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Snehan -- a gift from 'Sami'
 Frank, friendly yet forceful in his arguments -- that is Snehan, a 28- year-old upcoming Tamil poet and film lyricist.
Born in Pudhukariyapatti near Sengipatti in Thanjavur, hailing from an agricultural family, which had no links with the celluloid world, Snehan is the first to breathe the air of the tinsel world.
Youngest in a family of eight, Snehan was always inclined towards poetry right from an young age. He decided to travel to Chennai when he was still in High School but his parents and other family members were opposed the idea of entering the film arena. But Snehan was firm in his resolve and so with dreams of fame and fortune, he landed in Chennai.
He took a vow to return to his village only when his songs could be heard by his folks on the radio.
He has now fulfilled that vow. His songs can be heard in every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu. His songs in the latest hit film 'Sami' have become very popular among the masses. But to climb the ladder of success and reach this coveted position, Snehan had to face numerous difficulties, undergo sufferings and overcome several obstacles. The problems merely steeled his resolve.
Everyone needs a mentor to help find the right direction and the right path. The foundation was laid when he got an opportunity to work with Kaviperarasu Vairamuthu as his assistant. He worked for five years under him and later left due to personal reasons. It was a difficult period for him to fend for himself but as the saying goes, tough times never last but tough people do. He had to wait patiently for a few years before he got the chance to prove his talent.
Snehan penned the songs for a film called 'Putham Pudhiya Poove'. Though the songs were a hit, unfortunately the film didn't see the light of day. Playback singer Jayachandran, who sang a particular song in that film, was impressed by the lyrics and predicted that he would have a bright future.
'Pengal' an art film and 'Kanden Seethaiyai' followed, but it was the song 'Avaravar Vazhkaiyil' in the film 'Pandavar Bhoomi' brought him to the limelight. His songs in 'Dhaya' and the number 'Chumma Chumma' in the film 'Charlie Chaplin' gained good response.
Filled with emotion, he says that the most unforgettable incident in his life was when Snehan's mother, listening to his song on the radio was overjoyed, and died while listening to it.
He reached new heights with the song 'Kalyanam dhaan kattikittu' in the film 'Sami'. He feels happy with the bouquets he has received but he has had to take a few brickbats as well.
When asked why he chose to write such a song, Snehan says, "Generally speaking, if you are familiar with Tamil films, you can find that Kannadasan, Vali and now Vairamuthu too have written such songs. Why blame me alone? If you read my anthology of poems, you can never see such type of songs. Sometimes, you have to bend for business or marketing purposes".
"I have written meaningful songs too, to mention particularly the song 'Aadadha Aattam' in 'Mounam Pesiyadhay' which brought praise from all quarters. The song 'Thozha Thozha' was one which differentiated between friendship and love", explains the lyricist.
For survival, one has to be like the kite which rises with the wind not against it.
His two books of poems 'Mudhal Adhyayam' and 'Innum Pengal Azhaga Irukkirargal' were released in 1995 at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan with film director K Balachander as the chief guest. He is presently working on three books 'Puththagam', 'Ippadiyum Irukkalam', and 'Katril Vazhum Kavidhaigal' respectively.
He is not worried by criticism that his lines remind one of Kannadasan and Vairamuthu. He says it is quite natural that a son follows his father's footsteps, and that such influences cannot be avoided.
In humble fashion, Snehan speaks respectfully about Vairamuthu. "I was just clay and it was Vairamuthu who moulded me. He is the father of my poetry and Tamil."
Though he is 200 songs old, he has not yet written for Ilayaraja or A R Rahman. To write for Ilayaraja, will be a dream come true for him. He is writing songs for Bharathiraja's next film 'Eera Nilam' too.
Apart from writing lyrics, Snehan reads a lot of Tamil literary books, especially those of the great poets Kambar and Kalamegha Pulavar. He is happy to see the youth of today trying to be achievers in various walks of life and achieving their goals. This is a welcome sight, he says.
Snehan is truly a son of the soil, who loves his village with passion. He says with a sparkle in his eyes that when he visited his village after attaining fame, "the soil shook hands and welcomed" him.
The big, wide world too, has welcomed this young poet.
-KTSRI
Translated by Radha N.
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