Two winsome women with victory as prefixes to their names.

   

  The word Jeyam or Jeya would mean vicory in English.In the early Nineteen seventies there came into the Tamil silver screen,the two women Jeya Chithra and Jeya Sutha.They have quite a few significant similarities. Both of them made their entry into Tamil cinema in 1972.Jeyasudha was a year younger than Jeya Chitra. While Jeyachitra was introduced by K.S.Gopalakrishnan in Kurathi Magan,Jeya Sudha whose first film was Kula Gowravam, became a notable performer in K.Balachander's Sollathaan Ninaikirein in which Jeyachitra also did the meaty role of a highly talkative and innocent woman, failing to declare her love for the hero.

  Both Jeyachitra and Jeyasudha acted in K.B's other prominent film Arangetram. While Jeya Sudha performed an aggressive role in K.B's Abhoorva Ragangal,Jeyachitra later took up the role of an arrogant and wealthy mother in law in K.B's Puthu Puthu Arthangal. Later she did a similar arrogant role as the mother in law of Sathyaraj in Guru Danapal's film, Maman Magal. Jeyasudha's other Balachander film was Ninaithaale Inikkum.These two women made their joint entries in quite a few other well-known Tamil films like Devar's Vellikizhamai Vradham, A.C.Tirulokchander's Bharatha Vilas and Dheerga Sumangali. 

  Unlike Jeyasudha who acted more number of Telugu films,Jeyachithra's contribution to Tamil cinema was very solid. She was brilliantly paired with heroes like Sivakumar {Panathukkaga, Ponnukku Thanga Manasu,Onne Onnu Kanne Kannu and Thein Sindhudhe Vaanam besides the great film Vellikkizhamai Viradham}and with Jai Shankar in films like Yaarukku Maappillai Yaaro, Ungal Viruppam,Kalyanamaam Kalyaanam,Thottadhellaam Ponnagum, Kaliyuga Kannan,Unnaithaan Thambi,Vandikkaaaran Magan,and the most memorable  Prof.A.S. Prakasam's film Akkarai Pachai.

  Jeyachitra was also paired with Kamalahasan in Sollathaan Ninaikkirein,Pattaam Poochi and the ever-fascinating Sridhar film Ilamai Oonjalaadukiradhu.Her other films include Varaprasaadham with Ravichandran,the M.G.R film Navagraham and the Sivaji Ganesan films like Pilot Premnath, Sathyam,Lakshmi Vandhaachu and Ratha Paasam. Jeyachitra's other important films were Payanam,K.S.Gopalakrishnan's Dasaavadhaaram{as Goddess Lakshmi} Inspector Manaivi.and Mani Rathnam's Agni Natchathram as the unwed wife of Vijayakumar. Her latest films were Mani Rathnam's Ponniyin Selvan I&II

  Unlike Jeyachitra, Jeyasudha went into oblivion in 1983 to reappear after more than a decade, in Rajinikanth's film Pandian,as his elder sister and female cop. This film had challenging moments between the siblings. Later she took up elderly roles as the wife of Vijayakanth in Rajadurai and Thavasi, and as the wife of Sarath Kumar in 1977 and Vaarisu. Her character delineation and roleplay were compact and dignified as the mother of Vijayakanth in Thavasi[Vijayakanth in dual roles as father and son} and that of Vijay in Vaarisu and Karthik Sivakumar in Thozha.

  Both Jeyasudha and Jeyachithra would find their most deserving place in the annals of Tamil cinema by their distinct modes of acting and profound shades of character portrayals. Jeya chithra was a firebrand in dialogue delivery,in the line of P.Bhanumathi,Sowcar Janaki and Jeyalalitha.Her dynamic performance in films like Sollathaan Ninaikirein,Velli kkizhamai Viradham,Ponnukku Thanga Manasu and Akkarai Pachai as main role player will be ever remembered. As a nagging mother-in-law she performed remarkably well in Puthu Puthu Arthangal.

   However, Jeyasudha who did ultra-modern roles with substantial glamour quotient, became the symbol of meek motherhood in Thavasi,Thozha and Vaarisu .Especially her mother character in Vaarusu as the mother of Vijay was extraordinary appealing. Contrarily, Jeyachithra who represented the spirit of traditional womanhood in films like Vellikkizhamai Viradham,Ponnukku Thanga Manasu and Akkarai Pachai became an aggressive mother-in law in Puthu Puthu Arthangal and  Maman Magal. This kind of dramatic transition in character dimension speaks about the demonstrative acting skills of these two women, who have added victory as the prefix to their names and occupied the centre stage of South Indian cinema, as contemporaries of the same soil.

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"ஏன்?" என்ற கேள்வி.

 "ஏன் என்ற கேள்வி இங்கு கேட்காமல் வாழ்க்கை இல்லை 

தான் என்ற எண்ணம் கொண்ட மனிதன் வாழ்ந்ததில்லை"

 எனும் 'ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன்' திரைப்படத் தில் டி.எம்.எஸ் பாடிய பாடலும்,அப்பாட லுக்கு இடையே தோன்றும்,

"பகுத்தறிவு பிறந்ததெல்லாம் கேள்விகள் கேட்பதனாலே"

  எனும் வரியும்,'ஏன்?'எனும் கேள்வி, மனித நெஞ்சங்களில் ஏற்படுத்தும் சமூக தாக்கத்தை உணர்த்தியது.அதே போன்று 'அபூர்வ ராகங்கள்' திரைப்படத்தில் வாணி ஜெயராமின் கூர்ந்த குரலில் மனதைக் கிழித்த,

"ஏன் என்ற கேள்வி ஒன்று என்றைக்கும் தங்கும்

மனித இன்பதுன்பம் எதிலும் கேள்விதான் மிஞ்சும்"

எனும் வரிகளைக்கொண்ட,

"ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனைப் பாடல்"

  என்று தத்துவக் கேள்வியினை மனதில் எழுப்பிய பாடலும்,'ஏன்?' எனும் கேள்வி யின் ஏற்றத்தினை ஆழ்ந்து நிலை நாட்டும்.

 மேலும் இப்பாடலில்'ஏன்?'எனும் கேள்வி யில் அய்யமும்,ஆழ்ந்த சோகமும், விடை காணா புதிர்களாய்,தொக்கி நிற்கும்.

   பிறப்பைப் பற்றிய புதிரும்,விடையறிய விழையும் வினாவும் கூட,சில நேரங்க ளில் 'ஏன்?' எனும் கேள்வியாய் எழும்.

"நான் ஏன் பிறந்தேன்

இந்த நாட்டுக்கு நலமென புரிந்தேன்

என்று நாளும் பொழுதும் கேட்டிடு என் தோழா"

   என்று ஒவ்வொருவரும் தன் பிறவியின் நோக்கங்களை,'ஏன்?' எனும் கேள்வியால் வென்றடுக்க வேண்டும் எனும்,'நான் ஏன் பிறந்தேன்?'திரைப்படத்தில் டி.எம்.எஸ் பாடிய பாடலும்,உடல் ஊன முற்ற,தந்தை யாய்த்தானிருந்து,தனக்குப் பிறந்த மகனை நோக்கி,

"ஏன் பிறந்தாய் மகனே ஏன் பிறந்தாயோ

இல்லையொரு பிள்ளை என்று ஏங்குவோர் பலரிருக்க,

இங்கு வந்து ஏன் பிறந்தாய் செல்லமகனே"

  என்று சோகத்தில்'பாகப்பிரிவினை' திரைப் படத்தில் அதே டி.எம்.எஸ் எழுப்பும் "ஏன்?" எனும் கேள்வியின் எதார்த்தமும், பிறப்பின் பொருளுணர்த்தும் பதமான கருத்துக்களாம்.

  இந்த கருத்தையே சற்று வேறு விதமாக , நகைச்சுவை கோணத்தில் 'அத்தையா மாமியா'திரைப்படத்தில் வாலி எழுதி எம் எஸ் விஸ்வநாதன் இசையில் டி.எம்.எஸ் பாடிய,

"நான் பெத்த  மகனே நடராஜா 

இப்போ ஏன்டா பொறந்த மகாராஜா"

எனும் சுவையான பாடலாகும். 

  சிரிப்பையும் அழுகையையும் கூட,'ஏன்?' எனும் கேள்வி,புதிய பாதையில் பயணிக்கச் செய்யும்.

"ஏன் சிரித்தாய் என்னைப் பார்த்து 

உன் எழில்தனைப் பாடவா தமிழைச் சேர்த்து"

  எனும் 'பொன்னித் திருநாள்'படத்தில், சிரிப்புடன் தமிழால் எழில் கூட்டிய,P.B.ஸ்ரீ நிவாஸ் பாடிய பாடலும்,

"ஏன் அழுதாய் ஏன் அழுதாய்

என்னுயிரே ஏன் அழுதாய் 

நான் அழுது ஓய்ந்தபின்னே

நன்றி சொல்லவா நீ அழுதாய்"

  என்று இல்லறத்தில் கணவனும் மனைவியும் காதலுடன்,கண்ணீரையும் பகிரும் காரணங்கள் உள்ளடக்கிய, அழுகையை, அனுபவமாக்கிய,'இருவர் உள்ளம்' படத்தின் டி.எம்.எஸ் பாடலும், 'ஏன்?' எனும் கேள்விக்கு வாழ்வியல் விடையளிக்கும்.

 'ஏன்?' என்ற கேள்வி சில சமயங்களில் கடவுளையும் விடுவைப்பதில்லை.

"கடவுள் ஏன்,கல்லானான்

 சில கல்லாய்ப்போன மனிதர்களாலே"

  என்று, கல்மனம்கொண்டு கடவுளை கல்லாய் மட்டுமே காண்பபோர் இடையே, கடவுள் கல்லாய் மட்டுமே காட்சியளிப்பார் என்று,மனிதத் தவறுகளை ஒட்டு மொத்த மாய் சுட்டிக்காட்டும் வகையில் அமைந் திருந்தது,'என் அண்ணன்'திரைப் படத்தில் டி.எம்.எஸ் பாடிய இப்பாடல்.

  கடவுளைப்போல் இயற்கையை நோக்கி யும் 'ஏன்?'எனும் கேள்வி எழக் கூடும். அப்படித்தான் 'கலங்கரை விளக்கம்' திரைப்படத்தில் P.சுசிலாவின் குரலில், 

"என்னை மறந்ததேன் தென்றலே

இன்று நீ என் நிலை சொல்லிவா"

 எனும் பாடல் அமைந்திருந்தது.

   இவை எல்லாவற்றிர்க்கும் மேலாக கைய்யில் மதுக்கிண்ணத்தை ஏந்திய 'வசந்த மாளிகை' சிவாஜிகணேசனுக் காக,சிலேடை சிறகடிக்க டி.எம்.எஸ் குரல் எழுப்பிப்பாடி,

"ஒரு கிண்ணத்தை ஏந்துகிறேன்

ஏன் ஏன் ஏன்?

பல வண்ணத்தில் நீந்துகிறேன்" 

என்று தொடங்கி முடிவில் விடையறியா

"ஏன்? ஏன்?ஏன்?"

  என்று எகத்தாளமும் எழுச்சியும் கலந்து பாடலை முடிக்கையில்,எத்தனை பேர் திரை அரங்குகளில் அந்த'ஏன்'எனும் பரவசத்தில் எழுந்து ஆடியிருப்பர்!.

  அரிதாக 'ஏன்?' எனும்  ஒற்றைச் சொல் கொண்ட திரைப்படமொன்றையும் பல ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்னால்,தமிழ்த்திரை கண்டது.அப்படத்தில் எஸ்.பி.பாலசுப்ர மணியம் பாடிய,

"இறைவன் என்றொரு கவிஞன்,

அவன் படைத்த கவிதை மனிதன்"

  எனும் பாடல்,பொருளாலும் இசையா லும், தனித்துவம் கொண்டிருந்தது.

    மேலே குறிப்பிட்ட பாடல்களில் 'கலங்கரை விளக்கம்'படப்பாடலுக்கு பஞ்சு அருணாச்சலமும்,'பொன்னித் திரு நாள்'பாடலை P.Kமுத்துசாமியும் எழுத, 'பாகப் பிரிவினை' 'இருவர் உள்ளம்' ,'அபூர்வ ராகங்கள்','வசந்த  மாளிகை' மற்றும் 'என் அண்ணன்'படப்பாடல்களை கண்ணதாசனும்,இதர இரண்டு எம்.ஜி. ஆர் திரைப்படங்களான 'ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன்' &'நான் ஏன் பிறந்தேன்?' படப்பாடல்களுக்கு வாலியும் வரிவடிவம் படைத்திருந்தனர்.

  இப்பாடல்களில் 'பொன்னித்திருநாள்' 'என் அண்ணன்'மற்றும்'வசந்த மாளிகை' திரைப்படங்களுக்கு திரையிசைத்திலக மும்'நான் ஏன் பிறந்தேன்?'பாடலுக்கு சங்கர் கணேஷும்,இதர பாடல்களுக்கு எம்.எஸ். விஸ்வநாதன் தனித்தும்,ராம மூர்த்தியுடன் இணைந்தும்,தேனிசை கலந்தனர்.'ஏன்'திரைப்படத்தின் இறை வன் என்றொரு கவிஞன் பாடலை கவி யரசு எழுத அதற்கு டி.ஆர் பாப்பா,நளின மாய் இசையூட்டினார்.

  மொத்தத்தில்,ஏன் எனும் கேள்விகளால், எதிர்பார்ப்புகளுக்கு விடைகிடைக்கும்; அறிவும் ஆற்றலும் மேம்படும்;ஆனந்தம் பெருகும்;ஆர்ப்பரிப்பு அலைமோதும். ஏகாந்தம் ஆன்மாவுடன் சங்கமிக்கும்.'ஏன்' எனும் கேள்வியே,வாழ்வின் வெளிச்சம். வானுயரம்,தானுயர்த்தும்,ஏணி.

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Homage to Delhi Ganesh,an actor of delight and dignity.

 

      Delhi Ganesh,one of the most celebrated character actors of Tamil cinema is no more today.Born as Ganesan in Tirunelveli,he took the Delhi prefix,after being a significant part of the Dehi drama troupe.It was K.Balachander 'the peerless peak' among directors,who first put him on the Tamil cinema map with a breaking entry in Pattinapravesam,released in 1976. From then on, he made nearly a five decade journey through the tinsel world,acting in more than 400 films with his last appearance in Shankar's Indian,as a corrupt bureaucrat. Besides his very busy film schedule he has acted in about forty television serials starting from Ippadikku Thenral to Ilakkiya.Delhi Ganesh fits himself neatly into paternal roles, as a perfect father figure.

    Aaha,Arasu, Aanandham,Saamy 1&2, Edhiri,Vettaikkaran and Thenavettu are a few outstanding samples of the numerous father roles he played.Of these Anandam will be ever remembered for his excellent role performance as the patriarch of a well knit joint family.On the comedy side, Delhi Ganesh has scored most remarkable innings in films like Nayagan Michael Madhana Kamarajan, Tenali, Avvai Shanmugi and Kadhala Kadhala. Crazi Mohan's dialogues added pep to their joint show.It was a perfect combination of wit and humour creating the best laughter moments. With the same fervor, this great actor performed a villain role,in Kamal's Abhoorva Sagodharargal.He also acted in several Rajini films and his emotional performance as Appanna in Sri Ragavendra, carried an excellent appeal.His other notable films include Pasi, Vijay's Kavalan and Vishal's Irumbuthirai.

     Even in elderly governing roles, one could see him casually mixing humor in performing his character, with interesting twists in dialogues as seen in Tamizhan.Delhi Ganesh has also frequently joined Visu's band wagon, for films like Chidambara Ragasiyam, Samsaaram Adhu Minsaaram and Pattukottai Periyappa. As a dipsomaniac he did captivating roles,in K.Balachande'r Sindhu Bhairavi and Sundar.C's London.What takes him closer to the audience as an endearing actor is his soothing,clear and impressive dialogue delivery, as a spontaneous byproduct of acting.Perhaps it is his stage sense that has made him deliver dialogues with utmost comfort and ease.Delhi Ganesh was also a dubbing artist for Malayalam actors Pratap Pothen and Nedumudi Venu,for the Telugu hero Chiranjeevi and the Kannada hero Vishnuvardhan.

   Sometimes character actors surpass heroes in audience memory.Delhi Ganesh is in the list of proud character actors of Tamil cinema like S.V.Renga Rao,T.S.Balaiah,S.V.Subbiah, S.V.Sahasranamam, V.K.Ramasamy,V.Nagaiah and T.K.Bhagavadhi.But when it comes to humour Delhi Ganesh will undoubtedly excel the list of actors cited,because there was always a breezy feel in his flair for comedy that naturally got into audience mood and made them rejoice.Perhaps S.V.Renga Rao and T.S.Balaiah would be the fitting companions of Delhi Ganesh in spreading light humour free from even a trace of vulgarity.Remembering Delhi Ganesh is not just a matter of lip service but is a way of genuinely preserving the vast galaxy of his acting profiles with a sense of acknowledgement and gratitude to someone,whose heart and soul were profoundly tied to the life breath of acting,be it the stage,or the big and small screens.

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Lord Shiva and Tamil cinema

  

    Tamil cinema has periodically and profusely visited the zestful zone of Hindu mythology both with caution and care. Hinduism which is meaningfully laced with Vaishnavite and Saivite faiths and ideologies,had initially attracted Tamil cinema,with the predominance of Vaishnavite themes, because the nascent years of Tamil cinema fell under the vast spell of Telugu master brains of creativity, inseparably linked to the Vaishnavite faith.Perhaps that is why epics like The Ramayana and The Mahabharata,spread their utmost wield over Tamil films, portraying mythical tales.

    One of the earliest Tamil films that enlightened the presence and power of Lord Shiva,was the film Bhaktha Markandeya,made by B.S.Renga,released in 1957.The film narrated how Lord Shiva nullified the life-taking powers of Lord Yama,when the latter attempted to take away the life of Markandeya who was schduled to die at the age of sixteen.Yama could not succeed in his life-taking efforts,because the teenager Markandeya, who was a staunch Shiva devotee,firmly clung to the Shivalinga,with the fond hope that Lord Shiva would somehow save his life.Though Lord Shiva is said to be the lord of destruction, it was proved that the same destructive force was a life saver,when it came to a person's unflinching faith in the power of God.

  Later, it was the renowned Tamil film maker A.P.Nagarajan who chiefly laid his focus on Saivite myths,and made films like Thruvilaiyaadal,Saraswathi Sabadham &Kandhan Karunai.All the three films highlighted the significant spiritual and ethical implications involved in Saivite myths,with a thrust on the portrayal of Saivite gods and goddesses.

  Thiruneelakandar was another Tamil film that was linked to Lord Shiva,through an agnostic turned Shiva devotee,called Thiruneelakandar.There are two versions of the film.The first version starring M.K.Thiyaga raja Bhagavadhar as Thiruneelakandar and Sirukalathur Sama as Siva Yogi,was released in 1939,and was directed by Raja Sandow.The latter version of the film with the same title starring T.R.Mahalingam as Thiruneelakandar and R.S Manohar as Lord Shiva,was made by C.P.Jambulingam and was released in 1972.

  The same year A.P.Nagarajan released his film Agathiyar,with Seerkazhi Govindarajan doing the titular role,and A.V.M.Rajan as Lord Shiva. Agathiyar was a peerless intellectual and sage and he was assigned by Lord Shiva,the responsibility of balancing the earth after the earth tilted to the North,when people were said to be watching the marriage of Lord Shiva with goddess Paarvathi. Agathiyar was also asked to to take care of mankind,with principles of equality and goodness,besides spreading the Tamil language.

  While Thiruvilaiyaadal was a comprehensive depiction of the might and moral teachings of Lord Shiva,Saraswathi Sabadham dynamically brought to the forefront,the power of  learning [education],wealth and bravery, through the goddesses Saraswathi, Maha lakshmi and Parasakthi, standing for these three human qualities, respectively.Kandan Karunai was dedicated to Lord Muruga, acclaimed to be the most specific Tamil God of the Saivite cult.The role of Lord Shiva occupied the whole of Thiruvilaiyaadal and was significant in Kandan Karunai.Whereas, Saraswathi Sabatham was wholly a dramatic course of events,deliberated by the three goddesses.

  In Thiruvilaiyaadal,Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan was in his supreme form as Lord Shiva,and occupied the centre stage through the Saivaite episodes narrated by Goddess Paarvathi to Lord Muruga.If anybody from the Tamil soil would like to visualize the figure of Lord Shiva, it would only bethe visage of Sivaji Ganesan that would strike their vision.So impressive was the portrayal of Lord Shiva by A.P.Nagarjan,that the three episodes showing the God,first in a poetic encounter with Poet Nakkeerar,secondly in a tussle with Dhakshan and thirdly as a firewood seller,bringing down the massive ego of the Carnatic singer  Hemanatha Bhagavadhar,by rendering an ecstatic song that kept the whole universe standstill.Thiruvilaiyaadal was a magnificent celebration of Lord Siva's symbolic might,in destroying human vanity,and dignifying the unspoken virtues of the most modest section of mankind.  

  It was altogether a different experience to watch Gemini Ganesan as Lord Shiva,in Kandan Karunai.Gemini Ganesan was in no way inferior to Sivaji,in powerfully articulating the dialogues aimed at invigorating Lord Muruga towards waging a war against the monstrous Soorapadman, and save the universe from the latter's destructive magnitude.It was in a way,a thrilling experience to be connected to an intensely romantic hero like Gemini Ganesan, in the powerful divine role of Lord Shiva.

   R.S.Manohar one of the most stalwarts among the stage artists had acted in about 200 Tamil films.He had played the role of Ravana in his most famous drama Lankeshwaran. Ravana was a hardcore devotee of Lord Shiva. R.S.Manohar who had acted as hero,villain and character actor, passionately took up the role of Ravana.But this very same actor,later on played the role of Lord Shiva in Thiruneelakandar.Not all actors can perfectly fit into the role of Lord Shiva with a highly exalting masculine profile.R.S.Manohar got into the role with both his body and mind in ready made form.He excelled in this divine portfolio,almost like Sivaji Ganesan.

  A.V.M.Rajan who was seen as Lord Shiva on the Tamil big screen,was rightly inducted into this role by A.P.Nagarajan.A.V.M.Rajan's voice vibration with its high power heaviness,made the voice of Lord Shiva heard,and enjoyed by the audience,around all theatres in Tamil Nadu, that had screened the great film Agathiyar.

  Tamil cinema also showed Lord Shiva as a paramount divine figure in Datchayagnam which was made both in Telugu and Tamil and this film narrated the tale of Datchan {whose daughter Daatchaayini-another form of goddess Shakthi-was married to Lord Shiva}who was an ardant  devotee of Mahavishnu and was holding an antagonistic position against Shiva.Once he conducted a religious ceremony {yaagam}without inviting Lord Shiva.When Datchan's daughter Datchyaayni attended the ceremony uninvited,she warned him against his humiliating disposition and  returned to the Kailash after cursing him for not inviting Lord Shiva.Infact,the uninvited visit of Daatchaayini to Datchan's ceremonial function,angered Lord Shiva too.

  Though this tale was briefly told in Thiruvilaiyaadal also,in this context it was the raging dance of Sivaji Ganesan as Lord Shiva,that firmly remains in audience memeory.But Datchayagnam starring R.S.Manohar was also a decently narrated film.Though I had watched the Tamil version of the film,only its Telugu version is now available on websites.

   These are some of the releases from the Tamil film Industry,that strikingly pictured the mythological miniscule related to Lord Shiva.Films like Sampporana Rama yanam,Lava Kusha,Maayaa Bzhaar, Karnan, Veera Abhimanyu and Bhaktha Prakalaa dhaa,solidly dealt with the two epics Raamaayan,Mahaabhaarat and the power of Mahavishnu under the banner of Telugu cinema.The two exceptional Vaishnavite Tamil films were Sampoorana Ramayanam for which A.P.Nagarajan wrote the dialogues and Karnan which was the purest Tamil film produced by the Padmini pictures.Whereas, the tales of Lord Shiva told through the Tamil screen,have all brilliantly transpired the fragrance of Tamil,transcending the mundane sphere and transported us ino a world of awe and wonder.

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