Sangamam

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Sangamam
File:Sangamamalbumcover.jpg
Directed bySuresh Krissna
Produced byPyramid Natarajan
Written byE. Ramdoss
Gopu-Babu (Dialogues)
Screenplay bySuresh Krissna
Story byBhoopathy Raja
Starring
Music byA. R. Rahman
CinematographyS. Saravanan
Edited bySuresh Urs
Production
company
Pyramid Films International
Release date
  • 16 July 1999 (1999-07-16)
Running time
153 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Sangamam (transl. Confluence) is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language musical romance dance film co written and directed by Suresh Krissna and produced by V. Natarajan of Pyramid Films. The film featured Rahman and newcomer Vindhya in the lead roles with Manivannan, Vijayakumar, Radharavi, and Vadivelu playing other important roles. The film's music was composed by A. R. Rahman, while Saravanan handled the cinematography. The film was released in 1999 but despite the award-winning soundtracks and rave reviews, the film became a financial failure.

Plot[edit]

This film depicts the disputes between two forms of the dance styles and music, Classical Indian (in particular Carnatic music and Bharathanatyam danceform) against rural Tamil folk music and dance. The film depicts the misunderstanding and mutual ignorance of the two factions. The parallel plot in the movie is of the children and intended successors of the respective dance doyens falling in love with each other.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

V. Natarajan launched a film to be directed by Suresh Krishna and A. R. Rahman was signed on to compose the music for the film in early 1998, while he was also working with the producer Natarajan in Rhythm and Udhaya.[1][2] In an interview in August 1998, A. R. Rahman revealed that he was working on " a very small budget movie called Sangamam which is based on classical and folk dance".[3] The film would feature his co-brother, Malayalam actor Rahman in the lead role with newcomer Vindhya roped in to play the lead female role.[4]

During production it was reported that the film would be a remake of the 1968 film Thillaanaa Mohanambal which starred Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini, but this was subsequently found to be untrue.[5] The film was briefly delayed in 1999 as A. R. Rahman was too busy to complete the background score for the film, with producer V. Natarajan initially refusing to pay him, causing further delays for the producer's next venture, Rhythm.[6]

Soundtrack[edit]

Sangamam
Soundtrack album by
A. R. Rahman
Released1999
RecordedPanchathan Record Inn
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length34:30
LabelPyramid
Aditya Music
Sa Re Ga Ma
ProducerA. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman chronology
Taal
(1999) 		Sangamam
(1999) 		Jodi
(1999)

The film's music was composed by A. R. Rahman. The music album of this also made news for the first time rapport of the veteran musician M. S. Viswanathan pairing up with A. R. Rahman. The soundtracks also boasts of prominent singers like S. Janaki, Hariharan, Unni Krishnan, Nithyasree Mahadevan, Sujatha and Shankar Mahadevan. The soundtrack features 6 songs composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The soundtrack received critical acclaim[7] and Rahman won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director for the soundtrack he composed.The song "Mudhal Murai Killipparthaein", composed in Bihag ragam, won a National Film Award for Best Lyrics for lyricist Vairamuthu.

All lyrics written by Vairamuthu, all music composed by A. R. Rahman.

Track listing
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Mazhai Thulli"  Hariharan, M. S. Viswanathan 6:49
2. "Aalaala Kanda"  Hariharan, M. S. Viswanathan 2:19
3. "Margazhi Thingal Allava"  S. Janaki, P. Unnikrishnan, Srimathumitha[8] 6:57
4. "Mudhal Murai"  Srinivas, Sujatha Mohan 6:10
5. "Sowkiyama Kannae"  Nithyashree Mahadevan 5:55
6. "Varaha Nadhikarai"  Shankar Mahadevan 6:17
Total length:
 34:30

Release and reception[edit]

The film opened to mixed reviews with a critic writing that "Sangamam is a credible movie with good music by A. R. Rahman and superlative performance by Manivannan". The critic added that "Rahman does justice to his role and has brought a certain dignity and understatement to his character" but that "Vindhya, the heroine is the only weak link".[9] Sandya of Indolink.com mentioned to "see it for the songs, like it for the songs, forget the movie", labelling that Vindhya "couldn't act for nuts".[10] New Straits Times wrote "You should see this movie if you like A. R. Rahman's music. It makes for a pleasant viewing".[11] The film was also set to be dubbed and released in Telugu under the same name, but the financial losses suffered had deterred the version.[12]

Due to commercial failure, Sun TV, who bought the satellite rights of the film, premiered within one month after its release that too it was running in few theatres.[13]

Accolades[edit]

Event Category Awardee Song
47th National Film Awards Best Lyrics Vairamuthu "Mudhal Murai Killipparthaein"
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Best Music Director A.R.Rahman
Best Lyrics Vairamuthu
Best Female Playback singer S. Janaki "Margaazhi"
Best Art Director Krishnamurthy

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Old news". www.pvv.ntnu.no. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/19980615065915/http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/cinenews/5-06-98/rahmaan.htm
  3. ↑ "The A R Rahman Chat". m.rediff.com. 17 August 1998. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Gossip from the Southern film industry". Rediff.com. 12 February 1999. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Bits". www.pvv.ntnu.no. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  6. ↑ Gopal Srinivasan. "The Complete Biography of A.R.Rahman — The A.R.Rahman Page". Gopalhome.tripod.com. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "Sangamam: Music Review". INDOlink.com. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Soaring musical heights". The Hindu. 27 November 2000. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sangamam review". www.pvv.ntnu.no. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Sangamam: Movie Review". INDOlink.com. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "New Straits Times". Google News Archive. 31 July 1999. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "A.R. Rahman Facts!! [long article]". Google Groups. 1 August 2000. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "Rehman". Tamil Star. 18 August 2000. Archived from the original on 18 August 2000. Retrieved 29 August 2020.

External links[edit]

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