Margazhi rAgam

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 15 Dec 2008, 20:28

Another trailer on this:

http://www.clipser.com/watch_video/1096758

srinidhi · Post by **srinidhi** » 19 Dec 2008, 11:36

The movie should have been released yesterday. Has anyone watched it yet? Any comments?

jananee · Post by **jananee** » 19 Dec 2008, 11:58

From a few people who attended the premiere I heard it has come out very well.

cameo · Post by **cameo** » 19 Dec 2008, 14:55

is TMK ,the hero in it

? or what is the theme like?

jananee · Post by **jananee** » 19 Dec 2008, 15:01

Looks like jayasree sings for the first half and then TMk takes over and they finish together. A concert format.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Dec 2008, 23:54

If anyone has seen the film, can you please tell me what the impetus is for a kutcheri-going rasika to watch this film?

cameo · Post by **cameo** » 23 Dec 2008, 10:37

Saw it in the last weekend.To be frank,I had a nap in between.
I am not good at reviewing the songs, but I would comment on the excellent audio/video quality of the movie.
And of course,it is nothing but watching a concert on a 70mm screen , close..very close shots like where you read it directly from the lips of BJ/TMK, watch the fingering of Embar Kannan, watch from some unusual angles,which you could never can in a live kutcheri.
Nothing more than a live concert,where you can whole heartedly appalause the artist after a song.

Over all the theatre hardly had 40% attendance... on its release weekend.

well,could someone post the song list?

shadjam · Post by **shadjam** » 28 Dec 2008, 12:20

Interview with the mArgazhi rAgam team (TMK, Bombay Jayashree and the director of the movie):

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTOrKdTr2Os
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOxgFY5jILo
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3oN3gaFxPw
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9KBEi455I
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8zYzMIb80

ganesh_mourthy · Post by **ganesh_mourthy** » 29 Dec 2008, 09:26

well I think this is an attempt to make do the difficulties of cutcheris, time contstraints,travel. but what else? can another film like that have the same appeal?

shadjam · Post by **shadjam** » 29 Dec 2008, 10:05

ganesh_mourthy wrote:can another film like that have the same appeal?

It will be considered a remake

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 29 Dec 2008, 15:45

I had a look today and returned with mixed feelings at best. TMK sang a fine Varali (although the Pallavi was disappointing) and good swaras for Seethapathe in Khamas while BJ's rendition of Janani was pleasant. It was also interesting to watch the artistes so close and the quality of both the acoustics and the visuals was very high. However, the following were the downsides:

Overall the electricity of a kutchery was missing - the start was a little sedate.

The tani avarthanam came out of nowhere (for Janani Ninnuvina) - this was for a song sung by Jayashree who was accompanied upto that point by Patri Satish Kumar. Suddenly, Arun Kumar and Purushottaman popped up on stage and after the korvai, TMK picked up the neraval line almost like a hero making an entrance! This was just so gimmicky....

There was an intermission which was bad enough but even if that was dictated by commercial considerations, did they have to play some mindless pop music, not to mention half a dozen ads!!

I didn't care much for the special effects and the sets - although tastefully done, it didn't seem to belong to carnatic music. Prashant got it right - it was more Celine Dion than Semmangudi! More stunts like blue filters for Neelambari did not help.

The audio balance worked against the percussion instruments - the Kanjira in particular was hardly visible.

On the whole a novel idea but execution could have been better. A better way to use the sophisticated equipment behind the production would have been to actually film cutcheries. I still remember the concert sequences from Arar Asaippadar, especially that mind boggling Shanmukhapriya - the equipment was technically very limited but the impact was so much greater.

I would still recommend that you have a look - a couple of pieces are well worth it and it is a novel experience. But I am not buying the DVD.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 29 Dec 2008, 16:11

vijay wrote:I still remember the concert sequences from Arar Asaippadar, especially that mind boggling Shanmukhapriya

Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it... what great music!

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Dec 2008, 18:27

Is Arar Asappadar still commercially available? I have been wanting to see it for some time now.

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 29 Dec 2008, 20:56

Chn.Bala · Post by **Chn.Bala** » 29 Dec 2008, 21:43

I too saw the movie on Christmas day. I also agree with Mr Srinivas that it has a novel approach and would certainly appeal to a wider audience.
The sound quality forced the me to listen and absorb, and the dark interiors of the cinema hall, helped me concentrate on hearing the artistes.
Both BJ and TMK performed very well and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The sheer intensity of BJ and the phenomenal energy of TMK
passed through to the audience . Why else would so many clap in joy inside a cinema hall?

We can only hope that Jayendra and Sriram would launch many more such ventures, and I will certainly look forward to buying the DVD as well.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:17

Ah Prashant...you should have heard the Kambhoji today....

Bala/Srinivas...I respect your opinions - let us agree to disagree.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 30 Dec 2008, 06:29

bilahari wrote:Is Arar Asappadar still commercially available? I have been wanting to see it for some time now.

Bilahari, yes it is commercially available through charsur. Not sure where it retails.....I bought the DVD is Cleveland last year. worth every penny.

ganesh_mourthy · Post by **ganesh_mourthy** » 31 Dec 2008, 14:01

I searched in every other big video stores for Arar Asaipadar.. but in vain.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 31 Dec 2008, 14:51

I bought it only yesterday in the AVM sale. You should also get it in Landmark, Giri Trading etc. I think those who are abroad should be able to order from the Charsur website

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 31 Dec 2008, 15:13

vijay wrote:Ah Prashant...you should have heard the Kambhoji today....

I wish I could have, Vijay...

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 31 Dec 2008, 15:39

I went to the Sankara Hall sale and couldn't find it!

But I'd exceeded my budget by Rs. 1000 anyway so I wouldn't have been able to buy it anyway.

Svaapana · Post by **Svaapana** » 31 Dec 2008, 18:14

The new venture seems to have kindled greater interest in "Arar Asaippadar ". Good for CM

suma · Post by **suma** » 01 Jan 2009, 09:48

Finally saw this movie yesterday.
It is actually not a movie, but a Concert by two artists.
The first few minutes were kind of dragging although the artist rendered the songs well as it was a movie theater. However, Krishna comes in and electrifies the concert. Overall it was fine.
Towards the end, both artists and all their accompaniments join to render vande mataram and that was good. ok kind of movie, not something that one would go again and again or posses a DVD.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 02 Jan 2009, 02:37

The next step probably is the ability to see live CM concerts in theaters.

There is now a new business in U.S. of showing live music concerts in regular movie theaters. The conversion to digital systems is going on in the movie theater industry and with that it becomes possible to stream high quality video signals live to theaters. The cost effectiveness of such things may not quite work out yet for CM but there may be enough listeners in select Tier 1 and Tier II cities for the top one or two artists to make this a viable thing.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 Jan 2009, 08:39

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » 02 Jan 2009, 10:09

For those who are in Bangalore, Fun cinema at Zigma Mall , Cunningham Road , is showing this movie during next 3 days ( that is 2nd,3rd and 4th of Jan) at 5:00pm.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 03 Jan 2009, 00:57

vasanthakokilam wrote:The next step probably is the ability to see live CM concerts in theaters.

There is now a new business in U.S. of showing live music concerts in regular movie theaters. The conversion to digital systems is going on in the movie theater industry and with that it becomes possible to stream high quality video signals live to theaters. The cost effectiveness of such things may not quite work out yet for CM but there may be enough listeners in select Tier 1 and Tier II cities for the top one or two artists to make this a viable thing.

You are absolutely correct. But this technology should come to India quickly and there should be sponcers.

saramati · Post by **saramati** » 03 Jan 2009, 14:46

i watched the movie in a preview theatre, and i felt the sound effects and the visal clarity were breathtaking. one could enjoy the very slight and subtle gamakams, which otherwise would get submerged in the surrounding din during live concerts.

TMKs singing was electrifying. one thing that i noticed was that tmk vibes well with his accompanying artistes. the coordination, and the body language of the entire team was harmonious. I felt this was missing in jaishree's slot. she as well as each of the accompanying vidwans were on their own. there seemed to be no eye contact between them. it is just my opinion.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 08 Jan 2009, 21:18

srinivasrgvn wrote:Actually I went to the movie and I never felt like you all did! I found each and every bit of it very very enlightening and excellent!
First of all,
we must learn to be a student of change.
You shouldn't expect the same kutcheri format in a movie like this.
This movie has been released to be different and if it is like the same old kutcheri, why should people buy tickets for Rs.120 and go to theaters?
Instead, we can go to the sabhas and listen!
It was absolutely fantastic and youth-attracting. I liked it.
If you say the appearance of TMK after the thani was gimmicky, I thought it was innovative and new!
All the renderings were fine and the pallavi was SCINTILLATING to put it in words.
And the lighting effects were superb!
You should have some kind of "rasanai"(the interest to enjoy some things)!
Maybe different people have different tastes.
The only thing that was a bit pinching was when BJ and TMK sang together the "Vande Mataram" song.
I felt BJ's shruthi was a bit too low and her voice turned out a bit abnormal.

Anyway, no harsh feelings! Just told my views!

I agree with your views. I saw the film at Fun cinema in Blore.
It is probably the best single attempt ever in CM and also showcases what is a CM kutcheri format to many laymen.
As we all know a live performance has more life (artist can take more risk) , TMK and BJ have
given their best here given the compulsions and before a camera. It looks like a continuous telecast of a
concert but one can notice the dress, setting changes. pakkavadyam also changes for TMK after BJ completes
her small kutcheri (mayamalagowla , Neelambari and Reethigowlai ). No camera conscious feelings from artists.

The attempt I feel is well thought and researched in all aspects (or in the aspects which are least
looked at in our CM sabhas). In this movie, apart from visuals, I liked the audio quality the most.

The entry of TMK is nicely done, taking over the concert from BJ after the thani in the main song
(reethi Gowlai , janani ninuvina) completing the pallavi of the main song. It looks almost like Vijay's entry
in his movies. And I expected a high speed song but TMK
continued at low speed with javali, and then the Kamas song seethapthi with his trademark
neraval and swarams. Main is by BJ and RTP by TMK ( Varali and ragamalika swarams in Sama,Begada).
Both are good but both are compressed versions.

But I guess for a regular concert goer, the songlist will not meet the expectations.