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Tamil film industry is more of HYPE than substance

Topic started by Khandekar (@ 203.197.129.33) on Mon Jun 21 17:10:09 EDT 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Tamil film industry is more of hype than substance.Sivaji is touted as a great actor when he is more of overacting than of any real acting.
Rajinikanth is regarded as a superstar.What he does is a few gimmicks!and Illayaraja is considered a genius!when he is nowhere compared to SD and RD Burman.Tamil film industry has to get away with hype and look for some substance.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: kiru (@ surf0004.sybase.com) on: Thu Jul 15 18:20:41 EDT 1999
  
  Vijay,
  I am not insisting ARR can only do these kinds of songs. He seems to draw lots of inspiration from these types of songs. I know he is also very good with carnatic based songs (with drums and tabla or mridangam playing in tandem).
  
  
• From: Srinath (@ mail.startec.net) on: Thu Jul 15 19:39:40 EDT 1999
  
  Kiru:
  While in a 'vambu pannufying' mood, let me ask you one more question :-) - you said that North Indian music has more of Arabian/Persian influence (or something to that effect) and that is why South Indians have more music sense. Are you implying that Arabians/Persians did not influence N.In music positively, but negatively ?!!! :-))) but, you know what ! a friend of mine living somewhere in the gulf once wrote to me saying that their music is very monotonous and they don't use many instruments because they use music exclusively for a religious purpose and not for entertainment. Well, their understanding might be that music which pleases your senses is distracting you from God. But our own bhajans - (particularly in N.I :-)) are very invigorating and serve to enthuse the singer/listener to greater devotion. Christian Gospel music is pretty much the same. Maybe it has something to do with physical representation of God which gives scope to describe God/Godliness in material and thus emotional terms (I'm talking about stuff like Krishna's leelais and Christ's cross, etc). I personally think Muslim music is disciplinary in nature and Hindu/Christian music more emotional. I guess until recently (say about a 100 years) most musical compositions were intended primarily for holy purposes and hence the religion angle does play an important role in determining what music from different parts of the world sounds like, today :-)
  
  
• From: mahadev_n (@ 202.54.13.211) on: Fri Jul 16 06:00:37 EDT 1999
  
  It is unfair to say Raja is "nowhere" when compared to R.D and S.D.Burman. After all, they did not compose a symphony. They do have a few lessons to learn from Raja in orchestration. I am afraid whether Khandekar has listened to Raja at all. He could do well to listen Raja's songs in films like "moondram pirai" and his background music in films like "Dalapati",Nayakan etc., Back ground music was never Pancham Da's forte.This apart, Raja himself has expressed his unabashed appreciation for Pancham Da several times,for the excellent arrangement of his compositions.
  About the hype sorrounding mainstream Hindi films, which is nothing but 21 reels of cacophony with loud music thumping your ears, the less said the better.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.26.181) on: Fri Jul 16 09:30:16 EDT 1999
  
  Kiru,
  Once again i did'nt say that ARR can do only such type of songs. But iam not able to believe that ARR became famous in the north ONLY because of the 'muslim style' influence in his songs. it could have been perhaps just another one of many factors that have contributed to his success.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Fri Jul 16 10:06:07 EDT 1999
  
  Its true to some extent that ARR's albums have a slight touch of arabic/muslim music. But its only natural, given his background. But, if someone were to ask if this is what contributed to his popularity across the vindhyas, the answer is simple NO.
  
  Is "muslim-sounding" the criteria for musical success in north india??? No. One definite reason for ARR's success across the north is the sheer lack of alternatives there. With mediocre Anu maaliks and Nadeem-Shravans ruling the region, people arent really used to anything new/different in north. ARR's music has filled in the large vaccum that was existing in north, and this explains his success there! And the very nature of ARR's music is definitely appealing across the regions!
  
  chandy
  
  
• From: SRK (@ tan7.ncr.com) on: Fri Jul 16 10:48:02 EDT 1999
  
  Chandy: I agree with you - the Muslim feel in ARR's songs is just an aside; his success cannot be attributed to that.
  
  Mahadev: I don't know why people regard RDB so highly. IMO, apart from a few melodious numbers, he had nothing much to contribute. Its true that he introduced some new styles but that's all - there were not many great compositions of his!
  
  
• From: kiru (@ surf0004.sybase.com) on: Fri Jul 16 15:15:25 EDT 1999
  
  Srinath,
  Edit the sentence "south has more music sense" out of my post :). What I was trying to say was Carnatic music is the original form of music in the sub-continent (atleast in comparison with Hindustani). It is also related to the south Indian languages (my theory derived from a statement by IR, 'vArththaiyilum isai irukkirathu'). Read the Forum thread on Tamil icai.
  
  I do acknowledge the positive influence of arabs/persians in arts/culture/architecture in India.
  
  Also, I am quite aware of the religious angle/history of music (including western classical). When I meant 'muslim' I meant in the cultural/geographical sense.
  
  See I am not insisting here that the 'muslim' character alone of ARRs music is what made him successful in the North. IRs music has a typical thamizh man vAsanai, agreed ? Which one will the northern people prefer ?
  
  I am just speculating here while I am trying to find a cultural reason or other (apart from the subjective nature of music) on why ARR is preferred over IR.
  
  
• From: hari (@ hud04a01.ml.com) on: Fri Jul 16 15:54:36 EDT 1999
  
  The main reason for ARR succees can be attributed to the fact that, his tunes are very much hummable for hindi masses. Try to sing any song in 'aur ek prem kahani', you will know what am trying to say. This is reason behind the popularity of 'mastana mastana' in hindi, against any other IR songs. As sriram lakshman confessed in the hub, hindi meters are long and normally the song won't wander beyond certain range, and the interludes are very generic but smooth. After seeing this discussion, I was tyring to sing 'dil to pagal hai' songs in tamil, just to see how it sounds. I realized how simple the tunes are. No pavams, no shrutis.
  I would say, most of the tamil mds rather die than creating tunes like that in tamil. But to me, hindi music is also another form of music, differnt and enjoyable, atleast some of it.
  
  In case of ARR, not only his tunes are enjoyable, over all his presentation was different. I dont subscribe to the view that arabic influence, or lack of it, would have helped his cause.
  
  e.hari
  
  
• From: Bavni (@ 129.10.198.145) on: Fri Jul 16 19:11:53 EDT 1999
  
  Khandekar,
  
  Aren't u making too harsh a statement. Well you have not said what you are comparing Tamil film industry to. If you are basing the arguement based on hindi films...you don't have a case!!. Tamil industry has all the hype only because they have the stuff. Well u talked about rajini..which many other DF'ers have refuted...what about kamal??...Isn't he the most versatile of actors. Be it raja or ARR...they are not the 1 to be termed as one-time success. The very fact Sivaji is the only actor to be honored with the chevalier award...speaks of his acting capabilities..Tamil films have set the trend for all of india to follow ...only because of eminent artist both on and off the screen.
  
  
• From: Sabesan (@ ws-209-233-228-50.webvangroup.com) on: Fri Jul 16 21:05:48 EDT 1999
  
  
  Kanavillaaaai.....
  thiru.Khandekar avargalai kanaavillaaaai....
  
  thayavu seidhu yarum avaaarai theedi kandu pidikatheergal....
  
  
  
  
• From: Sabesan (@ ws-209-233-228-50.webvangroup.com) on: Fri Jul 16 21:06:31 EDT 1999
  
  testing if font has been closed properly...
  
  
• From: _sg-fan (@ spider-tl033.proxy.aol.com) on: Sat Jul 17 07:50:22 EDT 1999
  
  Any idea as to other winners of the Chevalier Award?
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ netcache1.mot.com) on: Sat Jul 17 10:13:49 EDT 1999
  
  sharon stone.
  
  
• From: mannAru (@ ns.arraycomm.com) on: Fri Jul 23 22:04:27 EDT 1999
  
  Khandekar:
  
  Tamil padathulayum, music-leyum Karpoora
  vAsanai irundhal adharku nAngal enna seiya
  mudiyum sollunga??
  
  Innum neraya kEttAl, anubhavichAl oru vElai
  ungalukku therinjAlum theriyum.
  
  

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