MSV filmography

OK, even the official website seems to be not interested in this exercise. Look at this webpage , the filmography link is not working!

Well, let us give it a try - to get the comprehensive list of movies / albums that the mellisai mannar had done. 
(There is a vested interest by me to get this done because the count keeps increasing every time IR reaches a landmark number of albums!  )

- Start from his very first movie in the 50's. 

- Include all his co-MDs.

- Include all languages (as much as possible with the help of google).

This will be the collection thread and let me get "initial list" for each year and then we can keep refining it in line with facts.

In about 2-3 months, we should have a spreadsheet to publish!

While not 100% or comprehensive, this will be starting point :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tamil-language_films

Per most historical accounts, MSV was serving as an assistant to C R Subburaman and didn't start MD-ing  until after the demise of CRS.

And, CRS passed away in 1952. 

So, that marks 1952 as the FIRST YEAR of MSV's career as a music director. 

Let us start with his TF albums for the year 1952, using the easiest available resource - wiki. We can keep coming back and refining the list.

#1 paNam (directed by NSK, with Sivaji Ganesan acting) seems to be first "independent" (or otherwise) movie that got released for MSV-TKR duo.

paNam wiki page also says the movie had mu-ka dialogs.

I don't see any other MSV movie from the wiki list for 1952. The projects that he+TKR had to complete because of CRS-death are listed as Devadas, Chandirani & maNamagaL but all of them got released only the next year it seems.

So, until the end of year 1952, the count was 1. We'll try to do 1953 tomorrow.

the filmography link in that site is working for me now
http://www.msvtimes.com/journey/filmography.html

in case not able to access,here are the stats:
514 films in Tamil in all
around 150+ in other languages

counterpoint wrote:the filmography link in that site is working for me now
http://www.msvtimes.com/journey/filmography.html

in case not able to access,here are the stats:
514 films in Tamil in all
around 150+ in other languages

nanRi sir, for researching on the official site!

I've now realized that I had been trying ONLY with google chrome and not IE   

Yes, the webpage in the official site works with IE (but not with chrome).

For the benefit of those who have forgotten IE, we'll just copy-paste the info, year-wise wherever possible, in this thread (as time permits).

No reinventing the wheel

Now, it's OFFICIAL that MSV had scored only 700 max!
(I had been correct all these days asserting this number!)

People who claim 1200 need to explain how and what!
(BTW, they may try to escape stating that it was the statement by "makkaL mudhalvar" when honoring MSV-TKR   Then they'll have to agree to each and every number told by politicians!)

With the way in which "release date" is posted in wiki, I think they had some decent source (Theodore Baskaran / Film news Anandhan kind).

Comparing those dates with the msvtimes "year" group shows that the msvtimes may not be accurate in their classification.

For example, msvtimes lists only one movie for 1953 (saNdi rANi) but the wiki database shows also Devadas & Jenova (the MGR movie where MSV is listed among the 3 MD's). 

So, 1953 has 3 movies (and not 1 as per MSV times).

#2 Chandirani (Aug 18 1953 release it seems, credits only CRS but MSV-TKR helped complete)
#3 Devadass (Sep 11, another CRS-MSV-TKR)
#4 Jenova (June 1, credits T A Kalyanam / M S Gnanamani & MSV)

Makes one uncomfortable about the data accuracy of MSV times
(ஒரு பானைச் சோறுக்கு...)

BTW, the inaccuracy is mostly in the details (like, other MD info, release year etc).

The overall count cannot increase anyways...

That way, 1200 dream can be easily shattered, using MSV times database itself!

Some TF numbers based on that filmography in msvtimes.com :

# of films done by MSV (mostly with TKR) in 50's - i.e. from the debut year of 1952 to 1959 : 27

The number of movies made each year was not anywhere near later decades - because of limitations in resource / tech etc. Even then, the share of MSV was very less if one goes by the listing on wiki, less than 10% perhaps

# of films done by MSV (partly with TKR and then alone) in 60's - perhaps their era of true glory : 123

Here again, the number of movies made each year in the industry wasn't anywhere like in the later decades. While MSV had some of the prime projects, it didn't mean they had a huge market share in the initial years of the decade. (They did have it later on). For example, in 1961 - the year of the famous pAsamalar / pAlum pazhamum / pAvamannippu - there were at least 37 TF movies but MSV did only 5 of them

# of films done by MSV in 70's, when he was undisputed numero uno (i.e. until 1976  ): 208

He was averaging 20+ and was the commercial #1 for most part of the decade. Post 1976, the rise of IR was phenomenal and was taking the shine away from MSV. Also, MGR stopped acting from 1977 which did a dent to his # of hit songs as well.

# of films done by MSV in 80's, when he was not worried about his position in the industry (even worked with IR in 1986 for MTK) : 138

Significantly less market share! This decade saw 100+ movies done each year and MSV had just about 10% of them. The absolute number, however, is still remarkable! Especially in the early part of the decade. The numbers significantly came down ONLY A DECADE AFTER IR's entry. Looking from another PoV, IR was definitely not trying to "steal away" directors / producers from MSV. He was working mostly with newer talents and it wasn't until later that some oldies switched over to him.

# of films done in 90's and later are not many, some 18 of them
(including senthamizhppAttu, senthamizhchchelvan, viswathuLasi done with IR).