Excellent choice for a tribute. Viewers will get not one, or two, but three NTs. It would be useful, Joe, to give us a reminder before 24th. Though I'm in KL, I can buzz my folks in Johore to watch (they can access Singapore broadcasts)
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Excellent choice for a tribute. Viewers will get not one, or two, but three NTs. It would be useful, Joe, to give us a reminder before 24th. Though I'm in KL, I can buzz my folks in Johore to watch (they can access Singapore broadcasts)
Murali Anna
When is your next write up ? Already overdue ! :D
Joe dear .....Enna neenga ippaellam oru guest madhiri ayuteenga :oops:
Now Groucho70 & Abkalabi are keeping it lively ! thanks
Unga current Avatar scene dhaan indha padathula best scene ! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by joe
Another scene - when the first son sees his mother for the first time in a temple with clothes partially closing his face . Look at the reaction from NT .... andha oru pasam, kaneer, petra annayai mudhal mudhalaga parkum oru sandhosham , ekkam - all in one flash !
this is another NT special scene !
Another almost similar scene was from Pava mannippu - when NT goes to meet M.R.Radha but sees his mother M.V.Rajamma but doesnt know at that time that he was her son !
Terrific expression from NT here !
MVR : Rahim .....
NT : Aslaaam ....... echoing the feelings of someone who is an orphan & craving for motherly affection...
there will be mild tears in his eyes !
Yaaru kathu koduthaanga ivarukku !!!!
What did I watch last weekend? I received a call with the same question, and I answered “Gurudatchanai”. And the caller asked if it was Rajini film.
There is nothing wrong with that response. Gurudatchanai is not exactly well-known among NT’s films. This, despite featuring big names like AP Nagarajan as director, KV Mahadevan as composer and co-stars like Jayalalitha, Padmini (yes, both in one film), and character actors like Major Sudararajan, Palaiyah, Sarangabani (the old actor, TR Ramachandran, Manorama, etc.
You may be wondering, what went wrong? In fact, I am STILL wondering what went wrong.
In my opinion, this is a very beautiful film. NT plays a Muradan type, an illiterate, whose attributes are recognised and appreciated by very few. His rough approach is frown upon by what is made up of mostly ungrateful villagers.
Then, one day, a teacher walks in. Played by Padhmini, she is there for one reason alone and that is to teach.
NT, in the meantime, finds love in Jayalalitha, a village girl, who gets chased out by her dad. NT finds her in his own house one day, and is not able to send her off. Though under his roof, he behaves nobly.
NT later sees the value of education and after a series of incident manages to convince Padhmini to teach him to read and write. Of course, the villagers would not shut up and starts making up stories between them.
So, that is what the story is about. The heart of the story is about the value of education. That a rough, rowdy-ish person like NTs character can be soften down with literacy and the beauty of Tamil language.
So, what went wrong? I guess, as Murali sar has mentioned, it has much to do with the fact that NT is undergoing action hero phase. Very sad, indeed.
NT's performance is flawless. His yearning for education looks and feels real. Padhmini is beautiful and perfect as a virtuous teacher. Jayalalitha is cute and unlike what you expect, plays rather and understanding lover. The rest of the cast fills up moments most memorably.
It was nice of AP Nagarajan to make a deviation from his usual Mythical film and look at the social conditions of that time. Unfortunately, this film did not help him.
Great story. Beautifully resonating performances. Apt direction. And you even get a double combo of NT/JJ and NT/Padhmini pairing.
What else did the audience want? Arrrrrrrrrgh (biting my knuckles, now)
Oh well, just one of those frustrating days….
Additional Note: I strongly believe that this film was an inspiration for Barathiraja for his Kadalora Kavithaigal.
Dear Balaji,
Last 15 days had been hectic for me and by the looks of it, this may go up to this month end. Even I am not able to reply to mails. I was thinking for excuses to make myself free for July 21st but the news is Statue ceremony will be postponed it seems. I will try to find time on Sunday to type the next phase. I too feel that a long gap had come. But if you notice the last post drew the least response though it covered a lot of incidents in a matter of just 6 months.
As you mentioned we must thank Groucho070 and abkhlabhi for keeping it live and lovely.
Groucho070,
Guru Dhakshinai as you mentioned was a good film but failed at the BO. My cousin used to say that on the opening day opening show at the time of interval, the fans were escastic and were shouting "Velli Vizha" but the second half let them down. The turn of the events in the second half where NT allows himself to submission before the teacher character played by Padmini did not go down well with the fans. Then as I had pointed out earlier and quoted by you, that was the phase where NT movies were undergoing change and imagine this came after Thanga Churangam. Also the frequent releases of NT movies during that period also didn't help matters. In that year (1969), NT had many releases.
1. Anbalippu - Jan (1st)
2. Thanga Churangam - March
3.Kaaval Deivam - May
4.Guru Dhakshinai - June
5. Anjal Petti 520 - July
6. Nirai Kudam - August
7. Deiva Magan - Sep
8. Thirudan - Oct
9.Sivandha Mann - Nov
So the no of releases also played a part. Compare this to MGR who had only 2 releases
1.Adimai Penn -May
2.Nam Nadu- Nov.
So many factors played a part in the film's poor performance.
Groucho070, do you want to know the comments of NT regarding this movie? Here it is
Padathirkkaga kooda Naan Yaar Kaalilum Vizhuvathai Rasigargal Ettrukolla Mattargal Enbathai Unarthiya Padam.
Regards
PS: It had two good songs, Ondre Ondru Ulagam Ondru for Padmini and Orangi Rangamani Kanni, a duet for NT-JJ.
Hi
I think KADALOORA KAVITHAIGAL made based on GURUTHATCHANAI.
after reading the post i felt like that.
ramesh
Hah! We manage to pull Murali-sar out of his pile of work. You need to come here once in a while to release your stress, sir! But don't worry, in yours and some seniors absence, juniors like me will do our best to keep it alive.
That 1969 list is amazing Murali-sar. What a list!!! What a treat for NT fans. As most of us here agreed, that was THE greatest era for NT. Most creative era, in fact, though some has been remakes.
I guess the NT quote goes to show that even the greatest talent has sometime bow to the demand of the audience.
I regret to say that I have not watched two of the flicks - Thirudan and Anjal Peti. I will, of course, grab it if it appears in our local movie shop.
Groucho
I too feel that the 60s were the best period of NT !
You should watch Motor Sundaram Pillai - this man suddenly will resemble a middle aged man with big tummy !
One of the movies where we can see a subtle acting ! I mean another Paarthaal pasi theerum type acting !
Enna Ramesh .... Pudhu gundu podureenga ! I am also getting a similar feeling now after you mentioned it !
Murali Anna .....
Waiting for your next round. No problem. Take time
Groucho ...
Have you seen Gnyana Oli ? One of my all time NT favourites !
Gnyana Oli : ultimate movie. NT showed two different styles(not new). one illiterate and rich man. You should body language of NT after becoming rich man. ENNA STYLE. especially scenes where he meets Major KALAKIVIDUVAR. Ultimate movie.
ramesh
Gnana Oli.
What a movie!
The film takes on three different moods, with tragic ends on each.
The first act sees NT in jovial mood. Playing around (the rooftop sequence is a delight, "Amma Kannu"). A tragic end with his wife's death. Beautifully rendered sequence that sees NT preparing, unwittingly, his own wife's coffin.
The second act sees his daughter. Childhood pal Major Sunderarajan enters his life. This act too ends in double tragedy - one death of Srikanth, his daugther's lover, and death of beloved priest.
Paralel to both acts, we see NTs undying love for his priest.
Third act takes a different twist altogether...NT literally unrecognisable (not talking about his makeup and getup, but his performance as a rich man...with different body languages, nuances). This is where we get Deevanee song. Beautifully picturised. Someone mentioned (was it Balaji) about the moving clouds in this sequence. The ending is not so tragic, though NT is apprehended he finally is united with his daughter and granddaughter.
From what I learned in this forum, Gnana Oli was a big success. I think it all comes from the fact that the second and third act contained elements of thriller. From the moment Anthony (NT) finds out his daughter's affair, its thrill a minute, thanks to both NTs performance and the pacing of the movie. Things get better when NT comes back. Major knows well who this newcomer is, and thus begins a delightful cat and mouse game between these two.
I think P. Madhavan directed this movie, and he directed it with professional grace. He knew what is there to be extracted out of NT and he (and us, the audience) gets the most. MSV did an amazing job, not only giving us memorable songs but thunderous background score as well.
Complete with wonderful cast (I forget who played the priest, he was amazing) this is one flick that can never go wrong. It never did.
So, there you go Balaji. Another loooong post of mine. You asked for it, hehe.