Midas touch - Avargal - Iru Manam Konda

Song: Iru manam konda
Movie: Avargal
Director: K. Balachandar
Singer: SPB
Lyricist: Kannadasan

Indian film industry has seen enough of love triangles in stories, but how about a love quadrilateral? Yes, Balachandar’s “Avargal” exposes this magical quadrilateral. On top of this Sujatha in this movie is a single mother and divorcee, quite a bold theme for the 70’s.

Here is the story:
The story starts with a young single mother, Anu, moving to Madras from Bombay and being stranded without a house and company. Janardhanan, who is a colleague offers to help her and find her a house. With difficulty, she finds a house with his help and tries to settle in. The puzzle of her current position is solved by a flashback. She was in love with Bharani who had to leave her and go to his struggling family. Forced by her ailing father, she marries his boss, Rajinikanth. She soon realizes that he is a sadist and cannot stand his poisoned words and actions. She leaves him and lands at her current job with her child.

Janardhanan, a widower and a ventriloquist, starts developing feelings for Anu and is struggling expressing himself. But, fate plays its hand in their lives and it turns out that Anu’s ex-lover, Bharani, is living in the house right opposite hers looking after his sick sister. When the lost lovers meet, sparks start and Anu, after a long time starts being happy again. Ramnath’s mother, Leelavathi who hears about his son’s misdoings, wants to take care of her daughter-in-law and grandson and enters Anuís house as a maid. When all things seem to be going well, Rajinikanth returns to his estranged wife seeking forgiveness, and she is in a total soup. The climax is very different and shows the resolve of the heroine. Balachandar has always shown his female characters in going through tempest of storms in life, but always with confidence, dignity and conviction to survive.

This song is beautifully picturised in the movie. Janardhanan picks this toy, Junior and performs the whole song in front of Anu expressing his love for Anu. Jana is too shy and very not sure about expressing, but he does it with his junior and together they convey the emotion and pangs of love. Anu just laughs all through the song, may be she is used to her men ditching her?

Kannadasan beautifully brings the main theme of the song in first four 4 lines. The whole story suffers with Irumanam of Anu, Jana, Bharani and Ramnath. Lyricist compares Anu as Iruvar kai bommai…. And ends with the question asking why are you still falling in this triangle?

Iru manam konda thirumana vaazhvil
Idayinil nee yen mayangukiraai?
Ilagiya pennmai iruvar kai bommai
Yen innum neeyum yaengukinraai?

He also brings the disappointment in taking ownership of Anu in the lines below. It was really an unexpected line at this juncture…. Only when you peel the layers of the onion you start tearing and same way Only Kannadaasan can bring portray a sad ending under a very happy covering.


Karaiyinil aadum naalaney nee
Nadhi idam sondham thedukinrdraai?

I thought it was a four sided love, but now Jana’s junior throws his hat in the race for Anu. Very beautifully penned, the last line shows that love can never be forged or put together.

Sirpam ondru sirikka kandu
Rubber bommai yaekkam kondu
kadhal keedhal seyyakoodatho?
Chinna payyan vayasum konjam
Bommai kenna manasa panjam
Otti paarthal ondrai seratho?

Jana absolutely concentrates in trying to keep his junior alive and lively and show his emotions through him. Unable to control his self pity he sings the next two lines….

Kadarkai dhaagam idhuthan undhan kadhal ada
Aduthavar raagam athai nee paaduthal paavamada

Balachandar is famous for showing relationships in a different light, so junior questions Jana at this point what if this relationship was like Aboorvaragam? But still Anu doesn’t seem to give any clue from her emotions or body language and Jana beautifully questions her need.

If it is aboorvaragam?
Vayalukku thevai megam yenbaai
Avalathu thevai arivaayo?

Paatai kandu raagam pottu
Neerai kandu dhagam kondu
Paavam keevam parka koodathu
No its’ bad
But I am Mad
Paavapatta jenmam ondru
Oomai kelvi ketkum pothu
Aasai mosam seyya koodathu

What kapa kapa kapa kapa?

Kannadaasan brings his need very beautifully and how he has been waiting for this sunrise for a long time, but love arrived at the wrong time in his life.

Chithirai maadham mazhaiyai thedi vaadukindraan
Markazhi madham veyilai thedi oodukindraai
Boss, Love has no season or reason
Udayathai kaana merkku nokki ovvoru naalum yaengukindraai

Jana in the last paragraph portrays his bad luck and conveys his love without any regret and begs her for decision. She laughs, laughs leaving him in limbo…….


Adainjavanukku ippasi matham
Yaemaandhalum april maasam
Adiyen mudiyai sollakoodatho?
It is highly idiotic,
No boss, it is highly romantic
Konjum bommai paaduthu paatu
Kozhambiya nenjam sirikuthu kettu
Mudivai solli sirikka koodatho?

After Aval Oru Thodarkathai, this is the second song in KB’s movie to use ventriloquist, and SPB, Kannadaasan, MSV,Kamal, Sujatha combo have all done it again. Kamalhasan is said to have learned ventriloquism to help with the character. Yet another brilliant song picturized with a classic touch will remain in our hearts though Tamil Film Industry didn’t appreciate this movie much. Whom should we call the Midas here? KB, MSV, Kannadasan or all of the above?

http://music.cooltoad.com/music/song.php?id=186333