'We were sharing a room in Club House in T Nagar. We had no income as none of us was employed. We were trying to get a break in the tinsel world. We would starve for four days at a stretch. We would smoke a cigarette till the end and take a jug of water. That would keep us going for the whole day.' That was Poet Vali at the release of Nalli Kuppuswami Chettiyar's book 'ThiagarayanagarAnrum Inrum' in Chennai recently. He was narrating his early days in the city when he was staying in T Nagar along with Actors Nagesh and Srikanth. 'When I needed food, I didn't have it. When I have enough of it, the Doctors say I should not have even a morsel!', said Vali.

Another incident: Squatting on the floor in a set, I was chewing betel leaves. Sivaji Ganesan came that way. Unmindful, I continued my chew. Seeing me, he also squatted on the floor near me. As we were engaged in a casual chat, V Gopalakrishnan ( Gopi) walked in. As if by reflex, I stood up to show respect to him. After exchanging pleasantries with us, he left the set. Sivaji Ganesan in a lighter vein asked me why I didn't show him similar respect. I told him,'I am able to be seated next to you only because of his help. It was Gopi who gave me the maiden chance in movies.'

It was a two-in function. The great vocalist M M Dandapani Desikar's centenary celebration was the primary purpose. Who can ever forget his 'Thaamarai Pooththa Thataakamatee' or'Aiyae Meththa Katinam'? And, it was he who immortalized Bharathi Dasan's 'Thunpam Naerkaiyil', in a poignant Desh. Madurai G S Mani rendered these and a few more of the songs that Desikar had popularized.

Nalli Chettiyar read out a portion of the review, that the one and only Kalki wrote on M M Dandapani Desikar's concert.



Vali quoted from Kalki's review of Gemini's Nandanar (in which M M Dandapani desikar did the lead role). 'None excepting the buffalo exhibited any acting talent in the movie', was Kalki's comment. Vali didn't forget to mention that it was the time when Kalki had no love lost for S S Vasan!

Tailpiece: The stickers on the rear glass of four-wheelers in the city are interesting. 'God will show you the way', said one. I was caught in a traffic jam at that time!

'Better look at the road, Mr Driver, rather than looking at this sticker', advised another!

H.Ramakrishnan