It is well over two decades since he first listened to the song, but Sreevalsan J. Menon remembers vividly the bliss he felt while he listened to Pramadavanam veendum… “I had never heard anything like it before,” says the composer-singer. “It remains my favourite Malayalam film song.”
The song has turned 25. His Highness Abdullah , the Sibi Malayail-directed film featuring the song was released on March 30, 1990.
The song, composed by Raveendran, was rendered by Yesudas. Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri penned it.
“Scriptwriter Lohithadas explained to me the situation of the song,” recalls Kaithapram.
“He told me that the hero was about to be asked to leave the palace where he was a guest and the song had to reverse that decision.”
Raveendran had already composed the tune. “When I heard the tune, I knew the song would be a big hit,” he says. “But I did not expect it to enjoy such a special place in Malayalam film music history. Composer G. Devarajan congratulated me and Raveendran on the song. He called it the beginning of modern Malayalam film music.”
“It is a unique composition; there is melody, drama, classicism…,” says Sreevalsan, an accomplished composer and singer himself.
“The way Raveendran used the raga for the song is remarkable.”
The raga is Jog. Raveendran had used the same Hindustani raga earlier too, in songs like Iruhridayangalil… ( Oru Maymasa Pulariyil ), but he was able to give it a fresh flavour for Pramadavanam...
And then there is the singing by Yesudas. “Nobody but Yesudas could have sung it,” says Sreevalsan.
“When I heard the song first, on Chithrageetham on Doordarshan, I remember telling myself: here is a song I will not be able to sing.”