Cuddalore Nagarathnam Pandurangan (1912 – 1975) was a noted music director who scored music for Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Sinhala movies. C. N. Pandurangan was an Indian music director who worked mainly in South Indian films.

Early life Cuddalore Nagarathinam Pandurangan (CNP) was born in 1912. His father had a government job, conducted religious discourses and was also an exponent of Harikatha. CNP commenced his music lessons under his father and accompanied him on the stage. He was later put under the tutelage of Chittoor Subramaniam Pillai (the vocalist who also taught Madurai Somu).

Career CNP became a veena exponent and was spotted and hired by K. Subramaniam. CNP's first assignment as a music composer was the 1948 Sinhalese movie Kapati Arakshakaya directed by K. Subramaniam. The movie was a runaway hit and CNP's compositions sung by the famous Eddie Jayamane and Rukmani Devi became very popular. This led to CNP composing the songs for a few more Sinhalese movies in later years such as Veradunu Kurumanama, Amma, Sihinaya and Devasundari. Vembathur Krishnan mentioned working with CNP in reverential terms.

The first Tamil movie which had songs composed by CNP was Kamavalli (1948). Despite some good classical songs written by Papanasam Sivan and rendered by Nagercoil Mahadevan and S. Varalakshmi. Even though CNP was not flooded with offers, he carried on in Tamil movies till 1978. He also composed music for Telugu movies where most of them are Tamil-Telugu bilingual movies.

He worked in Kannada movie too such as Bhakta Mallikarjuna (1955), Kacha Devayani (1956), Devasundari (1962). Later Sri Purandaradasaru (1967) based on the legendary saint-composer which had singers such as M. L. Vasanthakumari, M. Balamuralikrishna, P. B. Srinivas and S. Janaki.

Composer Vedha worked as his associate for some years and learned the nuances of music composition before branching off on his own. Pukazhenthi worked under him for a few years, before teaming up with K. V. Mahadevan. Shyam commenced his film career as a violinist under him. B. A. Chidambaranath was part of his troupe.

Shyam mentioned that unlike the other composers who would compose playing the harmonium, CNP would play the notes on the veena and sing the tune. He could come up with 5 to 6 tunes for every song and the directors would sit mesmerized, spoilt for choice. His assistant Munuswamy would then play each segment on the harmonium to the instrumentalists. CNP shared a very good rapport with all the great lyricists and singers of the time. He used to encourage the lyricists to come out with appropriate, poetic lines and would not hesitate to amend the tune to accentuate the beauty of the lyrics. CNP was also very particular about the choice of singers, Shyam recalled, and each song would go the singer who CNP thought could do it the best justice. CNP would escort all his troupe members to Harrisons and treat them to a sumptuous meal at his own expense. Sham recalls CNP as A great artiste and A great human being.

CNP worked with G. Ramanathan in Pudhu Vazhvu and with Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy in Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhan. He also collaborated with Meenakshi Subramaniam in Kacha Devayani (Kannada) and Pandithevan (Tamil).

He worked with singers like T. M. Soundararajan, A. M. Rajah, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Thiruchi Loganathan, C. S. Jayaraman, V. N. Sundharam, P. B. Sreenivas, S. C. Krishnan, T. A. Mothi, K. R Chellamuthu, A. L. Raghavan, M. Balamuralikrishna, S. V. Ponnusamy, K. M. Mani Rajan, M. L. Vasanthakumari, P. A. Periyanayaki, P. Leela, Jikki, T. V. Rathnam, A. P. Komala, K. Jamuna Rani, P. Suseela, Radha Jayalakshmi, A. G. Rathnamala, Soolamangalam Jeyalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, K. V. Janaki, K. Rani, G. Kasthoori, S. Janaki, and L. R. Eswari.

The singing actors T. R. Mahalingam, K. R. Ramasamy, S. Varalakshmi, V. Nagayya, B. Jayamma, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, P. S. Govindhan, C. S. Pandiyan and J. P. Chandrababu also sang memorable songs under his compositions.

Style CNP only composed music for less than 40 movies spread over a period of 30 years. Many of them are collaboration with other composers where he had only a handful of songs to compose himself. Even though many of the movies were commercial failures, yet CNP shows his erudite classical roots, technical finesse, inventive arrangements, uncanny grasp of the mood and sequence and astute pick of a variety of singers.

Works Some compositions of C. N. Pandurangan, include: Manmohanadass Gandhi from Geetha Gandhi by P. A. Periyanayaki Good Luck! Good Luck from En Thangai by C.S. Pandiyan & A. G. Rathnamala Aadum Oonjalai Pole from En Thangai by T. A. Mothi & P. Leela Aasai Roja Paaru from Ragasiya Penn 117 by Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi Sirpi Sedhukkaadha Porchilaiye from Edhir Paradhathu by Jikki Sirpi Sedhukkaadha Porchilaiye from Edhir Paradhathu by A. M. Rajah Singara Roopa Karunaa from Mamiyar by S. Varalakshmi Dance Baby Dance from Gumastha by M. L. Vasanthakumari Jeeva Gaana Veena Naan from Bhoologa Rambai by P. Suseela Naanaada Nee Paadu Kannaa from Mala Oru Mangala Vilakku by Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi Naan Paada Nee Aadu Kanne from Mala Oru Mangala Vilakku by P. B. Srinivas Chandi Miranda Kaadu Kollaadhu from Pandithevan by S. Janaki Nee Aadinaal Oor Aadidum from Pandithevan by J. P. Chandrababu & K. Jamuna Rani Inbama Kondadum from Indira En Selvam by P. B. Srinivas & K. Rani Kanni Paruvam Aval from Indira En Selvam by P. B. Srinivas & Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi

CNP has worked with Radha Jayalakshmi in almost all of his compositions which brings the best out of her . Some of the songs are: Jegam Ezhum Neeye from Edhir Paradhathu, solo Kannalar Ingu Varuvaar from Bhoologa Rambai, solo Aasai Nenjame from Bhoologa Rambai with A. M. Rajah Kanavu Ninaivaagum from Menaka, solo Thellathelindha Thenamudhe from Indira En Selvam, solo Anbaana Mozhi Pesum from Solaimalai Raani with A. M. Rajah Annai Nee En Vaazhvile from Mala Oru Mangala Vilakku, solo Kannum Karuthum from Pandithevan with S. Janaki & K. Rani Aadhaaram Nin Paadham Ambigaiye from Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhan, solo Kottu Melam Kovililm from Pudhu Vazhvu, solo

Personal life CNP and his wife Tarabai had 6 children. One of his sons, Mohanarangan was a famed flautist. CNP died in 1975 at the age of 63.

Filmography Year Film Language Director Banner Co-Music Directors 1948 Kamavalli Tamil Manickam Baskar Pictures 1948 Kapati Arakshakaya Sinhala Jyotish Sinha & K. Subramanyam Ceylon Theatres 1948 Naveena Valli Tamil T. Balaji Singh Santhanam Pictures 1948 Sri Krishna Thulabaram Tamil T. Balaji Singh Santhanam Pictures 1948 Veradunu Kurumanama Sinhala Jyotish Sinha Ceylon Theatres 1949 Amma Sinhala Sirisena Wimalaweera Navajeewana Film 1949 Geetha Gandhi Tamil K. Subramanyam Madras United Artists Corporation Br Lakshmanan 1951 Maya Pilla Telugu R. Prakash Prakash Shankar Pictures 1952 En Thangai Tamil Ch. Narayana Murthy Ashoka Pictures 1953 Naa Chellelu Telugu Ch. Narayana Murthy Ashoka Pictures 1953 Gumastha Tamil R. M. Krishnaswami Aruna Films G. Ramanathan & V. Nagayya 1953 Gumastha Telugu R. M. Krishnaswami Aruna Films G. Ramanathan & V. Nagayya 1953 Mamiyar Tamil K. Vembu Sri Gajanana Productions 1953 Kodarikam Telugu K. Vembu Sri Gajanana Productions 1954 Edhir Paradhathu Tamil Ch. Narayana Murthy Saravanabava Pictures & Unity Pictures 1954 En Magal Tamil K. V. R. AcharyaM. K. R. Nambiar Asoka Pictures 1954 Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhan Tamil C. S. Rao Mercury Films M. S. Viswanathan 1955 Bhakta Mallikarjuna Kannada C. V. Raju Jairaj Productions 1955 Menaka Tamil V. C. Suburamman Kasturi Films Vedha 1956 Kacha Devayani Kannada K. Subramanyam Morak Pvt Limited Meenakshi Subramanyam 1956 Vazhvile Oru Naal Tamil A. Kasilingam Mercury Films T. G. Lingappa & S. M. Subbaiah Naidu 1956 Verum Pechu Alla Tamil Joseph Pallippad Principle Productions 1957 Pudhu Vazhvu Tamil M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar Sarvodaya Pictures G. Ramanathan 1958 Boologa Rambai Tamil D. Yoganand Asoka Pictures 1958 Booloka Rambha Telugu D. Yoganand Asoka Pictures 1959 Pandithevan Tamil K. Subramanyam Morak Pvt Limited Meenakshi Subramanyam 1959 Sihinaya Sinhala T. Janaki Ram Jayanthi Producers 1960 Kottadhari Telugu K. Subramanyam Morak Pvt Limited Ramana 1960 Solaimalai Rani Tamil A. Rajaram 1961 Amulya Kanuka Telugu T. Janakiraman Maheswari Pictures 1962 Devasundari Kannada C. V. Raju 1962 Devasundari Sinhala C.V. Raju Royal Studio 1962 Indira En Selvam Tamil C. Padmanaban Ashoka Pictures H. R. Padmanabha Sasthri 1963 Devasundari Telugu H. V. Babu Royal Studio 1963 Kubera Theevu Tamil G. Vishwanathan Nithya Kalyani Films 1967 Sri Purandara Dasaru Kannada C. V. Raju & R. Ramamurthy Sri Hamsa Chithra 1968 Sathiyam Thavaradhey Tamil Pondy Selvaraj Ammal Films 1972 Thiruneelakandar Tamil C. P. Jambulingam Vahini - Vasu 1972 Rahasiyapenn 117 Tamil 1975 Kadhavai Thattiya Mohini Paey Tamil Rajaram Anuradha International Films 1978 Vetri Thirumagal Tamil H. V. Babu Vivek Agencies

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