The Long and the Short of It.

           
          This is about titles of Tamil movies.Choosing a title for one's  movie is like selecting a name for one's child. But a title for a movie is more significant because it has to sensibly fit into the theme or plot of the movie.In other words it has to symbolically convey or make people guess what the movie is going to be. In this context, director K.Balachander was always very cautious in the choice of titles for his movies.Some of the titles that symbolized the scope of his movies were 'Naanal','Moonru Mudichu','Punnagai' 'Iru Kodugal' and 'Nootrukku Nooru'. Barathi Raja was another creative director known for his poetic titles like 'Niram Marada Pookal' Pudia Vaarpugal', 'Kadalora kavidaigal' and  'Vedam pudhithu'.
         The title of a movie may be short as the shortest 'Nee',[starred by Jai shankar and Jeyalalitha] or 'Naan'[ the old one starring Ravichandran and Jeyalalitha and the new version of the same title starring music director Vijay Antony] and long as the lengthiest 'Aayiram Thalai Vangiya Apoorva Chinthamani',''Thayai Pola Pillai Nolai Pola Selai'' Kanavane Kankanda Deivam' Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam', ''Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam' 'Maamiyarum Oru Veettu Marumagale' and so on.Even Sridhar  at times went in for lengthy but beautiful titles like 'Azhage Unnai Aaradhikkiren' 'Avalukkenru Oru Manam' and 'Ilamai Oonjaladugirathu' In order not to make the title an issue, many directors name their  movies after the name of the chief characters of the film or the roles played by the protagonist.
       There is also a kind of demonstration effect not only in choosing themes and stories  prevalent during a particular period but also in choosing suitable titles for the movies.Some times, the same director can not help the temptation to repeat the type of themes and titles in his movies as the most popular director K.S Gopalakrishnan did.Most of his films centered around the affirmation of established values of the rustic soil and the titles he chose were 'Kulamaa Gunamaa?',' Panamaa Paasamaa?' and 'Uyiraa Maanamaa?' When 'Ilamai Oonjaladugirathu' became a hit there were similar titles like 'Oru Othappoo Kansimittugirathu' and 'Oru Velladu Vengaiyagirathu'.The success of 'Alaigal Oivadllai'  paved the way for similar titles of movies like 'Payanagal Mudivadillai' 'Gopurangal Saivdillai' and 'Kaadal Azhivadillai'.
        Does it mean there is nothing in a name as Shakespeare felt in Romeo and Juliet? The long and the short of it is,  the title of a movie is the soul of it, because, the movie will ever live by its name with the memories of it, falling in line. 
                       ===============0=================