***Favourites from the old songs list.
Ambalapuzhe: Adwaytham (1991)
During my childhood, I have never loved a song like I have loved this one. I wonder if there is such a song which has peace as well as divinity running through it. I had actually gone through a really tough times to get this song recorded on a cassette. But it was really worth it in the end. There is a certain amount of cuteness running through this songs, even though the movie maintains full seriousness. I love the lyrics a lot too. With a fine star cast, the movie was also something to watch without fail.
Ragadevanum: Chamayam (1993)
Telling the story of fishermen who are part-time stage actors, this movie was one which unexpectedly became a favourite. There is so much of powerful dramatic performance in this movie, and the beauty of the songs come up as a big asset here. As Manoj K. Jayan and Murali brings the performance to a higher level, it is this song and “Rajahamsame” which steal our attention. Still, the other song in this movie remains the more popular one, and this one caught my attention much later.
Thumbi Penne: Dhruvam (1993)
In this movie which I consider Mammootty’s best ever, there is an interesting list of cast, including Suresh Gopi, Jayaram and even Vikram as Gauthami plays the leading actress. The movie has some of the most powerful moments among all those flicks of the time, but this songs remains beautiful in a simple way. This is a movie which I highly recommend, and this is one of the two beautiful songs from the film. You can’t really take the nostalgia out of this song. The movie was also Vikram’s debut in Malayalam.
Ponveene: Thalavattam (1986)
Somewhat based on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and also remade in Hindi as Kyon Ki along with having a Tamil remake too, this movie had a strong impact at that time, and also has some interesting songs, among which this is one of the two more beautiful ones. “Ponveene” will surely come at top in many lists. There is another version of the same song in the movie. I remember this as one of the first songs I have heard which had a long lasting impact on me. Two other songs will follow below.
Onnam Ragam: Thoovanathumbikal (1987)
I know the other song in the movie, “Megham Poothu Thudangi” as the more popular one because of its rain imagery and the presence of Sumalatha as Clara. But I choose to go this one because it has been part of my life more than the other. It is another one of those rare songs which seem to have a certain amount of divinity, and also striking the nostalgia elements of a past when life was not that complicated and things had a lot better direction. I never really stopped listening to this one!
Thamarakili Paadunnu: Moonam Pakkam (1988)
I don’t know if it is because I know what is going to happen in this movie as I have watched this one quite a number of times – the song provides a mixture of feelings. the other song “Unarumee Gaanam” also comes up with the same feeling. There are times when I wonder which one of these is my favourite, but it has been a difficult job to choose. The emotions run strong with this one, and we miss beautiful songs like this one these days – lets hope to get the glory back both with the songs and the movies!
Mayatha Marivillitha: Ulladakkam (1991)
This one was one of those songs which made me feel a lot of happiness. I have felt that this one had a lot more bliss to provide that any other song. There is a lot of optimism in this song, even as the movie does have a rather tragic finishing. There is something like a certain hope against hopelessness here. We need songs like these to come up in movie nowadays, but we are forced to listen to just very few good songs every year, nothing really getting to a top level.
TeNy
The Tea Cerebrations 