Potpourri of titbits about cinema - Kavignar Vaali

When I asked him to tell me about his friendship with MGR and Kalaignar, he told me about some very interesting episodes. Vaali recalled some incidents with revived emotion: “It was the time when MGR had returned to cinema after recovering from his bullet injury. I went with ‘Murasoli’ Maran to Gemini Studio where MGR was shooting for the film ‘Neerum neruppum’ to show my lyrics for his film ‘Engal Thangam’. The lyrics started with the words ‘naan seththup pizhaichavantaa, emanai paarththu sirichavantaa …”. MGR was inside the make-up room. Maran stayed outside and I went into the room to show the script. When I sang the song he was very much pleased. But, suddenly, he gave a valuable suggestion. “You’ve written about those who didn’t care for their own lives and placed the welfare of their country above everything. ‘Kalaignar’ put his head on the railway track for the sake of Tamil language. Please add a ‘saranam’ extolling this great man,” MGR said. I immediately wrote the second ‘saranam’ “odum rayilai itaimariththu …” describing the incident. MGR was so happy that he embraced me and kissed me!

And, when I was trying to write the second line for the song “naan alavodu rasippavan …” for the same film, ‘Kalaignar’, who was sitting by my side suggested the line “ethaiyum alavinri koduppavan …”, to suit the nature of MGR, who was a born-philanthropist. MGR and ‘Kalaignar’ were both friends at that time and they proved exemplary in their friendship with each other.

MGR never got angry with me when I started writing lyrics for Sivaji-starrers. He never told me not to write lyrics for Sivaji. When Sivaji’s close friend Periyannan decided to produce the film ‘Anbuk karangal’ under the banner of Shanthi Films he introduced me to Sivaji. And, I was given the opportunity to write the lyrics for the film. In the advertisement for the film, my name appeared as the lyricist. When I met MGR during the shooting of his film ‘Thaazhampoo’ he asked me about the release of the film ‘Anbuk karangkal’. To this, I said “I’ll never be released from your ‘anbuk karangkal’(affection)! MGR’s eyes became moist at my reply and he encouraged me to write for all the actors and told me that I should never stop writing and should remain busy till end. I believe his heart-felt wishes and words are responsible for my continuing in the field even today and remaining busy too.

Vaali’s wife died on 14-9-2009. She was 65 when she died. The couple has only one son, Balaji. I wish that Vaali should live for long; his pen should continue to give quality songs and stories that would remain fresh in the hearts of Tamilians forever! Let us all pray to God to bless Vaali with excellent health and long life.