Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan - Part 5

Another victim of NTs films release date mixup. Too bad, it deserves to be up there with Thiruvilayaadal or Saraswathy Sabathan, though it lacks the cast power of the APN films.


Murali-sar, you keep outdoing yourself. Look at this, we now have three parts! :D Chockfull of information and observation. A simple thanks would not be enough. But then, allow me to thank you. Hope to see response, and sharing of info and experience from others.

By the way, you mentioned Manohar's villainism is a bit different. How?

Dear Murali Sir,
Thank you for covering my all time favourite movie, Mahakavi Kalidas. It was purely the time of the release that determined the fate of this film, which had no reason not to be successful commercially. The chinnan part was really a masterpiece for NT. And he did the role of Kalidasa with much ease. And Yaar tharuvar Indha Ariyaasanam was used timingly by Doordarshan and played immediately on DD1 Tamil Oliyum Oliyum programme when NT assumed office as an Member of Parliament. And when he returned Madras after assuming office, a rousing reception was accorded at the Airport and the crowd was uncontrollable. But the powers that be (in spite of ruling alliance) thought other wise and deliberately posted a handful of police for protection. Unbearable on hearing the crowd, they started dispersing the crowd, when NT came out. On hearing this NT asked them not to do so. He smelt the conspiracy immediately and Rajasekharan asked all the fans to remain and a procession immediately started from Meenambakkam Airport to Boag Road. And when the crowd followed NT, it was a sea of humans and all of them walked behind. The procession was almost 1 to 2 kms. long. And all through the rally not a single person moved away and every body ensured that he did reach Boag Road and only after which they disbursed. Such was the following NT had. And whenver this song was played, Yaar tharuvar indha ariyasanam, my mind spontaneously recollects this procession which I was part of.
Thank you Murali Sir,
Raghavendran

Dear friends,
The wait is worth. happy news for fans. RAJ Video Vision has brought the DVD Combo of our evergreen hero's hot movies -
ARUNODHAYAM
and
ANJAL PETTI 520.

Arunodhayam has a neat print and all the songs in tact. Anjal Petti 520 print is better but has a lot of cuts and only one song is featured, Sandana silaiye kobama. Any way because of the film's gripping style of narration, it is worth the watch.

Raghavendran

DEAR RAGHAVENDRA SIR,
Thanks for your information on the dvd.Did both the films release in the same year?.

One small correction,it was rajyasabha MP and not member of parliament.

please provide some information on the statue unveiled function in arakkonam as I could not find it in any newspaper in bangalore

Thank you Senthil,
It was Rajya Sabha and not Member of Parliament. Thank you for pointing out the mistake.
Arunodhayam was in 1971. Anjal Petti 520 was in 1969
RAghavendran

இந்த வார ஆனந்த விகடன் இதழில் (22.07.2009) பொக்கிஷம் பகுதியில் [பழைய ஆ.வி. இதழ்களிலிருந்து மறு பிரசுரம் செய்யும் பகுதி] கீழ்க்கண்ட செய்திகள் வந்திருக்கின்றன.


நான் சிவாஜி ரசிகன் -பிரித்வி ராஜ்கபூர்

நானும் நண்பர்களும் பம்பாய் சென்றிருந்தபோது, பிருதிவி ராஜ் கபூரைச் சந்திக்கும் வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தது. அவரோடு உரையாடும்போது 'நடிப்புத் திறமை' பற்றிப் பேச்சு வந்தது. அப்போது அவர் கூறினார்...

''சினிமாவைப் பொறுத்தவரை சிறந்த நடிகனாவது சுலபம். நடை, உடை, பாவனைகளை மாற்றிக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்ற அவசியம் இல்லை. ஏற்ற பாத்திரத்தின் உணர்ச்சிகளை முகபாவத்தில் காட்டி, அலட்டிக் கொள்ளாமல் அநாயாசமாக நடித்துப் பெயர் வாங்கிவிடலாம். மேலை நாட்டு நடிகர்களும் இப்படித்தான் செய்கிறார்கள். நடை, உடை, பேச்சு முதலியன நிஜ வாழ்வில் எப்படியோ அப்படியேதான் இருக்கும். முகபாவம் மட்டும் பாத்திரத்தின் தன்மையைக் காட்டும். ஆனால், நமது சிவாஜி இருக்கிறாரே, அவர் தனது ஒவ்வொரு அங்க அசைவிலும் பாத்திரத்தின் தன்மையைக் காட்டிவிட வேண்டும் என்று பாடுபட்டு நடிக்கிறார். அந்த முயற்சியில் வெற்றியும் பெறுகிறார். அவரைப் பெற்ற நாம் பாக்கியசாலிகள்! மற்ற நடிகர்கள் அவரிடமிருந்து கற்க வேண்டிய நுணுக்கங்கள் பல உள்ளன. எந்த நாட்டில் பிறந்திருந்தாலும், 'சிறந்த நடிகர்' என்ற பாராட்டைப் பெறக்கூடிய திறமை அவரிடம் உள்ளது. பம்பாயில் இவரது நாடகங்கள் நடந்தால், உடல்நலத்தைக் கூடப் பொருட்படுத்தாமல் போய்ப் பார்த்துவிடுவேன். நான் ஒரு சிவாஜி ரசிகன்.''

வட இந்திய திரையுலகத் தந்தை எனப் போற்றப்படும் பிருத்விராஜ் கபூரைப் பற்றி சிவாஜி முன்பொருதரம் கூறியதென்ன தெரியுமா?

''அவரா? அவர் எங்களுக்கெல்லாம் வழிகாட்டியாயிற்றே! இந்தியாவில் சிறந்த நடிகர்கள் மட்டுமல்ல, மேல் நாட்டு நடிகர்களுக்கும் ஈடு கொடுக்கும் நடிகர்கள்கூட இங்கு இருக்கிறார்கள் என்பதை நிரூபித்தவராயிற்றே!அவரிடமிருந்து கற்க வேண்டியது எவ்வளவோ! அதற்கு நீண்ட ஆயுள் வேண்டும். அவர் ஒரு நடிப்புக் கடல். அவர் காலில் விழுந்து கும்பிட்டதன் பலன்தான் இன்று நான் உயர்ந்த நிலையில் இருக்கிறேன்! இந்திய நடிகர்களின் தந்தை அவர்!''

- பி.ஆர்.விசுவநாதன்.

மேற்சொன்ன செய்தி 31.10.1965 ஆ.வி. இதழில் வெளியானது.

பண்டைத் தமிழ்நாட்டிலே அரசர்களும், பிரபுக்களும் கலைஞர்களுக்கு வாரி வழங்கு வதுதான் வழக்கமாக இருந்தது. இப்போது காலம் மாறிவிட்டது. மக்கள் மன்னர்களாக மாறிவிட்டனர்! அதனால், கலைஞர்கள் வள்ளல்களாக மாற முடிந்திருக்கிறது.

சென்ற வாரம் நடிகர் திலகம் சிவாஜி கணேசன், நகரத்தில் ஏழைப் பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கு இலவச உணவளிக்கும் திட்டத் துக்கு இதுவரை யாருமே கொடுத்தறியாத பெருந் தொகையாக ஒரு லட்சம் ரூபாய் கொடுக்க முன் வந்துள்ளார். கட்டபொம்மன் நாடகத்தின் நூறாவது தின விழாக் கொண் டாட்டத்தை ஒட்டி, இந்த நூறாயிரம் ரூபாய் இப் பெரும் பணிக்கு அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த அரிய செயலைக் கண்டு வீரபாண்டிய கட்டபொம்மனின் ஆன்மா ஆனந்தமடைகிறது.

தமிழ்நாட்டில் இத்தகைய ஈகையுள்ளம் படைத்த கலைஞர்கள் இருக்கிறார்கள் என்பது நமது பாரதப் பிரதமருக்குத் தெரிய வேண்டும் என்ற நோக்கத்தோடு, நமது முதன்மந்திரி, சமீபத்தில் சென்னைக்கு விஜயம் செய்யவிருக்கும் பிரதம மந்திரி நேருஜி கையாலேயே அதை நகரசபைக்கு அளிக்கவேண்டும் என்று யோசனை கூறினார்.

நல்ல காரியங்களுக்கு உதவி புரிவதில் எப்போதுமே முன்னணியில் நின்று வருகிறார்கள் நம் தமிழ்நாட்டு நட்சத்திரங்கள். புயலடித்தாலும், வெள்ளம் வந்தாலும் அவர்கள் நெஞ்சம் நெகிழ்ந்துவிடும். ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கு இலவச உணவு அளிக்கும் அரிய லட்சியத்துக்கு லட்சம் ரூபாய் கொடுத்த சிவாஜி கணேசன் அவர்களைக் குழந்தைகள் கொண்டாடும்; தெய்வம் வாழ்த்தும்; தமிழ்த் தாய் பெருமைப் படுவாள்!

மேற்சொன்ன செய்தி 12.04.1959 ஆ.வி. இதழில் வெளியானது.

இது தவிர 27.02.1966 தேதியிட்ட இதழில் வெளியான நடிகர் திலகம் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட ஒரு செய்தியையும் மறு பிரசுரம் செய்திருக்கிறார்கள். 1966 வருடம் ஜனவரி மாதம் குடியரசு தினத்தன்று நடிகர் திலகம் பத்மஸ்ரீ பட்டம் பெற்ற போது பானுமதி அவர்களுக்கும் பத்மஸ்ரீ கிடைத்தது. இதற்காக பிலிம் வர்த்தக சபை நடத்திய பாராட்டு விழாவில் நன்றி தெரிவித்து இருவரும் ஒரே நேரத்தில் மேடையில் பேசியிருக்கிறார்கள். நடிகர் திலகம் தமிழில் என்ன சொன்னாரோ அதையே அப்படியே தெலுங்கில் பானுமதி பேசியிருக்கிறார். தமிழிலும் தெலுங்கிலும் மாறி மாறி வந்த நன்றியை கேட்டு கூட்டத்தினர் அனைவரும் சிரித்து மகிழ்ந்தனர் என்று குறிப்பிட்டுளார்கள்.

இதோடு சேர்ந்து நடிகர் திலகம் வொயிட் & வொயிட்டில் பாடம் செய்த புலியின் மீது கை வைத்து நிற்கும் அமர்க்களமான போஃஸ் முழுப்பக்கத்தில் வந்திருக்கிறது.

அன்புடன்

Rakesh,

Thanks. Kalidas is one of my favourites and performance wise, it is there at the top. Yes, release confusions played a part in it's not so impressive performance at the BO and as I said, APN with the better packaged Sarawathy Sabatham walked all the way to the Bank laughing.

Raghavender Sir,

Thanks for the information about the procession. though I have read about mammooth crowds receiving NT at the airport, the fact that he was taken to Boag road in a procession was news to me.

Senthil,

The statue was not unveiled in Arokkaonam town. The place is 20 kms from Arokkonam [சிற்றூர்]. As I sadi the cost was borne by the local mandram with few public figures contributing. So for a small town function the crowd was ok, that's what I was told.

Regards

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAGHAVENDRA

Dear Rangan Sir,
Happy to see you again. And now almost all friends have resumed and it is a pleasant sight. Thank you all. As you said, Mr. Y.Gee.Mahendra does not leave a chance to mention NT. It's really great on him. We hope to see more in the coming episodes. He has taken this memorial day of NT with him and is staging the play VIETNAM VEEDU exclusively for Fans. And on our part, our website is going to present him with a TITLE as a small token of appreciation of his efforts to glorify NT. The title would reflect the recognition of service done to glorify NT. Pls await for the D-Day to know the title.
And the presence of all of you brings cheer to one and all of us and let this thread make another record by its busting entries.
Raghavendran

---

Dear Raghavendra Sir,

Thanks for your kind words. Due to unavoidable reasons I'm not able to visit the hub frequetly. I really miss a lot.

BTW, a couple of weeks back I met my father-in-law and he was mentioning that he was a member in the " Maadi poonga rasigar mandram" near Stanley hospital, which was actively functioning in the 60's & 70's. May be you could throw more light on this Sir, as you must be aware of most of the mandrams that existed in Chennai.

Couple of days back, Mega TV played a song from " Mannavan Vandhanadi" which goes like, " Naan nattai thiruthaporen, andha koataya pidikka poren...". The lyric over-flowed with political bashings, mockery & accusations.

The costumes of NT & his actions was totally contradictory to the otherwise strongly worded song. Why was this done ?

For a man like NT, who is totally dedicated towards his profession & one who is unaware about the cunningness & intrigues of bad politics, such a song is definitely not his cup of tea.

Looks like a bunch of opportunists had taken a jolly good ride on NT's back.

Dear Mohan Sir,
Thank you for mentioning Madi Poonga Rasigar Mandram. The name Madi Poonga itself has a vintage legacy to its credit and this was made famous the world over by our Fan Club. Till the early 80s this mandram was functioning to my knowledge and it might have even continued beyond that but I did nt have touch after mid 80s. Though I know almost all the fans in that Mandram, One Mr. Ramesh Babu was closer to me and we too would discuss about NT for hours together at the Shanthi Theatre and may be your father too would have joined us. I do not know his name but if you could recollect me his name by some means, it would help me identify him too. This particular mandram was famous throughout Tamil Nadu along with the Karnan Ganesan Kalai Rasigar Mandram in the same area, Kondi Thoppu Sivaji Rasigar Mandram, then there was a separate group from Crown Theatre to name a few in the North Madras Mint Area. In fact in 1977 July there was a Public Meeting on the Marina Beach (24th July 1977), which witnessed one of the huge gatherings for NT. This meeting was preceeded by a Procession which started at Thangasalai Manikoondu and after the procession went about 2 to 3 kms. even then the starting point witnessed vans and trucks to join the procession. Such was the crowd NT had then. And the Madi Poonga people were so kind that they spent money like any thing to feed drinking water, buttermilk and whatever fans needed, to quench their thirst in the scorching Sun.
And in South Madras, there were umpteen clubs too. Among them notable were Saidai Sivandha Mann Rasigar Mandram led by Ramadas, Gnana Oli Sivaji Rasigar Mandram at Triplicane near Parthasarathy Temple, Again Karnan Sivaji Rasigar Mandram at Triplicane, etc. The more notable one was the "Shyam Prasad Hotel Staff Sivaji Rasigar Mandram" (Shyam Prasad hotel Oozhiyargal Sivaji Rasigar Mandram) which would organise functions to mark Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, Sivaji Birth Day, etc. There was hectic competition among fan clubs of Sivaji to show their might in glorifying NT. And the UNDERLINING POINT WAS ALL OF THEM SPENT FROM THEIR OWN POCKETS, unlike other Stars who initiated such activities by their own contributions.
Hmm.....those were Golden Days....
And coming to Mannavan Vandhanadi.
I do not know why you dont like the song Nattai Thirutha Poren. Because this very song was the main reason for the rousing reception of this film at the Box Office. In the Shanthi Theatre, it had morning shows extra on Saturday and Sunday for about 8 weeks, i.e. 16 shows, all of them to packed HOUSE FULL Shows. This song was so timely and badly needed for the Old Congress Party when NT was at his peak. And the character was so cleverly moulded by Balamurugan that this song completely fit in the situation. You see the film in full and then you would understand the concept. Nattilulla Perunthalaivar Kaatti Vaitha Padhaiyile Naattaiye Aala Poren. This line would make the whole theatre thunderous. I saw this film innumerable times exclusively for this song.
Shall write more later.
Raghavendran

Mohan,

As Ragahavendar had mentioned, the song was one of the high points of the movie. From your post, I infer that you have not watched the movie. The story is that NT would be in hiding and under disguise pretending himself to be a mentally unstable man. So his costumes were designed in that manner. In fact he would ride on a donkey.

Well the political undercurrents were strong and when the movie came out [Aug 2nd,1975], the emergency was one month old and Perunthalaivar had taken ill and confined to the bed. So naturally the song received a huge response.

Regards

மதுரையில் நடிகர் திலகத்தின் சிலை [திரு வி.என்.சிதம்பரம் அவர்கள் அமைத்திருப்பது] திறப்பு விழா தேதி முடிவாகி விட்டது. அக்டோபர் மாதம் நான்காம் தேதி ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை மாலை [04.10.2009 அன்று] சிலை திறந்து வைக்கப்படும். கே.கே.நகரில் அமைந்துள்ள நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு அருகாமையில் சிலைக்கான இடம் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெரிகிறது.

அன்புடன்

Tomorrow is the day when the Divine Entertainer chose to leave us and entertain the Divine.......
May we all continue to cherish his memory.

Dear Raghavendra Sir,

Glad to know that my post has made you to take a nostalgic trip. And thanks for that wonderful & detailed post. As you said, those were really golden days. Will pm you about my father-in-law.

Reg. Mannavan Vandhanadi, I have no dislike for the song. It was the costume that was not matching with the song that made me think that way. May be I should watch the film soon.

Murali sir,

Thanks for the clarification. Now I could imagine the uproar in theatres for the song.

ஜூலை 21. எட்டு வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னாள் இதே நாளில் கலைத் தாயின் தலைமகன் நமது நடிகர் திலகம் நம்மை விட்டு பிரிந்த நாள். அவரது பூத உடல் வேண்டுமானால் நம்மிடையே இல்லாமல் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் எண்ணிலடங்கா அவரது கதாபாத்திரங்கள் மூலம் நம்மிடையே அவர் நிரந்தரமாக வாழ்ந்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். தமிழ் சினிமா இருக்கும் வரை நடிகர் திலகத்தின் புகழ் வளர்ந்துக் கொண்டேயிருக்கும். வாழ்ந்துக் கொண்டேயிருக்கும். அவரது பெருமைகளை நாமும் பேசிக் கொண்டேயிருப்போம்.

அன்புடன்

thinking of the great NT :notworthy:
thinking also of the song "aaRu manamE aaRu, antha aandavan kattalai aaRu"...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mohanraman

Tomorrow is the day when the Divine Entertainer chose to leave us and entertain the Divine.......
May we all continue to cherish his memory.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Murali Srinivas

ஜூலை 21. எட்டு வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னாள் இதே நாளில் கலைத் தாயின் தலைமகன் நமது நடிகர் திலகம் நம்மை விட்டு பிரிந்த நாள். அவரது பூத உடல் வேண்டுமானால் நம்மிடையே இல்லாமல் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் எண்ணிலடங்கா அவரது கதாபாத்திரங்கள் மூலம் நம்மிடையே அவர் நிரந்தரமாக வாழ்ந்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். தமிழ் சினிமா இருக்கும் வரை நடிகர் திலகத்தின் புகழ் வளர்ந்துக் கொண்டேயிருக்கும். வாழ்ந்துக் கொண்டேயிருக்கும். அவரது பெருமைகளை நாமும் பேசிக் கொண்டேயிருப்போம்.

அன்புடன்

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தமிழ் சினிமா வரலாற்றில் மறக்க முடியாத நாள். அவர் கதாபாத்திரங்கள் மூலம் என்றென்றும் நம்மிடையே வாழ்ந்து கொண்டிருப்பார். :bow:

நடிகர் திலகம் உடலால் நம்மை விட்டுப் பிரிந்தாலும் உள்ளத்தால் நம்மோடு தான் வாழ்ந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறார். தமிழ்த்திரையுலகில் நடிப்பு என்ற விதை அவர் நட்டது. அது இன்று ஆல் போல் தழைத்தோங்கி விருட்சமாய் அனைவருக்கும் பயனளித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.
உலகில் இயற்கை உள்ளவரை அவர் பெயர் இருக்கும்.
ராகவேந்திரன்

மறக்க முடியாத நாள், மறக்க கூடாத நாள். மறக்க முடியாத மாபெரும் கலைஞன், மறையாமல் இன்றும் நமிடையே எண்ணத்திலும், உள்ளத்திலும் வழ்ந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறார். வாழ்க நடிகர் திலகம் புகழ்.

அவரின் அமைதிக்கும் நிறைவுக்கும் என்றென்றும் என் மனமார்ந்த பிரார்த்தனைகள்

maaberum nadigar, maamanidhar - avar marupiravi eduththu vandhu meendum nadikka vendum enbadhu en praarthanai.

A small writeup on Nadigar thilagam by me.
http://passionforcinema.com/memories-about-a-lion/

I wish Murali could write an English article on NT, and jai could guest-post it on passionforcinema.
jai, that article was very good, btw,

Awesome writeup Jai. You wrote, "Writing about Sivaji is a humbling experience as it is similar to being asked to explain about the brightness of noon time Sun." It sums up the feeling I have when I am compelled to explain his performances when writing reviews of his films.

Edit. I, too, find it hard to translate Nadigar Thilagam. Jewel of an actor? Not necessary direct translation, right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by groucho070

Edit. I, too, find it hard to translate Nadigar Thilagam. Jewel of an actor? Not necessary direct translation, right?

---

May be

"Example of an actor" ?

I dont feel satisfied with the translation either.

"Pinnacle" would sound better.

Blogged about NT, myself. Click here or my signature.

Thamiz thayin mootha magan nam ithaya theivam nadigar thilagam ninaivu thinam

Yendrum nam ninaivukalil vazkirar

Nadippuchudare vazga

Vazga Sivaji

2001 July returning home from a college culturals at REC Trichy (IIRC). Had made decent money in three days and spent - what then seemed- atrocious amounts before heading Chennaiward. I had the weekend to breathe before college again.Was having the last dregs of the delusion that I could go about being someplace new and being someone else every now and then and get paid for doing things I enjoy.

A friend of mine who had the misfortune of having the seat next to me on the bus bore through my sophomoric ruminations on how the word 'actor' is an interesting paradox. "They don't have to act. They have to just be. They have to 'be' in different situations, climes, lives. They have to be what they are not. They don't ever have to 'do'. The rest of us have to do. We have to 'act', to manifest ourselves through actions and submit sufficient apology for our existence." He was the mimer of our dumb-charade tag team. He felt I was going off an a tangent clinging on to a feeble line of thought. Acting was doing, he must have felt. Surely no joke to be convincing in an alternative existence.

"Sivaji passed away" is how my mother welcomed me as I entered home after being away for 3 days. No mobiles back then for her to be worried about not knowing my exact coordinates every few hours. But I am reasonably sure if we had it, she'd have called up to convey the news. Never been much fans of Sivaji at home. My parents not much into movies and me not much into old movies then. But this was still news that we all felt important.

Just to get away from Sun TV's funeral marketing I fished out the old Muthal mariyAthai tape to have lunch over it. General chit-chat over good actor stuck in bad movies in his late years proceeded. By the time we moved into rasam we were roundly unanimously dissing films in general.

This 'good actor' bit was also received wisdom for me. His new films I had seen in theatre/tv were ordinary. Perhaps I should look up the old films to know what had now gone missing. Not to be judged by those who professed the loss loudly on TV today. Whatever little appreciation that I developed was much later and much thanks to this thread.

The next evening though, like every self respecting elitist I promptly settled on watching the weekend's latest release Tamil film with the extended family.The title card had a Sivaji homage. That was quick ! The movie was terrible. Perhaps the last ill-fitting movie he was a part of.

Well, green of me to judge and be outraged. He was everybody's.

நடிகர் திலகமே.......
என்றென்றும் உனை
நினைத்திருப்பேன்,
என்றாவது ஒரு நாள்
மறந்திருப்பேன்,
அன்று நான்
இறந்திருப்பேன்

குருவே :notworthy:

Quote:

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Well, green of me to judge and be outraged. He was everybody's

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I still make this mistake, sometimes in this very thread...thanks for reminding!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Prabhu Ram

2001 July returning home from a college culturals at REC Trichy (IIRC). Had made decent money in three days and spent - what then seemed- atrocious amounts before heading Chennaiward. I had the weekend to breathe before college again.Was having the last dregs of the delusion that I could go about being someplace new and being someone else every now and then and get paid for doing things I enjoy.

A friend of mine who had the misfortune of having the seat next to me on the bus bore through my sophomoric ruminations on how the word 'actor' is an interesting paradox. "They don't have to act. They have to just be. They have to 'be' in different situations, climes, lives. They have to be what they are not. They don't ever have to 'do'. The rest of us have to do. We have to 'act', to manifest ourselves through actions and submit sufficient apology for our existence." He was the mimer of our dumb-charade tag team. He felt I was going off an a tangent clinging on to a feeble line of thought. Acting was doing, he must have felt. Surely no joke to be convincing in an alternative existence.

"Sivaji passed away" is how my mother welcomed me as I entered home after being away for 3 days. No mobiles back then for her to be worried about not knowing my exact coordinates every few hours. But I am reasonably sure if we had it, she'd have called up to convey the news. Never been much fans of Sivaji at home. My parents not much into movies and me not much into old movies then. But this was still news that we all felt important.

Just to get away from Sun TV's funeral marketing I fished out the old Muthal mariyAthai tape to have lunch over it. General chit-chat over good actor stuck in bad movies in his late years proceeded. By the time we moved into rasam we were roundly unanimously dissing films in general.

This 'good actor' bit was also received wisdom for me. His new films I had seen in theatre/tv were ordinary. Perhaps I should look up the old films to know what had now gone missing. Not to be judged by those who professed the loss loudly on TV today. Whatever little appreciation that I developed was much later and much thanks to this thread.

The next evening though, like every self respecting elitist I promptly settled on watching the weekend's latest release Tamil film with the extended family.The title card had a Sivaji homage. That was quick ! The movie was terrible. Perhaps the last ill-fitting movie he was a part of.

Well, green of me to judge and be outraged. He was everybody's.

---

As usual u are too much :-)

Humble Homage to the Immortal Nadigar Thilagam.

You made us laugh, you made us cry, you made us forget our worries & sorrows. A perfect entertainer & a great human being.

I have 2 requests to all NT fans :

1. Pls make all efforts to pass on the the greatness of our legend to the next generation. I know very well that most of you are already doing this and this thread itself is a great example for that.

2. We should somehow try to stop the spoof's on NT made in films. Vivek is the one who is doing this time and again. First it was Mudhal mariyadhai & now Pudhiya paravai. Most of the hubber's have voiced their anguish about this many times. It's a shame on tamil film industry.

It doesn't require a " Padmashree" like Vivek to perform such third rated acts. TFI should seriously condemn such nonsense.

rangan, as Prabhu Ram's case outlines here, fair play if this sort of spoofing gets a few of the next generation to actually catch up on NT movies, and some among them realise his greatness. Now, you can tell me that for every Prabhu Ram, there will a hundred ignorant fools. But then, that one Prabhu Ram is what we want, right?

Long and short, the fact that a movie made 40-45 years ago is beign spoofed shows its impact, and if it opens the eyes of a 15-20 year old guy to that movie, and that guy is sensible, you get a new fan for NT!
No need to fret!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Plum

rangan, as Prabhu Ram's case outlines here, fair play if this sort of spoofing gets a few of the next generation to actually catch up on NT movies, and some among them realise his greatness. Now, you can tell me that for every Prabhu Ram, there will a hundred ignorant fools. But then, that one Prabhu Ram is what we want, right?

Long and short, the fact that a movie made 40-45 years ago is beign spoofed shows its impact, and if it opens the eyes of a 15-20 year old guy to that movie, and that guy is sensible, you get a new fan for NT!
No need to fret!

---

True. Imitation is the best form of flattery. However it also shows that sarakku has gone dry for the padma shrees.

Oh, and who cares about the Viveks, Jai? Let them do what they have to survive - talentless men have to imitate for a living - ask me, I know :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Plum

Oh, and who cares about the Viveks, Jai? Let them do what they have to survive - talentless men have to imitate for a living - ask me, I know :-)

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we are all in the same boat sir!! count me in..

நடிகர் திலகத்திற்கு நினைவஞ்சலி செலுத்தும் விதமாக ஒய்.ஜி.மகேந்திரா அவர்கள் வியட்நாம் வீடு நாடகத்தை இன்று வாணி மகால் அரங்கில் நடத்தினார். பிரிஸ்டிஜ் பத்மநாபன் பாத்திரத்தை அதன் கெளரவம் கெடாமல் செய்தார். நாடகம் முடிந்ததும் ஒரு விழா நடைபெற்றது.

ராதாரவி, எம்.என்.ராஜம், ராம்குமார் பேசினார்கள். இடையே ஏற்புரை போல் ஒய்.ஜி.எம் பேசினார். இறுதியில் வைரமுத்து பேசினார். [விழா நிகழ்வுகளை விரிவாக பிறகு எழுதுகிறேன்].

நமது ஹப்பர் திரு.ராகவேந்தர், நடிகர்திலகம். காம் இணைய தளத்தின் சார்பாக மகேந்திரா அவர்களுக்கு "சிவாஜி சேவா ரத்னா" என்ற விருதை வழங்கினார். நிறைய பொது மக்களும் ரசிகர்களும் கலந்து கொண்ட நிகழ்ச்சி அனைவருக்கும் மன நிறைவை தந்தது.

அன்புடன்

Jai,

A superb write up on NT. Just made me envy about the way it has been written. Trust you write more such articles.

Prabhu once had written in this pages that we need to patent the statement Great write up while expressing his views about Saradhaa's post. I always used to think that it suits Prabhu more than anybody else. More than the style, the truth in it made me like it.

Rakesh had also dished out a good piece in his blog and I am doubly happy that the name NT evokes such strong passionate write ups and we are richer by the dozen.

Plum, as per your wish let me try to do something.

Regards

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Murali Srinivas

Jai,

A superb write up on NT. Just made me envy about the way it has been written. Trust you write more such articles.

Prabhu once had written in this pages that we need to patent the statement Great write up while expressing his views about Saradhaa's post. I always used to think that it suits Prabhu more than anybody else. More than the style, the truth in it made me like it.

Rakesh had also dished out a good piece in his blog and I am doubly happy that the name NT evokes such strong passionate write ups and we are richer by the dozen.

Plum, as per your wish let me try to do something.

Regards

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Whatever you guys have been discussing here is what prompted me to expedite the article. Any event associated with NT should be a pan indian one according to me - for his acting was absolutely a universal delight.
Much of the quality of the article is directly attributable to folks here and any mistakes you find in that one are mine and mine alone.