Raagam is not what comes to our mind when we talk of a film song. It is 
a common perception that only classical compositions have raagam. In fact,
our songs too, whether film, light or jaanapada, indeed have a raagam
behind it. Sometimes a song is composed using several raagams and is 
hence called a *raagamaalika*. Example: "maanasa veeNa  madhu geetam" 
from the movie "pantulamma".

Unlike classical compositions, film songs usually dont explore the complete 
potential of a raagam, and sometimes get into wrong lanes by introducing 
anya swaram. Film music composers justify it as *creative freedom* but it 
is always a matter of debate. Music directors always keep in mind both 
panDita  and paamara audience and try to make the song more `janaranjakam'.

While it is true that music can be enjoyed without any knowledge about its 
theory, over a period of time even lay persons will be able to sometimes 
intuitively recognise that two particular songs sound *similar*, because 
they are based on the same raagam.

Appended below is a posting (Classical 'rAgAs' of Carnatic music, 
posted on SCIT) by Sri Prabhakar, as brief introduction, for those
interested.

Interest to compile a list of film songs and their raga, began when 
Sreenivas contacted me in '94 refering to a list of songs posted by me 
in one of the earliest Telugu digests (way back in '92) and we; myself, 
Ram, Lucky, Sriram and Sreenivas worked behind this project. The first list 
was posted on the Internet in  January, 1995. To our delight it was well 
received, but brought no new contributors. Only in recent months we could 
win Sreeyutulu Prabhakar, Ratnakar (both adding many new songs & raaga-s), 
Rajagopal (listing plenty of raagamaalikas) and Ramakrishna (making it 
available through his web page apart from his own additions). Without their 
massive contributions this release would n't have been possible.

 Ways of accessing this list 

1. URL:  https://members.tripod.com/~RKSanka/music/rslist.html

2. From RMIM's wonderful automailer by sending a mail:	

	To: pkohli@cc.gatech.edu 
	Sub:  rmim article 50  		(NO message in the body!)

I request netters to post songs and their raagam, if you know. If not sure 
about the raagam, indicate it by question marks and it can be investigated. 
Let us make this into rich compilation of film songs with proper raagam 
classification.

Several hours of effort have gone in to this compilation and we shall be 
glad to have your comments, criticism and corrections and naturally 
compliments (if you have any :-)).

Hope you enjoy the songs and wish that you too can recognise and identify
the raga on which the song is based.

Thanks and Regards

 Capt Madhu   				(madhu@qcav01.enet.dec.com)

 Sreenivas Paruchuri  			(sreeni@ktpsp1.uni-paderborn.de) 
 Sriram Pidaparti 			(sriram_Pidaparti@cargill.com)
 Ramakrishna Sanka 			(rsanka@nortel.com)
 Ratnakar Sonthi  			(ratnakar@cae.wisc.edu)
 Rajagopal Tummarakoti 			(parigim@state.mi.us)
 Ramanna Vishnubhotla 
 Lakshmanna Vishnubhotla 		(vishnubhotll@charon.stm.com)
 Prabhakar  Vissavajjhala 		(vissa@cortex.neuro.mssm.edu)

Also Check out :

1. Sri. Prabhakar Vissavajjhala's article on Ragas of Indian Classical music .

2. Popular ragas of Telugu film songs.

3. Carnatic Raga Scales

4. Raga based Hindi films songs