Kambadasan

Kambadasan (1916–1973) was an Indian writer, poet and film lyricist who worked mainly in Tamil-language films.

Kambadasan
Born
Appaavu a.k.a. Rajappa

(1916-09-15)15 September 1916
Died23 May 1973(1973-05-23) (aged 56)
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Writer, Poet
Known forFilm Lyricist
Parent(s)Father: Subbarayar
Mother: Balammal

Early life

Kambadasan was born as Appaavu a.k.a. Rajappa at Ulagapuram, a village near Tindivanam in the then South Arcot District (Madras Presidency) on 15 September 1916. His father Subbarayar was a potter and his mother is Balammal. He was the only son to his parents whose other five children were all girls. The family migrated to Purasaivakkam in Chennai when he was a child. The school education came to an end with 6th standard.

He was interested in stage plays. With his fine voice, singing talents and ability to play the harmonium, he soon established a place for himself in stage dramas. Rajappa was devoted to poet Kambar and took his pen name as Kambadasan which means fanatic of Kambar.

Career

As a writer, he has written short stories, poems and plays.

With his talents, it was an easy entry for him into the Tamil cinema. He started as an actor and then developed into scriptwriter and lyricist. His debut as a lyricist was in Vaamana Avatharam (1940) in which he was credited as C. S. Rajappa.[1] He wrote the dialogues for Saalivaahanan (1945)[2] and as a popular lyricist with the hit song Arul Thaarum Deva Mathaave in Citadel's Gnana Soundari (1948). Another song Parthal pasi theerum sung by the erstwhile P. U. Chinnappa for the film Mangayarkarasi (1949) also was a hit. He was also featured as the court poet in this film.[3]

He was adept at writing for dubbed films. Many of the films dubbed from Hindi and Telugu were successful at the box office in Tamil mainly due to his dialogues and lyrics. The challenge for writing for dubbed films is to write lyrics with the tune already set and to suit the lip movements. A case in point for his success in such films is Vaanaratham (1956). Lata Mangeshkar who sang the original Hindi songs rendered the Tamil versions written by Kambadasan.[4]

Family life and death

He first married Chitralekha, a dancer and daughter of Malayalam poet Vallathol. The marriage did not last long and they separated soon. Then he married poet and school teacher Susheela. That marriage also failed. He married again a dancer Anusuya.

Kambadasan was admitted to Royapettah hospital due to failing health condition related to alcoholism, and he died on 23 May 1973.

Filmography

As actor

YearFilmRoleDirectorBannerRemarks
1934Draupadi VastrapaharanamR. PrakashSreenivas Cinetone
1934Srinivasa KalyanamA. NarayananSreenivasa Cinetone
1949Mangayarkarasi[5]Court PoetJiten BannerjeeBhagya Films

As Script and Dialogues writer

YearFilmDirectorBannerRemarks
1944PoompaavaiKrishnan–PanjuLeo FilmsStory
1945SaalivaahananB. N. RaoBhaskar PicturesDialogues
1949MangayarkarasiJiten BannerjeeBhagya PicturesScreenplay
1949Naattiya RaniB. N. RaoBaskar PicturesStory & Dialogues
1952ThanthaiM. R. S. ManiExcel ProductionsDialogues
Dubbed from Malayalam
1953Avan YaarAntony MitradasNeelaDialogues
Dubbed from Malayalam

As lyricist

YearFilmMusic DirectorDirectorBannerRemarks
1940Vaamana AvatharamN. B. S. ManiPrem ChethnaLakshmi FilmsCredited as C. S. Rajappa
1942AaraichimaniSrinivasa Rao ShindeP. K. Raja SandowKandhan Studio
1944MahamayaS. V. Venkatraman
Kunnakkudi Venkatrama Iyer
T. R. RaghunathJupiter Pictures
1948Gnana SoundariS. V. VenkatramanF. Nagoor, Joseph Thaliath Jr.Citadel Film Corporation
1950Ithaya GeethamS. V. VenkatramanJoseph Thaliath Jr.Citadel Film Corporation
1950Laila MajnuS. V. VenkatramanF. NagoorBalaji Pictures
1950ParijathamC. R. Subburaman
S. V. Venkatraman
K. S. GopalakrishnanLavanya Pictures
1951VanasundariS. V. Venkatraman
C. R. Subburaman
T. R. RaghunathKrishna Pictures
1951MayakkariP. Adinarayana RaoP. SridharAswini PicturesFilm made in Tamil and Telugu simultaneously
1952Aan or Murattu AdiyalNaushadMehboob KhanDubbed from Hindi
1952Pasiyin KodumaiP. S. DiwakarK. J. Mohan RaoK & K CombinesDubbed from Malayalam
1952PriyasakhiBr LakshmananG. R. RaoNeela ProductionsDubbed from Malayalam
1952ShyamalaG. Ramanathan
T. V. Raju
Dinakar Rao
P. A. Subba RaoYuva Pictures
1953AnbuT. R. PappaM. NatesanNatesh Art Pictures
1953AvanShankar JaikishanRaja NawatheR. K. FilmsDubbed from Hindi
1953Avan YaarBrother LakshmananAntony MitradasNeelaDubbed from Malayalam
1953PoongodhaiP. Adinarayana RaoL. V. PrasadAnjali PicturesFilm made in Tamil and Telugu simultaneously
1953ThanthaiP. S. DiwakarM. R. S. ManiExcel ProductionsDubbed from Malayalam
1955KangalS. V. Venkatraman
G. Ramanathan
Krishnan–PanjuMotion Picture Team
1955Maaman MagalS. V. VenkatramanR. S. ManiMani Productions
1956Kannin ManigalS. V. VenkatramanT. JanakiramanMaheswari Pictures
1956Kudumba VilakkuT. R. PappaF. NagoorNagoor Cine Productions
1956Marma VeeranVedhaT. R. RaghunathMehboob Studio
1956Moondru PengalC. N. PanduranganR. S. PrakashJayasri Lakshmi Pictures
1956NannambikkaiS. V. VenkatramanK. Vembu
Charlie
Film Centre
1956VaanarathamNaushadS. U. SunnySunny Art ProductionsDubbed from Hindi
1957Magathala Nattu MaryR. ParthasarathyS. S. RajanJaikumar Pictures
1958Avan AmaranT. M. IbrahimS. BalachanderBeaubills Films
1959KalaivaananPendyala Nageswara RaoP. PullaiahSharadha Films
1959ManimekalaiG. RamanathanV. S. RaghavanSekar Art Film Enterprises
1959Odi Vilaiyaadu PaapaV. KrishnamoorthiMuktha SrinivasanJagajothi Films
1959Yaanai Valartha VaanambadiBr LakshmananP. SubramaniamNeelaDubbed from Malayalam
1961AkbarNaushadK. AsifSterling Investment CorporationDubbed from Hindi
1962Mahaveera BheemanM. S. GnanamaniS. A. SubbaramanJaikumar Pictures
1963Kubera TheevuC. N. PanduranganG. ViswanathanNithyakalyani Films

References

  1. Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017.
  2. Guy, Randor (26 June 2011). "Saalivaahanan 1945". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  3. Guy, Randor (4 April 2008). "Mangayarkarasi 1949". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  4. Nitya Menon (5 October 2014). "When the south got a taste of her music". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  5. Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017.

Bibliography

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