Madurai Mani Iyer and Shammi Kapoor

I read an article in “The Hindu” on 18th August 2011 by Sunil Gavaskar on the Indian Cricket Team’s performance in England. Surprisingly, he started the discussion with Shammi kapoor, a famous Hindi actor, who passed away recently.

He was mentioning the enthusiasm and jubiliation, Shammji created in all his songs, through his dance and body language. He also added – “Even if I got out for a duck and returned to pavilion, by listening to his songs, I felt so happy and forgot my sorrows”.

Talking about Shammi kapoor, with my limited “Hindi songs” knowledge, his fantastic ability to render love songs on screen. The wild, the spontaneous, came through in fast-paced songs. Some of his songs “Aaja Aaja mein hoon pyar tera, Allah, Allah, inkaar tera” and “yahoo” song etc.

I never saw this actor standing upright in any of the songs ?!!!. Actually, thanks to Mohammed Rafi for rendering his golden voice in all his songs.

Who can forget the uninhibited, boundless energy and passion.. the flamboyance. The unfetted, uninhibited lover, who was at his best in comic roles, buffoonery, dancing, jiving, fooling around pretty damsels, came absolutely naturally to him.

When I see any of his songs in TV, I will not change the channel and wait for the songs to complete since I always get charged seeing his joy and jubilation in his dance sequences.

I was wondering whether any other person/factor made me enthusiastic/joy or happiness, I could not figure it out that time and left the thought as it is, then came today morning .....

As my morning hours, before I leave for office, are filled with prayers and listening to FM gold where between 7 AM and 8 AM, some carnatic music being played. Today, instead of FM gold, I changed to playing audio cassette of Madurai Mani Iyer (MMI). He was singing “KamalAmba”, a navavarNa kriti of Sri.Murthuswamy Dikshitar in the raga “Bairavi” and it started from the middle. It was soothing and I enjoyed his inimitable style of singing. When the turn of Swara started, as usual, he started his flamboyant “swara” delineation coupled with his inimitable “la la”, he also sang “Raaga” as swaram for a minute. It was spontaneous and wonderful that it made my heart filled up with energy and his soulful music made me ecstatic.

Then, I changed my question like this ? Is there any other person, other than MMI, who is wild, untamed, spontaneous and full of joy and charge the listener full of energy?

The answer was Shammi kapoor.

As MMI made my heart/soul dancing and Shammi made me, physically dancing..

Thank God to give some people who, by their action, give others value of their life.