91-SEVASADHANAM(1938)SONGS

Seva Sadanam, directed by K. Subramanyam, saw the movie debut of M. S. Subbulakshmi who went on to conquer the world with her melodious voice, beauty, grace and humility.

Her films were few – only five in number – but she won a lasting place in everybody’s heart. Leaving films in the mid-1940s, “MS”, as she is affectionately known, scaled great heights in the Carnatic music firmament.

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you can hear 5 songs in this blog.

https://blog.msstribute.org/ms-repertoire-somgs-from-sevasadanam/

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குஹ சரவணபவ

நீது சரண பங்கஜ

என்ன செய்வேன்

உன் உருவம்

ஆதரவற்றவர்க்கெல்லாம்

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Sevasadhanam was produced by MUAC-Matharas united Artist.(K.Subrahmanyam)

PICTURE SHOWS MS, Baby Saroja, Director K.Subramanyam( father of renowned Baratha Nattyam Dancer Padhma Subramanyam and Mrs.S.D.K.Subbulakshmi ( Director's wife)

Released on 2-5-1938.

Lyrics: Papanasam sivan and Rajagopala iyer.

(THURAIYOOR RAJAGOPALA SARMA?)

Starring: M.S.Subbulakshmi, F.Nadesa iyer,

In Seva Sadanam, M. S. Subbulakshmi played a young woman who finally frees herself from a tyrannical old husband and becomes a frontline musician. Her songs by singer-composer Papanasam Sivan ("Ma ramanan," "Syamasundara") became instant hits. F.G. Natesa Iyer's performance in the role of the old man was impressive.

Nearly twenty years after it was written,in 1937 Ananda Vikatan serialised the Tamil translation of the novel as Sevasadanam and the translator was Sister Subbulakshmi, one of the heroic figures of the women’s upliftment movement in Tamil Nadu

The basic theme was of a poor young girl becoming the second wife of a man old enough to be her father. The injustice done to such unfortunate girls, especially in the Brahmin community, and the inhuman custom of dowry, which plagues our land even today, were highlighted in the story. Ever a socially conscious filmmaker, K. Subramanyam was impressed with the serial and purchased the film rights for Rs. 4,000, then a high price. He and his wife S. D. Subbulakshmi suggested the proposal to MS and her husband T. Sathasivam who agreed to launch Seva Sadanam as their first film venture in collaboration with Subramanyam

Sumathi of Sevasadanam is unblemished even under tempting circumstances.

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MS’ popularity soared higher and some of the songs she sang in Seva Sadanam such as ‘Maa Ramanan…’ became hits and the gramophone records sold well

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The film was an instant hit and established MS as a film star. Regrettably no trace of the historic film exists except for a few faded stills, gramophone song records and, of course, the evergreen memories of old timers and MS-aficionados.

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In one of the early scenes of the film, she sings in pain “Un uruvam kallanri thiruvulamum kallo?” It is in a temple and a number of people notice her. One of them compliments the husband for the musical prowess of his wife. This infuriates the husband.

Un uruvam kallanri thiruvulamum kallo?

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Later at a function at a well-wisher’s house, Sumathi and the hostess wear similar sarees. While it is the hostess bantering with her husband, Sumathi’s husband thinks it is his wife flirting with the other man (who also happens to be rich). That is his limit and he throws his wife out of the house. Sumathi had already been noticed by another woman and her younger sister (played by S Varalakshmi) and the two give shelter to Sumathi and also work out a singing career for her. Her first line as a concert singer is ‘Guha Saravana Bhava Siva Bala’ and the song in Simmendramadhyamam was over a succession of images of public acclaim for the new singer.

Guha Saravana Bhava Siva Bala

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Sumathi will follow that song with a full-fledged rendering of Neethu Charana in Kalyani, with alapanam, swaram, etc. The gramophone record of the song was very popular though what ran for ten minutes on the screen was compressed to six minutes.

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Now the heroine has achieved fame, wealth, and managed to get her sister married. Sumathy organises a sanctuary for castaways. She sings “Ma Ramanan” for a six-minute gramaphone record when the remorseful husband dressed like Vivekananda returns to his wife. Sevasadanam was a well-acted film and M S Subbulakshmi could not have asked for a more appropriate role. It was her very first film. Knowing the singing potentials of Subbulakshmi, the director made the heroine an exceptional singer from the beginning.

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