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I
joined P & T as a clerk and started earning Rs 300/- per month.
Even after enjoying luxurious life, I could able to save Rs 50/-
per month.
I
had a guru and a fatherly figure in RSS. He is 7 years elder to
me. He used to like me immensely. Generally, the elders wont like
the kid if he is mature beyond his age. They tell that kid not
to talk 'pedda matalu'. I used to be such kind of a kid.
And my RSS master is the only person who tolerated my maturity
level at that age. I used to be called as 'perverted genius' by
others in a discouraging manner. My master used to listen to me
between 6 pm and 9 pm everyday. He used to answer all my questions
patiently. I used to question each and everything at the basic
level. The teachers labeled me as 'Undisciplined' and 'Anarchic'.
I
also have another encouraging gentleman in the form of my elder
maternal uncle. We used to visit his house every summer for holidays.
When all others kids were playing, I used get books from library
on rent and read them. I used to read at least 5 books a day,
which costs my uncle 10 paisa per book. Giving 50 paisa for a
kid per day (in 1968) was great amount at that time. But he was
very happy with me. My uncle used to proudly tell all the people
about me reading books in holidays instead of playing with other
kids. He encouraged me a lot.
Both
these people (the RSS master and maternal uncle) quarreled with
my father not to stop my MBBS studies and they would fund my studies.
My father clarified them that he was willing to make me study
at any cost, but I was backing out. I assured my father that I
would do my graduation and post graduation through Open University
and complete my doctorate in studies. Later on, I took 7 years
to complete my graduation, just because of pressure and persuasion
from my RSS master.
I
got my job at the age of 19, when I was an adolescent. It's like
living in a world of freedom with ample money to spend. At that
time, I started writing songs. I never used to bother things like
Charanam and Pallavi. But all my songs used to have
systematic Laya. Those songs used to form a deep poetic thought
written in an extraordinary syntax.
Whenever
you listen to any line in poetry, you have to understand the feel
behind the line than understanding the mere words written. I used
to like Malladi Venkata Sastry garu and Devulapalli
Venkata Krishna Sastry garu songs a lot. But I was more influenced
by the songs of C Narayana Reddy garu. He is extremely good at
phrasing the words in a beautiful way (lalithamgaa maatalu
podagatam). At the same time, I used to have a small dissatisfaction
about his songs. You can't really go beyond that limit in his
songs. Take the example of the song 'Telisindile Telisindile
.. Nelaraja Nee roopu telisindile'. This song has excellent
lyrics. But, one cant travel beyond that. But I still used to
get intrigued by him. I was a staunch fan of him.
I
worked a year in Rajahmundry then another year in Tadepalligundem.
All these days, my RSS master was on my back to complete the degree.
He used to apply for my exams and pay fees for me. I have a unique
quality in me. I am a perfectionist. I don't venture into anything,
unless I have total command on it. I enter only those territories
where I can become the emperor. I used to ask my RSS master to
send me hoards of books on economics, commerce and politics in
which I was doing my degree. My master said that I did not have
to read the entire books available on the earth to complete degree.
He asked me to follow guides for examinations, as they were enough.
My RSS master paid fees for 7 years, but I did not appear for
my exams as I felt I did not perfect the subjects.
I
never helped my father in monitory aspects when I was working.
I used to think that since my father can take care of the entire
family, I could serve the society. It was an irresponsible behavior.
I used to roam around with lots of change (coins) in my pocket
and I used to donate money liberally whenever I came across any
beggar. My father used to tell me to help beggars by giving them
food, but not to encouraging begging by giving money. He used
to appreciate my kindness towards poor people, but at the same
time he used to correct the means of doing the things.
In
1975, I was transferred to Kakinada, where my father lives. I
stayed there four months with my father. I want to give you another
example about my father's way of rational thinking. At that age,
I used to be an atheist (naastikudu) and used to argue that there
is no God. I used to feel that God is not kind to all human beings.
He created so many disparities in the society. That discussion
went on for three days with my father. My father told me one thing
that the beggars are not leading any inferior or unimaginable
life. Be it man or animal or any insect, God has given one basic
quality to all. That is the hope for living (Bratuku Teepi). He
did not do injustice in that aspect. And that quality is the essential
thing that is needed to live on this earth. At that time I did
not understand his logic and I used to feel that I have won the
argument.
I
told that same thing to my brother that my father used to win
all the arguments with me, but he lost an argument about God for
the first time. It was an inauspicious word from my mouth. I still
remember that day. It was Monday, 10th of January. I told my brother
that nobody in the world has defeated my father in a logical argument
and I defeated him. I was not ware of the fact that my father
was expired on the morning of the same day. My father was in Visakapatnam
at that time.
It
was a sudden demise and we were all shocked. He expired at the
age of 40. I was the only person working. My brother was in degree
and all my sisters were not married yet. Till that time, I lived
an aimless life without sharing any responsibly. Taking over the
responsibilities left behind by father is like putting myself
(who does not know swimming) in the middle of sea. My real struggle
started from that moment.
I
took over all the tuition assignments of my father. My brother
took over the dispensary and became a part time homeopathy doctor.
Students and patients were very much satisfied with our services.
There is another important man in my life named Dr. Satyanarayana,
who was a friend of my father. He used to encourage me, as he
likes my poems a lot. He used to record my songs in his tape recorder.
He was 6-footer with a stone face and nobody believes that he
has such a great liking towards arts by looking at his appearance.
He became a good friend of me. He helped my brother by teaching
him homeopathy and allopathic medicine when my brother took over
dispensary. I used to get a salary of Rs 700/- at that time and
the budget for our family was Rs 1500/-. To meet all those expenses,
I used to teach in the spare time.
In
that process I got married because I had to marry off my sisters
as well in that deal. I wedded a girl of 15 years old who just
completed her 8th class. I was 23 year old at that time. She was
innocent as she was a kid. She took charge of entire joint family
household. She shared all the burdens and responsibilities of
me. Then my brother got hold of a job. We, jointly, some how managed
the marriages of sisters and studies of brothers.
Then
RSS master gave a warning that he would not talk to me again in
his life if I don't appear for the exams. Then I went to Anakapally
and wrote all the exams for three years at once.
During
that period, I got introduced to 'Kala Sahiti Samiti',
an organization of art lovers in Kakinada. Those people used to
appreciate my songs (those poetic words written with deep philosophical
thoughts). Since I don't know perfect grammar, I could not write
grammatically correct songs. In those 'sahithi sabhalu'
everybody used to tell vachana kavithalu, where as I used to sing
by making the table a makeshift drum (daruvesi paadadam).
They used to be angry with me, as my song is neither 'vachana
kavitha' nor 'lalitha geetam'. 'Lalithaa Geetam'
is more of music-based song. If the music is not there, Lalitha
Geetam does not have any attraction to it. There is a gentleman
called CV Krishna Rao. He likes me a lot. In 1978, he felicitated
me with a 'sanmanam'. At that time, I was just 23. At that
time, I was not even good at writing perfect samasam.
In
those days, the lyrics of C Narayana Reddy garu from the film
'Chelleli Kapuram' inspired me. Even today, I enjoy his
songs a lot. I get the happiness of enjoying the nature when I
listen to his songs. I also like Athreya garu for his poetic thoughts
in the songs.
I
was watching 'Siri Siri Muvva' film at that time. A song
was coming which has lyrics like 'Odupunna Pilupu …..
Odigunna Pulupu .. Oka Gonthulola Palikenu … Adi ye ragama
ani ninnu adigenu …… Adi Maa Voori Koyilamma .. Adi
adige ninnu kusalamamma!'. I was so much overwhelmed with
the lyrics that I clapped very loudly in the theater where everybody
was watching the film silently. Everybody turned around and looked
at me. For the first time, I found a Telugu song that completely
overwhelmed me. That time, I did not even know the name of Veturi
Sundara Rama Murthy garu. I liked all the songs in that film.
From that day onwards, I followed each and every song of Veturi
garu. Veturi garu has done so many experiments in the first 10
years. He gave a new dimension to Telugu film song. All the lyric
writers in Telugu Cinema till then used to treat cinema song as
a different entity. All those writers used to have other avenues
to exhibit their talents.
I
would like to elucidate about Telugu cinema here. It evolved from
Telugu drama. Even today, Telugu cinema has not reached to the
level of a complete visual media. In cinema, there should be fewer
dialogues and more visuals. But in Telugu cinema today, the dialogues
dominate the visuals.
Telugu
Cinema is not a platform for music, poetry or singing competition.
No movie viewer thinks that he is going for a kavitha samavesam,
Sobha Naidu nrutyam or Mangalampally Bala Murali Krishna
kacheri. Telugu cinema just imitates music, poetry and singing.
The music in films is not real music. The singing in films is
not real singing. The songs in cinema are not real songs. I used
to treat poetry as poetry even if I am watching films. After so
much of searching, I found one person who talks only poetry. Even
in film like 'Adavi Ramudu', Veturi garu wrote a song 'Koyilamma
pelliki .. konantha sandadi'.
Every
songwriter has got this poetry inside him or her. I take Devulapalli
Krishna Sastry as an exception, as he never wrote songs for films.
Producers used to take all his famous poems and keep them in their
films without changing even a single word. Devulapalli garu never
wrote songs for films. A cinema songwriter has to write a song
to suit the heart of the role. At the same time, one should also
keep the poetic style of writing intact. Athreya garu is one lyric
writer who served the duel purpose by obtaining the alchemy. Veturi
garu also succeeded in striking the balance like Athreya garu.
Veturi garu is the first full time Telugu songwriter who erased
all the limits of Telugu songs. Veturi garu is my hero in that
aspect.
I
had a pen name of 'Bharani' and I used to write stories and poems.
Most of my stories used to get published in 'Andhra Prabha'. I
also used to write for stage plays. I used to write a new song
every month. And all the Sahiti Sabhalu (Literary Meeting)
used to start with my song. The people, who do not like me, named
me as 'maddelu kottukune vaadu' and 'daruvu vesukune
vaadu'.
By
that time I have written around 200 songs. All those songs were
written to exploit my basic philosophical outlook. I was not a
duet writer as well. I was a romanticist. Romanticism does not
mean anything related to sex or adolescence. It's about 'bhava
kavitvam'. We have imported this kind of poetry from England.
Keats used to write it.
At
this outset I want to tell about vachana kavitvam. All
those poets, who were said to be intellectuals, used to meet and
appreciate each other works. They applied 'I scratch your back
and you scratch my back' technique. These poets have hijacked
the poetic aspect of human life. Whenever there is 'kavi sammelanam',
ordinary people used to think that kavi sammelanam is not
meant for common man. Bala Gangadhar Tilak quoted that 'poetry
is an alchemy. It is to be felt before it is to be understood'.
As
I was working in P & T, my officer asked me to write a 'burra
katha' on Telephone. I told him that it's a silly effort to
write a poem on Telephone. A lyricist has already told a beautiful
poem on Telephone in the song 'Boochadamma boochaadu .. bulli
pettelo vunnaadu'.
My
boss wanted me to do the parody of Girija Kalyanam 'Yakshaganam',
which goes like 'Adogadugo vachenu Graham Bellu!'. It sounded
pretty cheap to me. I told him that I wouldn't degrade my standards.
Then my boss told me that he is retiring in the year that followed
and he wanted to please our GM with my song. Then I made a deal
with him that he should transfer me to the telephone exchange.
I wrote the song on Telephone in one night. That song covers the
birth of human being, then the evolution of language, the necessity
for communication, how communication is being hampered by the
time and distance, then the invention of telephone. A part of
the song goes like this (listen
audio bit here)
During
that time, my novelist friend Akella garu jumped into movie field.
At that time, Sankarabharanam was released and it was a sensational
hit. They conducted 'digvijaya yatralu' for the film. That
time Akella garu told me that the film unit is coming to Kakinada
and the public function would be held in Surya Kala Mandir, Kakinada.
Akella garu asked me to write a song to welcome the unit of 'Sankarabharanam'.
I
never wrote any song on either event or on an individual person.
As I was in a pretty bad situation financially, my friends used
to encourage me for the new means of earning money. I told Akellagaru
that I would not write a song for Sankarabharanam team, though
I like the film a lot. They scolded me that I am an arrogant and
strong-headed guy.
Suddenly
an idea stuck, when I came back to my house after arguing with
Akella garu.
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