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Salil Chowdhury

Thumboli Kadappuram (1994)

One of the final Malayalam scores of Salil Chowdhury, with exquisite compositions written to lyrics by O. N. V. Kurup. A rare treasure for Salil admirers.

Thumboli Kadappuram Poster

Film Information

Language: Malayalam

Lyrics: O. N. V. Kurup

A cassette released by Sargam listed only three songs, though the film actually contains four songs. The fourth, "Varavelkayaa" (TK4), is an extraordinary classical-based composition sung by K. J. Yesudas, rooted in the Carnatic raga Shubha Panthuvarali.

Salil's experimentation with rhythm and harmony is evident in "Olangale" (TK3), composed in a rare five-beat cycle (1-2-3, 1-2). Its first version was recorded by Antara Chowdhury in Bengali in 1990 as "O Bhola Mon".

K. S. Chitra’s rendition of "Kaathil" (TK5) is not found on the cassette but appears in the film print, making it a rare collectors’ item.

Songs

Nr Song Singer(s) HndMalTamTelKanBngOth
TK1 Kaathil K. J. Yesudas -----HS1-
TK2 Etharo K. J. Yesudas & Chorus UK2------
TK3 Olangale K. S. Chitra -----AN34-
TK4 Varavelkayaa K. J. Yesudas -------
TK5 Kaathil K. S. Chitra -----HS1-

Notes & Background

Thumboli Kadappuram stands as a testament to Salil Chowdhury’s ability to merge folk, classical, and modern harmonic language into a seamless musical narrative even in his later years.

According to noted Salil scholar Sadanand Warrier, the song “Varavelkayaa” (TK4) is based on the Carnatic raga Shubha Panthuvarali, with a Hindustani equivalent leaning toward the Poorvi thaat, bordering on Lalit and merging elements of both Todi and Poorvi.

“Olangale” (TK3) is one of Salil’s rhythmic innovations, built around a unique five-matra cycle, a rare time signature in mainstream film songs.

The film remains extremely rare, with incomplete or poor-quality audio sources circulating among collectors. Any surviving print or studio tape would be of great archival value.