“Nagaisuvai Thendral’ Dindigul I. Leoni – one of the most
popular names in the ‘patti mandram’ arena for the past
ten years does really not need any introduction.
‘Leoni’ - now a household name among the Tamils around the world.
He seems to have an uncanny knack of bringing the house down
whenever he performs on the stage, these days. That is his strength
and his television programmes are a source of pleasant entertainment
to the entire family.
As he togged out in his Sunday best, a tete-a-tete with him,
for ‘Nilacharal’ reveals how simple, frank and modest man he
is… and his is a real rags-to- riches story.
His penchant for ‘pattimandram’ has not died down and he is
still at it passionately, just like a decade ago.
Excerpts from the interview…
Share your childhood memories…
[He gets into nostalgic]
We are a big family and nine siblings in all. I am the third
one in the order. After three male children our parents were
blessed with a girl baby as their fourth child. So, naturally
she occupied a sizeable portion of our parents’ time.
Then I worked out a plan to turn my parents’ attention towards
me by indulging in some peculiar mimicry activities. It became
a regular pre-occupation with me. I started mimicking my neighbours’,
relatives’ and friends’ voices and their gestures perfectly.
In a way, I did succeed. Soon I was in the limelight to the
extent that visitors to home curiously enquiring about me and
I would be brought to the hall immediately. The visitors would
request me to perform mimicry and I would gladly fulfill their
wish. I was notorious for this skill in my school days also.
I was passionate about cine songs in those days also. I would
frequent wedding halls, acquaint myself with the singers and
cajole them to sing my favourite songs. And it was full of fun.
Would you believe it: I was in the missing list during temple
festivals several times. After fervent searches my family members
would find me in the mike set rooms. I had such craze for film
songs.
What made you interested in ‘Pattimandram’?
Two of my school teachers ‘Pulavar’ Ramasamy and Sri
Ratchanya Das were the persons who sowed the ‘pattimandram’
interest in me. They were ‘pattimandram’ experts. They used
to narrate their interesting experiences with all the students.
This made me very curious about ‘pattimandram’. I attended many
‘pattimandram’ functions in and around our area and it became
my hobby. In fact, I would not miss even a single ‘pattimandram’
in those days.
I developed this habit of sharing my thoughts with the ‘pattimandram’
judges. I was hardly fourteen then.
How did they respond?
Very well! They would even give me a pat on my back for my crisp
reviews about the whole thing. I would argue with them and suggest
some alternate versions. Yet, they loved me, appreciated me,
encouraged me and whole-heartedly wished me good luck. One such
unforgettable blessing came to me from Sri. Thavathiru Kundrakudi
Adigalar, one of the greatest ‘pattimandram’ judges. He was
also a MLC in the then TamilNadu assembly. However, he was very
kind to me despite my arguments with him and used to walk a
few yards with his hand around my shoulders. I still cherish
those moments.
How ‘pattimandram’ was converted into ‘paattumandram’?
‘Pattimandram’ speakers are generally efficient in their oratory
skills but they lack the same vigour when it comes to singing.
Very few shine in this. Some times literary titles [like ‘kamba
ramayanam’ or ‘silapathigaram’] demand singing skills. With
very little classical knowledge, the speakers somehow manage
those few lines. We can say that singing in the ‘Marabu pattimandram’
stage is considered a misdemeanour on the part of a speaker.
Nobody dares to sing!
But, things changed afterwards. Songs of ‘Kaviarasu’ Kannadasan
and ‘Pattukkottai’ Kalyanasundaram’ became titles for debates.
I did my part by singing elaborately in those stages. Feedback
from the audience was so encouraging that I continued doing
so in all my subsequent programmes.
This initiated ‘pattumandram’. If one is unable to introduce
any creativities or innovative methods, one will soon be forgotten.
When and where did your first programme get staged?
It was at Mettupatti (Dindigul) church. I was called there as
a stopgap speaker as one of the main speakers had not arrived.
It was a ‘Bible’ related title. ‘Yesu’ seithathu… ‘Samaya puratchiya’…?
Or ‘Samuthaya puratchiya’…?
It was definitely not a stage for songs. I was very nervous
and desperately wanted to register my stamp. It was like scaling
of Mt. Everest. When I completed the fifteen minutes time given
to me, I was totally nervous within. But, I must say that I
managed it successfully. My skills in mimicry and colloquy came
in very handy and lifted my spirits. And it went very well with
the audience. It was there that I gained total confidence in
myself. Praises came pouring in and people were applauding my
performance to the skies. I was on cloud nine.
Watching your ‘pattumandram’ one would get an impression
that you are FOR old songs and AGAINST new songs. Is that true?
[Shakes his head in the negative] No… not that way.
Filthy old songs are a rarity and so are good new songs. However,
I am not against for all the new songs. I never blindly reject
the new songs without valid reasons.
In fact, if a song is sung well by a new singer, I try my best
to sing that in the stages as often as I can and never forget
to highlight that singer’s talents. At the same time, if I find
the lyric is good, I praise the lyricist too in the programmes.
For many years, I have been mentioning in my programmes that
woman poets should get encouraged because woman poets are scarce
in the Tamil cine field. Way back in the seventies, ‘Puratchi
Thalaivar’ introduced a female poet for a song in his ‘Kudi
irundha kovil’. And after a very long gap a new lady poet Ms.
Thamarai entered the scene to tremendous approval. ‘Malligai
poovae malligai poovae’ was hers. I did praise her in all my
TV and stage programmes and pleaded that she must be given due
recognition because given a chance she will prove her mettle
in a big way through writing and thus glorify women who are
now struggling for freedom. She would be a right choice to do
so.
I am not totally against new song or potential new comers.
So many songs are there in your memory and you have
been singing all these years with outeven a single note in front
of you. Your timing to the BGM too is impeccable. How is it
possible?
Sheer practice. For old songs, it is not at all a problem. In
my school and college days I was the centre of attraction among
the students for my prowess in mimicry and singing. I would
be frequently asked to sing an old song during lunch break or
leisure hours. I trained myself sincerely and regularly by listening
to radio for old songs just to please my friends. I was always
very careful not to repeat the songs that I had already sung
for them. So, I memorized almost all the old songs and now they
are part of my memory. Even now, I can recollect an old song
by its movie spontaneously and with pallavi and all the two
or three saranams. But, when it comes to new songs, I depend
on a tape recorder. I do practice daily with a tape by my side.
I hate singing with the lyrics in front of me on stage. I try
to memorize at least the first four lines of every popular new
song. I love and respect the saying…” practice makes perfect”
Next>>>>
