The Creative Versatility of Javert Seetharaman.

      Seetharaman came to be known as Javert Seetharaman after his impressive performance as Inspector Javert  in Ezhai Padum Padu that had its story background  from Victor Hugo’s most popular novel  ‘Les Miserables’.Javert Seetharaman  also called Javer Seetharaman, was actually a versatile creative artist like the Kannada film personality Girish Karnard. He was a great Tamil novelist, story, screen play and dialogue writer, and an actor with great looks and voice. With his rotund chubby cheeks and  ball like eyes  he would not take much time to strike the viewers with a blow of charm of a unique kind.

    He wrote novels with three worded titles like Panam Penn Paasam,Minnal Mazhai Mohini and Udal Porul Anandhi. His novels would give a thriller feel with adequate suspense element running throughout the narration. Besides writing novels Javert Seetharaman wrote the story for the critically acclaimed mystery thriller film Andha Naal {1954}produced by AVM pictures and directed by S.Balachandar.The film had a brilliant cast consisting of Sivaji Ganesan,Pandari Bhai, P.D.Sambandam  and Suriya Kala.Seetharaman also played a significant role as a police detective in this trend setting film.
    Later  Javert Seetharaman wrote story and dialogues for three of the films produced by the dynamic Villain actor P.S.Veerappa of the last century. Those movies were, Anandha Jothi starring M.G.R  and the two famous films of Sivaji Ganesan namely,Aalayamani and Andavan Kattalai. The other  films for which he wrote the story/screenplay were,  Kalathur Kannamma, Anbe Vaa,Ramu, Uyarndha Manidhan and Kuzhandhaiyum Dheivamum.It should be noted here that all these films were from the AVM banner.He also wrote the story/screenplay for films like Valar Pirai and Pattanathil Bhootham.
     However  the first time I saw Javert Seetharaman on the big screen screen was in the film Marmayogi,an outstanding venture of the Jupiter pictures,with MGR as hero. He appeared as a loyal minister to the King, and was called Purushothamar.Seetharaman had acted in Panakkaari,another film of MGR.The other very popular film in which I saw him as a dutiful Jail Superintendent was Kaithi Kannaayiram produced by the Modern Theatres .In the Sivaji Ganesan unforgettable comedy Manamagan Thevai,Javert Seetharaman commanded a unique position for himself as the Silver Jubilee principal of a city college, with his memorable mannerism of repeated use of the word 'well' that at times put him at the receiving end.In one scene he would say ''well,water please''.Soon the peon would be seen giving him a glass of salty 'well water', that he would spit out.
   Then I watched him perform as a devotee of Lord Shiva {Sivanadiyaar}in the film Parthiban Kanavu, along with S.V.Rengarao, donning the role of a King in the guise of a well known  Shiva devotee. No one would forget his  performance as Major Bannerman in the film Veera Paandia Kattabomman bent upon liquidating the provincial ruler.It was a hateful role he played and he made himself really hateful.

    But the same Seetharaman endeared himself to everybody particularly to the kids in the character of a benevolent giant in the film Pattanathil Bootham  directed by M.V.Raman. His physical frame looked well made for that role and the spirit of humour he evinced was so genuine that it created an indelible impression in the memory of the audience. His other  popular movies were Thanga Surangam {another release from T.R.Ramanna} and Sridhar’s colossal film Sivandha Man that was completely shot abroad.  

   To sum up,Javert Seetharaman was a formidable figure in Tamil Cinema, with untiring levels of energy and inimitable gusto in his voice. His English accent was pretty good and the process of lip rounding during the course of his dialogue delivery was a very interesting component of his over all acting potential. In appearance and acting, he belonged to the rarest of the rare type .He had a perfect tag of identity that enabled him to perform the role of a giant with ease and comfort. He was truly,another boon for Tamil Cinema.
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