The Elusive "High": How Ilaiyaraaja & S. Janaki Transferred Intoxication in "Enthan Kannil"

Hero stumbles in a drunken stupor, and it's a 'kuthu paattu'. Heroine sways inebriated, and it’s... often just a 'kilukiluppu' (a light, trivial number). This has been an unwritten rule in Tamil cinema. But what if a heroine, drenched in the rain, clad in a white saree, performs in a state of 'high', and it doesn't make you cringe but mesmerizes you instead?

It can be done. When the dancer is Sridevi. When the singer is S. Janaki. When the lyricist is Kaviarasu Kannadasan. And when the music is orchestrated by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja. Yes, you guessed it – we're talking about the iconic "Enthan Kannil" from the 1980 film Guru.

"Thannai marandha nilaiyil paadum paadal" – a song sung in a state of self-forgetfulness. In this deep dive for Oru Naal Podhuma, we're dissecting how music, voice, acting, and lyrics converged to create this unparalleled masterpiece.

The Context: A Commercial Canvas for Artistry

Guru, released in 1980, was a remake of the Hindi film Jugnu. A quintessential commercial film, it marked a stylish resurgence for Kamal Haasan. "Enthan Kannil" arrives at a crucial turning point, showing the blossoming love between the hero and heroine. Sridevi's character is unwittingly intoxicated at a party, leading to a performance where Kamal, as the protective hero, safeguards her dignity even as she loses control.

Raja's Opening Symphony of Intoxication

Ilaiyaraaja, right from the opening notes, masterfully cues the audience into Sridevi's altering state. The song begins not with a bang, but a gentle guitar strum, soon joined by a melancholic piano. This is followed by a haunting flute melody, its notes gradually 'winding down'.

This descending musical phrase isn't just a pretty tune; it's a genius move to convey the initial stages of intoxication. The high notes gently giving way to lower ones signify the tension leaving the body, and the character's control slowly slipping away. As the state escalates, Raja brings in the lush strings, creating a palpable sense of growing disinhibition.

Interestingly, Raja cleverly steers the narrative. While a song like "Naane Naana" from Iravae Vaanam evokes a sense of panic as the heroine loses control (due to the absence of a 'safe' male presence), "Enthan Kannil" tells a different story. Raja subtly assures the audience with a comical musical cue: the hero is present, her safety isn't compromised, so sit back and enjoy the playful 'high'.

S. Janaki: The Architect of Vocal Acting

Then enters the legend, S. Janaki, with her iconic 80s 'Pa-Pa-Pa' humming. Starting at a low pitch, she elongates the notes, giving them a loose, uncontrolled quality. Yet, this apparent lack of control is, in fact, the highest form of controlled singing. Her subtle landing of notes, though seemingly effortless, is a testament to her vocal prowess.

In the pallavi, when she sings "Endhan Kannil Ezhu-lagangal... Vaaraai Kannaa Vaa...", the sustained 'Vaa' is a moment of pure magic. It's a vocal caress that draws you in, making you, the listener, lose yourself just as the character does. The pallavi, mostly in lower registers, showcases Janaki Amma's mastery of the 'husky' voice modulation, a technique that would be celebrated decades later with singers like Bombay Jayashri.

The Stereo-Sonic "High" and Interlude Magic of 'Enthan Kannil'

Raja's genius extends beyond melody. Listen closely with headphones, and you'll experience the sonic 'dizziness' firsthand. In the pallavi, the flute might appear on one side, while the piano subtly 'travels' across the soundstage. This deliberate stereo panning mimics how sounds can become disoriented or diffused when one is intoxicated, proving Raja’s early embrace of advanced sound engineering for psychological impact.

The visual-music sync is phenomenal. The first interlude uses psychedelic wind pipes to depict Sridevi's trance state. In a scene where she falls into the water, the strings build tension, but when she comically spits out the water, a synth provides immediate relief – every nuance of the scene is mirrored by the music.

The Logic of the Arrangement

There’s a beautiful contrast here. In a song like "Naane Naana," the music signals danger because the woman is alone. But in "Enthan Kannil," Raja uses a comical musical cue to tell us, "The hero is here, she is safe, just enjoy the song."

Then Janaki Amma enters with that iconic 80s "Pa-Pa-Pa" humming. Sung at a low pitch with a "loose" feel, it perfectly mimics a lack of control. Yet, this is the highest form of controlled singing. When she hits the pallavi, the way she sustains the word "Vaa" in "Vaaraai Kannaa Vaa" is simply beautiful. It makes the listener lose themselves in her voice.

Trance and Technical Sync

As the character's intoxication grows, Raja introduces a psychedelic effect in the first interlude using wind pipes to represent her trance state. He masterfully balances tension and relief—when Sridevi falls into the water, the strings create tension, and when she comically spits it out, the synth provides relief.

In the charanam, Janaki Amma uses long, dragging phrases to match the "sway." The lyrics by Kaviyarasu Kannadasan are minimalist but high-impact: "Naan indru naanum illai, en nenjil naanam illai" (Today I am not myself; there is no shyness in my heart). These two lines sum up the entire situation perfectly.

The "Flash" Collaboration: I.V. Sasi & Raja

The seamless sync between visuals and music demands a mention of director I.V. Sasi. Known for his incredible speed, Sasi's working style perfectly complemented Raja's. Sasi wouldn't describe music in technical terms but in visual grammar – "the camera goes up in slow-mo, the heroine's eyes slowly close." Raja would translate this visual imagery directly into notes. Legend has it that during the recording of "Enthan Kannil," Raja challenged Sasi: "If I elevate the music, can you elevate the visual?" This challenge manifests in the song, where camera movements and musical swells move in perfect tandem – a true frame-by-frame scoring.

The Enduring "High"

"Enthan Kannil" is a masterclass in emotional storytelling through music. While many "inebriated" songs have existed since the days of P. Susheela’s "Unnai Kann Thedudhe," the context and arrangement here make it stand apart.

Which "drunk song" is your personal favorite and why? Let me know in the comments. Until next time... is one day enough to talk about music? Oru Naal Podhuma?