There will not be another Aarudra

The man behind many beautiful verses that made Telugu film songs soulful for a long period was Aarudra. As a song writer to several hit films including ‘Illarikam’, ‘Aaradhana’, ‘Andala Ramudu’, ‘Muthyala Muggu’, ‘Pelli Pusthakam’, he continues to live in the hearts of people

The next pearl of genius to be rolled off the documentary string, Cinema Cinema is Bhagavatula Sadasiva Shankara Sastry alias Aarudra. The eleventh film screened at Lamakaan made an attempt to do justice to a singular facet of multi-talented Aarudra; that of a song lyricist. As a lyricist his work spanned over a period of four and half decades and this is just a tip of his overwhelming and expansive literary works.

It is a matter of luck that Telugu film industry has been blessed with some of the most talented poets, writers and lyricists, who helped movies, as a medium of expression, achieve its pinnacle. Aarudra had planned a temporary stint in films but ended up having a long and fruitful journey with them. He was the nephew of the famous Telugu poet Sri Sri, an avid reader from his childhood, was evidently inspired by his uncle’s writings and had lenience to socialism. His life’s journey took him from a student, to freedom struggle, to war, to literature and then eventually to films.

In the documentary Aarudra recollects that it took him maximum an hour to finish writing a song for a film, he was quick about it because when he understood the context for the song, the lyrics became just a natural extension. For him characters who would be involved in the song, the depth of the characters, their roles, the surrounding, the emotions at play in the preceding scene and the occasion in which the song was set were all crucial to writing it. In the recorded interview, he makes a passing comment on old films in contrast with the new ones as having context for songs and hence had more retention value for the audience.

He recounts, C Narayana Reddy’s in the middle of the night to compliment him for his song “Rayinayna Kakapotini” in ‘Goranta Deepam’. When working for ‘Bobbili Yuddham’ he found himself stuck for a few days trying to find the right lyrics for Rajeshwarao’s tune, this was the only song he struggled for and the end product was “Muthyala Chamma Chekka”. On one occasion when listening to a song on radio he complimented the lyricist and wondered who had written such a good song, Ramalakshmi, his wife retorted that it was his song that he was so fondly praising. That for him is a good song; one which made him wish he could have written it.

Timeless songs penned by him in films like ‘Illarikam’, ‘Aaradhana’, ‘Pavitra Bandham’, ‘Manchi Kutumbam’, ‘Andala Ramudu’, ‘Muthyala Muggu’, ‘Pelli Pusthakam’ etc ruled the roost in their time and are still remembered as some of the best. “Panditlo Pelli Avuthunnadi” (Prema Lekhalu), “Bangaru Bomma Raveme” (Raktha Sambhandam) and “Srirasthu Shubhamasthu” (Pelli Pusthakam) are songs which one would have heard inevitably if attending a Telugu wedding. The songs became anthems for weddings. His works apart from writing lyrics for songs in films included detective novels, a book on chess, a book on dance, Samagra Andhra Sahityam (an Encyclopedia on Telugu literature), poetry, dramas and translations etc.

Many were hoping to meet K Ramalakshmi at the documentary screening, but she couldn’t make it. However the evening did end on a high note with the words of Madhavapeddi Suresh, Suddala Ashok Teja and VAK Ranga Rao. To capture Aarudra in all his glory would be a herculean task; yet T Saichand’s tribute and the attempt to immortalise Aarudra through ‘Cinema Cinema’ is definitely commendable.