Chitralahari

Chitralahari! Yes … that’s what it was called on Doordarshan in those days. Good old golden days of my childhood. This program was a compiled collection of Telugu songs from old and new movies alike and was aired on Thursdays from 8.00 PM to 8.30 PM. Telugu was our second language in school. And we watched almost all the films telecasted on Saturdays featuring the very oldies from NTR, Nageshwar Rao to much later ones like Rajendra Prasad, Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh, Nagarjuna. We did not mind watching Krishna, Murali Mohan, Chandra Mohan, Balakrishna also. Everything was acceptable in those times. I remember … our home was an easy home theatre to people who didn't have the luxury of the TV, finishing their weekly chores as early as possible to line up for the popular programs. Watching television was the only major media entertainment. We had to watch what was aired as it wasn’t a viewer’s choice in those times.

Coming back to Chitralahari… I was just browsing the website Raaga for some music and there I find an old playlist of mine with Telugu songs from the movies that I watched very long back, back in my school and college days perhaps. Telugu movies were mostly watched at home than in the theatres. I did not of course make out the lyrics of the songs … but then “Aa Beatu Aa Oopu” (the Beats and the Swings) was what fascinated me with their music whenever I watched these songs on Chitralahari. I played the list for the good old times’ sake and was surprised as to how the songs of yesteryears were still music to my ears. Here is the list of the songs in my playlist which read ‘Telugu Beats', aired quite frequently on Chitralahari making the program worth watching.

1. Ninnukori Varnam from the movie Gharshana is such a groovy number sung by Chitra, music by Ilayaraja and picturised on Amala – simple yet sensual, bold and outright swinging and wooing the guy in the song.

2. Jallanta Kavvintha Kaavalile from the movie Geethanjali is a rain song with violins, flute, saxophone, sung by Chitra, music by Ilayaraja and picturised so well on Girija (a one film wonder) what more can one ask for! It’s fast paced with a very catchy and a hummable tune. There have been countless rain songs in movies but some rain songs just stand out and this one happens to be one of my all time favorites!

3. Jumbaaye Aagumbaye Yaa Aaygo Aaygo Aaygo from the movie Kshana Kshanam a song sung by Chitra and S.P.Balasubramaniam picturised on Sridevi and Venkatesh - I can clearly recall Sridevi dressed in a jungle outfit for this jungle song, with colorful Dahlia phulwa coyly tucked in her hair, fluttering her two-inch long eyelashes while she danced. Wow!! The way she gyrated to the ‘Beatu and Oopu’ of the song. It was a treat to watch her in that amazing number.

4. Chilakamma Chitikeyanga from the movie Dalapthi playback by Chitra and S.P.Balasubramaniam on Ilayaraja’s music picturised on Rajnikant and Sonu Walia. A pulsating number yet very sweet. The Tamil version of this song ‘Rakamma Kaiya Thattu’ made it to the world's top 10 popular songs in a BBC worldwide survey.

5. Chinni Chinni Aasha from the movie Roja - music score by our Mozart of India A R Rahman, the song was a super duper hit of that time and still holds the charm and freshness to date. Featured on Madhu this number is forever bursting with life and drenched in zing.

6. Abbanee Tiyyani from the movie Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari - music by Ilayaraja playback by Chitra and S.P. Balasubramaniam featuring Sridevi and Chirajeevi. I can’t recall as to how many times I would rewind to watch the recorded song again and again. Sridevi looked at her ravishing best swaying to this number in her lovely chiffon sarees.

7. Balapam Patti from the movie Bobbili Raaja music by Ilayaraja sung by Chitra and S.P. Balasubramaniam picturised on Divya Bharati and Venkatesh. Listened to this song some hundred and one times me thinks and still can’t get enough of it. Both of them made a good pair and rocked in this number.

8. Chikubuku Raile from the movie Gentleman – music by A R Rahman – Every song of this movie had some hummable tunes. The song invariably gives you a body shake if you are listening to it. Thanks to “India’s Michael Jackson” – Prabhu Deva - the spring man in action. He created magic on screen.

9. Uravasi Uravasi take it easy policy from the movie Premikudu - music by A R Rahman. Actually loved to watch every song of this movie. A Nagma and Prabhu Deva starrer both unlike each other, this movie was a perfect blend of perfections and imperfections for this duo. This line from the song catches me now 'Chitralahari lo current pothe take it easy policy' (meaning even if the current goes off while watching Chitralahari ... take it easy policy Urvasi).

10. Mustafa Mustafa from the movie Prema Desam –A R Rahman, the man behind the music, gave his own voice to the song. The college friends looked fresh and cool in this peppy number. If my memory goes right, this was the last Telugu movie that I watched in theatres.

I miss Chitrahaar and Rangoli too. More of that some other time. Right now it’s Chitralahari which was fun and exciting. I finished downloading this list from some online sources and now looking forward to listening to them.

-Manasi

“Those who wish to sing always find a song and when the music changes, so does the dance.”