For those lucky enough to have spent their lives on the coast, the ocean is an omniscient being. We spend a quarter of our lives on the sea shore, playing peek a boo with the waves, making major discussions or making impromptu stops for the hot Bajji. It’s lovely scenery alright, but it is the sort of scenery that provides solace to lovelorn people, serves as inspiration to artists and worshipped as a God in its own right. Our Kadal is indispensable to our lives and so it is only fitting that we pay tribute to Kadal Thaai (Mother Ocean) with these seven sea themed songs from Tamil films.
1.Muthu Kulikka Vaareegalaa – Anubavi Raja Anubavi
LR Easwari and TM Soundararajan lend their voices for this delightful romp of a song filmed on the sandy shore of Chennai. Sung in Tuticorin dialect, it features the bizarre (Yoga influenced?) dance moves of Nagesh and a Manorama at the top of her game. The waves bounce around animatedly in tune with the song.
Sea Level – High
2. Chithirai Sevvanam – Kaatrinile Varum Geetham
An Ilaiyaraaja classic featuring the airy vocals of Jeyachandran; and the banana yellow safari suit of its lead Muthuraman. As the leads romance in a floral bouquet of a houseboat, a kattumaram full of men bear witness and sing, too.
Sea Level – High
3. Akkarai Illa – Kattumarakaran
Prabhu is the Kattumarakaran with a twist. With his stylish bandanna and bulging muscles, he waxes poetic about the Kadal Thaai (Mother Ocean). Vaali indulges in word play here too.
Akkarai Illa Enga Vaazhkai Idhu (Our life has no boundaries)
Akkarai konda kadal thaai amma (But Mother Ocean takes care of all of us)
Sea Level – High
4. Kathum Kadal – Kattumarakaran
In this one, Prabhu and his lady friend begin by engaging in a sing off. Then we move on to Prabhu’s daydream. Ladyfriend is a mermaid. Prabhu throws in his net. And voila, he nets the girl. The rest of the song exceeds our expectations as does Ilaiyaraja’s music. Also, S Janaki singing in Hindi.
Sea Level – Extremely High. May include mythical sea creatures.
5. Ada Vanjiram Vavvalu – Sembaruthi
Romance gives way to raucousness in this song about a lady who refuses to be caught. Hence the references to vanjiram, vavvalu and other such slippery things. Mansoor Ali Khan is at his energetic best here, thrusting and gyrating in tune with Ilaiyaraja’s song.
Sea Level – Low
6. Adi Padagottum Pattamma – Chinnavar
Meant to be a joyous celebration of fishermen and their lives, this song does just that. Prabhu, Chandrasekhar, Kasthuri and even Disco Shanthi prance on the seashore. The ocean though remains a passive witness to the fun.
Sea Level – Low. Ocean is unresponsive.
7. Hey Goodbye Nanba – Aayutha Ezhuthu
A modern twist to the age old (Tamil) tradition of romancing on the beach, we get to see Trisha and Sidharth chill on the beach, take dips in the ocean and generally behave like people with high spirits (no pun intended. we think.)
Sea Level – Medium
