S. M. Subbaiah Naidu

Subburayulu Munuswami Subbaiah Naidu (a.k.a. SMS) (15 March 1914 – 26 May 1979) was an Indian composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He was one of the oldest music directors. He worked as an in-house music composer for Central Studios and Pakshiraja Studios and well associated with S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. SMS also worked with many films under Jupiter Pictures banner and a favorite of M. G. Ramachandran.

S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Born
Subburayulu Munuswami Subbaiah Naidu[1]

(1914-03-15)15 March 1914
Died26 May 1979(1979-05-26) (aged 65)
Other namesSMS[2]
Occupationmusic composer
Years active1942–1978

Early life

Born in 1914 in Kadaiyanallur, Subburayalu Munusami Subbiah Naidu had an unhappy childhood. He ran away from home with dreams of finding his fortune in Singapore, but ended up working in drama troupes such as those of Jagannatha Aiyer and Nawab Rajamanickam Pillai. Finding himself drawn more to music than acting, SMS learned music from masters such as Rajagopala Iyengar and Subramaniya Bagavathar. When the company's play Baktha Ramadas was made into a movie, SMS worked on the music for the movie as well.[3]

Career life

He is fondly known as "Sangeethayya" in the south Indian film industries. He somehow had never changed his trend of composing much from the beginning days. He is well versed in the Indian music but never showed interest in Western tunes and music.

SMS worked jointly with other composers on a few movies in the early 1940s. He then composed music for the first movie in which MGR played the hero Rajakumaari in 1947. All through the 1950s, SMS continued to compose memorable songs in the movies that came his way. Films such as Ezhai Padum Padu (1950), Kanchana (1952) and Malaikkallan (1954) helped him to consolidate his place among the front-ranking composers of the decade. There were also Thirumanam, Maragadham, Nadodi Mannan and the magnificent classic Konjum Salangai.

While he was composing music for Rajakumaari at Central Studious, SMS made the acquaintance of the hero MGR. This laid the basis for a lifelong friendship between the two, which was further strengthened during the making of Marma Yogi and Malaikkallan. When MGR turned producer and director with Nadodi Mannan, he invited SMS to compose the songs, along with N.S. Balakrishnan who had composed 2 songs. Later, when the fortunes of SMS were on the decline in the 1960s, MGR secured for his friend a few opportunities such as Thaayin Madiyil, Aasai Mugam and Thalaivan.[4]

As the 1960s progressed, SMS engaged in a few projects towards the end of the 1960s such as Naam Moovar, Raja Veetu Pillai, Uyir Mel Aasai, Sabash Thambi, Panakkara Pillai, Naalum Therindhavan, Chakkaram and Mannippu.

In the 1970s, opportunities were few and far between Snegithi, Vairakiyam, Therottam and Thanga Gopuram.

His contribution is invaluable. Not only he is a composer, but also very good conductor, orchestrator, and what not. He is considered as O. P. Nayyar of South India. His tunes were very catchy and his songs instant hits. He has made J. P. Chandrababu a great singer in the song Kunguma Poove Konjum Puraave. He would leave no stone unturned to bring the best of his singers. Till date, the best of S. Janaki is Singaara Velane Deva which was composed by him. He innovated the concept of voice with Nadaswaram.

He worked with singers like C. S. Jayaraman, T. M. Soundararajan, Ghantalasa, A. M. Rajah, Thiruchi Loganathan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, V. N. Sundharam, T. A. Mothi, P. B. Sreenivas, S. C. Krishnan, A. L. Raghavan, M. L. Vasanthakumari, P. A. Periyanayaki, P. Leela, Jikki, P. Susheela, T. V. Rathinam, K. V. Janaki, A. P. Komala, K. Jamuna Rani, Radha Jayalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, S. Janaki and L. R. Eswari.

The singing actors P. U. Chinnappa, C. Honnappa Bhagavathar, N. C. Vasanthakokilam, U. R. Jeevarathinam, T. R. Rajakumari, K. R. Ramaswamy, Chittor V. Nagaiah, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, P. Bhanumathi, S. Varalakshmi and J. P. Chandrababu also sang memorable songs under his compositions.

Trivia
  • In 1947, SMS was the first music composer in Tamil film industry who had introduced playback singing for Rajakumari. Thiruchi Loganathan sang "Kasinimel Nangal", a playback song for M. N. Nambiar. It is notable that it is MGR's first movie as a hero.
  • In 1948 under SMS's composition, Kannadasan wrote his first song "Kalangathiru Manamey Un Kanavellan Nanavagum Oru Dinamey" for Kanniyin Kathali sung by K. V. Janaki. The film was released in 1949.
  • His all-purpose assistant, M. S. Viswanathan at Jupiter Pictures later became the musician of Tamil films. As his assistant, M. S. Viswanathan practised composing tunes when SMS was not around.[5] When MGR was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. S. Viswanathan had organised a programme to honour his "master" SMS. SMS was a very close friend of MGR.
  • He featured in a role as a doctor in Malaikkallan that won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
  • He had composed a few songs for Thirudadhe and was working on setting the tune for a duet when producer AL. Srinivasan made him listen to a song En Aruge Nee Irundhaal sung by P. B. Sreenivas & P. Susheela. The song had been composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy for an earlier project and had remained unused. AL. Srinivasan suggested that the song be included in the movie. Seeing that it was by his protégé M. S. Viswanathan, SMS readily agreed, and thus the song featured with the credit once again going to SMS.[6]
  • M. S. Viswanathan and Kannadasan, who have acknowledged many a time the crucial role played by SMS in shaping their career, organized a grand function to celebrate the 60th birthday of the master composer. In the function graced by MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, a cash award was presented to SMS as a token of his contribution to Tamil cinema.[7]
  • M. S. Viswanathan brought the childless SMS and his wife to his house and attended to their every need with solicitude until each of their end.

Works

Some compositions of S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, include

Filmography
YearFilmLanguageDirectorBannerCo-Music Directors
1946Sri MuruganTamilM. SomasundaramJupiter PicturesS. V. Venkatraman
1947KundalakesiTamilBomman D. IraniK. S. S. PicturesG. Ramanathan
1947RajakumariTamilA. S. A. SamiJupiter Pictures
1947KanjanTamilKovai C. Aiyamuthu & T. R. GopuJupiter Pictures
1948AbhimanyuTamilM. Somasundaram & A. KasilingamJupiter PicturesC. R. Subburaman
1948MohiniTamilLanka SathiyamJupiter PicturesC. R. Subburaman
1949VelaikaariTamilA. S. A. SamiJupiter PicturesC. R. Subburaman
1949Kanniyin KaadhaliTamilK. RamnothJupiter PicturesC. R. Subburaman
1950Krishna VijayamTamilM. SomasundaramJupiter PicturesC. S. Jayaraman
1950Digambara SamiyarTamilT. R. SundaramModern TheatresG. Ramanathan
1950Ezhai Padum PaduTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1950Beedala PaatluTeluguS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1951Marma YogiTamilK. RamnothJupiter PicturesC. R. Subburaman
1951RakthabandhamMalayalamM. R. VittalS. N. Ranganathan
1952KanchanaTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1952KanchanaTeluguS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1952KanjanaMalayalamS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1953PonniTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1954MalaikkallanTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1954Aggi RamuduTeluguS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1956Vaazhvile Oru NaalTamilA. KasilingamMercury FilmsC. N. Pandurangan & T. G. Lingappa
1957Bettada KallaKannadaS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1957SurasenaSinhalaS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1957TaskaraveeranMalayalamS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja StudiosC. Ramchandra
1958Aalai Kandu MayangatheTamil
1958Annaiyin AanaiTamilCh. Narayana MurthyParagon Pictures
1958Nadodi MannanTamilM. G. RamachandranEmgeeyar PicturesN. S. Balakrishnan
1958ThirumanamTamilA. Bhim SinghValampuri Pictures LimitedT. G. Lingappa
1959Anaganaga Oka RajuTeluguM. G. RamachandranEmgeeyar PicturesN. S. Balakrishnan
1959Athisaya PennTamilM. V. RamanRaman Productions
1959MaragadhamTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1959Nalla TheerpuTamilT. Prakash RaoSri Productions
1960VimalaTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1961Jebu DongaTeluguP. NeelakantanA.L.S. Productions
1961ThirudadheTamilP. NeelakantanA.L.S. Productions
1961Sabarimala AyyappanMalayalamS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1961Sabarimala AyyappanTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1962Konjum SalangaiTamilM. V. RamanRaman Productions
1962Muripinche MuvvaluTeluguM. V. RamanRaman Productions
1963Aayiram Kalathu PayirTamilT. S. DurairajT.S.D. Pictures
1963Kalyaniyin KanavanTamilS. M. Sriramulu NaiduPakshiraja Studios
1964Thaayin MadiyilTamilAdurthi Subba RaoAnnai Films
1965Aasai MugamTamilP. PullaiahMohan Productions
1966Naam MoovarTamilC. P. JambulinghamBalan Pictures
1967PandhayamTamilA. KasilingamM. K. Movies
1967Raja Veetu PillaiTamilDada MirasiMohan Productions
1967Sabash ThambiTamilC. P. JambulinghamBalan Pictures
1967Sundaramurthi NayanarTamilK. SomuKandhasami Productions
1967Uyir Mel AasaiTamilC. P. JambulinghamAyappan Productions
1968ChakkaramTamilA. KasilingamAnnai Films
1968Muthu ChippiTamilM. KrishnanMohan Productions
1968Naalum TherindhavanTamilC. P. JambulinghamSri Balajee Combines
1968Panakkara PillaiTamilC. P. JambulinghamAnnai Films
1969Aindhu LakshamTamilG. RamakrishnanSudha Movies
1969MannippuTamilM. KrishnanMohan Productions
1969Pennai Vazha VidungalTamilR. DevarajanVijaya Chithra Films
1970ThalaivanTamilP. A. Thomas & Singhu MuthuThomas Pictures
1970SnegithiTamilG. RamakrishnanSudha Movies
1970VairakiyamTamilA. KasilingamAnnai Films
1971IlangeswaranTamilV. T. ArasuShasti Films
1971Thanga GopuramTamilM. S. SolaimalaiMohan Pictures
1971TherottamTamilV. T. ArasuShasti Films
1972Bathilukku BathilTamilC. P. JambulinghamBalan Combines
1972JakkammaTamilM. KarnanVijaya Chitra Films
1973Muthu ChippiTamilM. KrishnanMohan Productions
1975Hotel SorgamTamilG. RamakrishnanSudha Movies
1976Kula GouravamTamilPeketi SivaramBalan Movies
1978Kaviraja KalamegamTamilG. R. NathanT.N.R. Productions

References
  1. மணியன், பி.ஜி.எஸ். ""சங்கீத அய்யா" எஸ்.எம். சுப்பையா நாயுடு - 5". Thamizhstudio (in Tamil). Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  2. "எஸ்.எம்.சுப்பையா ±என்னும் எஸ்.எம்.எஸ்.,நாயுடு". Thinakaran. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. Saravanan Natarajan (3 February 2018). "மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 20". Dhool. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  4. Saravanan Natarajan (3 February 2018). "மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 20". Dhool. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  5. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/04/16/stories/2004041601730600.htm
  6. Saravanan Natarajan (3 February 2018). "மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 20". Dhool. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  7. Saravanan Natarajan (3 February 2018). "மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 20". Dhool. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
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