Cuddalore Nagarathnam Pandurangan (1912 – 1975) was a noted music director who had scored music for Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Sinhala movies. C. N. Pandurangan was an Indian music director who worked mainly in South Indian films.[1]

Early life

Cuddalore Nagarathinam Pandurangan (CNP) was born in 1912. His father was holding a Government post, conducted religious discourses and was also an exponent of Harikatha. CNP commenced his music lessons under his father and accompanied him on the stage. He was later put under the tutelage of Chittoor Subramaniam Pillai (The same vocalist who taught Madurai Somu).[1]

Career

CNP became a veena exponent and was spotted by K. Subramaniam who engaged CNP for his productions. CNP's first assignment as a music composer was the 1948 Sinhalese movie Kapati Arakshakaya directed by K. Subramaniam. The movie was a runaway hit and CNP's compositions sung by the famous Eddie Jayamane and Rukmani Devi became very popular. This led to CNP composing the songs for a few more Sinhalese movies in later years such as Veradunu Kurumanama, Amma, Sihinaya and Devasundari. Vembathur Krishnan mentioned working with CNP in reverential terms.

The first Tamil movie which had songs composed by CNP was Kamavalli (1948). Despite some good classical songs written by Papanasam Sivan and rendered by Nagercoil Mahadevan and S. Varalakshmi. Even though CNP was not flooded with offers, he carried on in Tamil movies till 1978. He also composed music for Telugu movies where most of them are Tamil-Telugu bilingual movies.

He worked in Kannada movie too such as Bhakta Mallikarjuna (1955), Kacha Devayani (1956), Devasundari (1962). Later Sri Purandaradasaru (1967) based on the legendary saint-composer which had singers such as M. L. Vasanthakumari, M. Balamuralikrishna, P. B. Srinivas and S. Janaki.[1]

Composer Vedha worked as his associate for some years and learned the nuances of music composition before branching off on his own. Pukazhenthi worked under him for a few years, before teaming up with K. V. Mahadevan. Shyam commenced his film career as a violinist under him. B. A. Chidambaranath was part of his troupe.

Shyam mentioned that unlike the other composers who would compose playing the harmonium, CNP would play the notes on the veena and sing the tune. He could come up with 5 to 6 tunes for every song and the directors would sit mesmerized, spoilt for choice. His assistant Munuswamy would then play each segment on the harmonium to the instrumentalists. CNP shared a very good rapport with all the great lyricists and singers of the time. He used to encourage the lyricists to come out with appropriate, poetic lines and would not hesitate to amend the tune to accentuate the beauty of the lyrics. CNP was also very particular about the choice of singers, Shyam recalled, and each song would go the singer who CNP thought could do it the best justice. CNP would escort all his troupe members to Harrisons and treat them to a sumptuous meal at his own expense. Sham recalls CNP as A great artiste and A great human being.[1]

CNP worked with G. Ramanathan in Pudhu Vazhvu[2] and with Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy in Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhan.[3] He also collaborated with Meenakshi Subramaniam in Kacha Devayani (Kannada) and Pandithevan (Tamil).[1]

He worked with singers like T. M. Soundararajan, A. M. Rajah, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Thiruchi Loganathan, C. S. Jayaraman, V. N. Sundharam, P. B. Sreenivas, S. C. Krishnan, T. A. Mothi, K. R Chellamuthu, A. L. Raghavan, M. Balamuralikrishna, S. V. Ponnusamy, K. M. Mani Rajan, M. L. Vasanthakumari, P. A. Periyanayaki, P. Leela, Jikki, T. V. Rathnam, A. P. Komala, K. Jamuna Rani, P. Suseela, Radha Jayalakshmi, A. G. Rathnamala, Soolamangalam Jeyalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, K. V. Janaki, K. Rani, G. Kasthoori, S. Janaki, and L. R. Eswari.

The singing actors T. R. Mahalingam, K. R. Ramasamy, S. Varalakshmi, V. Nagayya, B. Jayamma, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, P. S. Govindhan, C. S. Pandiyan and J. P. Chandrababu also sang memorable songs under his compositions.

Style

CNP only composed music for less than 40 movies spread over a period of 30 years. Many of them are collaboration with other composers where he had only a handful of songs to compose himself. Even though many of the movies were commercial failures, yet CNP shows his erudite classical roots, technical finesse, inventive arrangements, uncanny grasp of the mood and sequence and astute pick of a variety of singers.[1]

Works

Some compositions of C. N. Pandurangan, include:

CNP has worked with Radha Jayalakshmi in almost all of his compositions which brings the best out of her .[1] Some of the songs are:

Personal life

CNP and his wife Tarabai had 6 children. One of his sons, Mohanarangan was a famed flautist. CNP passed away in 1975 at the age of 63.[1]

Filmography

YearFilmLanguageDirectorBannerCo-Music Directors
1948Kamavalli[4]TamilManickamBaskar Pictures
1948Kapati ArakshakayaSinhalaJyotish Sinha & K. SubramanyamCeylon Theatres
1948Naveena Valli[5]TamilT. Balaji SinghSanthanam Pictures
1948Sri Krishna Thulabaram[5]TamilT. Balaji SinghSanthanam Pictures
1948Veradunu KurumanamaSinhalaJyotish SinhaCeylon Theatres
1949AmmaSinhalaSirisena WimalaweeraNavajeewana Film
1949Geetha GandhiTamilK. SubramanyamMadras United Artists CorporationBr Lakshmanan
1951Maya PillaTeluguR. PrakashPrakash Shankar Pictures
1952En Thangai[6]TamilCh. Narayana MurthyAshoka Pictures
1953Naa ChelleluTeluguCh. Narayana MurthyAshoka Pictures
1953Gumastha[7]TamilR. M. KrishnaswamiAruna FilmsG. Ramanathan & V. Nagayya
1953GumasthaTeluguR. M. KrishnaswamiAruna FilmsG. Ramanathan & V. Nagayya
1953Mamiyar[8]TamilK. VembuSri Gajanana Productions
1953KodarikamTeluguK. VembuSri Gajanana Productions
1954Edhir ParadhathuTamilCh. Narayana MurthySaravanabava Pictures & Unity Pictures
1954En Magal[9]TamilK. V. R. Acharya
M. K. R. Nambiar		Asoka Pictures
1954Pona Machaan Thirumbi VandhanTamilC. S. RaoMercury FilmsM. S. Viswanathan
1955Bhakta MallikarjunaKannadaC. V. RajuJairaj Productions
1955MenakaTamilV. C. SuburammanKasturi FilmsVedha
1956Kacha DevayaniKannadaK. SubramanyamMorak Pvt LimitedMeenakshi Subramanyam
1956Vazhvile Oru Naal[10]TamilA. KasilingamMercury FilmsT. G. Lingappa & S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
1956Verum Pechu Alla[11]TamilJoseph PallippadPrinciple Productions
1957Pudhu Vazhvu[12][13]TamilM. K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharSarvodaya PicturesG. Ramanathan
1958Boologa Rambai[14]TamilD. YoganandAsoka Pictures
1958Booloka RambhaTeluguD. YoganandAsoka Pictures
1959Pandithevan[15]TamilK. SubramanyamMorak Pvt LimitedMeenakshi Subramanyam
1959Sihinaya SinhalaT. Janaki RamJayanthi Producers
1960KottadhariTeluguK. SubramanyamMorak Pvt LimitedRamana
1960Solaimalai RaniTamilA. Rajaram
1961Amulya Kanuka TeluguT. JanakiramanMaheswari Pictures
1962DevasundariKannadaC. V. Raju
1962Devasundari SinhalaC.V. RajuRoyal Studio
1962Indira En SelvamTamilC. PadmanabanAshoka PicturesH. R. Padmanabha Sasthri
1963Devasundari TeluguH. V. BabuRoyal Studio
1963Kubera TheevuTamilG. VishwanathanNithya Kalyani Films
1967Sri Purandara DasaruKannadaC. V. Raju & R. RamamurthySri Hamsa Chithra
1968Sathiyam ThavaradheyTamilPondy SelvarajAmmal Films
1972ThiruneelakandarTamilC. P. JambulingamVahini - Vasu
1972Rahasiyapenn 117Tamil
1975Kadhavai Thattiya Mohini PaeyTamilRajaramAnuradha International Films
1978Vetri ThirumagalTamilH. V. BabuVivek Agencies

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Saravanan Natarajan (24 March 2018). "மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 27". Dhool. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Randor Guy (13 September 2014). "Pudhu Vazhvu 1957". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Randor Guy (14 December 2013). "Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhaan (1954)". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  4. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023.
  5. 1 2 Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Gumastha 1953". The Hindu. 24 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  8. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017.
  9. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018.
  10. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022.
  11. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017.
  12. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Music by CN Pandurangan". www.indian-heritage.org. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  14. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
  15. ↑ Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
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