Of sweet songs, sweeter memories

There is a song sung by S. Janaki in the 1983 film Parasparam , beginning with the line Nirangal than nrutham…

It is one of the most underrated film songs in Malayalam: ONV Kurup’s luminous lines, about love, longing, and loneliness, were tuned brilliantly in Raga Jog by M.B. Srinivasan and sung with heartrending passion by Janaki. The classic finds a place in the book Priyappetta Pattukal , which is all about favourite Malayalam film songs of writers and musicians.

Nirangal than nrutham… is picked by critic K.V. Sajay, who has written one of the finest pieces in

Priyappetta Pattukal published by Mathrubhumi Books and edited by M.D. Manoj. The book is a reminder of the rich music tradition of our cinema, as we read about many of our favourite songs.

Songs featured include

Sandhya mayangum neram… ( Mayiladumkunnu ) (ONV), Apara sundara neelakasham… ( Vithukal ) (Sreekumaran Thampi), Suprabhatham… ( Panitheeratha Veedu ) (K. Jayakumar), Karayunno puzha… ( Murappennu ) (T.P. Sasthamangalam), and Kayalarikath… ( Neelakkuyil ) (N.S. Madhavan). There are many more; over a hundred songs in fact.

Among there are some surprises too, such as Pranay sandhya… (‘Ore Kadal’), chosen by Sopana Sangeetham artiste Njeraalthu Harigovindan. He listened to the song (rendered by Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri and composed by Ouseppachan) along with his wife from her mobile phone kept between the pillows for several nights.

We all might have similar experiences about film songs. And it is the multitude of such experiences that make the book such a marvellous read. Short-story writer K. Rekha talks of quite a few experiences through her favourite songs such as

Ponnaralippoovonnu… (

Kathi ),

Sharadindu malardeepa… (

Ulkadal ) and

Arikil neeyundayirunnenkil… (

Neeyethra Dhanya ).

There are also some fine studies on songs, such as the one by Beeyar Prasad on Seemanthinee… ( Athithi ) and Balachandra Menon on Prananathanenikku… ( Enippadikal ).