manasuloni marmamunu thelusuko”…

One can argue whether this transgression would have passed muster in these days of sensitive religiosity, but director A Kodandarami Reddy, who is counted as one of the industry’s successful names, contextualises it. Incidentally, the songs of this film were all received well by the listeners and of course, fans of the Nandamuri clan.

Film : Nari Nari Naduma Murari (1990)

Song : Manasuloni Marmamulu Thelusuko

Singers : SPB, P Suseela

Lyrics : Saint Thyagaraja Swamy

Music : K V Mahadevan

By:K Naresh Kumar