THE ROLE OF LOVE IN VARUSHAMELLAM VASANTHAM, AN APPRECIATION OF LATE ACTIOR MANOJI BARATHYRAJA

BY

K. ANANTHANATHAN, MA, MSW, RSW REGISTED SOCIAL WORKER WITH OCSWSSW

Introduction:

I am a fan of great poems and beautiful cinema songs like “Enge Antha Vennila” song Where’s that Moon?” My fandom is because the song hits on a primary theme in Indian cinema songs around love being part of a complete life. This idea very well reflected in Tirukkural and Maha Kavi Subramanya Bharath Iyar who perceived life is whole and complete. According to Thiruvalluvar and Bharath Iyar the essence of human life is love.

The Varushamellam Vasantham (2003) film’s story revolves around two brothers, Raja and Ramesh. Raja is dark, uneducated, and unemployed and has been ridiculed by his thatha (grandfather). Raja, according to the movie, is jobless and always wastes his time with his friends. Meanwhile his brother Ramesh is well educated, handsome, and has a well-paying job. Both fell in love with Latha, a distant relative living in Mumbai and visiting their house. The two brothers compete to win over Latha’s love. An unemployed Raja sacrifices his love for a girl who is engaged to marry his brother but ends up earning the affection of his grandfather.

With this summary of the film story now we turn into the entire song (Song lyrics in English):

“Where is that, Moon? Enge Antha Vennila? Oh! Moon! Where are You?

It changed a stone into a fruit and Changed rock into a flower.

Where is that, Moon? I was walking on the ground

Now, I’m flying in the sky.

That’s because of you

That’s because of you (2)

I was night but now

I’ve become day.

That’s because of you.

I have just one heart

I’m happy to give it to you.

I’ve just one life.

It’s a boon to give it to you.

Even if you forget or

You’re always refuse my eternal

Flame of love

When I drench in the rain

You become my umbrella

When I walk in the scorching Sun

You become my shade.

When I’m thirsty you become water

When I’m filled with sorrow you become my mother

When fishes swim in the river

It does not experience any pain

Your thoughts swim in my heart

But there is no pain for me

Whether you’re there or not

I will live with your love

Whether you’re there or not

I’ll live with your love.

Your love is enough for me.

Where is that Moon (Enge andha Vennila)

She turned a stone into a fruit

And thorn into a flower

Enge Andha Vennila

Whether you are there or not

Your Love is enough for me

Mirror reflect the appearance only

Won’t you reveal what’s in my heart

The breeze which tells stories to the flowers

Won’t it convey my love for you

Won’t our auspicious wedding day come soon

Won’t my love reach the shores

Oh! Moon, where are you?

You appeared when I fell in love. “

Jeeva Lines of the above song:

Mazhaiyil Nanaigiran

Kudaiyaai Varugiraai

Veyilil Nadakiren

Nizhalai Varugiraai

Thagam Engiren

Neerai Varugiraai

Sogam Engiren

Thaaiyaai Varugiraai

Nadhigalil Meengal

Needhuthamma

Athil Nedhikoru Vazhiyum Illaiyamma

Unninaivugal Idhayathil Needhuthamma

Athil Enokoruvazhiyum Illaiyamma

Nee Irunthal Enna Pirinthal Enna

Kathal Enaku Pothumammaa

EnKathal Enaku Pothumammaa

Uruvathai Kattidum Kannadi Enulathai

Kattida Kodatha

The above Jeeva lines of the song reflected the whole main ideas of the movie’s story.

Conclusion:

The Tamil tradition always emphasizes the essence of Religion (Human Life) is LOVE they further says through their texts that universality of REAL LOVE is an unconditional LOVE that is the great force or essence of Religion or Human Life. Also, this same idea is reflected in Tirumala’s Tirumanthiram as well. “Ignorant people say that LOVE and GOD are different. But they do not know that LOVE and GOD are one when they came to know that LOVE and GOD are one, they rest contented in GOD as LOVE “– Tirumanthiram Verse – 270. This is the learning lesson for the Readers should learn from this Movie, particularly the song Enge Antha Vennela and that is the purpose of this small article how it’s expressed that idea. For that purpose, I would argue how the concept of LOVE plays a vital role in human life. Therefore, this should be our guiding light and coping with our day – to – day living principle and beliefs in our life living in a multi – cultural Canadian society.

This article is dedicated to loving memory of the late Manoj Bharathiraja who recently passed away on March 25, 2025, He was the main charter of this song and sunshine for his wife Nanthana for over 25 years, and she still suffered from his loss/untimely death or sudden death. In his short lifetime, he showed us how to be selfless, kind, loving, thoughtful, and generous to everyone he came across in his lives. He enjoyed the arts and cinema acting, directing, and wanted all people, especially his loved ones, to appreciate the beauty of cinema acting and directing, music singing, and dance because he was a well-trained musician and actor from the University College Theater Studies in the USA.