Real life is always much more inspiring and engaging than fiction. But to portray the life of a person in a movie or play is always more difficult.
But Bombay Gnanam, actor and founder of Mahalakshmi Ladies Drama Group Trust, has quite successfully brought out the spirit and essence of Tyagaraja’s life in the film Endaro Mahanubhavulu . The powerful dramatisation of the significant events from the saint-poet’s life, the remarkable restraint exhibited by the actors, and the vibrant screenplay make the 100-minute film worth watching.
The film premiered at the 174th Tyagaraja Aradhana organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai, on Pushya Bahula Panchami day. The screening was followed by the rendering of the Pancharatna kritis. Written and directed by Bombay Gnanam, the biopic inspires faith and hope, highlighting the human values of resilience, compassion, and piety.
A dream come true
The movie, made to fulfil the dream of a devotee of the Paramacharya, begins with how the Shankaracharya expressed his desire to the devotee that a film be made on Saint Tyagaraja.
The first scene depicts the saint-poet coming out of his samadhi and delivering a monologue in which he tells his father, “You had sought from god a son to continue your puja for Sri Rama. But now see, hundreds of songs on the deity are being sung across the world.”
The film has 18 songs, including ‘Lavanya Rama,’ ‘Seethamma mayamma,’ ‘Balakanakamaya,’ ‘Nidhichala sukhama,’ ‘Kanukontini,’ ‘Rara mayinti’ and, of course, ‘Endaro mahanubhavulu.’ All these compositions (not all are rendered fully) are sung by the protagonist Ragavan Manian, a disciple of the legendary M. Balamuralikrishna. Besides conveying the spirit of the songs, Ragavan has proved his histrionic talent with his realistic portrayal.
How the initially reluctant Sonti Venkataramanayya agrees to teach Tyagaraja after listening to the boy sing his own composition, ‘Namao namo raghavaya’, is depicted well. The other memorable scenes are: the unchavrithi of the saint-poet; the wife of Tyagaraja’s elder brother Japyesa trying to drive a wedge between the siblings, Tyagaraja refusing Japyesa’s advice to earn money by teaching music; his refusal to accept the gifts sent by the king, Tyagaraja’s emotional turmoil when he loses the idol of his favourite deity, and the joy when he gets it back.
Realistic portrayals
The expressions of Ashvin Krishna (Japyesa), when he steals Lord Rama’s idol from Tyagaraja’s house and asks the god to pardon him before doing so, were very realistic. The other actors such as Svetha Venkat (Tyagaraja’s wife), Padma Ganapathy (Japyesa’s wife), Arushi Vibhu (Tyagaraja’s daughter), Girish Ayyapat (Tyagaraja’s father) and R. Giridharan (Sonti Venkataramanayya) represent their characters well.
Even though the movie was filmed in two short months and on the stage of Mylapore Fine Arts Club, Chennai, one gets the feel of the actual locations in every scene — thanks to Anand Babu (camera), N.R. Mohan Babu (art director) and Kannan (make-up). Lighting by Mano Lightings is spot-on. The music by Dakshin, grandson of veteran music director V. Dakshinamurthy is inspiring. While Krishnakumar, also a disciple of M. Balamuralikrishna, has sung the Ashtapadi that Govinda Marar renders, Shreya Vishnuram has rendered the song sung by Tyagaraja’s daughter.
The Chennai-based author writes on music and culture.
