Song: Germanyin Senthen Malare
Composer: Ilaiyaraaja
Singers: SP Balasubrahmanyam, S Janaki
Lyrics: Panju Arunachalam
Actors: Kamal Haasan, Rati Agnihotri
Film: Ullasa Paravaigal
On Panju Arunachalam’s death anniversary, our song of the day is ‘Germanyin Senthen Malare’ from Ullasa Paravaigal. The film stars Kamal Haasan as Ravi who goes abroad after girlfriend dies, and meets his childhood friend Nirmala (Rati Agnihotri). The lyrics speak of her beauty, and the song is considered one of Ilaiyaraaja’s best compositions. ‘Deiveega Raagam’ and ‘Azhagu Aayiram’ from the film are also famous. It is also said that the song was not shot in Germany, but at the Montagne statue in Paris, and parts of Netherlands and the US.
Panju Arunachalam was a lyricist, director and producer, mentored by poet and his uncle Kannadasan. He was the song writer for close to 200 films, and is best known for ‘Manamagale Marumagale Vaa Vaa’ in Sarada, ‘Pon Ezhil Poothathu Puthu Vaanil’ in Kalangarai Vilakkam, ‘Poopola Poopala’ in Naanum Oru Penn. He is also remembered as the man who introduced Ilaiyaraaja to Tamil cinema with Annakkili in 1976.