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'Fishing in troubled waters' is a common idiom referring to a situation that seems to be advantageous to those who try to gain benefit from a troubled situation. However, in reality it is the fisher men who fish in really troubled waters almost every other day, surmounting umpteen ordeals and hurdles. Especially the daily woes of Tamil Nadu fisher men, fishing in the Rameswaram sea waters when they happen to cross the Sri Lankan borders either my mistake or deliberately. This kind of unpalatable situation causes a tussle between two governments when the boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen are seized, and the fishermen are tortured in several ways. Fish is the staple food of many Indian states such as West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and a few others. But the life of the fishermen is always a miserable lot, laid up with natural disasters and manmade stumbling blocks.
Tamil films have dealt with the tales of fishermen either depicting their miserable living conditions or the romantic element involving youths in love in the midst of families in conflict. Some of the most remarkable films in this regard are Padgotti and Meenava Nanban starring MGR, Chinnavar and Vada Chenna in which Prabu Ganesan and Danush appeared as heroes.
Padagotti was a Deepavali release in 1964, produced by G. N Velumani of Saravan films, and directed by T.Prakash Rao.The story of the film revolved around two rival groups of fishermen known as the Turbot fishermen and the Shark fishermen. MGR as the honest youth Manickam , led the Turbot group and the Shark group was led by S.V.Ramadas, as the uncouth Alaiyappan and head of the Shark clan.
The film made in Eastmen Colour became a real audio-visual treat with MGR and Sarojadhevi as lovers belonging to the rival groups, facing a lot of issues in realizing their love.in the midst of group clashes cunningly promoted by Neelamegam, played by M.N.Nambiyar.The film also showed how money lenders mercilessly sucked the blood of the poor fishermen. Shakthi Krishnasamy's neat screen play, Vaali's lyrical exuberance and Viswanathan Ramamurthy's splendid music all put together, made Padagotti a block buster. Songs like Thottaal Poo Malarum, Tharaimel Pirakkavaithaan, Koduthathellaam Koduthaan and Naan oru Kuzhandhai Nee oru Kuzhandhai, would ever be lingering in audience memory.
MGR'S 'Meenava Nanban'released in 1977, thirteen years after Padagotti was made by Sridhar after his first successful venture Urimai Kural with that mega star. Meenava Nanban showed MGR not directly as a fisherman but as a Saviour of fishermen from the greedy hands of a wealthy man (V.K.Ramasamy ) who kept on hurting the fishing community with his two henchmen played by M.N.Nambiyar and P.S.Veerappa. Meenava Banban was also an enchanting romance involving MGR and Latha. The lyrics for the film were penned by Pulamai Pithan, Muthulingam and Vaali and the music was composed by M.S. Viswanathan. Songs like Nerukku Neraai Varattum by TMS and Thangathil Mugameduthu sung by K.J.Yesudas and Vani Jeyaram were scintillating numbers. The film showed how the hero saved the fishermen from the greed of VKR and the latter, from his henchmen at the end of the film.
Chinnavar released in 1992 cast Prabhu as Muthu and Chandrasekar as Veerachamy, as two fishermen-cum cronies of a fishing village. Chinnavar was more a fisherman's tale of romance and friendship with friendship being put to test on account of Veerachaamy's liquor habit and frailty of mind. The film was directed by Gangai Amaran who also wrote all the lyrics for the film. While his elder brother Ilayaraja composed music,the comedy segment of the film was in the hands of Goundaani and Senthil who made the film a great entertainer. Songs like Andhiyile Vaanam and Maaraappu Chela were heard as melodious numbers. The happy ending of the film made it a hearty entertainer.
Vetrimaran's Vada Chennai was more a tale of betrayal, vendetta, back stabs and violence though the story revolved around a group of fishing folk whose fishing rights and social security aspects were taken over as life's goals by Ameer, one of the main characters of the film. This Danush starring film will be remembered as a real-life experience by the communities concerned, living in the North Chennai area fixed for the story's sequential scenes of events.
Among the four films discussed here, Vada Chennai could be called a film with less cinematic impact and more of what one experiences in actual life. However, if we have to give complete credit to a fisherman's tale shown in Tamil Cinema, Padagotti will ever occupy the foremost position both as a most memorable MGR film and as a celluloid fantasy, enriched with fabulous action segment, romantic element and musical glory. In fact, the fishing community would certainly have an innate obsession to watch this fascinating film, as many times as possible.
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