Vaali 1000

I was really fotunate enough to attend the programme "Vaali 1000" last night at Narada Gana Sabha. It was a twin function to celebrate the 80th Birthday of Vaali and also to release a compilation of 1000 songs written by Vaali for tamil films. He has written several thousand songs and is soon to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for penning maximum number of songs for films.

The programme started with a few memorable film songs of Vaali which was presented in Bharata Natyam. The dance arrangement for Dhasavatharam Song - Mukunda Mukunda - was terrific.

The book was released by Kamal Haasan. Felicitations were offered by Cho Ramaswamy, P.Suseela, Nalli Kuppusamy Chetty, Saroja Devi, M.S.Viswanathan, S.P.Muthuraman, Director Shankar, Surya, Kamal, Rajini, Vairamuthu, S.P.Balasubramaniam, Palani Bharathy and others.

The auditorium was full and several people watched the programme by standing. I was fortunate to get a seat around 7.30.

Super Star Rajini stormed into the Auditorium at 9 p.m. with Vairamuthu - he surprised everyone including Vaali. SPB was rendering some of the super hits of Vaali and had to abruptly stop singing when Rajini walked into the stage as there was a thunderous applause to welcome the Super Star on stage. SPB must have felt humiliated and insulted as he was forced to stop singing due to the applause for Rajini. After the super star storm settled SPB continued to sing as if nothing had happened. What a great singer he is. At 64 his voice is still the same as what i have heard 30 years ago...

Vaali dedicated his entire success to M.S.Viswanathan and honoured him with a momento and cash of Rs.2 lacs. Vaali's thanks giving speech was excellent and when he spoke i really felt like listening to a youngster. He is 80 years old and is still very young at heart. The kind of songs he has written over the last 50 years is testimony to his youth which is still continuing.

Vaali's songs were one of the key factors that helped the great MGR to become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Vadivelu, T.M.Soundararajan, P.B.Srinivas, Vaani Jeyaram and Krishna Sweets owner are some of them who came on stage to honour Vaali.

Overall it was a very nice programme and a great feeling to see such great achievers on the stage.

14th November 2010