Dances from Ponkathir (1953)

Lalitha in Ponkathir (1953)

Lalitha and Ragini together in Malayalam movie ! 🙂

On that thought we will get jiggy with Ponkathir (1953). Ponkathir was the second movie to come out of  Merryland Studios and they  needed this to reclaim everything that they lost via that burning wreck of a movie called Athmasakhi (1952), their debut production. KP Kottarakkara, who wrote the script also ensured he plugged in every single melodramatic overkill moment into it to make sure it chugged on at the box-office. He was dead-on. It was a weep-fest, the likes of which, Malayalam films had never witnessed till then.

We will deal with that later. We are here for the dances, aren’t we ? The credit titles show Ragini and Lalitha credited for the dances, choreographed by  Guru Gopinath.

Dances : Lalitha & Padmini | Choreography : Guru Gopinath

Ragini appears only for a song sequence with dear sister, and I guess that is more than enough for me 🙂 There are also two dances by Bharathi Menon – supposedly very vampish, but looks equally graceful and wonderful as the ones by Lalitha. In the movie, Lalitha plays the clinically-teary-eyed beloved, while Bharati Menon played the ‘evil’ seductress, on a mission to snare the wimpy ‘hero’ and dunk him in the honeypot. Almost all the dance songs seems to have been borrowed from the existing Hindi ‘super-hits’ of the times, to me, save for the densely patriotic Povuka Naam, Povuka Naam, filmed on Ragini and Lalitha. The reason being the structure seems so contrived and welded together. Hey, I may be wrong, but this is just intuition talking.

Prem Nazir with his signature “മണ്ടി പെണ്ണെ !” pose.

Nagging doubt : Does  മണ്ടി പെണ്ണെ! = Silly Lass ? 🙂

Aanandavaasam Amaravilasam.

This is the opening song of the movie, and to borrow a phrase from Stephen King, looks like a dance sequence that “has no earthly business” in the teary-weepy-melodrama that is about to follow.

Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singer : N Lalitha & Chorus

The song sequence seems to have been forcibly planted on to the southern landscape from its Hindi original from Baiju Bawra (1952), along with the alteration to the attire and of course the water-pot styles. Wonder how disorienting’ it would be to have the entire village belles going to the nearest  river to fetch water in  choreographed moves, with the same patriotic song on their lips :D. The composition is a song of praise of their homeland, Kerala and the way it has nourished and sustained them with her over-abundant natural resources. The group singing flawlessly moves on to the indigenous Thiruvathirakkali at 1:08, making it forever a Malayalam dance composition 🙂 While the original is the usual ‘General-Tease-by-Friends-who-are-great-dancers’ song, there is absolutely nothing of that sort in the Malayalam version. This is pure patriotism, Sir.
Checkout the song here.

Here is the original Door Koi Gaye from Baiju Bawra (1952).
Singers : Shamshad Begum, Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd Rafi.

Sukhame Sukhame Swarga Sukhame.

Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singers : Kaviyoor Revamma & Lalitha

Featuring a very young, lithe and graceful ( undoubtedly) TR Omana, it is a duet in parts and a solo recital in parts. Its the latter that  makes it all the more interesting. TR Omana, is another actress who got herself relegated to one of the most popular ‘Screen Matriarch” in Malayalam films. She is an accomplished classical dancer and Kathakali artiste, and in her heydays was more popular as a dancer than a movie artiste. TR Omana‘s lead as Poothana in Poothanamoksham was a highly sought afer act in her popular days as a dancer. The expertise and the ease shines through as she expresses happiness through her little routine, glad for the fact that the two main people in her lives are at last together, and the home is filled with joy.

Checkout the song here.

Kaliyaadumpoove Varu Kaananathil.

[ Leading Lady in Love ‘Domestic’ Dance  – 1 ]
Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singers : Jikky

Definitely from Hindi. I have sirens flashing inside, but the database is still searching 🙂 ( Anu has send across a very convincing source ! ) . But nothing matters as long its Lalitha on screen. ( Sigh). While on Lalitha, do you know that  ‘Lalitha  danseuse’  one of those phrases that you throw at Google images that makes it throw up its hands in despair and give you a saddening look. We need to change that, don’t we ?

Checkout the song here.

Till a note-for-note source comes in, Mujhe kisise pyar ho gaya from Barsaat stands as the best ‘inspiration’. Thanks Anu !

Paadoo Maanasame.

[ Leading Lady in Love ‘Domestic’ Dance  – 2 ]
Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singers : Jikky

The leading lady in love just can’t seem to keep her happiness reined post her meeting  with her beloved. Another take on the “Sing, my hear Sing” theme, this takes it literally, going by the starting of the lyrics. Its a pity that we got to see Lalitha in so very few movies.Just like her dances, she was a natural when it came to acting too.
Checkout the song here.

The Inspiration – Lataji’s classic Laage Jabse Nain Laage from Daag (1952) !

Povuka Naam Povuka Naam

Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singers : Gokulapalan & P Leela

My favorite amongst all, just for the fact that it features Lalitha and Ragini, and its over 7 minutes of choreography. Though dated, I feel its still relevant way of expressing one’s undiluted love for his/her motherland. The whole composition is a bundle of cliche’s, but I don’t think  I can recall something similar from 50 years ago that has withstood the test of time. Patriotism is a relative term, these days.  So over-rated that you have almost started questioning it . Well, in my case, surely.

I am curious as to whether anyone has picked up on the song  for the young ‘uns for their innumerable school cultural shows ? It would be wonderful, am sure. Just the right mix of rhythm and respect. Don’t forget to send in a video link of the adaptaion to OMC if you ever think of recreating it for the school cultural show. Would love to see that 🙂

The song which exhorts the community to join in and fight ‘Inequality and Social Justice’ ( the song goes “Onwards lets march, onwards” ) has Ragini in her only appearance in the movie, is the ‘Male’, while Lalitha plays the leader of the agitators.The rich male questions their objectives and vision and their methods to reach their goal – whether it would be violent or the path of peace ?  Lalitha‘s path is clear – its Ahimsa. The Bourgeois also has his bit to add – dignity of labor and the will to work. Put together, this would beget Utopia. If only !

Nagging doubt : Remember seeing Ragini in a lot of ‘male roles in dances. Even in the famed Gitopedasam sequence in Umminithanka, she sports  the reedy moustache, and is Arjun. The examples in Tamil are many. She looked a wee bit masculine in structure, didn’t she ? Or is it just me ?
Checkout the song here.

Aanandaroopan Aarivanaaro

Lyrics : Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair
Music : Br Lakshman
Singers : Jikky

Enter the vamp, the grand seductress – Bharathi Menon, to entice the leading man, get him wrapped around her finger. Bharathi Menon seems to be another actress whose details are still hard to come by, specially in Malayalam films. I have heard that she played an active part in the Tamil films of the 50’s – any details welcome.

Checkout the song here.

Do write in .

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