A family becomes a dynamic, full fledged emotional institution only with a healthy and happy addition of children into its fold.The lateral dimensions of a family gain their actual significance with the interpretation of paternal,maternal,filial and sibling intricacies in addition to the most vital husband and wife relationship in meaningful matrimony.But the family spirit reflects its shades of enjoyable gusto mainly with the addition of sibling fundamentals in proper form.The sibling emotional bond with its varied layers of love, competition, jealousy, rivalry,misunderstanding,and the supreme elements of flexibility and sacrifice teach every one, new lessons in the process of one's growing up into adulthood,with maturity in perceptions of human psychology, starting the process from one's home front.Every one learns happy and painful lessons from one's own blood relations as brothers and sisters.In most contexts, it is the feeling of love that overtakes all other factors The truly fulfilling aspects of the sibling core, are flexibility,tolerance and willingness to forego material considerations for the sake of sibling unity.The spirit of sacrifice is eventually the yardstick for strengthening sibling intimacy.
Starting from the days of MGR's 'En Thangai' and Sivaji Ganesan's 'Parasakthi brotherly devotion to sisters particularly the younger ones has been one of the most celebrated themes of Tamil Cinema.Unlike the modern days prone to mobile ways of life, until at least the Nineteen eighties, family sentiments and sibling emotions were not only the strong driving force of life but were also the chosen scripts of films in most Indian languages especially in those of Tamil. MGR who is known for his mother attachment in films, had also acted as a loving elder brother of his visually impaired sister in 'Engal Thangam' and his physically disabled sister in 'Ninaitathai Mudippavan'.
For Sivaji,though his other films 'Thangai' and 'Thangaikkaga' showed him as a melting elder brother of sisters,it was 'Paasamalar' that created history as a wonderful monument of sibling bond between a mutually longing brother and sister left orphaned in childhood and made to live for each other's happiness.It was a story of exemplary fraternal formulation that could not be shaken by any external forces including their prospective spouses.The emotional pang of suffering and the level of sacrifice that the elder brother exhibited towards his sister were depicted in such a way as to bring genuine tears from the eyes of the audience as a whole.The younger sister too,did not consider anything anywhere superior to her most cherished brother's affection.Their inseparable bond of extraordinary sibling love and concern pulled them together in death too and made them eternal models for a true sibling story.Both Sivaji Ganesan and Savithri as his sister, transported the entire audience to a platonic zone, for a short sojourn,by their stunning performance.
Sivaji Ganesan's next successful venture that showed him as a sister- bound soul was 'Annan Oru Koil' in which Sumitra joined him as younger sister evoking emotional responses from the audience,The song 'annan oru koilenral thangai oru dheebamanro' was heard ringing in the ears of the viewers like 'malarndum malaraadha paadhi malar pole' of 'Paasamalar'. Though the story line was not so grand as the previous one,this film also had its sentimental impact as a true delineation of brother sister love.After a few years, Rajinikanth appeared as an impressive elder brother of sisters in movies like 'Dharma Yutham','Naan Mahan Alla' and 'Payum Puli'.Malaysia Vasudevan's song 'Oru thanga radhathil oru manjal nilavu' from the first of the three, spoke of a true brother's attachment for his sister.The depth of understanding and mutual concern between a brother and sister has most often struck the imagination of film makers as a positive energy drive.
T.R.Rajender's 'Thangaikor Geetham' and 'En Thangai Kalyani', with Rajender himself playing elder brother in both the films,showed sibling commitment and sacrificing temper melodramatically,with the first one doing much better at the box office.As TRR mostly represented the old school of thought with regard to individual and family emotions,sentiments always carried a higher place of value in his films, driving the protagonist quite often, into a melting point .
Among brothers,the mutually supporting frame of mind and faith in united spirit of brotherhood have been frequently focused by film makers with a view to spearheading the merits of the joint family system, as a comprehensive move, towards gaining independent goals collectively, without giving room for vested interests. Vikraman's 'Vaanathai Pola'Lingusamy's 'Anandam' and K.S.Ravikumar's 'Samuthram' were drawn in this line and all these films successfully showcased the positive results of united brotherhood rightly blended with mutual respect and mutual trust.Such a theme was depicted earlier with equal emotional thrust in films like 'Bagapirivinai','Pazhani' and 'Anbu Sagodharargal' with a brief spell of ripples in fraternal love ending up in happy reunion.
As a brother, Sivaji was generally shown at the receiving end, especially from his male siblings.It was Balaji and Gemini Ganesan who formed the fraternal team with Sivaji Ganesan. Gemini Ganesan would be a suspicious elder or younger brother of Sivaji Ganesan in films like 'Paava Mannippu' and 'Bantha paasam' and the suspicion was always on account of circumstantial misunderstandings.Whereas Baalaaji would be either a scheming elder brother as in 'Padithaal Mattum Podhuma' 'Engirundho Vandhal',and 'Vasantha Maaligai' or an unruly younger brother as in 'En Thambi'.This kind of sibling inconsistencies would constitute the plot with an awesome scope for emotional outbursts, creating captivating sentimental melodramas.The story line would consist of greed for money and family assets,fancy for the girl who has been proposed for his brother or attempting to brand the brother as a disgrace to the family..Balaji used to deliver these negative characteristics with habitual ease and Sivaji Ganesan as the pathetic victim,would steal the hearts of the audience by his spontaneous emotional deliberations besides his portrayal of goodness, reforming the bad in his brother.
MGR was perfect as the younger brother of S.A.Asokan in films like 'Periya Idathu Pen' 'Kudumbathalaivan', and 'Thaikuthalaimagan'. In all these movies, MGR would be an amenable son and brother,with a flexible mindset to give in to the pressures of his elder brother, at the same time, upholding his own individual values of integrity and quest for justice.The team spirit and understanding between MGR and S.A.Asokan facilitated their joint show not only as hero and villain but also as affectionate brothers.Some of the movies of MGR and a few of Sivaji Ganesan showed brothers separated in childhood by the foul play of villains, getting reunited later in their life to launch a joint course of revenge against the offenders.MGR's 'Kudiyirundha Koil' and'Naalai Namadhe' and Sivaji's 'Raaja' were a few remarkable films in this list.The later additions in this list were Balu Mahendra's 'Neengal Kettavai' and Kamal's 'Abborva Sagodharargal'
Lingusamy recently came out with a different sibling story line in his 'Vettai' with a lot of positive energy that the dynamic director is capable of. It was an enticing narration of the tale of two brothers,the elder one, a born coward and the younger, an unending fountain of courage and bravery.From their childhood,the younger one would save the elder by fighting with those who troubled the elder.Subsequently,when the younger brother was beaten by the father,the elder would cry.Imagine the elder turning into a police inspector on compulsion and shivering ever,in his boots.The follow up is,the younger brother would toughly deal with all the thugs and the credit would go to the police, elder brother. Finally, under enforcing circumstances,the police inspector had to transform himself into a man of bravery and it was the younger one who emboldened the police uniform with its most wanted brave stuff. The movie was a great fun to watch and Lingusamy takes the full credit for telling a sibling story with pomp and power.Director Bagyaraj had of course dealt with a similar theme in his 'Avasara Police 100' but it was a story of twins, one, a fear struck police officer and the other a street rowdy but the roots of sibling intimacy were not deeper or emotional as in 'Vettai'.
While Kamalahasan, has not so far got into the emotional entanglement of sibling stories,Rajini,like Sivaji,not only loved his screen sisters and brothers but also performed as a sacrificing elder brother in quite a few movies.From 'Aarilirundhu Arubadhuvarai' Rajini continued to portray such noble characters in 'Padikkadhavan' and 'Darmadurai'.In all these films, the younger brothers were selfish and greedy bringing moments of agony and depression to the one who did everything for them.However, the goodness in the protagonist won over their negative projections and made them surrender to goodness in the end .Arjun's 'Ezhumalai' also described the story of ungrateful younger brothers teasing and ill treating their elder one whose exemplary spirit of understanding and sacrifice finally redeemed them from ruin.
The invaluable traits of nobility and sacrifice, were also evinced by intimate sisters, in films like 'Kalyana Parisu' and 'Bagyalakshmi'.K.S.Gopalakrishnan's 'Kulavilakku' presented the sorrowful tale of an eldest sister sacrificing her lot for the sake of her younger siblings. K.Balachander continued this kind of script for his two movies 'Arangetram' and 'Aval Oru Thodar Kadhai'.The former showed the eldest daughter taking to prostitution, to support her siblings and the latter told the sad story of a dedicated elder sister, sacrificing even her marriage with her lover, for the sake of her sister.
The sibling stories are many and their impact on society is vast.But in an age of globalization,the world has become one's home and the smaller home that has been inherited, remains as a resort for periodical visits. Mankind today, is actively searching for newer definitions of family emotions and sibling concepts, through its chosen websites and through the most popular Facebook.
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