AVM Sampath

Through his six decades association with the film industry, the 'Sound Engineer' at AVM stood for Honesty and Dharmic Principles 

AVM name the New Recording Studio at Avichi College as 'Sampath Studio'

National awardee Audiographer AVM K Sampath was a workaholic all his life and was at home only the 2^nd Sunday of every month. That was the big day of the month for his daughter Meera during her entire childhood. She would eagerly wait for the 2^nd Sunday to arrive and spend the entire day chatting with him. He would share songs with her and ask for her feedback. For the rest of the month, he was all about work.  But despite his long absence from home, the always 'background man' had special love for his daughter Meera and always took good care of her from the background. So profound was his understanding that when sad scenes featured in movies, he ensured his office staff took her away from the movie hall to the snacks zone of the theatre only to bring her back as more happy scenes arrived. That love and care for her extended till the very end of his life and it was to her that he spoke the final sentences of his life.

School Days - His

Sampath had his school education in Trichy. Once when he attended a light music programme, the different kinds of music played out that evening interested him and he went up the stage to check out the way the sounds were created. Impressed with his curiousity, the producer of the show called him by his side and suggested that he should pursue music if that interested him.

After completion of Class X, he moved to Chennai and joined a license course in audiography in adyar. The principal at the college warned him of the difficulties of the course but Sampath was relentless in the pursuit of his passion. During those days, he would carry heavy music equipments as part of the training programme. Much later in his life, he would stand by the railway line to record the running of the trains and the sound of the engines, sometimes even the sound of two trains running in opposite direction such was his commitment to his trade.

He joined AVM in the mid 1950s when he was in his early 20s and had an association with them for over five decades. He recorded well over 5000 songs for AVM, was a Recipient of State awards, thrice and a National award for a Malayalam movie. He featured in Server Sundaram – the only time he was seen in a movie. After the completion of the day’s work, Nagesh would drop him in his car near the Mambalam Station railway gate. Very often, as Sampath got down from the car in dark of the night, huge crowd would surround him thinking he was Nagesh only for them to find that the legendary comedian had stumped them as he drove away quietly in his car.

Always Work came first

Meera recalls the good heartedness of her father in full measure at her wedding “Play back singer Mano was to perform at our reception. But it was the time when he received an opportunity to perform in the UAE. When appa came to know about this, he told Mano that work always came first and that for no reason he should turn down that opportunity. Mano had committed to playing at our reception and his name had even been printed on the invitation. But appa forced him to go and perform in Dubai. All through his life, his message to everyone was that one should be committed to one’s job. Even though I missed Mano’s performance, I was delighted at my father’s gesture.” 

Flying visit at the reception

Son in law and COO of Assurant India Srikanth Srinivasan remembers the day of his wedding reception in Madurai “We were just a few minutes away from the schedule time of the reception and Sampath Mama was nowhere to be seen. He was so passionately involved with the recording work for Director Bhagyaraj (who was one of his favourites), and his commitment to work was such that he landed at the hall just in time and headed back to Chennai early next morning.”

Sound Pillar of AVM

AVM Sampath’s only nephew Ravi Ramaswamy had a close association with him from his school days in the early 1970s. He says that Sampath mama was the ‘Sound Pillar’ of AVM. Even though he did not have fundamental knowledge of music, he showed extraordinary passion and commitment and straddled smoothly from the old world to modern digital equipments, an indication of his ability to adapt himself to changing technologies in the recording world. Ravi considers Sampath completing voice mixing of three films – Avatharam, Magalir Mattum and Paattu Paadava- in a single call sheet with Janaki amma as a memorable achievement.

He says that his uncle was extremely affectionate, very strict in his principles, never showed favoritism to anyone and was always wedded to his job responsibilities. Such was the trust reposed on him by the AVM family that they rarely interfered in his work and gave him complete freedom. In recognition of his work, the AVM family handed the AVM RR theatre to him (and JJ Manickam) on a revenue sharing model for him to run it independently.

Welfare of the workers till the very end

His final service to the workers which even the family was not aware till it was brought to their notice during his final moments came in April during the lockdown “He was worried about his colleagues during the period of the lockdown. During the last month of his life, he ensured support to 315 members. Till the very end, his heart went out to his colleagues. He always wanted them to be happy” says Meera.

The final interaction with his daughter

Over the last few years, memory loss took the better of him but his family doctor asked them not to disturb him from his routine as his life revolved around the workers even after he touched 80. A week before he went into coma, he knew his end was near. He called her by his side and told her “I have lived a happy life. Please take care of your amma and keep her happy.” A few hours before he went into coma, he called her by name in a thanking gesture of her birthday wishes. 

New Recording Studio named after AVM Sampath

AVM family, who run the Avichi College of Science and Arts has decided to name the new recording studio that is coming up inside the campus as ‘Sampath Studio’ in recognition of his contribution. Just prior to the lockdown, Sampath lent his technical brilliance and assistance to design, construct and commission a modern recording theatre for the students of the college.  The work had progressed at a quick pace but unfortunately the lockdown brought a halt to the work. And before he could see it through to its final completion, Sampath breathed his last. 

The man who created ‘Sound of Music’ had to be given a compulsive farewell with no sound at all, said Ravi.

Raja - His Favourite Disciple

Sound Engineer K Balasundar (Raja to those in the film industry) who had been under the tutelage of AVM Sampath for two decades now runs his own recording studio and has done recording work for around 50 films in the last two years. He says that his Guru Sampath Sir always stood by the righteous, practiced truth and worked tirelessly every day of his life. Not once did he waver from the Dharmic path. “He told everyone about his way of life and work. A dishonest or untruthful person could not come anywhere near him. 

“Almost as his son, I served him till the very end of his life and I will always endeavour to follow the dharmic path that he taught all of us” says Raja.

Sampath recently told him ‘I may not live to see that event but you will receive the National award one day.” Raja says the confidence and belief his Guru had in him has inspired him immeasurably and he will strive every bit to make his Guru’s words come true.

A Staffer’s Delight

AVM Sampath was always a worker’s man and ensured they were happy at all times. Twice he rejected lands offered to him, first by AVM and subsequently by FEFSI as he wanted them to give the land to those who did not own him, such was his large heartedness. Hence when he passed away on May 1 his son in law Srikanth Srinivasan found some peace within himself “While the death saddened us and several thousands of members from the film industry, we found some peace given the Day he passed away. He was closely associated with CAASI (Cine Audiographers Assn of South India) and always sought the welfare of his colleagues. Hence, May Day was always his favourite day of the year. Being a Staffers’ man, he would have been happy that he passed away on May Day as he considered the day as a very special one of the year.”

Tears roll down as Meera recounts the final few sentences of his life “Just a few hours before he went into coma and with memory loss at its peak, he uttered this, the last communication of his life ‘There is a call sheet for SP Muthuraman. Even though I am feverish, I should go and finish the recording for him.’ It was probably a recollection of some recording from the decades gone by. Till his last breath, his voice chanted the audio recording mantra”. 

That summed up his commitment to work and to the film industry. Sincere efforts never fail was his motto and he lived by those principles till the very end.