SOUTH INDIAN CINE MUSIC DIRECTORS [OLD] –XII

 MD VI   R SUDHARSANAM  [ 26- 04- 1914 --- 26-03-1991]

RAMAKRISHNA SUDHARSANAM was a highly talented MD to have served movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Sinhalese languages. His career looks to have begun in 1939 and by the next year he became MD for the movie Sakunthalai.

 I faintly remember to have read that the signature tune [played in Clarinet] accompanying the logo of AVM  in movies was composed by Mr. R.Sudharsanam .

His entry to AVM began with his joining Saraswathi stores –a recording company specializing in recording songs and the sale of those Gramophone records then. He became the house MD of AVM studios who were into movie –making since early days.  Sudharsanam had registered a stamp for quality music in several movies. He was among the earliest MDs to have availed of the voices of TMS and S Janaki.

Another distinct pride for Mr. Sudharsanam has been that he was the MD to have scored music for the first film of several actors / actress – as for instance VAIJAYANTHI MALA [ vaazhkai], SIVAJI GANESAN [Parasakthi], RAJKUMAR [Bedara Kannappa], KAMALAHASAN [Kalaththur kannamma]

In Tamil screen quite a number of hit songs stand testimony to R Sudharsanam’s profundity as a composer.

Deivapiravi [‘THARA THARA VANDHAARA’, ‘KALAI VAYASU’, IVAR KAANA’, ‘THANNAI THANE NAMBAADHADHU’]

Annai [‘AZHAGIYA MITHILAI NAGARILE’, ORE ORU OORILE’ , ‘ OH BUCK BUCK’, ‘POOVAGI KAAYAAGI’, ‘BUDDHI ULLA MANIDHARELLAAM’ ]

Naanum oru pen [‘kaqnna karumai nira kanna’, ‘poopola poopola pirakum’, ‘yemaara sonnadhu naano’]

There are quite a number of hits that speak of R S’s caliber as an MD worth recalling / rejoicing.

Prof. K. Raman