When Poet Vaali Replaced Kannadasan To Write A Song For This 1967 Film

Poet Kannadasan, often referred to as Kaviarasu, is popular for his vast literary contributions, including over 5,000 lyrics, 6,000 poems and 232 books. He was widely hailed as the King of poets and regarded as the most prominent modern Tamil poet after Subramania Bharati. Did you know that a song intended for Kannadasan to write was instead penned by poet Vaali and went on to become a massive hit?

Interestingly, Vaali, famous for his Tamil cinema compositions including themes of love and philosophy, initially had a rivalry with Kannadasan upon entering the industry. However, their relationship evolved into a close friendship over time. Vaali has penned songs for multiple generations of actors including MGR, Shivaji, Rajini, Kamal, Vijayakanth, Surya and Simbu. This distinction sets him apart from other songwriters.

In 1967, the film Nenjaru Paki was released, featuring Sivaji Ganesan, Muthuraman, Nagesh, KR Vijaya, and others. The movie included a total of 7 songs, with Kannadasan completing 6 of them. However, before he could finish the last song, Kannadasan’s cousin passed away in Karaikudi. Despite the circumstances, Kannadasan rushed there and urged his cousin to complete the remaining song.

Amidst the urgency of Sivaji’s impending trip to America, the crew had to hastily complete the remaining song in just one day. Vaali stepped in and wrote a song that began with the lyrics Nenchiruru Umami Gamani Nya Nanariku. Despite the pressure, the song was warmly embraced by fans at the time.

Reportedly, Kannadasan had instructed Vaali not to request payment from director Sridhar for the song, assuring him that he would personally compensate him for his work.

Vaali holds the record for writing the highest number of songs in the industry, with over 15,000 compositions spanning a career of five decades. He also ventured into acting, appearing in films like Sathya, Hey Ram, Paarthale Paravasam and Poikkal Kudhirai. In recognition of his immense talent and cultural impact, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the nation’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2007.