1990: ‘Chennai’ – Old, dull city. Faded tin-like PTC buses plying across dusty roads, passengers hanging out from all doors and windows too, much like grapes spilling out of a basket! Dark-skinned auto-drivers harassing their ‘savaari’ (passenger) for extra money.
Marriage was ‘arranged’ by matching horoscopes and families. And Love signified something forbidden. Passion, lust and seduction – three words used interchangeable, but sadly, all meant something borne out of duty to one’s spouse, or for someone else’s!
Seduction took many forms. Some were naive and delightful, like this:
And marriage meant a mature (beautiful, nevertheless) relationship between two equally serious adults.
Now this song is really old, but still amazes me! http://shankari.wordpress.com/, for putting this on FB 🙂
And one cannot forget this ‘then trendy’ song… (if you can stop laughing at the sensational 🙄 dance moves, that is!)
1992: For a community of people used to Hero Bhagyaraj’s hilarious flirting techniques…
… Perceptions of Love and Lust changed… with the arrival of suave fellow-south-Indian Arvind Swamy!
Suddenly, marriage changed from being a life-threatening-sober-event to something more fun and sexy.
And this innocent young girl’s idea of fun being frolicking about under waterfalls….
took the nation by storm!
Subsequently, ofcourse, we know how Bombay re-defined war, religion and passion among other things.
And suddenly, love was not ‘taboo’ or ‘gross’ any longer!!
This song, from Kalaignan, was as sensational (despite the heroine’s hair-do) as it was melodious. (Thanks, Vimmu & Scorpia, for reminding me).
Over these years, we had a deluge of ‘young’ movies, starring fresh and happy faces. ‘College life’ changed from ‘girls wearing dhavani and oily pig-tails’ to what-was-then-hep outfits 🙂 and Life also meant Fun 🙂
2000: And finally, while one could celebrate Youth and its associated freedom and carelessness, one also realised that beautiful sensual side to love.
This song from Alaipayuthey in particular was both naughty, and sensual. It showed that ‘marriage’ need not mean an always-behave-serious-relationship-of-two-mature-adults. Marriage could also mean ‘friendship’, ‘fun’ and spontaneity :-)
2001 onwards: Now, strangely, my mind goes blank when asked about songs that tingle the romance buds over the last ten years.
What songs redefined love and lust over the last ten years? Do fill in!
And on that happy note, hope you have a very good weekend, filled with sunshine, laughter and romance 😉
EDITED TO ADD:
Current faavvvvvvvvvvouurriiiiiiiiiiitttttttteeeeeeeeee:
Writer-z-block 
59 replies on “Love, Lust and Tamizh Cinema”
First..:)..inspired by Kanagu..;)
Ha ha ha!!!
wow.. I am also inspiring few people 😀 😀
some of them at the top of my mind :
1) Malare mounama from Karna
2) Endan nenjil from Kalainjan
3) Nee katru naan maram from Nilave Vaa
4) Vennilave Vvnnilave from Minsara Kanavu
5) Narumugaye from Iruvar
oh there are lots and lots more….
Awww….. I love (1) and (2). Infact (2) and (4) came to mind, but I eventually forgot to link them in!!
See, that’s also what I was surprised at … I cannot remember many songs from the last few years… nothing that shook Tamil cinema!!! Right?
Good recap Pals…looks like the anniversary is having an lingering effect on you..recollecting romantic songs..:)…
LOL!!! Actually, this post came about after seeing a friend’s FB update with some divine Hariharan songs 🙂
Love the songs from Kadhal Desam…they were the rage during my schooldays. And I remember most of the lyrics even now (well at least what I think the lyrics are :P) 🙂
Oh yeah, ditto 🙂 🙂 College life suddenly seemed oh-so-cool 🙂 Oh! To be young again!! Sigh!!!!!!
Awesome recap 🙂
And yea…I second Vimmu on that list…esp Endan Nenjil from Kalaingan
Here are a few unforgettables from my list…
Chithira Nilavu (Vandicholai Chinnaraasu)
Kandukondein Kandukondein (movie of the same name)
Kaatre En Vaasal Vanthaai (Rhythm)
Vaseegara (Minnale)
Paartha Mudhal Naale (Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu)
Mudhal Mazhai Ennai Nanaithathe (Bhima??)
Kangal Irandaal (Subramaniapuram)
Vizhiyil (Kireedom)
And lots more. This’ll become a post by itself if I list all mine here 😀
Some of these may not have “redefined” romance, but they sure do tingle the senses 🙂
Oh yes, that is a beeeeaaaauuuuuutiful song!!! And I like Kandukondein (infact all songs from that movie), Vaseegara (very sensual and beautiful song) and Kangal Irandaal. Thanks for adding, Scorpia 🙂 Going to hop back to Youtube now, to get these links 🙂
Ha ha!! How do you manage to change your name to suit every comment 🙂
With the kind of lunatic laugh your ammayiappan has, it’s no wonder romance and lust came in many folds and shapes into his life 😉
Saks, what is ammayiappan??
i cud not understand any of the tamil songs but RUKMINI my favourite and humma humma oh how much we dance to that song when it came out ..
hmm some songs i only know hindi ones that come to mind are
Pal pal :- from munnabhai
teri ore :- singh is king
you too have a great weekend
Apologies, Bikram! This post had a narrow audience… sorry!!! But yeah, I lovvveee Teri Ore… even my lil brat loves it 🙂
well!! that was a real nice work and a recap.
🙂
thanks..those were the best movies we got to watch.
Atleast these yesteryear movies had some ‘feel’ to it.
Thanks very much, Sorcerer. And yes, the ‘old’ movies were so much more meaningful than what gets dished out these days!
great collection
Thx SM 🙂
Hain? What are you up to on your anniversary? The title shook me up 😯
hey the first song Amla at her best and if am right this movie was remade into hindi and there was a pathetic heroine doing a pathetic version of this classic number.
LOL!!! Saks getting shaken up? That must be a good choice of title then 🙂 Yeah Saks, Amala was so lovely in this song.
I absolutely love ‘Ninnukori’,its one of my favorite songs in Tamil. Sippi Irukkudhu is another masterpiece…SPB & KamalHassan simply complement each other, dont they?
How can I not mention Roja..I was crazily infatuated with Arvind Swamy at one point of time 😀
I love all the songs from Kandu Kandukondein!
I havn’t heard very many tamil songs lately…there’s one song from Anbe Sivam taht I like very much. I love the movie too :). Here’s the one.
Deeps- At that time, Ninnu kori was a RAAAAAAGGGEEEE 🙂 And Arvind Swamy… drooooolllllll 🙂 Why do you think I named my brat R 😉 😉
And the thing about ‘recent Tamil songs’… I am surprised I cannot recollect ANY stirring songs over the last decade!
Me like it too!! 🙂
🙂 Surprised, no bratty comments 🙄
Pallavi Ji,
I don’t understand Tamil – but songs have a way to express their emotion without language. I enjoyed your collection. As I never married, I can’t comment a lot on the marriage aspect but I think that if it lasts, it lasts because of something special – neither love, nor lust – but friendship perhaps.
– Gorakh Nath.
Gorakhnathji – You didn’t marry during your lifetime? That’s a wise decision 😉 But on another note, I think you missed out on a really close relationship. I hope you get another chance! Thank you for appreciating the songs despite the Language barrier 🙂
Oh, I love Sippi irukkudu – I keep humming this one, quite often.
Loved your take on songs thru lust / love /relationships /sex – WOW !!! 🙂
The ones I remember are
Nilave vaa – mouna ragam
Valai osai kala kala kalavena – sathya
idhazhil kadhai ezhuthum neramidhu – unnal mudiyum thambi
rojavai thalattum thendral – ninaivellam nithya
santhana katre – thani kattu raja
Many more are there in my list…will forward it to u, if u are keen. 🙂
Oh wow, that’s a beaaaautiful list, Uma!! Tell you what, why don’t you write a post on your collection 🙂 Would looove to read it… esp on a Friday 🙂
i dont understand tamil…but i love wtaching tamil movies :):) ..roja..bombay..alaaipayuthe…kadhal desam all our my favourites…
one more fav is varnam airyam 🙂 i still dont knw wot it means…. but i have all my fav songs translated by celestialrays :P:P
Oh yeah, WM! How did I miss varanam aayiram! Lovely songs there!!
Oh! I had a major crush on Arvindswamy post Roja :D. There was this lovely song in it that I think didn’t get it’s due cos of all the other killer songs but Puthu vellai mazhi remains one of my all time favs. There is this other one – Thee thee from Thiruda Thiruda. Vaseegara is a beautiful, sensuous song. Thanks Pal, for the trip down memory lane.
He he he! Honestly, I never had a crush on Arvind swamy, but the name ‘Rishi’ stuck in the mind for over a decade 😉 And yes, Vaseegara is absolutely beautiful and not vulgar!
Ahem 8) Pal, u r nt over the anniversary mood yet are u 😛 😛 😛
I know only those songs u hv mentioned in the fun and sexy list 😉 😉
Hee hee!!! Ahem ahem again at the songs that you ARE familiar with 😉 😉 What plans for the weekend, Swar? ***Bats eyelids innocently***
They are very nice songs Pal… there are many more such songs in this decade too by Harris..
And then this song from Sukran.. Uchi mudhal kaalgal varai is a nice one..
then how you missed the songs from Kadhal Kondein.. they are lovely.. its one of the favorite album of mine.. it’s mixture of everything..
Thevadayai Kanden
Kadhal Kadhal
Manasu rendum
Nice songs, Kanagu, but somehow the list of ‘great songs’ to me, seems to have ended around 2001!! This song is again soul-stirring:
somehow I didn’t liked this song much Pals 😦 😦
😦 😦
NIce post. I dont understand Tamil but I was a HUGE fan of Arvind Swami back in the day and I think I had learnt a few lines of chinna chinna asha 🙂
He he he 🙂 Love (and crushes) can transcend all barriers 😉 Thanks for enjoying the post, despite not knowing the language, homecooked 🙂 Much appreciated!
Wow..beautiful songs! And I loved the way you presented it! Aravind Samy and Roja are my uber favorites…
Malare Mounama – such a respectful and soul-stirring song
Katre en vasal vandhai
Munbe Vaa (JOK)
Idhu varai (Goa) – I don’t like its picturization though!
Iktara (Wake up sid)
and ofcourse Nan pogiren (for SPB & Chitra combination)
Another collection of lovely songs from you, Anu!! Nan Pogiren is soul-stirring 🙂
First time here and totally loving it 😀
I love all the songs on your list, if I were to add, I’d add
en iniya pon nilave
oh sona i love you da
nenjukkul peidhidum – vaaranam aayiram
vennilave vennilave
sundari kannal oru seydi
ennulle ennulle – valli
and swasame – thenali
(pliss to not watch the vid for the last 2 ) 😀
Thank you, so much, Celestial Rays 🙂 Vennilave is a beeeeeeeeeeeautiful song… I did want to include it, but forgot at the last minute!! Swasame is awesome too. And now that you’ve said it, I am curious to watch the video for the last two songs in your list 😉
Good list…all the songs that u listed are super.
If I think about old village song…that ” Athaiku priandavali song….I used to like..no idea which movie
“Azhagooril pothavalai” and “Akkam Pakkam yarum illa” songs are gppd….No idea which movies…
Recently, varanam aayiram song is Ok..
Thanks, Aryan’s mom. I haven’t heard any of those songs, except for Varanam aayiram 🙂
Athaiku Pirandhavale – Kizhakku Cheemayile
Azhagooril Poothavale – Thirumalai
Akkam Pakkam – Kireedom 🙂
I dont know any songs in it 😦
😦 😦 🙂 Not even the Roja songs?
A couple of songs that come to my mind immdly:
1. Unna vida – from Virumaandi. I can watch/enjoy anything ‘Kamal’:)
2. Urugudhe marugudhe – from Veyyil.
3. Andha neram andhi neram and Omana Penne from Vinnai thandi varuvaaya
lovely songs collection..how come ‘Mouna Raagam’ missed out.!!
and have you ever wonder.. that it maybe impossible to explain & make your son(genY) understand this.. (try explaining him the world without mobile phones..;))
my 2cents: while evolution & changes is constant but still i dont think it was the change as described around us but within us.. chennai/india/world at large had all been same/similar but we were not there.. now, we moved from one spectrum(/lifestyle) to another may be due to economy prosperity.. i wonder if your preceptive with be the same if you are a school teacher(/police/post woman/..)from mid-income family,.!! you will see the same but give different explaination/interpretation.. no?
wow! brought in me a breeze of flashback memories and movies! “Panivizhum malar vaname” is one of my all time favs. From 2001 hmmm… except for few random songs the evergreen melodies ended with 80’s Illayaraja that I cannot remember the current decades song… After a little brain strain — how about “Khakha Khaka” songs ? and “Vaseegara” (it qualified right?) and the very recent “Kangal Irandal” from Subramaniapuram that took us back to the golden age of 80’s romantic melodies…
Straining further the musical cells some of the decades fav song of mine…
Did you forget “Azhagiya laila” 😀 😛 (though not in 2000s)
1. Oru varthai pesa oru varusham ..
2. Apple Penne
3. Kan pesum varthaigal
4. devathayai kandein…
5. unnai vida…
6. gyabagam varudey
dude, i am watching panivishum malar… on youtube. couldn’t play on your page for some reason and i am in splits!!!!!! HILARIOUS! now moving on to other songs. this is fun!!! 😀
neenga yengaaayp poitinga…. half of them dont open for me here! 😦
Oh no! Try going to Youtube directly, harisudhan!