Chocolate hero's journalism lingo

MinchAgi neenu baralu (watch it here) is the latest hit on FM radio and TV channels.

It's from the movie Galipata (Kite), which features director Yogaraj Bhat and hero Ganesh. When they were completely unknown, they stunned the industry by delivering Kannada filmdom's biggest hit, MungAru MaLe (Monsoon Showers).

It is not often that I heed RJs' recommendations, but I really loved this track.

Jayant Kaikini's words break away from the standard movie vocabulary, and invoke images from journalism (the hero "subscribes" to his girl's dreams, and "reports" from her heart), and finance (he is a "debtor" because he steals poetry from her heart, and has become a "shareholder" in her memories).

The orchestral arrangement, built on a bossanova beat, is neat and uncluttered. Just listen to the lovely, understated '60s European-style violins. I gather the string section was played by V S Narasimhan and the amazingly versatile Madras String Quartet.

Was composer (P Harikrishna) inspired by the antara of the R D Burman hit Rim jhim gire sawan (from Manzil) when he composed the opening line of MinchAgi neenu baralu? Possible, and in any case, Sonu Nigam's singing style harks back to the "golden years" of Hindi film music, and to the whispery, romantic idiom developed by Mohamad Rafi. The other songs on the album didn't impress me as much, although they do experiment with orchestral colour.

MinchAgi neenu baralu also brings to mind Ganesh and Yogaraj Bhat's previous hit Anisutide yAko indu (Sonu Nigam). The acoustic guitars are foregrounded in both songs, and the words and the old-worldly melody paint a similar, dreamy landscape.

Hari has been around as a keyboardist for many years. He used to work for Ravichandran, a mindless but occasionally successful film maker, and sequence and arrange his tunes. For Galipata, he has turned out a trendy album that places him alongside Harris Jayaraj. In fact, Hari doffs his hat at the Tamil composer in some interludes.

If you watch the video, let me know if you catch how Ganesh picks up some of Rajesh Khanna's famous mannerisms (the circling wrist, the skyward nod...)

For those who don't understand Kannada, I attempt a translation of MinchAgi neenu baralu:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MG10RlcjXg

Minchaagi neenu baralu nintalliye malegaala
Bechchage nee jote iralu kootalliye chaligaala
Virahada bege sudalu edeyalli besigegaala
Innelli nanage uligaala...

Here's my translation:


When you come as lightning
it rains where I stand.

With you warmly by my side
it's winter where I sit.

When loneliness comes visiting
Summer scorches my heart.

Oh, how do I survive these seasons? (Pallavi)

I subscribe to your dreams.
Just wait, I'll come
pay up my subscription dues.

I report live from your heart
but the moment I see you,
I forget all my words.

Mind if I call you
the lute I want to play?

In any case, I'm a bit of a sinner! (Charana)


I borrow lines of poetry from your heart.
No wonder I'm a debtor.

I break in and take away your memories.
See, I'm a shareholder too.

I won't leave you in peace
Oh no, not so soon.

In any case, I am a bit of a thief! (Charana)

It's over

We immersed the ashes at Nashik, a four-hour drive from Mumbai, and returned to Bangalore on January 8. The rituals are over. Yesterday, we had the Vaikunta Samaradhane, and about 180 guests game. She looks so serene and herself in Shreedhara Murthy's portrait.

Amma no more

Indira R Swamy, my mother, passed away on January 6, in Mumbai.

She had taught English, first at Kanakapura near Bangalore, then and Amravati in Maharasthra, and finally at National College, Jayanagar, again in Bangalore.

She was always gentle and cheerful, and I had assumed she would always be around.

She has departed, after battling cancer courageously, and we must learn to accept her absence.