A Fim Maker without Sound and Fury.

    Film directors of the action genre are of different kinds.Tamil film industry has the singular pride of having enrolled and patronized a galaxy of men, in making action films.Starting from P.Neelakandan, M.A.Thirumumugam T.R.Sundaram, and A.Jaganathan,the list will go unending. Modern Tamil cinema has been enriched by astute action film makers like Shankar, Lingusamy, P.Vasu,A.R Murugadoss and many others.Of these Shankar has established a unique position as the most technically savvy director.But there is one action film maker who proved to be distinct in his approach to the action genre, through subtle touches in narration along with a racy focus on the vital segments of an action film such as romance,crime and social justice.It is K.Subash,who breathed his last yesterday, in his mid fifties.
    Starting with his moderately reviewed Kaliyugam released in 1988,K.Subash has made about fifteen Tamil films.The other notable fact is that he wrote the story for five Hindi films of which the most popular Chennai Express is also one.His last film was 1,2,3 pictured on a lighter vein, depicting the interesting vagaries of three physically impaired guys, falling in love with the same girl.The best two films of Subash were Bramma,starring Sathyaraj and Banupriya and Chatriyan with Vijayakanth and Banupriya. These two films could be called big action bonanzas, keeping completely intact,the gripping factors of speed, tempo and vigor in narration from the beginning till the end.
      While the thriller effect was more in Bramma, the toughness and devil may care attitude of the hero was an impressive feature of Chatriyan. Both carried the aesthetic components in narration significantly enriched by delicate touches of romance and the grandeur of music. Kushbu remained as an enchanting addition to Bramma, Revathi was a symbol of piety and submissive womanhood in Chatriyan. In both the films Banupriya gracefully contributed to the over all visual grandeur. Vijayakumar was a sweet tongued villain in Bramma and an unflinching police officer in Chatriyan. Thilagan  remains memorable as the crude and devilish Annachi of Chatriyan. Both  Satyaraj and Vijayanth took their respective films to highly creditable levels by their commanding grip of their character potential standing up in spirit, as the incarnation of bravery. Subash needs a special pat for narrating these two action films with well knit dynamism and dauntlessness in character evolution and contextual validity.These two incomparable films will always stand to his credit.
      Pangali was another Sathyaraj film directed by Subash. Here too Banupriya was paired with the hero.But in this film which was a revenge drama, Satyaraj played dual roles.Napoleon played the ruthless villain, keeping his nephew in a cave with guardian Vijayakumar, whose tongue the villain did not hesitate to slash.Some of the scenes in the movie reminded the audience of a few happenings in the MGR blockbuster Adimai Penn.The film went in for mixed reviews.However the Sathyaraj and Goundamani team did not fail to provide their usual cheeky side of humor.
       Subash has worked with leading heroes like Prabu,Satyaraj,Vijayakant,Ajith  Parthiban and Prabu Deva. He needs a special acknowledgement for showing Raguvaran in two totally diagonal dimensions, as the meekest lawyer in Kaliyugam and the most menacing villain Masilamani, in Abimanyu. Similarly Parthiban was shown as an aggressive youth with an innate vengeance, to kill his devilish father Raguvaran in Abimanyu and as an extremely astute guy, outsmarting his wicked friend Ranjith in Sabash. The word sabash means "well done!" .At the end of the film Sabash, one could say 'well done!' not only to Parthiban but also to  director Subash for cleverly contriving the course of events in a tricky story line.Both Abhimanyu and Sabash are two special films of the action genre with elements of crime and justice carried on in two different ways.
      Prabudeva has the privilege of being inducted in three of the  films of Subash.There was a negative undercurrent running through all the three films. Poverty,social neglect,anguish of love and its related disappointment and the usual criminal element,dominated in the films Ninaivirukkumvarai and Ezhaiyin Sirippil. The third film 1,2,3 was both a farce and a silent tale of pain ably withstood by the three differently powered youth. Keerthi Reddy was fascinatingly compact in Ninaivirukkumvarai and Roja added both glamour and grace to Ezhaiyin Sirippil. Jyothika adeptly handled the three men with dignity and grace. Uthama Purushan the other film of Subash, was romance cum family drama. Subash was perhaps influenced by the memories of L.V.Prasad's great film Iruvar Ullam starring Sivaji Ganesan and Sarojadevi, in making the film Uthama Purushan with Prabhu Ganesan and Amala. This moderate film carried reverberating memories of the former.
     Some of the other films of Subash were Ajith's Pavithra and the multi star movie Suyamvaram.
It is really a sad thing that a film maker of merit died of an organ failure.The fact that as the son of Krishnan,the first part of the Director duo Krishnan Panju, K.Subash remained as a highly talented film maker and his films like Chatriyan,Bramma,Abhimanyu,Sabash,Kaliyugam and Ezhaiyin Sirippil will perpetually celebrate his memories, both as an action film maker and a director with a perfect understanding of the vital parameters of film making, aimed at entertaining the audience .In doing this, he had always been genuine in the sense, that he never resorted to needless moralizing, by raising the voice of reform or reorganization.It was his natural and modest handling of the action genre, with a precise perception of romance and sentiment, that came in handy for his narration of stories, events and characters.In other words, he was ever a self confident film maker, without sound and fury.  
                    

A Musical Genius is No More.

       This blog has dwelt upon many singers and music composers of Tamil film industry.With the blog writer's passion for Indian Cinema in general and Tamil cinema in particular,many aspects of the celluloid world were discussed recalling the grand moments of watching movies with absolute involvement and appreciation.But the writer of this blog did not so far venture into any deliberation on Carnatic music or on the most reputed Carnatic singers, for lack of knowledge and competence to delve into the most sacred stream of music.The writer's longstanding esteem and admiration for one of the most venerable musicians of the Indian subcontinent, who was extremely regarded for his multi dimensional musical calibre has to be recorded now, because the consecrating voice is now part and parcel of divinity. Yes. Dr. Balamurali Krishna who came to be naturally adored for his voice grandeur and instrumental efficacy, has reached the abode of God.
     The writer earnestly cherishes in his memory Dr.Balamurali Krishna's magnificently vibrating rendering of the song 'Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiraan' from the film Kavi Kuyil and the thought provoking soothing number 'Mounathil Vilaiyaadum Manasaatchiye' from Noolveli. So does the writer absorb into his soul the scintillating song Orunaal Podhuma?{Is one day enough for me to sing?} from the myth making veteran A.P.Nagarajan's Thiruvilaiyaadal. The song stays remembered for three reasons.Number 1}.It is from the splendid musical composition of K.V.Mahadhevan,an expert in classical music. Number 2}.The scenic tie up between the legendary actor T.S.Balaiah and the voice of the immortal singer Dr.Balamurali Krishna being in perfect blending. Number 3}.The competitive exuberance between  'Oru Naal Podhuma' and 'Paattum Naane' by the stentorian singer T.M. Soundarajan, being a prominent feature of this magnum opus of A.P.Nagarajan. It can rightly be said that the song 'Orunaal Podhuma' is not meant  for a day but for all times.
     As a singer Dr.Balamurali is indisputably a class by himself.This blog writer would also salute him for his wonderful role performance as Naradhar, for the fascinating mythological film Bhakta Prahlada, that came from the A.V.M banner.The film would never fail to create nostalgic moments for any film goer with aesthetic and spiritual quest  Dr.Balamurali, definitely enriched the quality of that film in his own way, along with the veteran actor S.V.Rengarao as Hiranya Kashipu and the then child artist Roja Ramani as Prahlada. This is what the writer  knows about Dr.Balamurali Krishna. The voice of the sacred singer would ever flow in the mind of the writer with its mighty rhythms of music. It is no exaggeration  to say that the world would rarely come upon a musical genius like him..

M.S.Bhaskar,the under utilized Comedian and Character Actor.

   

 

      Comedy actors performing character roles, is not new to Tamil Cinema.Comedians like N.S.Krishnan,T.S.Dorairaj, K.A.Thangavelu, Nagesh and Thengai Srinivasan have shown their brilliance as character actors.Similarly character actors like V.K.Ramasamy,T.S.Balaiah and Delhi Ganesh have also beautifully reflected their flair for comedy shows.In these lines there is another actor who set his foot as an actor on the big screen years back in 1982 and there after maintained a slow and steady race, on the double tracks of television and cinema.It is M.S.Bhaskar who has simultaneously created a track record as a television serial actor and Tamil film comedian and character actor.
     Many of us may not remember his role in his first film Thirumathi Vegumathi,directed by Visu. Nor has he retained a stable position in the film industry in terms of consistency and continuity.He would have seen ups and downs and even a period of hiatus.If it had been some other actor,they would have lost hope and left the field.But he sustained the trials and periods of neglect and proved his resilience. This is something special about him.
     It is directors like Perarasu and Radha Mohan who regularly made use of his talent for comedy and character role performance.One extraordinary thing about him is his effortless mode of acting. Whether it is comedy or character role, he does it with spontaneity and ease, that makes his delivery a casual occurrence.With his sobre looks, one would doubt if he can deliver humour so as to generate instant laughter.But a scene like the one showing him in a fully drunken state, causing a lot of flutter for Vadivelu and Pandiarajan, in Enga Anna, is enough to show his capacity for generating a great blast of comedy.His other memorable role was in Dum Dum Dum, as a family doctor, periodically playing a foul game of cards, that creates havoc to the extent of breaking a marriage.
     His Nellai Tamil accent in that film was so natural that it would have been a cake  walk for him to speak the same dialect of Tamil, as a tea stall owner, in Kamal's latest film Paapanaasam. His three other Kamalahasan films are Unnai Pol Oruvan, Dhasaavadhaaram and Uthama Villain. Whether it is the character of a lawyer[Sivakasi],or broker [Thiruppachi] or coach {Azhagiya Thamizh Magan}or conductor [Thamizhan]  or police constable[Arima Nambi] he would perform each role with its inherent layers perfectly reflected in  role delivery. He has even appeared as the personal Assistant of the Chief Secretary in Rajijikanth's blockbuster Sivaji. He was equally convincing as a  Christian Father in Mozhi. He also created a significant impact as a mad guy in Varalaaru and as a sleeping accountant, in Kaavalan. One could see him sleeping even while standing, in the latter film.No one can forget his hilarious role performance as the shamelessly casual maternal uncle of Vijay, in Velayudham.
     Most of the recent Tamil releases have included him at least in a minor role.One such role is that of an astrologer [Naadi Josiyer] in Demonte Colony. His other latest films are Vellakaara Dhurai, Ivanukku Thannila Kandam, India Pakistan,36 Vayadhinile.His recent appearance as a local bigwig in Radha Mohan's Uppu Karuvadu created a sterling impact with his flair for poetry and the final powerful poetic outburst on the elopement of his daughter.
     M.S.Bhaskar's entries are many and the types of characters he has performed are equally innumerable.His bald head and untrimmed beard are his popular trademarks showing him as a simpleton and not as a heavy weight in appearance.But when it comes to performance he truly fulfills all necessary requirements, of the role assigned to him.Though he has acted in more than one hundred films and nearly a dozen serials, [of which Vizhudhugal, Chinna Paappaa Periya Paappaa,Arasi and Selvi are most popular] he has not yet got the right position and recognition he truly deserves.Perhaps that is the reason for his not being able to establish a solid place either as a comedian or character actor. Within the limited space made available to him so far,he has certainly proved to be a buoyant comedian and character actor.
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Sacrifice as the Salvation of love.

     The Platonic side of love, once used to be the passion of many film makers in India, irrespective of the language in which the films were made.An actor like Raj Kaboor was a born lover with a profound compassion for those, whom he loved,and he quite often celebrated the agony of love, in donning the role of a forlorn lover, on the big screen.There was a lot of self imposed pain in his approach to the delineation of one side love, that asked for bigger sacrifices.But today, we are living in an age of suffocating stalkers, calling themselves lovers,and when we see such men with a diseased mindset, going to the the extent of throwing acid upon their victims of love and at times, even killing their innocent victims, we are simply shocked by the changed semantics of love.The present scenario vindicates the dominance of the love of the body, as the one and only perception of love, over the other anchored fundamentals of romancing.
     Along with other language film industries, Tamil Cinema took the credit of showcasing the nobler side of love, with its deeper layers of sacrifice, as a vital part of the process of one'e love journey. Tamil films in their originals and remakes from other languages, periodically took the audience to the height of realizing how beautiful the experience of loving is,when one loves just for the supremacy of loving.One side love, or giving up one's love for the sake of a sibling or friend, or for the sake of the lover herself / himself, was quite often the most inevitable and inseparable layer of a film maker's portrayal of the theme of love and its related story,events and characters.
    Take the film Devadas for instance,made simultaneously,both in Telugu and Tamil,with Nageswara Rao and Savithri as lovers.The film released in 1953 was an agonizing tale of childhood love, that firmly sustained and transcended the barriers of time,caste and status to stay put, as an inexorable passion of adulthood.Conservative parental attitudes cut the bond of soul making love with a forceful marriage, thrust on the girl,Parvathi, with a much elderly, rich man.The hero Devadas's father [played by S.V.Rengarao] achieved nothing by his adamant rejection of his son's love.The pain of love threw the hero into the path of wayward drunkenness,which ultimately took away his life.Even his last wish of having a look at his bosom lover before his death, did not materialize.The lovers' life became a penance and death put a full stop to all their sufferings.It was the parental prestige and parochial thinking, that nullified a noble course of love.
     Later, Sridhar's Kalayana Parisu that hit the screens in 1962, disturbed the audience mood, with a tragic love story of triangular love, in which two sisters vied with each other, in giving up their love for the man to the other.Here the man became the victim of the competitive sacrificing attitude of the two sisters. There were numerous occasions for the audience to shed tears at the theatres. The film left indelible memories, of sequences leading to the marriage of the elder sister with the man whom the younger sister deeply loved and finally the death of the elder sister, after falling seriously ill, on knowing the tragic fact of her younger sister's sacrifice for her sake.
   The climax of the film, also showed the hero failing again to get united with the younger sister, because by the time he reached her place her marriage was over with another man. The younger sister agreed to marry another guy, as she did not know her sister's sudden death and as she was under the assumption that if she married some one else, her elder sibling would live happily with her lover, without any sense of guilt.The film came to a close, showing the unfortunate hero, leaving his son as a marriage gift to his former lover.There were competitive sacrifices on all sides, from all the three characters who were involved in the process of loving purely with the motto of perpetuating the nobler dimensions of love.
   Sridhar's several other movies continued to celebrate the theme of sacrifice as the corner stone of love.If in Nenjil Oer Aalayam it was the man who sacrificed his life to prove the selflessness of  his love for a woman,it was the turn of the woman to do it in Avalukenru Oer Manam. Nenjirukkumvarai was again the story of a man whose one side love, ended up in his death, to prove his unblemished love for the woman, whom his friend happened to marry. Sridhar can be called the master of the art of portraying Platonic love, as a serene symbol of empathy and compassion for others.
     Annakili directed by the duo Devaraj Mohan, became the quintessence of exalted love by presenting the dignified profile of a simple rural woman, who fell in love with a school teacher  but could not marry him for helpless reasons.The woman took her unrequited love with positive energy and continued to cherish the grand memories of her past love.Her love for the man was so impeccable that she lost her life in her attempt to save her lover and his family, from a fire accident in a touring talkies.That she died in a stampede, in the process of saving so many lives, made her life a monument of unparalleled  sacrifice.
      New generation films like Poove Unakkaaga and Shajahan looked at the concept of sacrifice in a different wavelength by making the disappointed heroes resorting to the self-effacing task of helping the women whom they loved ,get united with the men they loved.One can quote many a love story with inherent deeper layers of the sacrificing mindset.Not all can embrace the spirit of sacrifice setting aside their own personal desires and cry for love fulfillment.But there are men and women who can transform the agonizing setbacks in their love life, to ecstatic moments of self sacrifice and transmit the power of ennoblement.In this cathartic experience,the quest for love becomes the fire wherein the human soul undergoes the predicament of salvation.Like gold getting purified in fire, the human soul gets absolved through suffering, in the name of love.
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Two Villain-cum Character Actors of a Similar Mettle.

      Villains doing character roles, is not new to the world of cinema.Even in Bollywood,the great villain actors of the last century such as Pran and Premnath, had done brilliant character roles.No one can forget Pran's role in Johnny Mera Naam,Be Iman, and Zanjeer. Both Pran and Premnath gave a sterling performance with paternal fervor, in Bobby.Tamil villain actors like  M.N.Nambiyar, M.R.Radha and S.A.Asokan were seen as amazing character actors too.All these men had their individual profiles of looks and levels of performance beyond comparison.Whereas, there are two actors in Tamil cinema, who carry a similar concept of role performance, in terms of their body and mind and they are the most popular Senthamarai and Sangili Murugan.

     This comparison has been necessitated not only by their uniquely sounding names but also by their toughness in posture and a kind of roughness in dialogue delivery.Their faces seem to give a hundred percent guarantee for a reliably crude performance of villainy. Age wise Senthamarai is a decade or so older than Sangilimurugan. His first entry was in A.P.Nagarajan's epic status film Thillaanaa Mohanaambaal released in 1968. He has acted in a couple of other films of Sivaji Ganesan like Andhamaan Kaadhali and Naan Vaazhavaipen.Whereas Sangilimurugan made his first appearance on the big screen in 1979 in 'Suvar Illaadha Sithirangal' directed by K.Baghyaraj.
   Both Senthamarai and Sangilimurugan have acted in more number of Rajini films than that of others.Interestingly both of them have acted in the Superstar's mega hit film Moonru Mugam from the Sathya Movies.While Senthamarai played the  role of a murderous  bootlegger,Sangili Murugan came as his henchman.It was a mighty show of villainy by the duo. Senthamarai's other notable Rajini films were Kazhugu, Naan Vaazha Vaipein,Anbulla Rajinikanth,Un Kannil Neer Vazhindhaal, Adutha Vaarisu, Adhisiapiravi, Thambikku Endha Ooru,Guru Sishyan and Panakkaran. He was mostly a rustic villain in most of these films. Thambikku Entha Ooru' is specially known for his character role, which was dipped in the usual portrayal of an uncouth exterior.Guru Sishayan was yet another film known for the majestic role performance of Senthamarai, as an honest police officer.
   Unlike Senthamarai,Sangilimurugan was a film producer too.He has produced about half a dozen movies like Enga Ooru Paattukkaran,Enga Ooru Kaavakaaran,Periya Veettu Pannakaaran,Naadodi Paattukkaaran,Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai and Sura. While the first two were Ramarajan hits,the second two were Karthik Muthuraman's moderate shows.The last two were Vijay films and one of these, Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai,which was a remake of the famous Malayalam film Aniyathipraavu, was a blockbuster.This movie gave a fresh appeal to the romantic face of Vijay. Incidentally, Senthamarai who had earlier acted with Sangilimurugan in Moonru Mugan, also played key roles in Sangilimurugan's own films like Enga Ooru Paattukkaaran and Periya Veettu Pannakkaran.Most of the very titles of Sangilimurugan's films, carried a rural fragrance and it is quite logical that an actor like Senthamarai who has genuine rustic looks, found a favourable place in the village based films of Sangilimurugan..
   There is a visible sense of devil-may-care attitude and casual indifference in demeanour,in all  the characters played by Senthamarai. His face and mode of dialogue delivery would ever be in perfect unison, reflecting the depth of brutality or emotional grasp of character, needed for a measured display of acting potential, that the role assigned to him warranted.He was a Sathya movies favourite and a rural necessity, when it came to stories bound intact, to the rugged soil.His other noteworthy films were Paandi Naattu Thangam,Raja Nadai,Madras Vaadhiyaar,Kaaki Sattai [again as a smart police officer],Sattam Oru Vilaiyaattu,Naalai Unadhu Naal,Nenjathai Killaadhe and Rettaivaal Kuruvi.
    Sangilimurugan can be called a softer version of Senthamarai particularly in delivering dialogues. But he too naturally takes on his opponents with a hell bent mood of nonchalance.Moreover unlike Senthamarai,he spontaneously fits into the role of a soothsayer or a village temple priest. One cannot forget his vulnerable, as well as conscientious role play in the character of a soothsayer, in Sathya movies' Oorkkavalan. He too has been a periodical Sathya Movies' preference and he too makes it a cakewalk when it comes to performance of characters of the native soil.His other Rajini films include Kazhugu,Sivappu Sooriyan and Naan Mahaan Alla. He has also done a cameo in the latest  Superstar show, Kabali besides doing a round, in films like Jigardhanda and Udhayanidhi Stalin's Manidhan.
   Before I conclude it has to be emphatically stated here, that in addition to their similarities in looks and mode of getting into the groove of acting,Senthamarai and Sangilimurugan hold the singular position of acting together,joining the team of Rajinikanth frequently and one of the two finding a place in the films produced by the other.There exists a rare kind of coexisting principle and sharing of patterns in acting, between these two exemplary actors.They make the audience recall their contribution to Tamil Cinema, with a similar frame of mind and  perception of the rudiments of histrionics, rightly executed, towards the realization of  an effective screen experience.
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Four Super Heroes of Tamil Cinema.

 




   













    Every hero of the world of cinema, carries a distinctly identifiable tag.It is language that confines them to a region.But some of them surpass the barriers of language too.Tamil cinema in particular has never been caught in the midst of language prejudices.When it comes to performance, it is the individual and his attitude and capacity for performance that matter.There are so many high profile talents in the field of cinema in general and Tamil Cinema in particular.
   Many heroes have made an indelible mark here, by their looks and luminous layers of performance. But some have stuck to the soil, like every one's heart beat and pulse rate without which life is impossible.It is not a question of heroes doing more than one hundred films in their life time and staying stable.Many heroes like Gemini Ganesan,Muthuraman, Jai Shankar,Ravichandran, Sivakumar,Prabu, Karthik, Sathyaraj,Vijayakanth and Sarathkumar have all done this magic.But there is something more than this, that lifts the hero's career to the peak and keeps him there,meant for admiration and adoration.Very few heroes can adorn the temples of the medium of cinema and attain a kind of immortality.
    Can any one contest the fact that in the midst of a galaxy of heroes, two illustrious men ruled Tamil Cinema from the Nineteen Fifties to late Nineteen Seventies,as invincible idols, during their lifetime and after?.Can any one among the Tamil audience of the last century, recall any name other than MGR, the three lettered mass model and Sivaji, the Six lettered film fiesta?Both these stalwarts, grew up to historic heights,from a very humble base.Both arduously moved inch by inch, from the streets to the big screen.It was a glorious growth from a Lilliput land to the Great Heavens,or a gorgeous journey from poverty to the fountain plaza.All this happened through the years, by their consolidating opportunities into achievements.But providence too served their interests, as a mascot on hand.It looked as though Sivaji Ganesan lived only to perform and MGR performed, only to move closer to the masses.
   Both made history, Sivaji as the encyclopedic version of acting and MGR as the endearing image of the overall big screen.MGR and Sivaji were poles apart, in their understanding and assimilation of the fundamentals and yardsticks of cinema.Nor did they share screen space more than once in their entire career.For MGR, cinema was a medium to take him closer to the people, in the best order of things, that he preferred and popularized.When I say this, I do not mean to underrate his acting credentials. He had mastered the best formula of acting and his style of acting would ever be with in that MGR formula, with its rich aesthetic components, that necessitated a felicitous mood, for celebrating the process of watching cinema,with its significant entertainment ingredients.Whereas for Sivaji Ganesan,each film warranted a self declared period of conception, gestation and delivery.Yes. each of his film was born as a fresh beautiful baby, with its independent looks and character.
    MGR's objective of screen performance was to establish and promote an ideal model of manhood through characters, that symbolized the overall virtues of a good human being.In this respect,he could be called a typecast hero.But he went on refining this typecast hero, film after film, so as to make the theaters become the homes of men and women, with their accepting and including him, as some one closer to their dreams and life realities.That is why years after his departure, even this day, his spirit rules the emotions of people, through his energizing, hope building,songs of eternal value.He was an astute analyzer of the pulse of the people,
    Sivaji Ganesan was an ardent observer of the inner strings of humanity at large.In other words, if MGR was getting into the heart and soul of the masses, Sivaji Ganesan was digging out individuals from the masses, as characters that he portrayed.For MGR the hero was always someone specially good.But for Sivaji the hero was just a character, either good or bad.The immortality of these lifetime heroes is the result of the goodness in character that MGR stood for and the characters good and bad that speak of the performance- hungry hero called Sivaji Ganesan, who was more concerned about the veracity of the roles he played, than about himself and the audience.
    People remember characters like Gunasekran,[Parasakthi],Parandhaaman,[Thirumbi Paar], Manohara,[Manohara],Raju[Paasamalar],Va Vu Chi.{Kappalottiya Thamizhan}Kattabomman,[Veerapaandiya Kattabomman] Karnan[film of the same title],Rengan,[Padikkaadha Medhai]Gopal [Pudhiya Paravai]Prestige Padmanaban [Vietnam Veedu],Saapaattu Raman,{Raman Ethanai Ramanadi}Barrister Rajinikanth [Gowravam], Chinnadorai{Vasantha Maaligai] Rengadhurai [Rajapart Rengadurai],Justice Gopinath[film of the same title] and many others, which form a tip of the iceberg of  characters, that celebrate the grandeur and memory of the actor in Sivaji Ganesan. He did not hesitate to do three different characters in Dheiva Magan and nine variety of  characters in Navarathiri each one providing a different depth and thrust in character delineation, Sivaji Ganesan was always far from  projecting the image of a single hero, as MGR did.
   Each film of Sivaji Ganesan seemed to have carved the body and spirit of the protagonist, with immense scope for emotional display and elegance in performance, purely with a view to fulfill the thespian urge in the hero.Every one would have thought that Tenali Raman, Ambikapathi, Kattabomman Va.Vu.Chi,and Maha Kavi Kalidas,would have looked and conducted themselves like him.Similarly all the mythological figures like Karnan,Lord Shiva,MahaVishnu and Naaradhar would have been visualized through the body language of this brilliant hero.The image of spiritual saints like Appar and Sundarar have been imprinted in the minds of the audience, through the looks and demeanor of Sivaji Ganesan. He could be shortly called the epitome of the cherished values of history,society and spiritualism.A Chevalier award is not the end of acknowledging his theatrical and cinematic grandeur.
      Ultimatey what happened was, MGR the hero of the masses,became a political heart throb,on account  of his time tested screen image of being a positively inspiring human being,with all right attributes meant for leadership.He could form a political outfit of his own and lead the state of Tamil Nadu as its chief minister from 1977 to 1987 with a brief break for a couple of years.Whereas Sivaji Ganesan, a born actor who also founded a political party, suffered a pathetic defeat at the hustings. This was because the people were prepared to recognize him only as a screen hero of immense value, who would be remembered as the rarest phenomenon in the sphere of cinema,a star in the firmament to be watched with awe, for its myriad colors, symbolic of the infinite variety of mankind.The posthumous reality of both these life time heroes is that,both have reached a state of eternal fame not to be washed away by the passage of time.They are more than heroes.They continue to outlive their times,one as a former dynamic chief minister and the other as the grand master of the Tamil big screen .
     It was during the lifetime of these monumental heroes,a pair of the next generation stars began to glow and glitter with the brilliance of a similar stature.One of the two stars had already established himself as a child artist acting with MGR and Sivaji Ganesan in films like Aananda Jodhi and Paarthaal Pasi Theerum. The other star shot up to fame like a meteor to remain as the undisputed superstar of Tamil Cinema.Both these heroes remain in their own individual capacities, as proud treasures of the tinsel world,to retain their legacy longer,in the line of their predecessors.
     Kamalahasan and Rajinikanth were the two heroes, who were groomed by the profound film making intricacies of a trendsetting and epoch making director, called K. Balachander.The acronym KB, was known to all Tamil film viewers as the pinnacle of film direction with his singular stamp of authority in film making.Soon the two heroes of KB, began to grow to newer heights, with their own inimitable quest for originality, dynamism and depth in acting.Unlike MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, who acted together in just one movie,Kamalahasan and Rajinikanth have acted in more than a dozen films, either as two heroes on the same screen or Kamal as hero and Rajini as villain, sharing equal screen space and importance in characterization .Later they parted ways to set up their own yardsticks and footprints in acting.
    In Kamal,one can see a combination of Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan, with regard to the extensive stimulus  for climbing up the rungs of the acting ladder and the gusto for exhibiting infinite shades of romantic charm,respectively.But his inventive uniqueness, in making each of his films into an over all creative experience and his aesthetic breathing in and breathing out, the air of cinematic freshness, are his hard earned assets, never to be equated with the achievements of any other hero.He can mastermind the whole process of making a film with a total surrender of his body and mind, to that process.In this respect, his acting capital is an invaluable investment notwithstanding the consequences of risks involved in his filming ventures.He will go a long way into the interiors of world cinema, to stay there permanently, for case studies and their research implications, so as to become a point of reference for any meticulous actor in future.It is no wonder that such an incarnation of histrionics, has been honored to become the second Chevalier of Tamil Cinema.
    The Superstar is made of sterner stuff.Unlike Kamal he was not a child artist but he came like a shadow in Aboorva Raagangal and then carved his image on the minds of the audience with a bang, in his next film Moonru Mudichu, reflecting an attitude of storming, through his rugged style and charm.The leonine wield of his acting, has not yet reached its full capacity.He is not only a tornado and a ferocious stream in Tamil Cinema but is also a ripple free river and a gentle breeze. He is both a flower and its thorn.That is why he can excel both as a hero and villain.From Moonru Mudichu to Kabali he has fallen repeatedly into the hands of both creative and commercial giants in film making and come out as the incarnation of excitement and exuberance, in celebrating the joy of a field experience.
    In my longstanding assessment of the films of Rajinikanth,I would compare his mass appeal  to that of  MGR, without the latter's political agenda and his energetic role play, to the passionate histrionics of Sivaji Ganesan. The vibration in his voice,the radiation in his smile and the energy levels of his body language, take him closer to one and all.Not all heroes can become the superstar. If Rajini has moved that high in his career, it is all because of his being Rajini and it is the will of God that the star material in Rajini should glitter more than that of other heroes.Envy can not be an answer to anybody's position in their career.If MGR,Sivaji Ganesan,Kamal and Rajini are more than mere heroes, it is purely due to the fact, that they have traveled far ahead of others in showing the world what is special in them, as the iconic interpretation of the soul and spirit of being a hero and it is this distinct characteristic that has made them the super heroes of different times.
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A versatile Talent of Tamil Cinema.

 

    Apart from actors who have enriched Tamil Cinema,there have been very many talents on the creative front, pushing to glorious heights, the various components of film making.Tamil cinema certainly owes its qualitative survival, to its classic film making segments that include illustrious directors,story and script writers, besides the most important section of producers.Only a few days ago, Tamil film industry was deprived of a highly credited script writer,director and actor in the passing away of Vietnaam Veedu Sundaram and this blog carried a modest homage paid to that great film personality.Today Tamil Cinema lost another wonderful film producer and director who was also a lyricist and story writer.It is really a sad news that Mr.Panju Arunachalam a well known name in the Tamil film industry, passed away leaving an indescribable vacuum in the Tamil film field.
    Panju Arunachalam as a film producer,  made Tamil Cinema stand up to its meritorious recognition by adding up a number of highly talked about and commercially viable films to its archives.While he produced some of the rare Rajinikanth films like Bhuvana Oru KelviKuri, Aaarilirundhu Arubadhuvarai and Engeyo Ketta Kural he could also be complimented for giving great Rajini entertainers like Priya,Veera and Guru Sishyan. Similarly three of Kamalahasan's unforgettable films such as Kalyana Raman,Jappaanil Kalyana Raman and Michael Madana Kamarajan were from his P.A Arts' Production unit.Some of his other significant releases were Rasukutti, starring Baghyaraj, Poovellaam Kettupaar,the breezy romance with Suriya and Jyothika in the lead and Cheran's Solla Marandha Kadhai.
    A huge list of fabulous stories emanated from his extraordinary imaginative brain to become films of grandeur and successful realities.Some of his felicitous films in this regard are Mayangugiraal Oru Maadhu,Avanthaan Manidhan, Kavarimaan, Annakkili, Vaazhkai, Engeyo Ketta Kural,Bhuvana Oru Kelvikuri,Adutha Vaarisu, Murattu Kaalai, Manidhan,Thambikku Endha Ooru,Paayum Puli,Aboorva Sagodharargal Rajaadhi Raajaa,Meendum Kokilaa,Sagala Kalaa Vallavan, Uyarndha Ullam, Thoongaadhe Thambi Thoongaadhe and several other films produced by the AVM banner.Maximum number of his stories were for the films of Rajinikanth and Kamalahasan.It should also be mentioned here that Panju Arunachalam was significantly responsible for the emergence and indisputable popularity of Ilayaraja who composed music for a number of films produced by him.
    Arunachalam  has also directed films like Manamgale Vaa,Puthu Paatu,Kalikaalam and Thambi Pondaatti starring heroes like Prabu,Ramarajan and Rehaman.The eternal melodies and vigorous songs for which he wrote the lyrics were,"Ponnezhil Pooththadhu Pudhuvaanil"{Kalangarai Vilakkam}"Manamagale Marumagale Vaa vaa"{Saradha} "Machaana Paatheengalaa" and "Annakili Onna Thedudhe"{Annakili}"Vizhiyile Malarndhadhu" and "Raja Enbaar Mandhiri Enbaar"{Buvana Oru Kelvi Kuri}"Kanmaniye Kaadhal Enbadhu"{Aairilirundhu Arubadhuvarai}"Kaadhalin Deepamonru"{Thambikku Endha Ooru} and "Podhuvaaga Enmanasu Thangam"{Murattu Kaalai} A few important aspects that would call for specific notification are,his association with great actors like Sivaji Ganesan,Rajinikanth and Kamalahasan his long term link with the Rajini director, S.P.Muthuraman and his frequent lenience towards the AVM banner.
    Above all, the fact remains that late Panju Arunachalam never disappointed the audience in giving them, duly cherished family oriented and socially conscious stories, absolutely meant for a decent watch with all the relevant entertainment ingredients, keeping the audience drawn towards the theaters at various points of time, through out his creative and productive career.His concepts of film making were precisely business oriented; but in fixing his commercial targets he never compromised on quality of exhibition, or narration of his story lines.He knew what the audience wanted and gave it in the most acceptable form.His movies and his stories for his movies, were symbolic of a natural process of evolution ,with the singular objective of providing entertainment through the calculated yardsticks of social responsibility and creative compactness .Here lies the value of a versatile talent of Tamil Cinema, and it is in this respect, we should specially salute  the departed soul of Panju Arunachalam .
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