Whats the connection on all the above 3 and why I want to write about this ?
Both 'Billa' 'Thee" & 'Vaazhve Maayam' magazine ads kept coming on my TL last couple of days. While I browsed through saw both were released on a Republic Day. Both were produced by K Balaji. This created kind of curiosity and my memory went back.
Unlike now there used by movie release not only during festivals like Deepavali, Pongal on Republic Day, 1st of May, Independece Day too. These can be easily substantiated with lot of data points especially starting early 80s. 80s could be the best period for Tamil Film World. Irrespective of any size of the production house, every fridays were festival mood. Check 1983 close to 100 movies released in that year and 1984 it clocked 110+. Also the Deepavali releases will be minimum of 5 movies. Cant even think about those now a days.
With this, I tried to unearth on the Republic Day Movie releases with some of the known films. To my surprise most of the Republic Day releases were from K Balaji :-). Let us see some of it in this thread with the songs related to those movies.
Balaji was a successful producer apart from his acting career. Almost all his productions were remakes but successful too starting with Sivaji Ganesan, Rajini and Kamal. Incidentally his 'Billa' which took Rajini to the next level. I still remember our (our gang those days) expedition to watch it in Alankar.
'Raja' remake of Jony Mera Naam was the first movie Balaji released on a Republic Day, 1972. This was a blockbuster and had wonderful songs from MSV. If you have a closer look at the movies Sivaji paired with JJ all were hit and good songs. Beginning of this year I think a digital remastered version released.
The next one to release on Republic Day was 'Unakkaga Naan' in 1976 remake of Namak Haaram. No idea how this movie fared.
In 1977 came 'Dheepam' which was a hit with IR joining first time for his productions. This was remake of a Malayalam movie. Raja gave short and sweet album with 'Poovizhi Vaasalil Yaaradi vandhahu' was played out in every instance in loudspeakers those days. We were totally hooked up to this song forever.
1980, What a brilliant year. There are many reasons to say that. Myself and rsgiri @ipammal have discussed at length in our first episode. While we see that again later in this blog, Balaji went on to produce AB's Don in Tamil 'Billa' which eventually launched Rajini as Super Star. This was a runaway hit with the director R Krishnamurthy was christened as 'Billa Krishnamurthy' post this movie. He went on to directly slew of movies with Balaji's production house.
Billa release on 26th of January 1980 and went on to create a cult status. MSV again though the original itself had outstanding album from Kalyanji Anandji, still delivered a great one. Even Yuvan who worked for this remake in 2000 has retained 'My name is Billa' and ' Vethalayai Pottendi' speak volume of this popularity.
1981 we saw 'Thee' remake of Deewar released on Republic Day. Deewar, as we all know was AB's another mega block buster. Deewar itself released on a Republic Day eve, 1975. Pancham Da did another great album for this. All are vying for punch dialog these days but for Shashi Kapoor's was a rage even now.
Amitabh Bachchan: "Aaj mere paas building hai, property hai, bank balance hai, bangla hai, gaadi hai..kya hai kya hai tumhare pass?"
Shashi Kapoor: "Mere paas maa hai."
Dasari Narayana Rao a legend in Telugu Industry gave ANR, Sridevi starrer 'Premabishekam' in 1981 and it went to record one of the blockbuster in that year.
Come 1982, K Balaji has remade this and joined with, yes Kamal 'Vaazhve Mayam'. This movie released again on Republic Day and a runaway hit with Gangai Amaran has given one his best albums till date. The songs were even popular today. The movie had all ingriedients of love-hate-love, romance, emotional quotient of love failure etc. This movie was released in Casino, which used to release only English movies. Again our expedition to watch this in a Mount Road theater failed miserably :-). Watching movies at theaters in Mount Road were some kind of small joys for us those day
In 1983 Balaji produced 'Needhibadhi' starring Sivaji which was remake of NTR's Justice Chowdry. Gangai Amaran scored music for this too with Krishnamurthy directing it on a row of 4 movies starting Billa, Thee, Vaazhve Maayam.
This number scored in true MSV style by Amar :-)
A Kodandarami Reddy, a successful director as most of his movies were based on action-sentiment, directed 'Nyayam Kaavali' with Chiranjeevi in the lead. This was a small budget movie but ran successfully in 1981.
Balaji remade this in Tamil ' Vidhi' released in 1984 Republic Day with that time heart throb of many women Mohan. But the movie was very successul with good court scene drama both the legends especially Sujatha and Jai proving their mettle. This movie topped the charts in that year both rave reviews and commercially. Shankar Ganesh handled the Music direction of this movie.
Teaming agin with Sivji and K Vijayan, Balaji produced 'Bandham' in 1985. With Kajal Kiran the Hum Kisise Kum Nahi heroine into TFW and Baby Shalini doing the role originally she did in Malayalam. Shankar Ganesh scored the music
This Balu VJ duet is beautiful with VJ humming throughout :-)
1986 he produced 'Marumal' based on another Hindi original. This starred Sivaji, Revathi etc. Chandrabose scored music.
This album has 2 beautiful numbers by VJ, hear one of it mentioned below.
Balaji has stopped producing movies by 1989, 'Kutravaali' was his last also released on Republic Day. Another Hindi movie remake. Not sure about any further details on this movie.
Remember watching this song in DD those days apart from this no other details on this album.
Hmm Good old days to reminisce with lot of good music too. This has evoked lot of good yesteryear memories.
Please take sometime to hear all these wonderful music albums.
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