Urvashi reveals how a disagreement with Vaali over a Magalir Mattum song led to AR Rahman's iconic track being named after her: ‘I asked if they were mocking me'
There will definitely be a journey and a story behind every work of art, no matter how big or small. Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman's evergreen hit banger 'Urvasi Urvasi' from director S Shankar's Kadhalan (1994) also has a backstory. Legendary South Indian actor Urvashi recently revealed her connection to the song. According to the ace thespian, it's no mere coincidence that the opening lyrics of the track are the same as her name.
'Lyricist Vaali sir had written a song for the movie Magalir Mattum (1994) that goes 'Karavai Maadu Moonnu' (Three dairy cows). Revathi, Rohini and I were asked to sing those lines. I told them, 'Ew, I won't say that word.' Will women call themselves dairy cows? The director asked what the problem was. He was a Telugu. I told him it was extremely bad to make women call themselves Karavai Maadu,' she recalled during a conversation with Mazhavil Manorama.
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The actor continued, 'Kamal Haasan sir was its producer. Soon he received a call saying that Urvashi was not ready to sing that line. He replied, 'She's just saying that; Urvashi will sing it. Connect her to Vaali sir.' So I talked to Vaali sir and asked him why such a bad expression was being used. Then he explained the situation in the story to me. He told me that the meaning was not what I had deduced. He also said that this was the first time in his life that someone had told him that they won't sing a line he penned.'
In another interview with GingerMedia Entertainments, she recalled, 'When I saw him at a function later, he made me sit next to him and said that he had arranged for a song to be written about me. 'A song about you is coming, 'Take It Easy (Urvasi)'. It's a good song; do listen to it,' he said. It was penned by Vairamuthu. That song made the movie popular.'
'When I heard it and saw Prabhu Deva's dance, it was quite different from the ones typical of that era. When I asked him if they had written the song mocking me, he said no and assured me that it was penned in good faith,' Urvashi mentioned. 'He further told me, 'Many actors have already received songs in their names. Don't you want one too? Aren't you the one who came down from above? Aren't you the one who came from the world of gods?'' the legendary actor added.
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