T. R. Papa
Encyclopedia
Thiruthuraipoondi Radhakrishnan Pappa is a famous music director of Tamil
, Telugu
and Sinhalese movies. He was born in 1923 at Thiruthuraipoondi
, Madras Presidency
, British India.
and Jupiter Pictures. In the late 40s, Papa and T. K. Ramamoorthy
were the highest paid violinists for the movies and were always in demand.
Papa became music director for Malayalam film Athmasanthi (1952). The chance was given to him by Joseph Thaliyath Jr of Citadel
Film Corporation. This film is dubbed in Tamil under the same title.
Then onwards, Papa went on to compose for many of Citadel films such as Mallika, Vijayapuri Veeran, Vilakketriyaval, Iravum Pagalum and Kadhal Paduthum Paadu.
Papa also composed music for many Singhalese films. The song Siriyame Sara, sung by H. R. Jothipala
is one of the popular hits in Sinnhalese.
As a Nilaya Vidwan of AIR from 1946, Papa accompanied the violin for many great classical vocalists. He composed music for many wonderful devotional albums with Sirkazhi Govindarajan
where the song Chinnanjiru Penn Pole dedicated to the Goddess Abirami is notable. Papa scored music for the album Abirami Andhaadhi. Papa has served as the Principal of Madras Music College.
T. R. Ramanna and Papa were classmates in Thanjavur. T. R. Ramanna was in the midst of the making of Arunagirinathar when the music director G. Ramanathan
fell ill. Papa was called upon to complete the rest of the songs. T. R. Ramana again engaged Papa for his movies in the early 1970s.
Tamizh Isai Sangam conferred the title ‘Isai Perarignar’ on him.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and Sinhalese movies. He was born in 1923 at Thiruthuraipoondi
Thiruthuraipoondi
Thiruthuraipoondi is a city and a municipality in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thiruthuraipoondi is 330 km south of Chennai, 40 km west of Nagappattinam and 65 km east of Thanjavur.- Geography :...
, Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, British India.
Early life
Papa's real name is Sivasankaran, who is from a lineage of musical family. He started training on the violin from early childhood.Career Life
Papa started playing the violin in Modern TheatresModern Theatres
Modern Theaters Ltd was a motion picture movie studio in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India, started by Thiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram in 1935. The studio produced over more than 150 movies until 1982 in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sinhalese and even English of which Tamil movies were the...
and Jupiter Pictures. In the late 40s, Papa and T. K. Ramamoorthy
T. K. Ramamoorthy
T. K. Ramamurthy, Tiruchirapalli Krishnaswamy Ramamurthy, is a popular South Indian Tamil music composer and violinist. He hails from the from a family of violinists. He is popularly known as Mellisai Mannar . His major works are in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. Along with M. S...
were the highest paid violinists for the movies and were always in demand.
Papa became music director for Malayalam film Athmasanthi (1952). The chance was given to him by Joseph Thaliyath Jr of Citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
Film Corporation. This film is dubbed in Tamil under the same title.
Then onwards, Papa went on to compose for many of Citadel films such as Mallika, Vijayapuri Veeran, Vilakketriyaval, Iravum Pagalum and Kadhal Paduthum Paadu.
Papa also composed music for many Singhalese films. The song Siriyame Sara, sung by H. R. Jothipala
H. R. Jothipala
Hettiarachchige Reginald Jothipala was a prolific playback singer in the Sinhala cinema. His voice, style and songs are a blessing to the numerous listeners, who are musically inclined and could make a quote that none of those duplicated voices match the golden voice of this gifted...
is one of the popular hits in Sinnhalese.
As a Nilaya Vidwan of AIR from 1946, Papa accompanied the violin for many great classical vocalists. He composed music for many wonderful devotional albums with Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Sirkazhi Govindarajan was a leading vocalist in Carnatic Music.Govindarajan, born in Sirkali in Madras Presidency) and started performing at the age of eight in Tirupurasundari Temple. His son Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is also a Carnatic singer....
where the song Chinnanjiru Penn Pole dedicated to the Goddess Abirami is notable. Papa scored music for the album Abirami Andhaadhi. Papa has served as the Principal of Madras Music College.
T. R. Ramanna and Papa were classmates in Thanjavur. T. R. Ramanna was in the midst of the making of Arunagirinathar when the music director G. Ramanathan
G. Ramanathan
G. Ramanatha Iyer was a famous Music Composer for Tamil Movies. He is also known as 'Isai Methai' or 'Sangeetha Chakravarthy' and considered to be one of the influential Tamil Music composers to take Carnatic Music to the masses. Notable for his association with M.K.Thyagaraja Bhagavathar...
fell ill. Papa was called upon to complete the rest of the songs. T. R. Ramana again engaged Papa for his movies in the early 1970s.
Tamizh Isai Sangam conferred the title ‘Isai Perarignar’ on him.
Works
Some of the notable music compositions:- Enna Enna Inbame for Anbu by A. M. RajahA. M. RajahAemala Manmatharaju Rajah was a South Indian playback singer-music composer popular in the 1950s and the early 1960s in South India. He was popularly known as A. M. Rajah or Rajah. His songs were featured in numerous Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films in the 1950s, early 1960s and early...
and JikkiJikkiPillavalu Gajapathi Krishnaveni aka Jikki , was a popular film playback singer from South India. She sang over nearly 10,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Sinhala languages.-Early life:... - Samarasam Ulaavum Idame for Rambaiyin Kathal by Sirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi Govindarajan was a leading vocalist in Carnatic Music.Govindarajan, born in Sirkali in Madras Presidency) and started performing at the age of eight in Tirupurasundari Temple. His son Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is also a Carnatic singer....
- Bagavane Mounam Eno for Rambaiyin Kathal by Sirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi Govindarajan was a leading vocalist in Carnatic Music.Govindarajan, born in Sirkali in Madras Presidency) and started performing at the age of eight in Tirupurasundari Temple. His son Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is also a Carnatic singer....
- Varuven Naan Unadhu for Mallika by A. M. RajahA. M. RajahAemala Manmatharaju Rajah was a South Indian playback singer-music composer popular in the 1950s and the early 1960s in South India. He was popularly known as A. M. Rajah or Rajah. His songs were featured in numerous Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films in the 1950s, early 1960s and early...
and P. Suseela - Chinnanjiru Vayathu Mudhal for Thaai Magalukku Kattiya ThaaliThaai Magalukku Kattiya ThaaliThaai Magalukku Kattiya Thaali is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jamuna in the lead roles and directed by R. R. Chandran who also was a well known cinematographer in his time. The film was released in the year 1959.-Cast:-Crew:...
by T. M. Soundararajan and JikkiJikkiPillavalu Gajapathi Krishnaveni aka Jikki , was a popular film playback singer from South India. She sang over nearly 10,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Sinhala languages.-Early life:... - Yaar Solluvaar Nilave for Kuravanji by C. S. JayaramanC. S. JayaramanC. S. Jayaraman was a playback singer who songs were featured in numerous Tamil films.-Discography:Desam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. JayaDesam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. Jaya-References:...
- Sirikkindraal Indru Sirikkindraal for Nallavan VazhvanNallavan VazhvanNallavan Vazhvan is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released 1961. It was the 50th film for MGR.-Cast:...
by Sirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi GovindarajanSirkazhi Govindarajan was a leading vocalist in Carnatic Music.Govindarajan, born in Sirkali in Madras Presidency) and started performing at the age of eight in Tirupurasundari Temple. His son Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is also a Carnatic singer....
and P. Suseela - Ullam Thedaathe Endru Solluthe for Ethaiyum Thangum Idhayam by K. R. Ramasamy and S. JanakiS. JanakiS. Janaki is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 35...
- Unakkum Enakkum Veguthooram Illai for Ethaiyum Thangum Idhayam by Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi
- Muththaitharu Paththithala for Arunagirinathar by T. M. Soundararajan
- Onnume puriyale ulagathile for Kumara Raja by J. P. Chandrababu
- Ullathin Kadhavugal Kanngalada for Iravum Pagalum by T. M. Soundararajan
- Muththama Asai Muththama for Vilakketriyaval by P. Suseela
- Asai Ponggum Azhagu Roobam for Asai by A. M. RajahA. M. RajahAemala Manmatharaju Rajah was a South Indian playback singer-music composer popular in the 1950s and the early 1960s in South India. He was popularly known as A. M. Rajah or Rajah. His songs were featured in numerous Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films in the 1950s, early 1960s and early...
and JikkiJikkiPillavalu Gajapathi Krishnaveni aka Jikki , was a popular film playback singer from South India. She sang over nearly 10,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Sinhala languages.-Early life:... - Soodi Koduthaval Naan Thozhi for Teacheramma by P. Suseela
- Thalai Vaari poochoodi Unnai for Rangoon RadhaRangoon RadhaRangoon Radha is a Tamil film that was released on 1 November 1956 starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi as the main cast.-Production:The story was based on play Angel Street written by Patrick Hamilton. Adaptated to film in 1940 as Gaslight starring Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard...
by P. Bhanumathi - Iraivan Endroru Kavignan for Yen by S. P. Balasubrahmaniam
- Ullathile Uram Vendumada for Vijayapuri Veeran by A. M. RajahA. M. RajahAemala Manmatharaju Rajah was a South Indian playback singer-music composer popular in the 1950s and the early 1960s in South India. He was popularly known as A. M. Rajah or Rajah. His songs were featured in numerous Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films in the 1950s, early 1960s and early...
- Vennila Nerathile Venugaanam for Avasara Kalyanam by P. Suseela
Filmography
Tamil films:- Athmasanthi (1952)
- Anbu (1953)
- Asai (1956)
- Rangoon Radha (1956)
- Rambaiyin Kathal (1956)
- Mallika (1957)
- Thai Magalukku Kattiya Thali (1959)
- Vijayapuri Veeran (1960)
- Kuravanji (1960)
- Nallavan Vazhvan (1961)
- Kumara Raja (1961)
- Ethaiyum Thangum Idhayam (1962)
- Arunagirinathar (1964)
- Iravum Pagalum (1965)
- Kaadhal Paduthum Paadu (1965)
- Vilakketriyaval (1965)
- Teacheramma (1968)
- Yaen (1970)
- Avasara Kalyanam (1972)
- Marupiravi (1973)
- Vairam (1974)
- Kannil Theriyum Kathaigal (1980) (with K. V. MahadevanK. V. MahadevanKrishnankoil Venkatachalam Mahadevan was a South Indian music composer.-Career:K.V.Mahadevan was born in Tamil Iyer family in 1918 in Krishnancoil, Kanyakumari district. A contemporary of M. S. Viswanathan, T. K. Ramamoorthy, KVM has scored music for over 600 films, spanning four decades, after...
, G. K. Venkatesh, Ilaiyaraja & Shankar Ganesh)