ஸ்ரீதேவி - இளையராஜா

Sad news of Sridevi's death

IR's condolence message:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THshwfp9kLc

When IR talks about real talent, in a way he compares her to himself!

Very high order of praise indeed!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D5gnH48CuE

"ஏ பாடல் ஒன்று" தனக்குக்கிடைக்கவில்லையே என்று கமல் புலம்பினாராம்:

http://tamil.eenaduindia.com/Entertainment/KollyWood/2018/02/26090849/Kamal-misses-a-song-of-Sridevi-which-is-a-great-hit.vpf

இதில் ரஜினி, ஸ்ரீதேவி நடித்த டூயட் பாடலான ஹே பாடல் ஒன்று அன்றைய காலக்கட்டத்தில் (ஏன் இன்றும் கூட) சூப்பர் ஹிட்டான பாடல்களில் ஒன்றாகும். இந்தப் பாடல் எனக்குக் கிடைக்கவில்லையென்றுதான் அன்று கமல்ஹாசன் புலம்பியிருந்தார். இதுபோன்ற பாடல்களை இளையராஜா எனக்கு போட்டுத்தரவில்லையென்று ஒரு பேட்டியில் கமல்ஹாசன் சொல்லியிருந்தார்

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i19tmJBv-ww

Some of IR's Sridevi talk had been translated in this India Today news report :
https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/legendary-composer-ilayaraja-remembers-how-talented-sridevi-was-even-as-a-child-1177370-2018-02-25

"I have known Sridevi from her childhood days, but I have never shared these specifics before. I used to play guitar and many electric instruments, and I was assisting GK Venkatesh...at that time at Vahini studio, where all the malls have now come up, in Vijay 6 studio, there we used to record Telugu and Kannada songs."

"During one such recording two child artists came...Sometime during our breaks, we went to see the shoot - and during that time there was (a) movie called Lava-kusha and...Sridevi was shooting as one of the child(ren), and from that time all of us have known her talent."

Ilayaraja added, "K Balachander and Balumahendra were able to bring out the best in her only because she was so talented, and as they say, as you churn it becomes better and better."

He also remembered how Kamal Haasan and Sridevi were once "competing with each other" during the recording of a song from the film Moondram Pirai.

Another translated transcript (The Hindu):
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraja-recounts-moments-of-moondram-pirai/article22849899.ece

I offer my deepest condolences. I’ve composed music for a lot of her movies. Despite this, I did not have the opportunity to interact with her a lot.

However one unforgettable incident was working with Sridevi and Kamal Haasan while composing the music for Moondram Pirai. She and Kamal Haasan came to my studio as they had to speak a few words in a song we were recording. Even though I’ve known Sridevi her from the time she was a child artist, it was amazing to see her talent and how she and Kamal learnt the nuances from Balu Mahendra and delivered their lines.

I used to work as an instrumentalist with G.K. Venkatesh and during breaks in our recording sessions, we used to go to the sets nearby and see the shooting happening. At the Vijaya 6 studio one day, I remember seeing her essay one of the roles in the movie Lava Kusha.

Anytime we would go near the sets, technicians and everyone else there would be full of praise for her, even as a child artist. She was extremely talented and took on any character given.

Balachander, Balu Mahendra and several directors have brought out the best in her,and this was possible because even she was an outstanding actor"

- Music composer Ilayaraaja, in a video message

Northie take on Sadma :
https://skjbollywoodnews.com/classics-revisited-sadma1983/

To me, however, sadma songs were inferior to moonRam piRai

Possibly the first IR film that had Sridevi as heroine - kavikkuyil & IR gave a set of fantastic songs for her!

From the SJ CD that had been frequently playing in the van in recent times, this favorite had been heard often!

குயிலே கவிக்குயிலே யார் வரவைத்தேடுகிறாய்?

Sridevi was 14 when this movie came out (learnt after her death she was a 1963-er and this movie came out in 1977)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w24ilXwGfWM



Also, listen to SJ's humming in the beginning of the video below - of that evergreen classic of 'சின்னக்கண்ணன் அழைக்கிறான்':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg3d0KQ2r5I


There is this sweet  hindustani style classic 'காதல் ஓவியம் கண்டேன் கனவோ நினைவோ' by singer Sujatha :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ0Nc1smXj0



சின்னக்கண்ணன் அழைக்கிறான் female version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch0HoisMS8g

16 வயதினிலே (1977) படத்தில் மயில் என்ற மறக்க முடியாத பெண்ணாக நடித்தபோது ஸ்ரீதேவிக்கு வெறும் 14 வயது தான் என்று நம்மில் எத்தனை பேர் உற்று நோக்கி இருக்கிறோம்?

The movie - a classic - had some of IR's all-time-great-classics, with Sridevi on-screen.

Let me collect all of them in this post:

செந்தூரப்பூவே செந்தூரப்பூவே (Initially sung simply and later there's a short version for the hero, Kamal as well):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq2RodtGTY4



மஞ்சக்குளிச்சு அள்ளி முடிச்சு (written in detail earlier about the lyrics, one of the records of a village custom in TN, look for that "அழகப்பா அழகப்பா ஆணழகன் நீயப்பா" portion)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R5oNzpNs8Y


செவ்வந்திப்பூ முடிச்ச செல்லக்கா (after the girl falls in love with chappANi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRIWpjh7R8


ஆட்டுக்குட்டி முட்டையிட்டு (comical song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvVE11PBaFk

It's not that all roles of her early years were simply romantic ones.

One of Sujatha novels got made as "gAyathri" where Sridevi played the role of Rajini's wife (with Rajini having a villainish role).

IR gave that wonderful 'kAlaippaniyil' song and a couple others were Sridevi was on-screen.

காலைப்பனியில் ஆடும் மலர்கள் - sung by Sujatha once again, who was possibly a school girl at that time and a stage singer with KJY :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSuhkYgVBck



ஆட்டம் கொண்டாட்டம் - by PS (not for Sridevi but another woman, with Sridevi is on-screen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mimRl2lQj8M



The hit song வாழ்வே மாயமா was sung by B S Sasirekha and gave some opportunity to Sridevi for histrionics :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg3RZWIbHvc

There was another movie / album from that first year of "association", 1977, between these two talented artists (IR & Sridevi).

சாய்ந்தாடம்மா சாய்ந்தாடு

However, Sridevi does not get the best song of the album - it goes to another actress who does the romance / duet with hero - ஒரு காதல் தேவதை, இரு கண்கள் பூமழை - and we can't feature that in this thread.

Sridevi is on screen for the other 3 songs, which were not big hits

However, the youtubes are available - for anybody who cares. This should show the variety of roles she had to act in the initial years before she became the top star!

அத்தை மகன் முத்தழகன் (seeing her dance in this song makes one feel bad for her)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AIqm_SFtQs


கண்ணன் என்ன சொன்னான் (Sridevi is weeping in this with another lady singing the song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lVX_Z15NF8


உலகில் எனக்குத்தான் அதிக ரசிகர்கள் (some dancer doing this song with Sridevi sitting in that restaurant and doing some deal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbDFPI40228

Altogether, I've posted some 13 songs already from the first year of association (1977) between IR as MD with Sridevi on screen, in the prior posts!

3 films got released in the year 1978 with IR-Sridevi in Thamizh, Priya / sigappu rOjAkkaL / idhu eppadi irukku.

One of the song already got covered in a post above from Priya (hEy pAdal onRu, featuring Rajini / Sridevi and Kamal complained to IR that it should have been given to him instead).

Let me get the youtubes of rest of the songs from that movie (first stereo recording, foreign locations, Sujatha story etc) in this post.

டார்லிங் டார்லிங் டார்லிங் (this song also got featured in the fine tribute on #MaestrosApp today):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdDSdRJXUog


ஸ்ரீராமனின் ஸ்ரீதேவியே

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viCJgOa_KGg


Other songs from the movie didn't have Sridevi on-screen (ennuyir nee dhAnE, akkaraichcheemai - those are for Rajini with a chinese actress)

This movie was also made in Kannada (which is why Ambarish, husband of actress Sumalatha as hero) and similar set of songs in that language as well.

It's difficult to get individual songs from the movie "idhu eppadi irukku" (1978) on youtube but the movie itself is available there.

This movie had Jaishankar doing lead role and got paired with Sridevi, with IR's music.

இது எப்படி இருக்கு திரைப்படத்தின் யூட்யூப் :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGtAvUrAoc


(பாடல்களைப்பார்க்க வேண்டுமென்றால், 49 ஆம் நிமிடத்தில் "ஓ மை லவ்" என்ற பாடல், 1 மணி 11 நிமிடத்தில் "தினம் தினம் ஒரு நாடகம்" என்ற பாடல்)

The most popular song, engum niRaindha, is also available separately on youtube.

எங்கும் நிறைந்த இயற்கையில் என்ன சுகமோ (this song was a big hit and was frequently on radio those days):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtv165n4KlI

Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) is perhaps one of the most popular movies in the IR-Sridevi combo ; movie was a super hit and so were the songs!

To this day people talk about the BGM of this movie (and how Bharathiraja failed to deliver with RDB in Hindi).

Of course, it was mainly a Kamal movie, with his stylish psycho portrayal but Sridevi / Bharathiraja / Ilayaraja had their own share of honors!

Two evergreen songs with beautiful Sridevi on screen :

இந்த மின்மினிக்குக் கண்ணில் ஒரு மின்னல் வந்ததோ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjKsYUxGORY


நினைவோ ஒரு பறவை

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2kpaWXWRNU

kamal kurai.. IR mel... matra paatukal mel..

kamal.. IR patri.. miga azhagana nimidangal...... 

IR.. life time achievement..... maruthu iruka vendiya ondru..... life innume irukae ayya.....

vasan virudhu.. adhanal vandhen.. pazhaiya vishayam solli kolgirar.... periya unmai........ indha madhiiri vishayam IRai kaetka vendum.......

enna paatu.. enna instrument..ipadi niraiya kaetka vendum IRai..........

from 13.35 solgirar.. oru paatukaga matum kurai padavillai kamal...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtDyKFy10Mc

Sridevi...... 

gundu kannam.. gundu gunda kannu...... epodhum oru appavithanam theiryum mugam.. kural..nadipu......

ivarin style... enga teen age time.... trendsetter.... (ipodhu dhan therigiradhu. en vayadhu endru...... so sad.....)

 thalaiyai thazhaiya vaari.. pinnalai  irukamaga pinni kondu, pinnail nuniyai madithu rubberpand pottu,(enga kalam kuda  ellorukum iyarkai
thalai mudi nanraga irundhadhu dhan..... 
netriyil.. puruva madhiyil.. color sticker... vaithu  kondal. ellorukum.. sri devi pola azhagandhaga oru nenapu than......

apadi maraka mudiyadha oru special heroine Sri devi.....

Ilaiyaraja .. Sri devi padam.. miss panniyadhu ilali........... en ammavukum pidikum.. adhanal ivarin padam ellam parthu iruken.......

RIP .... sooooooo sad......

Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari 

indha padam.. Sri deviyin character.. andha appavithanam.. acharyam.. ellavatrikum IRin music and the BGM.... romba special dhan..........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSiiIrfYJJ8

priyathama.. SRi devi   dance .. oru majestic style... paatai uyarthuvadhu pola......

paatai kaetkum podhu ellam veru oru paatu irukae endru thonum.. indru thoniyadhu.. orae murai un dharisanam paatin thalam pola endru.

It appears Sridevi had 6 movie releases in 1979 that had Ilayaraja music! (Possibly the highest for the combo in a single calendar year).

The first one was Lakshmi, with Sridevi the main lead - being a "heroine oriented" subject (and apparently no popular hero in the film).

The movie was possibly a hit (not sure) but the songs themselves were patti-thotti hits!

They kept playing all the time in village kOlambi speakers during my school days (and I didn't even know which movie initially, until SLBC started playing the first-ever duet sung by IR, thenna maraththula  on radio).

The BSS song is fully picturized on Sridevi :

மேளம் கொட்ட நேரம் வரும் பூங்கொடியே

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URdtzSeWTas


The IR-PS duet's video is also available on youtube, but the song is not for Sridevi (though she appears briefly during the proceedings, disapproving the romance)

தென்னமரத்துல தென்றலடிக்குது நந்தவனக்கிளியே

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r5_a3w1znI


Video of the other two songs (both big hits) are not available. Audio is available, however :

வேலாயி வீராயி வெக்கமென்ன பூவாயி
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPPyRawXoyI

பந்தயத்துல கலந்திருக்கிற சிங்காரக்குயிலே
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7EJ21BQah0

Don't know if these two songs featured Sridevi on-screen or not.

For better quality audio, there is this link:
(BTW, the audio got released in 1978 itself)

http://mio.to/album/Lakshmi+%281979%29

Another album that came out in 1978 with the release of the movie in 1979 happened to be "kavari mAn".

While this was a Sivaji Ganesan movie, Sridevi had a main role (of his daughter).

The movie is on youtube but not all the songs could be located (either in this video or separate youtubes) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eZ_z2-l1Do

However, two songs with Sridevi on-screen on available separately on youtube and those can be placed in this post :

பூப்போலே உன் புன்னகையில் பொன்னுலகினைக்கண்டேனம்மா (not the happy version but the sad one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHeW1b8Dy_w


ஆடுது உள்ளம் ஆசையில் (மலர் கொண்ட பூங்கொடி) - Sridevi dance, intoxicated ( )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBng4cXGmwA

One of the biggest early hits of the Rajini-Sridevi combo, directed by Kamal's friend R C Sakthi, was dharma yudhdham.

IR gave a few terrific songs and two of them had Sridevi on-screen :

ஆகாய கங்கை (no intro needed for this classic and both actors are superb on screen):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx7zXF-aAkc


அட  போய்யா போய்யா உலகம் பெருசு (This way, Sridevi had her own presence in Rajini-Kamal movies too typically)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSxqz6hwc98


Another song found on youtube, with Sridevi on screen :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdDUz_yYVGA

Sridevi had a big hit with Kamal in the same year, kalyANa rAman!

There had to be two roles for Kamal to match one Sridevi And she got featured in all the four songs as well!

மலர்களில் ஆடும் இளமை புதுமையே (SPS voice was an alternative to SJ's those days, for the star)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPULo7pYhCI


காதல் வந்துருச்சு ஆசையில் ஓடி வந்தேன் (appAvo Kamal romancing the girl)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kcju3HOk10


காதல் தீபமொன்று ஆசையில் ஏற்றி வைத்தேன் (smart Kamal trying to get her back to senses)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDsgfN4F-Q0


நினைத்தால் இனிக்கும் (what a nice misra nadai song - sweet SJ)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0HjS0bc7xw

Then came the Sridevi-centric movie, this one by I V Sasi the famous Malayalam director.

Interestingly, one of the songs didn't feature Sridevi on-screen (Seema chEchi is on-screen, not sure if she got married to I V Sasi already at this time or they were only dating). So, thAmtha dheemtha Adum uLLam pAdum kAviyam didn't go to Sridevi!

The other four gems had Sridevi on screen.

Most later-day fans of Sridevi were so upset with the picturization of this song (because of some unknown actor having fun with her) but this song happened to be biggest hit of the album (and one of the greatest in the fantastic career of Ilayaraja himself!)

இளமை எனும் பூங்காற்று (18+ please)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DDI0gwSpkU


Two husband-wife romance songs, with Vijayakumar :

பொன்னாரம் பூவாரம்

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEfik-k7Mo4


கலையோ சிலையோ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlrkRqoPsSw


One terrific folk / tribal song, sung by IR-Jency had Sridevi on screen, but the lip-sync'ers / dancers were others :

தோட்டம் கொண்ட ராசாவை

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtekegLKmZA

pattAkkaththi bhairavan, the movie got its name from a famous character that NT had done in a prior movie (was it Dr Siva?) .

This album had one of IR's GOAT songs, engengo sellum en eNNangaL. (The video of that song is one of the most comical ones BTW and it did not have Sridevi but Jayasudha).

Despite being a NT movie, Sridevi had 4 songs on screen - one of them being the superb SJ-SPB duet, dEvadhai oru dEvadhai, one of my all-time-fav songs!

Let me collect the videos of this 1979-er here :

தேவதை ஒரு தேவதை (that famous SJ-SPB superb duet)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FJy7zorS3o


வருவாய் கண்ணா நீராட (a stage play song and Sridevi is so beautiful in this costume, don't miss watching - despite the comical nature of the video with RDB-style singing etc. )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw44wjHtrw0


நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே சிங்கக்குட்டி ("duet" with Jayasudha )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8YyEUJzHA


ஜில் மாலிஷ் பூட் பாலிஷ் (another fun song with Jayasudha)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07TBOWuPia4

1980 had two big IR albums for Sridevi in Thamizh - one with Kamal & another with Rajini.  (BTW, these were the only two in Thamizh in that year)

Both movies got released around the same time period and had two letter names (in Thamizh).

The songs from the Kamal movie குரு - Guru (possibly a multi-lingual) were big hits those days and many of them are still popular.

Most songs featured Sridevi on-screen.

பறந்தாலும் விடமாட்டேன் (the helicopter ride song, SJ-SPB, perfect pair for Sridevi-Kamal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu9l90N_s9M


பேரைச்சொல்லவா அது நியாயமாகுமா (another fantastic SJ-SPB duet, superb orch by IR)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRXCHKB0bYM


நான் வணங்குகிறேன் சபையிலே தமிழிலே இசையிலே (complex rhythm arrangements, fantastic SJ solo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9mnwaGzYvQ


எந்தன் கண்ணில் ஏழுலகங்கள் (Terrific bass work, another sweet SJ solo for Sridevi, popular to this day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6xO-nGDovg


ஆடுங்கள் பாடுங்கள் (no separate video could be found for this short number that comes in the end of the movie. Please use the link below):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6-cQ2yJPQY&t=8582s

Singer Archana must be among the top roles that Sridevi had done in her career!  So is the album for IR, one of his best!

கவர்ச்சிக்கு குரு , சிறந்த நடிப்புக்கு ஜானி (அதுவும் முழுக்க முழுக்க இழுத்துப்போர்த்திக்கொண்டு) என்று ஒரே நேரத்தில் இரண்டு படங்களில் கலக்கினார்.

மூன்று நேர்த்தியான பாடல்கள்!  (The other two songs of the movie had different girls on screen)

தொடக்கத்தில் வரும் "ஒரு இனிய மனது" : (அசோக் குமாரின் ஒளிப்பதிவு சிறப்பு, "தலைக்குப்பின்னால் விளக்கு" என்றெல்லாம் அழகு செய்த ஒன்று)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZInwCpJ-dJM


காதல் நிறைந்து வழியும் என் வானிலே ஒரே வெண்ணிலா!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT047bbPwnY


படத்தின் உச்சக்கட்டப்பாடல், காற்றில் எந்தன் கீதம் காணாத ஒன்றைத்தேடுதே

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSbng9tt4AU


Of course, on top of these songs, IR presented the pair a wonderful love theme!
(Enough had been posted about "that scene" over the years & not to mention recent spurt of tweets featuring that one)