Sibi Malayil Reveals Reasons for Backing Out Of Kamal Haasan’s Gunaa(Photo Credit –Wikipedia/IMDb)
In a recent interview with the New Indian Express, veteran filmmaker Sibi Malayil opened up about his failed collaboration with Kamal Haasan for his Tamil debut in ‘Gunaa.’ Despite the renewed interest in Kamal’s film, particularly referenced in the recent Malayalam hit ‘Manjummel Boys,’ Sibi shared insights into why he ultimately decided to pass on the opportunity to direct the project.
Sibi discussed their failed collaboration from the 90s, initially planned as a Tamil movie produced by Raj Kamal Films International’s manager Dns. The concept focused on a commercial film about the Indian Peace Keeping Force (Ipkf) in Sri Lanka. Still, Kamal dropped the idea due to its controversial nature, exacerbated by Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.
Following this, the duo commenced planning for “Gunaa.” However, Sibi Malayil was preoccupied with his film “Bharatham,...
In a recent interview with the New Indian Express, veteran filmmaker Sibi Malayil opened up about his failed collaboration with Kamal Haasan for his Tamil debut in ‘Gunaa.’ Despite the renewed interest in Kamal’s film, particularly referenced in the recent Malayalam hit ‘Manjummel Boys,’ Sibi shared insights into why he ultimately decided to pass on the opportunity to direct the project.
Sibi discussed their failed collaboration from the 90s, initially planned as a Tamil movie produced by Raj Kamal Films International’s manager Dns. The concept focused on a commercial film about the Indian Peace Keeping Force (Ipkf) in Sri Lanka. Still, Kamal dropped the idea due to its controversial nature, exacerbated by Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.
Following this, the duo commenced planning for “Gunaa.” However, Sibi Malayil was preoccupied with his film “Bharatham,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Hari P N
- KoiMoi
Veteran Tamil actor and comedian R.S. Shivaji, who was last seen in the Yogi Babu-starrer ‘Luckyman’ released on September 1 and is known for his work in the 2020 Suriya-starrer film ‘Soorarai Pottru, died at the age of 66 in Chennai on Friday.
Born in Chennai in 1956 to actor and producer M.R. Santhanam, Rs Shivaji predominantly worked in Tamil cinema and had frequent collaborations with Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan and his production house Raaj Kamal Films International. The cause of his death has not been ascertained as yet.
Besides acting, Shivaji’s career skills extended to assistant direction, sound design, and line production for multiple Tamil films.
Having started his journey in the 1980s, Shivaji’s film career spans over four decades, and he is credited with delivering some remarkable performances in films, including ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal,’ ‘Kolamavu Kokila,’ and ‘Dharala Prabhu.’ Many from the industry took to social media platforms to offer condolences.
Born in Chennai in 1956 to actor and producer M.R. Santhanam, Rs Shivaji predominantly worked in Tamil cinema and had frequent collaborations with Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan and his production house Raaj Kamal Films International. The cause of his death has not been ascertained as yet.
Besides acting, Shivaji’s career skills extended to assistant direction, sound design, and line production for multiple Tamil films.
Having started his journey in the 1980s, Shivaji’s film career spans over four decades, and he is credited with delivering some remarkable performances in films, including ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal,’ ‘Kolamavu Kokila,’ and ‘Dharala Prabhu.’ Many from the industry took to social media platforms to offer condolences.
- 9/2/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
ObituaryShivaji was a part of many popular and critically acclaimed films including ‘Apoorva Sagodharangal’, ‘Anbe Sivam’, ‘Aayutha Ezhuthu’, ‘Soorarai Pottru’, ‘Kolamavu Kokila’, and ‘Gargi’.Veteran Tamil actor Rs Shivaji passed away in Chennai on Saturday, September 2. He was 66 years old. A post on his Facebook page confirms that Shivaji passed away suddenly, following a cardiac arrest. “My appa Rs Shivaji had a cardiac arrest and has passed away suddenly. Appa’s body is at Narayani Apartments, Kamaraj Salai, Ra Puram, Chennai 28. Thank you, everyone, for all your support at this hour (sic),” the post, the author of which is unconfirmed, said. Shivaji was part of many popular and critically acclaimed films including Sathya, Apoorva Sagodharangal, Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Anbe Sivam, Aayutha Ezhuthu, Soorarai Pottru, Kolamavu Kokila, and Gargi. He won praise for his performance as the father of the title character in Gargi, played by Sai Pallavi, for whom...
- 9/2/2023
- by Cris
- The News Minute
By Henry McKeand
It's been twenty years since the release of “Anbe Sivam,” the ambitious collaboration between director Sundar C and writer/star Kamal Haasan that became an enduring cult classic of Tamil cinema. At the time, it must have seemed an unlikely pairing. The latter's script for the film was deeply rooted in themes of class struggle and philosophy, while the former was known for his work in more commercial fare. At first, it wasn't clear if such a partnership would be successful. It was released in January of 2003 to rave reviews from critics but it underperformed at the box office. However, it gained a loyal following after home video releases and television re-runs allowed audiences to discover its potent blend of comedy and humanism. Now, it is regarded as one of the greatest Tamil films of the 21st century.
on Amazon by clicking on the...
It's been twenty years since the release of “Anbe Sivam,” the ambitious collaboration between director Sundar C and writer/star Kamal Haasan that became an enduring cult classic of Tamil cinema. At the time, it must have seemed an unlikely pairing. The latter's script for the film was deeply rooted in themes of class struggle and philosophy, while the former was known for his work in more commercial fare. At first, it wasn't clear if such a partnership would be successful. It was released in January of 2003 to rave reviews from critics but it underperformed at the box office. However, it gained a loyal following after home video releases and television re-runs allowed audiences to discover its potent blend of comedy and humanism. Now, it is regarded as one of the greatest Tamil films of the 21st century.
on Amazon by clicking on the...
- 4/27/2023
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
Chennai, Nov 1 (Ians) The teaser of director Kalyaan’s upcoming supernatural comedy thriller “Ghosty”, featuring actress Kajal Aggarwal in the lead, has garnered a whopping one million views within a day of being released on YouTube.
Produced by Seed Pictures, the film is a comedy investigation-thriller set against the backdrop of a mental hospital.
Kajal Aggarwal plays double action in the film, which also features a series of stars including actors Yogi Babu, K.S. Ravikumar, Redin Kingsley, Thangadurai, Jagan, Oorvasi, Sathyan, Aadukalam Naren, Manobala, Motta Rajendran, Mayilsamy, Saminaathan, Devadarshini, Suresh Menon, Subbu Panchu Arunachalam, Livingston, Santhana Bharathi, and Mathan Babu.
Kajal plays two characters in the film — a cop and an actress. A mistake committed by the actress results in the cop becoming a prisoner of a spirit. The cop, desperate to break free from the clutches of the spirit, employs seers and magicians but nothing works. How she breaks...
Produced by Seed Pictures, the film is a comedy investigation-thriller set against the backdrop of a mental hospital.
Kajal Aggarwal plays double action in the film, which also features a series of stars including actors Yogi Babu, K.S. Ravikumar, Redin Kingsley, Thangadurai, Jagan, Oorvasi, Sathyan, Aadukalam Naren, Manobala, Motta Rajendran, Mayilsamy, Saminaathan, Devadarshini, Suresh Menon, Subbu Panchu Arunachalam, Livingston, Santhana Bharathi, and Mathan Babu.
Kajal plays two characters in the film — a cop and an actress. A mistake committed by the actress results in the cop becoming a prisoner of a spirit. The cop, desperate to break free from the clutches of the spirit, employs seers and magicians but nothing works. How she breaks...
- 11/1/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Shooting of director Jegadeesan Subu’s upcoming film, ‘Iravu’, featuring actors Vetri and Shivani Narayanan in the lead, is said to be on the verge of completion. The film, which is produced by M S Murugaraj of M10 Productions, is a horror thriller.
The film has raised expectations as it is directed by Jagadeesan Subu, who is best known for the critically acclaimed film ‘Bakrid’.
Sources disclose that the story of the film revolves around a video game designer who starts to see the characters from his newly designed video game come to life during its launch. The incident sparks off a chain of thrilling events that take place in a night.
Although Tamil cinema has several horror movies, sources claim that ‘Iravu’ will be different and that it will be an exceptional thriller drama with emphasis on a gripping screenplay.
Apart from Vetri and Shivani Narayanan, who play the lead,...
The film has raised expectations as it is directed by Jagadeesan Subu, who is best known for the critically acclaimed film ‘Bakrid’.
Sources disclose that the story of the film revolves around a video game designer who starts to see the characters from his newly designed video game come to life during its launch. The incident sparks off a chain of thrilling events that take place in a night.
Although Tamil cinema has several horror movies, sources claim that ‘Iravu’ will be different and that it will be an exceptional thriller drama with emphasis on a gripping screenplay.
Apart from Vetri and Shivani Narayanan, who play the lead,...
- 9/12/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
ReviewWhile the script has enough twists and turns, you don’t exactly watch the series with your heart in the mouth. This is because the storytelling is full of generic moments.Sowmya RajendranAishwarya Rajesh in a scene from SuzhalPushkar and Gayathri, who gave Tamil cinema one of its most memorable and layered crime stories – Vikram Vedha – are the creators of Suzhal: The Vortex, Amazon Prime Video’s first Tamil web series. Directed by Bramma and Anucharan, the eight-episode series revolves around a 15-year-old girl who goes missing during the local festival of Mayana Kollai (graveyard robbery) in Sambalur, a fictional industrial town in Tamil Nadu. If mainstream films have largely set their police procedurals in metros, Over-the-Top platforms seem to prefer small town settings following the precedent set by successful international web series such as Broadchurch and Mare of Easttown. Closer home, Raveena Tandon’s Aranyak (Netflix) was set in...
- 6/17/2022
- by BNitin
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe film is a remake of the Hindi hit 'Vicky Donor'. Digital NativeThe National Award-winning 2011 film Vicky Donor is being remade in Tamil under the title Dharala Prabhu. The remake is directed by Krishna Marimuthu and Harish Kalyan is reprising the role done by Ayushmann Khurrana in the original. Veteran comedian Vivek is playing the doctor, which was played by Annu Kapoor in its Hindi original. Produced by Screen Scene Entertainments, the makers have released the trailer of the film on Monday which has been well received by the audiences. Krishna Marimuthu a former associate of director Al Vijay had conceptualised a promo musical video The Mercury Song for director Karthik Subbaraj‘s Mercury in 2018. Krishna Marimuthu made his debut a couple of years with Naga Chaitanya starrer Telugu action thriller Yudham Sharanam. The film will have eight music directors - Vivek-Merin duo, four-member Tamil rock band Oorka...
- 2/25/2020
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Kollywood'Dharala Prabhu' is being directed by Krishna Marimuthu and produced by Screen Scene Entertainments.Digital NativeDigital Native The hit Bollywood flick Vicky Donor is being remade in Tamil under the title Dharala Prabhu. The remake is directed by Krishna Marimuthu and produced by Screen Scene Entertainments. Harish Kalyan is reprising the role done by Ayushmann Khurrana in the original and veteran comedian Vivek is playing the doctor, which was done by Annu Kapoor. An update about Dharala Prabhu is that eight music directors - Vivek-Merin duo, four member Tamil rock band Oorka comprising Bharath Sankar on Vocals & Keys, J.C on the Guitars, Pradeep Kumar on the Bass and Tapass Naresh on Drums, British playback singer Inno Genga, and Sean Roldan - will compose music for the film. Selvakumar is the cinematographer with Sathish Surya of Irudhi Suttru and Soorarai Pottru fame taking care of the editing. Vicky Donor is...
- 1/23/2020
- by Luke
- The News Minute
KollywoodTheir first film together, 'Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale' has just released.Digital NativeActor Harish Kalyan's latest release is Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale that hit the screens on Friday. The film marks the directorial debut of Sanjay Bharathi, son of veteran actor-filmmaker Santhana Bharathi. Even before the release of the film, the duo have announced teaming up once again for a project. Touted to be a supernatural comedy, the film will be bankrolled by Dhananjayan. Just in: @iamharishkalyan and @isanjaybharathi to team up again for a supernatural thriller, to be produced by @Dhananjayang. Shoot to go on floors in the second quarter of 2020. A promising project! #DRNFromTomorrow pic.twitter.com/A8xGye6sXs— Sidhu (@sidhuwrites) December 5, 2019 In Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale, Harish plays an automobile mechanic who believes in astrology. Debutante Digangana Suryavanshi and Bigil fame Rebba Monica John played important roles in this film. The film also stars Munishkanth, Yogi Babu, Pandiarajan,...
- 12/6/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Me TooSharing the dais along with 'Me Too' accused lyricist Vairamuthu were actor Rajinikanth and director Mani Ratnam among a host of other celebrities.Manasa RaoAlmost exactly a year ago, actor-politician-social commentator, Kamal Haasan, spoke up in support of the #MeToo movement at a music launch event. “As a society, we need to provide a safe atmosphere for women,” Kamal had said, adding, “And that lies in the hands of men.” Cut to November 8, 2019, and Kamal Haasan invited the who’s-who of the film industry for the launch of his new office in Chennai. And among the chief guests on the dais: Superstar Rajinikanth, Acclaimed Director Mani Ratnam, and Sexual Harassment Accused Vairamuthu. Kamal Haasan had invited the important people (read: men) in the industry for the inauguration of the new office of his production house, Raaj Kamal Films International, a day after his birthday. As the boys...
- 11/8/2019
- by Manasa
- The News Minute
KollywoodDirected by the debut director Sg Charles, the film is bankrolled by actor Nithin Sathya.Digital NativeVaibhav Reddy and Vani Bhojan are pairing up for a film that will be directed by the debut director Sg Charles. The film is bankrolled by actor Nithin Sathya. Reports have emerged that Vaibhav is playing a cop in it and that actor-director Venkat Prabhu will also be seen donning the role as a police officer. Poorna has bagged an important role in the movie Touted to be an action entertainer, the film has been titled Kallam Karka. The shooting of this film has been wrapped up and the post-production is happening in full swing. Its release date is expected to be out soon. Meanwhile, Viabhav is expecting the release of Sixer. It is a romantic comedy written and directed by Chachi, which will be his directorial debut. Besides Vaibhav and Pallak Lalwani in the lead roles,...
- 8/28/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe 1989 film, which starred Ramarajan and Kanaka in lead roles, had turned out to be a cult hit.Digital NativeLyricist, music composer and director Gangai Amaren directed the Ramarajan starrer Karagattakkaran in 1989 and the movie had turned out to be a cult hit. The film was a commercial hit and had a successful 425-day run at the box office. And now, after three decades, Gangai Amaren is planning to make a sequel to the film. On this, the director told Cinema Express in an interview, “The film will focus on what happened to the lead couple, Goundamani, Senthil, all of their kids and the status of their families. The first draft of the script is ready and I am in talks with the artists. I want to bring in everyone from the original, except Gandhimathi and Shanmugasundaram. I will make an official announcement soon, after work on the re-writes is done.
- 5/30/2019
- by Vidya
- The News Minute
KollywoodAccording to the industry grapevine, the remake will be directed by Krishna Marimuthu, who made his debut a couple of years with Naga Chaitanya starrer Telugu action-thriller 'Yudham Sharanam'.Digital NativeLast seen playing an obsessive and aggressive lover in Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum, actor Harish Kalyan is currently shooting for Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale which marks the directorial debut of Sanjay Bharathi, son of veteran actor-filmmaker Santhana Bharathi. Upon competition of this project, Harish is expected to commence work on another film which is tipped to be the remake of Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Vicky Donor. According to the industry grapevine, the remake will be directed by Krishna Marimuthu, who made his debut a couple of years with Naga Chaitanya starrer Telugu action-thriller Yudham Sharanam. The Ayshmann Khurrana starrer Vicky Donor is an award-winning romantic comedy which talks about the controversial sperm donation and infertility issues. The yet-untitled remake will be bankrolled...
- 5/18/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodDirector Sanjay Bharathi is son of veteran actor and director Santhana Bharathi.Digital NativeVeteran actor and director Santhana Bharathi’s son Sanjay Bharathi is all set to direct a film. Touted to be a film based on astrology, it will also have plenty of humour. Titled as Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale, the film will have Harish Kalyan playing the lead role. On the film, Sanjay said in an interview with the Deccan Chronicle, “The title is very relevant to the story. Harish plays an automobile guy who believes in astrology. He has certain goals in life and like how an arrow from the bow hits its target, he is very focused to achieve them. Apparently, he faces a few hitches and how he overcomes them forms the crux. Also, the zodiac sign for Dhanusu is bow and arrow. The movie is a hilarious family entertainer.” The film will have Ghibran scoring the music.
- 4/10/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Kollywood‘Mahanadi’ is among the Tamil films that have aged well, winning appreciation years after the release though it was only an average grosser in 1994. Sowmya RajendranIt’s 25 years since Kamal Haasan’s film Mahanadi released. Directed by Santhana Bharathi, the film was about a man whose daughter is trafficked and sold into sex work. Kamal played the lead role, with singer Shobana playing his young daughter, Kaveri. The veteran actor also wrote the story and the screenplay for the film, which went on to win the National Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. In 2017, Kamal revealed what made him write such a story. When his daughters were very young, his domestic workers had allegedly conspired to kidnap one of them for ransom and had even done a dry run of the plan. However, Kamal found out about it by accident. “I have never spoken of what prompted me to write Mahanadi.
- 1/14/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Film CommentaryFrom going after the loosu ponnu to taking on Gautham Menon's obsession with killing women, 'Tamizh Padam 2' exposes the misogyny in Tamil films. Spoilers ahead.Sowmya Rajendran*Spoilers ahead Cs Amudhan's Tamizh Padam 2, much like the first film, takes a dig at Kollywood trends and spares no mainstream film. This time around though, the director has also addressed how female characters are represented in Tamil cinema, especially the heroine, who has been reduced to a "loosu ponnu." Agila Ulaga Superstar Shiva's first wife, Priya (Disha Pandey), is killed off unceremoniously because this is a sequel and obviously, a sequel can never have the same heroine. Besides, Tamizh Padam 2 is a cop film and as guruji Gautham Menon has taught us over and over again, a police officer's sincerity to the job is inversely proportional to his wife's longevity. So, Priya dies and is replaced by Ramya (Iswarya Menon). How? Shiva's friend advises him to simply close his eyes and fall in love with the first woman he sees. Shiva has only two conditions – a. The girl must be the colour of maida b. She must be a 'loosu ponnu'. This may seem satirical to people who are not familiar with mainstream Tamil films, but it's actually an accurate description of the heroine in most of them. Amudhan goes one step ahead and breaks down the conditions that establish a "loosu ponnu" – she must chase a puppy, she must help blind people cross the road, and she must eat ice-cream in the rain. While film critics have been lamenting this annoying trope for eons now, it's refreshing to see someone from the industry spelling it out in neon. Ramya also wears a T-shirt that says "Mental manadhil" and gets into a bus for patients with mental health issues (one supposes that mental healthcare professionals won't be delighted by this) to seal the deal for Shiva. He's in love! Among the films that Amudhan takes a dig at is the horrendous Remo which romanticised stalking on a whole other level. When his friends advise him to torture the heroine into falling in love with him, Shiva asks if that would not be wrong. They, however, tell him that he's the hero and that he can go to any extent to make the woman fall for him. Santhana Bharathi, who appears as one of Shiva's friends, also dresses up as a female nurse – to make sure we don't miss the reference. Ramya is hilariously oblivious to the fact that the heavily bearded person in the nurse uniform is not a woman – well, she's a loosu ponnu after all. 'Adida avala' from Mayakkam Enna and 'Evandi unna petha' from Vaanam (by Dhanush and Simbu respectively, the kings of the soup song genre) get a rehaul with Ramya singing the woman's version of it when she's dumped by Shiva for a stupid reason. Although the song is meant to be funny, it has some poignant lines that hit home, especially given the spate of stalker related murders in Tamil Nadu. "Love failurenu solli acid adikkara neenga/ engakita enda kolaveri pathi maanamkettu pesureenga" (Those of you who say love failure and throw acid, why do you speak to us about murderous rage without any shame?) are lyrics that Kollywood will do well to remember next time directors are tempted to make the same-old "suffering" hero nonsense. There's plenty of good-natured humour about a plethora of films – Vivegam, Vikram-Vedha, Thupparivalan, Thuppaki, Pisasu, Kaththi, VIP, 24, 7aam Arrivu, Thevar Magan, 2.0, Kabali, Ms Dhoni, Baahubali, Irudhi Suttru, Villain, Veeram, Saamy – the list is super long. However, what's appreciable is how Amudhan has also gone after the misogyny present in the films of directors who are considered to be "classy", particularly Gautham Menon. Although Gautham Menon is usually credited with giving "sensible" women characters who are not the "loosu ponnu", they tend to die brutal deaths, especially in his cop films. The misogyny is not as glaring as it is in the average mainstream film, but it's all the more disturbing. In Tamizh Padam 2, Shiva stalks Ramya (his tenant - Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya) to the Us (Vaaranam Aayiram) and the heroine eventually dies. But then, she hilariously comes back as Gayathri (the proposal scene is straight out of Vettaiyadu Vilaiyaadu). The self-obsessed hero voice-overs that are present in every Gautham Menon cop film – Khaaka Khaaka, Yennai Arindhal, Achcham Yenbadhu Madamayada – are also unmistakable. By the end of the movie, Shiva, the sincere cop, has a wall full of pictures of dead wives – so much so that his long-suffering paati decides to kill him and put an end to it. And oh, Kasthuri does an "item" number in the middle of an investigation because that's how the "classy" directors show off their "massy" side to the audience. Tamizh Padam 2 is not without its issues. It is essentially a string of scenes from popular films and if you don't get the references, chances are that it will not make any sense to you. But Amudhan has dared to show Kollywood an aspect that is seldom discussed by people from within the industry seriously – why can't we have better female characters? Why can't our love stories treat women with more respect? And when will our heroines grow up and behave like adults?...
- 7/13/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
KollywoodWhat was Tamil cinema like 25 years ago and how have these films aged?Nandhu SundaramI was in Plus One and my finals had ended that day. We were standing outside Raja Theatre in Nagercoil, my hometown. There were more than 65 government school students -- all of them from my batch -- standing outside, many of us still in uniform. I had never been to the movies with so many people and was very excited. My friends and I were there to watch Gentleman, the newest rage in town. One of my friends was holding on to a sack. I peered inside and found it to be full of lottery tickets. Another friend explained that they were to be used for throwing in the way of the light cast by the projector. Celebrating in this way is still the norm in many theatres across the country. It’s been more than 25 years and times have changed. Raja Theatre, which stood adjacent to the famous Nagaraja Temple, is no longer there. And, no movie will run for the 100 days that Gentleman did any more. In the streaming era of Amazon Prime and the like, films today run for about 35 days in the theatre before being shown elsewhere. Gentleman, arguably the most famous film of 1993, launched the career of director S Shankar. The songs were trendy and became hit, and thus began the famous collaboration between Shankar and composer Ar Rahman. The explosive choreography by Prabhu Deva created quite a buzz, with ‘Chikku Bukku Raile’ becoming a chartbuster. Arjun plays the lead Krishnamoorthy alias Kitcha in Gentleman and he stages multiple heists even as the police are hot on his heels. Kitcha, who has a dark and tragic past, plans to build a medical college for poor students. The film has tedious scenes involving the famous comedy duo - Goundamani and Senthil, who engage in frivolous games with Sugandi, played by Subhashri. Susheela, played by Madhubala, is the main woman lead. None of us knew it then, but the satellite TV revolution in Tamil Nadu proved to be a game-changer for movie-goers. Sun TV had just been launched with much fanfare and we would never treat the cinemas the same way again. Many of the films from 1993 are outdated and campy. Even the blockbusters released that year are not an exception. There are but a few gems that have held up well despite the ravages of time. Here, we take a look at some movies that have completed 25 years since they were first released in theatres. Nostalgia is a potent potion and many movies from 1993 bring a flood of memories with them. Take for instance, the completely inane Chinna Mapillai starring Prabhu, Sukanya, Visu and Radha Ravi. With side-splitting comedy, the movie had dialogues by Crazy Mohan and was helmed by Santhana Bharathi. With a particularly raunchy performance from actor Sivaranjani (who was briefly famous for such roles in Tamil cinema), the movie was later remade as Coolie No 1 with Govinda in the lead. Nuggets like that remind us of a time gone by when cinema was radically different from what it is today. Not all of the films from this era have endured. You may not dare to watch many films from this year on DVD. But the presence of classics like Mahanadhi and Marupadiyum more than redeem the pervading mediocrity that plagued Tamil cinema during this year. This symptom was shared by many films from the 1990s. In the January of 1993, the who’s who of Kollywood released movies. On Pongal (January 14) that year, an array of movies including Captain Magal (Dir. Bharathiraja), Jathi Malli (K Balachander), Kovil Kalai (Gangai Amaran), Marupadiyum (Balu Mahendra) and Walter Vetrivel (P Vasu) hit theatres. None of the films had their legendary directors at their best. In Captain Magal, actor Raja (a Bharathiraja favourite in those days) plays a music composer who is shot and injured when an attack is made on the life of the prime minister. To recover, he and his wife Kavitha (Kushboo in top form) move to a secluded house in the hills where bizzare happenings just don’t end. It’s a thriller that can get your teeth chattering, but none in the audience was too impressed and the film bombed. You may, however, remember the song ‘Entha Pennilum Illatha Ondru’, which became a huge hit. Jathi Malli which brought together the unlikely lead pair of Kushboo and Malayalam actor Mukesh too didn’t do well at the box office. Kushboo plays a Ghazal singer Sivaranjani, who moves to Ooty, after her mother is killed by terrorists. She finds in Kesavan (Mukesh) an unlikely source of solace, but will their hesitant courtship fructify? The late Balachander may have wanted his message of love triumphing terror to reach the masses, but no one was willing to listen. Kovil Kalai must be the most puzzling entry to notch up 25 years since release. Directed by Gangai Amaran, the film must have been regressive even for its times, but is positively bizzare by today’s standards. Made just four years after Amaran’s Karakattakaran, which stuck box office gold, Kovil Kalai, starring Vijayakanth and Kanaka, did reasonably well.at the box office. P Vasu is one of those directors who asks us to digest his films with dollops of sentiment. Best known for movies like Chinna Thambi, Vasu’s take on a cop’s life, Walter Vetrivel, may leave you cold today, but was a massive hit upon release. Sathyaraj's performance as Vetrivel brought audiences in droves to the theatre. The film just appropriated the popularity of former Tamil Nadu director general of police Walter Devaram and had no references to the life of the cop. In the title sequence of the movie, Sathyaraj delivers a line which might be a bit strange today. He says that if rowdies are allowed to roam freely, they would divide and sell the state in 25 years. Thank god, that hasn’t happened! Balu Mahendra’s film, Marupadiyum, starring Revathi, is the only one among the aforementioned movies to have dated gracefully. With his remake of Arth, Mahendra managed to deliver a film that both critics and audiences liked. Rajinikanth was pretty active in 1993. He appeared in three Tamil movies -- Uzhaippali, Yejaman and Valli. The films were box office successes, but may not figure among Rajini’s best. Kamal Haasan had a mixed year. Both Kalaignan and Maharasan were but blips in his career, but Mahanadi was a definite indication of how good a writer the actor was. The National Award winning movie was a tearjerker directed by Santhana Bharathi with whom Kamal would frequently collaborate. The late Malayalam actor, Cochin Haneefa, played the antagonist and his contribution as the sleazy child trafficker cannot be taken lightly. Puthiya Mugam, starring Revathi and her husband Suresh Menon, was an unforgettable movie experience for me. The thriller with its novel and imaginative use of plastic surgery had a couple of moments that were bone-chilling. The soundtrack from Rahman continues to remain among his best. The album also showed lyricist Vairamuthu in superb form. Bharathiraja made another movie that year and it was Kizhakku Cheemayile. I have always thought that Bharathiraja handled sentiment the best in Tamil cinema and that opinion was validated by this movie starring Vijayakumar and Radhika as inseparable siblings. Rahman’s score for this film remains popular even today. Sathyaraj returned to woo audiences with Malayalam director Joshi’s Airport, which rarely for Tamil cinema, had no songs. Though acclaimed by critics, the film didn’t do too well at the box office. Mani Ratnam’s Thiruda Thiruda was one of the better movies released that year. Featuring Prasanth, Anand, Heera and Anu Aggarwal, the movie traces the fate of Rs 1000 crore stolen from the government. With superb camerawork from PC Sreeram, which infused in it a spirit of adventure, the movie was welcomed by audiences and critics. However, I feel that the film is today among the most underrated of Ratnam’s flicks. Prathap was written, directed and produced by actor Arjun. Though Arjun’s film never quite made it into the big league, films like Prathap kept the actor in the market for biggies like Mudhalvan. In 1993, Ks Ravikumar directed three films -- Bandmaster (Sarath Kumar), Suriya Chandran (Anand Babu) and Purusha Lakshanam (Jayaram). We might never guess it, but Ravi Kumar went on to direct both Haasan and Rajini in many movies. It is hard to find common ground among the movies released in 1993. Many films featured songs with rain on the sets. Shots focussing on the leading lady’s navel or the cleavage were mandatory. The loss of the story in Tamil cinema was a complaint that was often heard. My friends often told me that line 'You can watch the movie once'. Naturally, word of mouth made a huge difference in making a movie a success. This was also the year that Ajith Kumar debuted with his movie, Amaravathi. For many of the actor’s fans, this would have been a really special moment. Despite all this, many of the movies from 1993 were so far removed from reality that we can now easily see what frustrated audiences. So when artificiality was replaced by the raw realism of New Cinema, movie-goers made sure they welcomed it whole-heartedly.
- 6/27/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe film is relentlessly told from a male perspective, demonising abortion.Sowmya Rajendran*Some spoilers ahead It's hard to dislike Sai Pallavi in any film. When she's on screen, lips quivering, eyes reflecting changing emotions in a span of a few seconds, she makes you buy into her character so completely. As Tulasi in Diya, which marks her Tamil debut, Sai Pallavi plays a young woman who is haunted by a decision that was made on her behalf in the past. If you've followed the promos of the film, you'd know what this decision is. In fact, you'd know the entire storyline of the film. This puzzled me and I kept waiting for a twist, an unexpected turn, that would make us look at the events thus far with new eyes. Instead, the film plods along in the most predictable way, even over-explaining things within its short runtime. Before the film's release, Al Vijay had said that it would revolve around the "complex" issue of abortion. But this complexity is entirely missing from the script, as the story turns into an alarming pro-life sermon. From the title cards which show an abortion being performed, adequately demonising the equipment used to do the same, the film never for a moment tries to engage with the idea that abortion is an important reproductive right. A right that women in many parts of the world are still fighting for. The deaths take place all too easily (all of them in enclosed spaces, reiterating the idea that abortion is murder). The ghost could have been swatting flies and it would have made no difference because we have no emotional investment in any of the characters, save Tulasi. Rj Balaji as the sirippu police and Santhana Bharathi as a...I'm unsure what he was doing in the film...only serve to distract. Naga Shourya, as Krishna, Tulasi's hapless husband, doesn't have much to do other than look perpetually worried or confused. This is not the fault of the actors. Al Vijay seems to have been clueless about where to go with his one-line story. Sam Cs's background score keeps trying to push us to the edge of our seats, but then, nothing happens. True, Diya isn't a conventional horror film. But the film is too safe, telling a story of motherhood from the same-old male perspective, for it to wear the badge of a rebel. Jennifer Kent's supernatural thriller The Babadook, for example, was truly terrifying because it was an intimate study of a mother-child relationship – and although very real and familiar, the fear it inspired in the audience came from how rarely we've seen this on screen. In Diya, the scenes when Tulasi and Diya (Veronika) bond have a certain tenderness, even if they ride heavily on the over-exploited mother sentiment. I did wonder if I was being too harsh on the film. Tulasi, after all, wants to keep the fetus and abortion is not her decision (though she and her partner are only 19 at that point). Should we then only look at this as one woman's story? Such questions that Sai Pallavi's compelling performance raised were flatly laid to rest by the "message" in the end that asks us to think about all the "unborns" who could have become Sania Mirzas or Indira Gandhis. Eh?! How about wondering how 19-year-old Tulasi could have become a doctor if she'd gone ahead with the pregnancy? The filmmaker further informs the audience that 56% of abortions in the country are unsafe. Isn't that precisely because of the stigma surrounding abortion? And doesn't this film add to that? How is this statistic of relevance when the abortion in the film is conducted by a medically qualified professional? Tulasi's "agency" loses its shine when you see the film in its entirety. Perhaps the real "message" young women who watch this film should take home is: If you miss your period, pee on a pregnancy stick (available in every pharmacy) and don't go running to your family doctor. Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither Tnm nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew.
- 4/27/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe 2003 movie was a flop when it released but has since gone on to become a favourite. Fahir MaithuttyIn a scene from Anbe Sivam, Anbarasu (Madhavan) breaks down after the boy for whom he had given blood dies. He says –“These are times when your belief in the existence of God gets shaken”. He looks at Nallasivam (Kamal Haasan), sitting beside him and then re-assures himself, “No, I am not like you. I believe in God”. Nalla replies “I believe in God too”. Pointing his fingers at a stunned Arasu, Nalla adds - “That heart of yours which shed tears for a complete stranger – That is God!” You do not have to be an atheist to adore this exceptionally beautiful sequence from Anbe Sivam. The writing here worked on different levels. Nalla, through his words, could console the wounded Arasu and bring a smile in him. Kamal Haasan, who also wrote the movie’s script, used these same words to perfectly sum up the message he had to convey. It was, in a nutshell, the same as the movie’s title – “Anbe Sivam” (Love is God). Anbe Sivam, which told this stunning story of a man who found God in people who did good things, completed 15 years on this January 15. Over these years, the movie has grown to be a classic, has been watched by people over and over again and continues to be discussed even today. But when the movie released back in 2003, it was a flop at box-office - this can perhaps be attributed to the fact that people have often found it difficult to accept movies that walked a different path or were far ahead of their time. What would have been further heart-breaking to its makers was that Anbe Sivam wasn’t acknowledged even in the major awards. It didn’t win any National Award despite the exceptional performances, dialogues or lyrics. Barring a special jury award at Filmfare and a Tamil Nadu State award for Madhavan, who actually won it for also his work in Run and Kannathil Muthamittal, Anbe Sivam was rejected everywhere else. Today, Anbe Sivam ranks 4th in the IMDb’s list of top rated Indian movies. Much of Anbe Sivam's iconic status and immense repeat value have to do with how brilliantly the film mixed the comedy and poignant moments with thought provoking dialogues that grow on you. The initial portions where Arasu, a self-centred man, is stuck with Nalla on his journey from Bhubaneswar to Chennai was partly inspired from the American comedy, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Nalla’s character was partly based on Safdar Hashmi, the communist playwright, who used street theatre to voice his protests. Kamal Haasan combined these effectively to impart his own ideologies in religion, communism and globalization. His success with Anbe Sivam lay in doing the same without being over-preachy or offending the viewer’s own ideals. Anbe Sivam told us how certain relationships in life are woven in the most unexpected ways. How Nalla jumps in joy when he meets Sister Vanessa, who took care of him after the accident, is still a treat to watch. When Arasu starts his journey with Nalla, he keeps trying to avoid him at every possible juncture. But finally, Arasu ends up admitting that he had now found his lost brother in latter. Nalla, on the other hand, sacrifices his love and decides not to meet Bala (Kiran Rathod) after he learns Arasu is about to marry her. Nalla takes care of the dog that actually caused his bus accident. When Padayatchi’s henchman (Santhana Bharathi) confronts him in the climax to kill him, the only request he has is to leave the dog alone. When he finally sets Nalla free and asks him to never come to the town again, Nalla smiles and tells him that he has once again seen God. This is as much a movie could warm your heart in two and half hours. Madhan, who wrote the movie’s dialogues, complemented Kamal in every step. Almost every line left something for you to ponder. When Arasu expresses his discomfort when travelling in a bus, Nalla advises him, “You should gel with the crowd in a public place. You will want to make adjustments like a remote control. But this is the world, not a television set.” In another scene, Arasu says – “Soviet Union has broken into pieces. No Soviet Union means no communism”. Nalla retorts- “If the Taj Mahal crumbles, will you all stop loving?" Arasu replies – “No, because love is a feeling”. Nalla now hits back -“Communism is a feeling too”. The difference that some well written lines can make! Kamal Haasan, like he always does, “became” Nallasivam. He once again paid utmost attention to change his appearance and body language for the character. The effort he makes to click and open his jaw every third second, is the kind of commitment that puts him in the league of the greatest actors. Madhavan’s infectious energy and comic timing helped the movie a great deal. It is not easy to match a powerhouse of talent like Kamal Haasan. But Madhavan nailed it in the scene where Arasu gets to know that Nalla doesn't have a family and then asks him to be on his side always as a brother. In response to this, Kamal Haasan pauses for a few seconds, gasps and stutters, when he asks - “But why you didn't tell me this before? ” What a terrific combat between two fine acting moments! Vidyasagar's music flows like a breeze through the movie and Vairamuthu’s lyrics place pearls of wisdom even in the songs. The detailing in most frames was precise. Some of the movie’s finest moments are when Anbarasu and Nallasivam sit side by side and talk. The camera often showed us the angle from Arasu’s side. This helped us see what Arasu speaks and how Nalla reacts to it, behind him. This was such fine film-making. Sundar.C has never directed a better movie. After his treatment, when Nalla is leaving the church, sister Vanessa stops him, saying she forgot something. She then goes forward and hugs him. Anbe Sivam is like that warm hug. They say movies have the ability to stir your deepest emotions. For an apt example, you don't have to look beyond Anbe Sivam.
- 1/18/2018
- by Editor
- The News Minute
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