[Fegasderty]

Hey !! Maddy
Excellant compilation. The first video itself was HILARIOUS to the core. Chandrasekhar JUMPING and JUMPING again and again and with his trademark smile !

"ANGEL" effect ah oru style aavae maathittaar pola irukku !

[softy54534]

Song picturizations - Mani is second to none.
Bala's songs are also picturized superbly. He is right up there

[Paul Bunyan]

Then comes 'பா' serious directors ,who became very successful and changed the face of Tamil cinema..Balu Mahendra ,Bharathi Raja ,Bhagya Raj ,Pandiya rajan ,Parthipan .Interestingly except Balu Mahendra ,all others from Bharathi raja tree.

Shall we discuss the significance of these 'பா வரிசை இயக்குநர்கள்'?

Interesting thread.

I'd won't call all of them 'serious' directors. But they were serious about their work alright.

If you step back, you will find one K. Balachander, but he was Bhim Singh's contemporary, in a way.
Here's my view.

Balu Mahendra
Great promise. His Mundram Pirai was a big eye opener and finally got Kamal the big prize. His greatest contribution has to be Veedu. Brilliant storytelling.

Still known for his cinematography (did brilliant work for Mahendran, he later became obsessed about the topic of one man with a wife and an affair. There was Rettai Vaal Kuruvi, Marupadiyum and Sathi Leelavathi. Still living with 'certain' guilt, I'd say.
We are still waiting for something great from him. But one should not deny he is part of the great landmarks of Tamil film industry.

Bharathi Raja
Another milestone director in the industry. Forever known for taking the camera out of the studio and move it right smack in the real villages, his contributions extends those well known attributes connecting him with the expose of real rural life. I'd like to thank him for some of the good thrillers he has made, namely Sigappu Rojakkal and Tik, Tik, Tik. These two certainly influenced a once-great director Manivannan. His collaboration with Ilayaraja and later Vairamuthu is stuff made in legend. His last great work, to me, is Karuthamma. After that, I'm waiting.


Bhagya Raj
Bhagyaraj made damned good Bagyaraj films. Brillaint scripts. He is still known as good scriptwriter. Some of his earlier films are brilliantly funny, still do. Watch Indru poi Nalai Vaa and you will still burst out laughing. His Mundhanai Mudhichu did wonders for Murunggakkai business. Like Woody Allen, he started become serious...and a bit self conscious. Wigs and make up came into picture and he became victim of time. The public did not need Bagyaraj starrers anymore. But his Parijatham got good reviews. Haven't seen it, will soon. Hope he makes a comeback.

Pandiya rajan
Cho recently gave one of the biggest credit to Pandyarajan, calling him the only hero who is also a comedian...after the classic star TR. Ramachandran. Pandyarajan, like Sathyaraj, is not extremely talented, but he is around. Amazing. His first film, Aan Paavam, was a quality material, and since then he has been using his 'moozhi" to make a living. He's still at it.

Parthipan
An enigma. A promise when he burst into the scene with Puthiya Pathai (purpotedly written for Kamal), he has his cycle. Occasionally comes with brilliant stuff, but most of the time he seems to be waiting like
a coiled snake waiting to strike. Not a great contributor, but a good writer.


There, spur of the moment writeup. I may have more opinion, but we shall discuss later.

[softy54534]

More on Barathiraja.

Groucho,
Agreed with you ..But BR himself told that If NT wouldn't agree to do this role ,he would have droped the movie itself ,since he made the story with NT in mind ,and the title 'Muthal Mariyathai' is not just for the story ,it is BR's muthal mariyathai to NT.

And it was one helluva collaboration. As Groucho mentions Ilayaraja and Vairamuthu are in fantastic form elevating the movie to an all time high. The flute piece when Ranjani's body is recovered and the stone liftin theme still ring in my ears. Vairamuthu richly deserved his national award for 'poongAtru thirumbumA'. And he had some more to spare with the simple and beautiful 'vetti vEr vAsam/vidalai puLLai nEsam'. The Vairamuthu-Ilayaraja split is one of the most unfortunate for TFM The loser,IMO, was IR.

IMO, Bagyaraj's ThAvaNi Kanavugal tried to milk the respect that NT's presence commanded. Amongst his later films, Muthal MariyAdhai and ThEvar Magan are the only movies that brought out Sivaji's genius. Muthal MariyAthai is a departure from Sivaji's dialogue intensive style, with BR relying playing heavily (sometimes a tad too heavily) to his strengths.

I remember ManObala (who was BR's asst) mentioning once that SivAji jibing BR: "unakku thAn dialogue-E pudikkAdhE. en dialogue-ai thookki kuLathula pOduve, poovule pOduve "
The restraint in words serves to make the dialogues (when they are spoken) even more powerful. Though it is is tough to quote just one instance in the film to highlight this, I'll quote the panchAyat scene where the townsfolk are questioning SivAji about his alleged affair.

We arrive late in the panchAyat scene (the previous scene was SivAji, about to enter the house when he hears his wife lamenting loud inside). Everyone starts off a sentence and silenced by SivAji's glance (an undecipherable yet forbidding mix). The scene ends with SivAji announcing out loud that their accusation is correct.

At the end of that the visuals move back (in cuts) from a close shot to a relatively wide shot. At each stage we see the crowd thinning out. And in the last one SivAji is all alone.

It is only in the next scene where he tells Radha : " 'kkALi pOkkaththu pOi sAvadiyile thoongra payAluvalellAm kELvi kEttupputtAingya". It doesn't even sound like he is explaining himself (though he is). His anger, pride (even though he is feeling penitent now) is brought out so beautifully because the dialogue comes one scene late.

[Slonopotam845]

Once 'Pa' series movies of Nadigar Thilagam directed by Beemsing were very famous (Palum Pazhamum ,Pava Mannippu ,Padiththal mattum pothuma ,Pasa Masal ,Parththal Pasi Theerum ,Pachai Vilakku etc)

Then comes 'பா' series directors ,who became very successful and changed the face of Tamil cinema..Balu Mahendra ,Bharathi Raja ,Bhagya Raj ,Pandiya rajan ,Parthipan .Interestingly except Balu Mahendra ,all others from Bharathi raja tree.

Shall we discuss the significance of these 'பா வரிசை இயக்குநர்கள்'?

[Slonopotam845]

Groucho,
Nice Post

How did you miss to mention 'Muthal Mariyathai' for BR?

[Lt_Apple]

Groucho,
Nice Post

How did you miss to mention 'Muthal Mariyathai' for BR?

Muthal Mariyathai is a great movie. But BR alone is not responsible.

First, of course, you had a great story. The lead character needed someone prominent. Someone with great presence. Someone who can bring with him a history of powerful performance. Let's consider people who had worked with BR up to that time. He can't use any of them. Not even Vijayan or other 'matured' actor. Who do you use? Jai Shankar? Ravichandran?

You have no option but to use NT. Until then, people were so used to seeing this overweight, ageing actor in ridiculous wig and makeup, doing roles that does not resonate with someone his age and weight.

NT had that courage to do this role. It takes a lots of humility to do it. To neglect makeup (except moustache); to appear in drab costume; to have the character constantly humiliated by his wife. NT's history makes us symphatise with this character. NT brought out the humility, the humour; and the emotions of a caged animal so well. The yearning for love; the way he sees it in Kuyil; his love/hate relationship with his own family.

Tell me, who else can bring it out?

So, BR got himself a great story, and most importantly a great actor. Then, you have Ilayaraja, who did one of his best work in both the songs and background score. Any composer moving to rural areas will find himself subconsciously copying Ilayaraja. Of course, his songs became more powerful with Vairamuthu's line that understood the emotions of the character and the ambience very well.

So, I don't think BR alone is reason for the success of the movie. All you have to do is think of anyone else in NT's role. It would have been a good movie, but not a classic.

[brraverishhh]

Groucho,
Agreed with you ..But BR himself told that If NT wouldn't agree to do this role ,he would have droped the movie itself ,since he made the story with NT in mind ,and the title 'Muthal Mariyathai' is not just for the story ,it is BR's muthal mariyathai to NT.

[TorryJens]

Nice post (as usual) Groucho.

Some of them are big sweep. Hope you find time for more elaborate posts on each of them.

KB moved snatched the torch from Sridhar and sprinted. He must have really taken the world by storm back then. In terms of style and range and sheer prolificity KB's filmography is remarkable. The gradual movement of KB films from stage-style and his phases merit elaborate mention.

All said, the film that changed the equations in Tamil Cinema was 16 vayathinilE. It kind of shook up what we saw on screen. But IMO the crucial turn was the shift in emphasis from story and dialogue to screenplay and visuals. It is in this respect that this movie is historic. The transition from say the MKT times to Sridhar's conversation, recast the verbal element. BUt it was still words words and words. 16V turned things upside down. I remember Kamal once saying that it was this film that gave people like Balu MAhendra to make films in Tamil (he was so long associated with Kerala film industry that many thought he was a Keralite !)

[Peptobismol]

how abt "ma" series - Mahendran and Maniratnam??

[Big A]

how abt "ma" series - Mahendran and Maniratnam??

You are right Prabhu Ram, 16 Vayathinile is indeed a grounbreaking movie. It opened up the possibilities for colour cinematography, hence Mahendran and Balu Mahendra's films.

Maddy,

Manirathnam has his own dedicated thread. But I wonder what happened to Mahendran. Brilliant director. He did few good films and then? What happened to his Sasanam?

[doctorzlo]

What happened to his Sasanam?

I beleive Sasanam released already ,but failed to get attention ,no impact

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

I beleive Sasanam released already ,but failed to get attention ,no impact

AV was full of praises for this movie ... shud be gud

[HedgeYourBets]

How many marks did AV give to that movie ?? Do you know the approximate date of release? I can look it up online

[doctorzlo]

PR,
Pinnureenga!

[TorryJens]

How many marks did AV give to that movie ?? Do you know the approximate date of release? I can look it up online

Ive searched a lot...

if u get PM

[Big A]

How many marks did AV give to that movie ?? Do you know the approximate date of release? I can look it up online

not sure abt the marks.. and the book was dated 3rdweek of 8/2006

[Slonopotam845]

AV\Kumudham just praised the movie. Mark ellam podala ...

[Paul Bunyan]

Bharathiraja is one of the worst directors in tamil cinema when it comes to song picturisation.....he has killed many IR and ARR songs with his amateurish picturisation.....just 3 samples to start with.....

- wat a song from the maestoro.....

the director and producer shaking their head
that famous chandrashekar smile
then angels in yellow half torn clothes playing guitar like Kurt Cobain
chandrashekar jumping and playing in a hotel server dress
there is a symphony going on in the beach only...this is where "Bach symphony" evolved??
tell u wat IR looks the best in that song.....



the brahmin topless hero and christian wedding dress clad heroine...they were supposed to marry but end up singing in flower rain
showing children performing acts of love......isnt this child abuse??
who is showering those flowers from the sky??
ultimately they strip naked to sleep in flower bed.....hahaha



just watch for the slow motion "try" by Nizhalgal ravi in the middle of the song..... ......its funnier than T.Rajender's movies......

there are hordes of other great songs by the maestoro and "smiling assasin" which were wasted by BR.......the entire KKS album was killed by BR which is "unbailable offence" for me..... .......kasthuri maane from puthumai pen is another example....

wonder why there is so much hype about him that he is the best director ever?? Indian cinema means songs too......if e didnt like songs to be a part of the movie, he should have never taken it.......or he should have taken some training on song picturisation b4 he ventured into movies.....

[radikal]

-deleted with warning! -