Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan Part 10

[NOV]

Lotus, don't bring "that" here.
As a matter of fact and for your eyes only, I like Devika too.

[SoftSword]

interesting to know that they were parallelly making dramas as well as movies those days:

[eehaiupehazij]

திருவிளையாடலை டிஜிட்டல் வடிவத்துக்கு மாற்றும்போது நான்கு பாடல்களை மட்டும் வெட்டினால் போதும் என்பது என் கருத்து .
அவை : 'ஞானப்பழத்தை பிழிந்து','பொதிகை மலை','நீல சேலை' ,'இல்லாததொன்றில்லை'
நான்குமே தேனினும் இனிய பாடல்கள்தான் என்பதில் மாற்று கருத்தில்லை ஆனால் படம் ஆரம்பித்த அரை மணி நேரத்தில் நான்கு பாடல்கள் (நமசிவாயவாழ்க,ஞானப்பழத்தை,பழம் நீயப்பா,பொதிகை)என்றால் இன்றைய தலைமுறையினருக்கு ஆரம்பத்திலேயே ஒரு சலிப்பு ஏற்பட்டுவிடுமோ என்ற பயம் ஏற்படுகிறது

அதே போல் இடைவேளைக்கு பிறகும் நிறைய பாடல்கள் உள்ளதால் மேற்சொன்ன பாடல்களை வெட்டினால் நல்லது என்பது என் கருத்து

I do agree with Harish. In addition the shark scenes are to be improvised with latest digital techniques. Otherwise Thiruvilayadal is totally a different experience from Karnan. TRM and KBS songs are additional assets. Baliah and Nagesh episodes are interesting portions. Watch NT's finest dance movements in Partha Pasumaram song sequence and the Rudhra Thandavam scene just before interval. Thiruvilayadal till today remains the auspicious movie to be screened on the first day of opening a theatre.

[Plum]

Andha nAL -
Exlend!

Ahead of the times, ahead of the times apdinnu solvAnga. I am generally against it in some cases - because, for instance, I'd be anguished if someone tells me today's tamil film normal audience is more appreciative of art than the 70s and early 80s audience which made superhits of some pheonomenal movies by great directors, in contrast to today's audience which is very limited in perspective. I bet Udhiri Pookkal wouldnt cross 3 days in today's world. So much for being "ahead of its time". In short, I give far more credit to our ancestors than the people who lazily use the phrase "ahead of its time".

But this one surely deserves that phrase- ahead of its times. It really is.
I had seen Parasakthi recently, and was completely bought-in. I can see why it was a superhit. It still works - not just because of the great man's performance but also Kalaignar's contrived screenplay, and straw-man set-up of the opponents of his philosophy and ideals - contrived, but still work to the T. The dialogues despite their floweriness hit hard and are razor sharp.

But watching andha nAL again, one realises how phoney Parasakthi itself was. Parasakthi had its politics and huge socilogical overhaul impact. Granted. But the politics in it was one-dimensional, preachy and campaigning nakedly visible, on behalf of one party and its ideals. It didnt have nuance. It didnt have debate. It didnt have informed debate. It simply caricaturised opponents of its ideals and philospohy.

Dont get me wrong - with all this, I *absolutely loved* Parasakthi. Perhaps, that's the level of influence NT has, and that is how much he can shore up a movie. But, equally, I have to grant that the tone and approach Parasakthi took was a need of its times, and it worked, and still works for me. And one has to really grant Kalaignar's genius for shaking up a society with just words.

I started with Andha Naal, and had to digress lengthily into Paraskathi, pardon me for that but if you survived reading until now, you may want to continue rather than give up here. I have a few points to make, hopefully interestingly, but even if not, I assure you'll have a take away or two.

So, where was I?Oh, yes, about Andha Naal's politics. I remember watching this movie in Doordarshan in the 80s, and while I was blown away by many of its cinematic conceits(ofcourse, I wouldnt know of this phrase then. I am talking in retrpsoect), its politics is not something I remember noticing. All I remember vaguely was taking away a Vande Mataram feel at the end of it all, that the desadhrogi got his comeuppance.

Whenever I recall this movie, this is the sort of understanding I had on its politics. "But, despite all its cinematic merit", I would tell myself, "It was laughable and cliched in setting up its wronged-genius-turning-into-spy-and-its-vande-mataram-climax, dont you think"

Watching it as an adult for the first time, I changed my opinion.

The film is a superbly nuanced commentary on the politics of the day, and perhaps, is relevant even now. It clearly keeps a distance from espousing one cause or the other - the congress, or the Subash Chandra bose position as I cal it, or the growing paguthtahRivu movement of the day. It observes their stands, and gives them equal space, and also manages to pack in their quirks and faults very effectively.
Thus, a meeting with banners proclaiming anti-British, pro-congress sentiments( I like how it minces no words in referring to Congress as Congress, not "our independence movement", or "that hegemonic anti=oaguthaRivu iyakkam"), clearly have banners hailing Nehru, and calls to release our party leaders.

The Gandhi vs Bose type arguments are made witth deft observation, simply without taking a stance.
Nowhere is Rajan(NT) framed as a villain, and the film takes a very non-judgemental stance throughout - just putting the facts in front of us.

Socially, as well, the film moves the goalposts very effectively without being "Look Ma I am provocative and social-changing" like Parasakthi. The dancer from the devadasi kulam casually shifts allegiance from her wealthy landlord-sponsor to the suave, charming Rajan. There is not much sermonising about Rajan's casual fling with her, and although Pandarai Bai, the one idealistic character in the movie full of real life specimen, does make sanctinmonious noises about Rajan cheating this dancing girl, the whole way in which Pandari Bai's idealism is presented itself is real, and believable. No silly sentiments, no preachy morals, yes she is idealist but she comes across as flesh-and-blood idealist with her own flaws and her determination and strength of mind and character. Her "ideals" seem real and believable unlike the Parasakthi counterparts, who are angellic specimen of goodness and idealism.

The dancer herself is a triumph of a character from the director. She is equal to everyone else. She is not apologetic about her existence, as characters of similar kind in other idealistic movies of the day would have been. She is someone who is forever in search of her sanctuary, and acts in self-preserving ways, which is again true of everyone in the movie, something i regret to say, is barely seen even now. Even Pandari Bai doesnt confess until pushed to the extreme, despite her idealistic character. She is very, very human.

Again, dont get me wrong, the Parasakthi approach had its uses, and WAS NEEDED at that time. But, this film, in my opinion is a bigger achievement

It isnt without its flaws - like, for example, the secret radio setup to Japan of Rajan is rpetty much open in the area of the crime, yet the Police never discovers it until Pandari bai talks about it in the climax. But those are too minor to talk about

I forgot to talk about Jaavar Seetharaman, who gives a very cool performance as the calm, unruffled detective, although with a strong western movie inspired costume fetish. He is also used for some comedy effect, sometimes at the cost of trivialsing the character, though sometimes with enjoyable wink-winks. Take this for instance:

Inspector and Detective are figuring out who to investigate the next suspect, and they waste somet ime as the Detective Jaavar rambles on about a Elepahnt-andblind-men story. which while giving a glimpse of the screenplay technique to the audience, wink-wink, also results in them losing crucial time in reaching Ambujam, the dancing girl, who gets away by minutes before they reach her.

The inspector character, at this point, chides the detective for wasting time on rambling about the elephant story

On the other hand, there is also an unintended funny moment as follows:

Ambujam, the dancing girl, gets away in a cart, just before Jaavar and co reach her for investigating her. Jaavar informs his police network about a girl ing reen saree of average height and fair complexion getting away. (The girl is unaware police is looking for her. She doesnt even know Raja has been murdered)

The cart gets embroiled in an accident, and a constable ends up taking her to the police station for enquiry on the accident. The inspector investigates the acident, and lets them go, and just as she leaves, her servant who is Jaavar's witness arrives there and identifies her. And then the inspector says:
"Oh green saree. Average height. Fair complexion. How did I miss it? (bangs the table". Ok I added the banging the table part. The movie plays it straight.

More fun follows when Jaavar arrives there exactly at that moment and is informed that Ambujam has been caught. He turns to his inspector and says something like
"see you chided me for wasting time on Elephant story. I always knew God will somehow get her to our custody like this"

That's a minor fault, and in a way, a very quirky enjoyment factor added to the movie.

I will not talk about cinematography(brave for the day, I assume) and other technical aspects.

The film is a triumph in many ways.

Yes, it was ahead of its times in a way... but I bet today's audience is smart neither to patronise sort of a movie even now. So, I guess, the right thing to say is the movie is still ahead of its times.

[kid-glove]

Super post, Flu. I took an exception to my self-imposed restriction on long posts. This sort of engagement with the material is what we'd come to expect of you. You didn't disappoint.

[Plum]

There is also the cheesy moment - which I enjoyed now only because I knew the film's denouement - where in a lengthy shot, Jaavar ends up investigating a roadside shop owner, who happens to be a theatre artist by the night, and very conveniently for our story, is staging Thookku Thookki at the time. The bit notice for thooku thookki reads

"koNdu vandhAl thandhai. koNdu vandhAlum varAvittAlum thAai. seer koNdu vandhAl sagOdhari. koliyum seivAL pathtini....."

Jaavar reads this out for her, and he shows no visible effect of the last phrase when he reads it out. But for those of us watching the second time, it strikes immediately. I bet very few would have taken that clue the first time they watched the movie. What's more, the director does underline it as a critical juncture of investigation with Jaavar getting a brainflash. The director shows Jaavar getting that brainflash and asking for the bit notice again, and reading it out again. But this time he stops with "seer koNdu vandhAl sagOdhari", with a knowing smirk as he reads the next phrase in his mind. He then talks about suspecting a person in the next scene, to the inspector. The first time you watch, I bet you had no clue, and the second time you did, I'd be surprised if you didnt have a goosebump at the point.

S Balachander

[Plum]

I wanted to talk about NT's performance. But try as I might, I just can't. What words can do justice to his brilliance? All of us, when we congratulate each other for capturing the nuance in his acting with a brilliant wrtite-up, well, we are only fooling each other I guess.

I dont believe there has ever been a write-up that did justice to His talents. And I surely am not even going to try. There are some in this thread(MS, PR etc) who have done their best, and those are glorious pieces of prose but still fall short of the man's greatness. I cant even try to get close to these people's write-ups.

All i can say is WE ARE NOT WORTHY, SIR. Thou art the greatest.

[kid-glove]

Have anyone seen "Manamagan thevai", I read somewhere in youtube that it's a precedent to "Thillu mullu" (Banumathi does it though, not NT).

[joe]

Plum

[P_R]

Lovely post Plum

I can't remember the last time something motivated you to write at length.The only answer is to live well.
Look forward to more. Cha...edhukkum nEththu naan oru extra ticket eduththirukkalaam.