Mridangam maestro Umayalpuram Sivaraman said that the musical knowledge of the late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and the late thespian Sivaji Ganesan was unique.

Recalling his association with MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, for whom he played in the film Mridhanga Chakravarthy, Mr. Sivaraman said that when there was a controversy over who should play for the lead role, producer Kalaignanam, music director M.S. Viswanathan (MSV), Sivaji Ganesan, and director K. Sankar selected him, “though there were many applications and missions from the music fraternity.”

“I went there, and the crescendo was recorded in one take. MSV couldn’t believe it was done in one take. He said, ‘You can play one more time.’ But I said no. Then he said, ‘Super,’” said Mr. Sivaraman in a conversation with CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Babu at The Hindu office.

He also shared the experience of playing for a romantic scene in which the heroine, fascinated by the mridangam playing of the hero (played by Prabhu), runs upstairs. As MSV was not satisfied with the other mridangam player, he asked Mr. Sivaraman to play “something romantic.”

“I had not tried romantic before. But he said, ‘You have to play and make it sound passionate.’ It was the first time I was seeing her. I played something, and he said it was romantic. Then I said, ‘I will follow romanticism in all my concerts,’” he quipped.

He also spoke about the humility of Sivaji Ganesan, despite being a great actor.

“Sivaji Ganesan used to call me Vathiyar (teacher). Before every shooting, he would ask whether Vathiyar had come. He would ask if his fingering was right. He could do anything—he was a great artiste. But look at the humility with which he asked me,” he said.

MGR was also a fan of Mr. Sivaraman and would attend his concerts with journalist Manian and collect his recordings. He recalled how MGR received him warmly at Sathya Studios.

“Once, I was passing through Sathya Studios with my wife. I went in and gave my card to the watchman. He walked slowly. But when he came back, he was running. I asked him, ‘Why are you running?’ He said MGR was angry. He said, ‘A great artiste is waiting and you behaved like this?’”

When he met MGR, he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” I said, “I don’t want anything. I just want your love.”

Inside the studio, there was a big simmhasanam (throne), and MGR asked Mr. Sivaraman to sit on it.

“I asked him, ‘Why?’

He said, ‘You are the Chakravarthy (Emperor) of mridangam. I just apply grease paint and act.’ Will anyone say something like that? The thing is—they truly enjoyed music,” he said.

Mr. Sivaraman also recalled the presence of MGR and Devaraj Urs at the Music Academy to attend a concert by M. Balamuralikrishna, the year he was conferred the Sangita Kalanidhi award.

“Both of them were enjoying the concert. After it was over, we went and thanked both Chief Ministers. MGR came to me and said, ‘You played well. But he prepared the pallavi at home. You played on the spot. You are great.’ Will anyone say that? That shows how deep their musical knowledge was. The musical understanding that these actors had was something truly unique.”

Reporting: B. Kolappan

Video: Johan Sathyadas, Thamodharan B, Shiva Raj

Editing: Shiva Raj