Top 10 Versatile Actors

Karthik,

You have selectively taken Rakesh's one sentence from that post and quoted it here. So many people have answered this question many times, and we can answer this again if you want. But don't want to start something which would hurt many. Why Sivaji's name is unnecessarily dragged here?

Karthik (Anban),

Didn't expect this from you.

Regards

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Murali Srinivas

Karthik (Anban),

Didn't expect this from you.

Regards

---

Murali sir,

My comment was targeted at the hypocrisy in the bias we have towards our favourites. It has nothing to do with my perception or opinion about NT/MGR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nerd

1. Ability to blend into the film, irrespective of the film's milieu, mood, theme, setting
A little weak in this area because he hasn't really chosen a variety of roles. But from whatever he has done he was able to blend easily.
2. Variety of roles - not sure what this means though - let's say ability to emote a range of emotions
Range of emotions - PudhuppEttai. A multi dimensional role with ample scope for performance. Did very well. And was great in comedy and action in Pollaathavan.
3. Should we bring in ability to do any accent.
Manages Chennai thamizh very well. He hasn't gone out of chennai has he!
Other points
Acting in two films under pretty good directors :)
Ease of performance:
Again I have to go back to PP and P. I think he was very convincing in P without trying too hard and was very convincing in PP trying too hard. But the best part is the efforts dint show. Not sure if that made sense.
Comedy:
I think he is also a natural. Was pretty good in pollAthavan. Have not seen TA and padikkAthavan, someone plis fill in.
Presence.
Not bad with the kind of baadi he has.
Low point:
Very few noteworthy performances so far. PudhuppEttai, PollAdhavan and a decent kAdhal kondEn.

---

I am backing this man's point. Especially the baadi part :lol:

Nerd, Simran :evil: vishayam tavira matta vishayattula otrumaiyaa irukkoom. :D

Murali, great to see you in this thread. Neenga varutha padadheenga, naanga pathukkaeom. Sivaji peyar edutha indha thread close panna vendi varunbu munnadiye nd or 3rd pagelaye solli irundhaen. Pasanga konjam thudukku...

Plum.... with all due respect.... idhaththaan bias'in uchcha nilainu solvaanga :)

Murali sir, <<< we can answer this again if you want >>> PM pls :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sarna

Plum.... with all due respect.... idhaththaan bias'in uchcha nilainu solvaanga :)

Murali sir, <<< we can answer this again if you want >>> PM pls :)

---

Ennatha solla - Sivaji is teh very definition of versatility. When you talk about him, you can expand the definition of versatility we put here, and expand it to include further parameters, and still he'll come up trumps. Edho indha thread-kaga, we limited the requirements for versatility - illaina Dhanush pathi ellam indha thread-la discuss kooda paNNi irukka mudiyadhu.

Versatility - the ability to express a range of emotions in a range of styles - from a stage melodramatic stlye to neo-realistic style,a nd the whole damn range of styles in between. Porumaiya aarainijineenganna you'll get an example for everything from NT's ouevre.

For this thread's purpose, I diluted the definition to "ability to express a range of emotional states of character in any style that is achievable by the said actor . Idhukke oruthar kooda muzhu manasa, perumbanmaiya theralai.

People say Madhavan is at ease etc- but did he succeed much when he went out of his natural style - limited - adhukke avarai versatile thilagam-nu inge...
Surya - a different set of hubbers give the same reasoning for Surya's versatility as Maddy fan hubbers give maddy. But broadly, we all agreed that both are quite limited.

And then we have to talk about Sivaji Ganesan, who can not only emote a range, but in different styles? Avarala Maddy style of acting-la emote pannavum mudiyum. Surya style-layum mudiyum. S

You go and read Murali Srinivas's chronicles - there are movies(paasa malar, Pudhiya paravai) where he prepared for acting, and did a prep style there. There are scores of movies where he just landed up in the sets, and proceeded to be at ease as the character. Idhellaam, vera evankuum mukkinalum varadhu.

If you talk about method acting, spontaneous acting etc, you bring in whatever theories you want - we'll show you how/when Sivaji achieved that, even probably not knowing the theory behind it.
Idhu bais-na, I am proud to be biased.

Plum, as you may already know I am with you. As Joe had said, "NT is king of acting, overacting, underacting, whatever acting you want".


By the way, I never said Madhavan is very versatile. I have said before that he had his limitations (see also his thread). I said that he is a fine actor.

Versatile-na, anyone can be versatile. But the kosteen is, can they do it well? Madhavan's ability is that he is able to transcend many genres. Athu oru form of versatility-na, then he is. But after the seniors, I don't see any actor who completely proven us their versatility. Madhavan comes close, that's all.

Plum, u misunderstood me :oops: sivaji'ya paththi ingEy pEsakkoodaadhu'nra maadhiri sonneengala, adhukkudhaan apdi(bias) sonnEn :) maththabadi vEra onnum illa :)

In general, Versatility'ku sariyaana definition therinjukkanum'naa Sivaji ganesar'oda ellaappadaththayum paaththirukkanum/paakkanum 8-)

even the "Look ma, I am acting" statement at NT is codswallop :evil:

What I had earlier stated and what I meant above, Sarna, was that if we bring in Sivaji, matter will be over. Adhukkappuram Discussion-ndara pechukke idam illai, others lose deposit. I have no issues discussing that - in fact, it might pave the way for prodding groucho, especially, into continuing the discussion he started long back on method acting etc, and comparisions of sivaji with certain acclaimed international actors.

Plum,
If i understood right, the point Vikki was making was not that of questioning Nadigar Thilagam's versatility or greatness but rather the bias against this so-called "look ma i'm acting".
NT-ellam indha thread la konduvara vendiya avasiyam illa for obvious reasons (and Kamal fans naanga Kamal-a pathiyum adha thaan solluvom). That's besides the point.
The thing is, if one were to apply the "look ma i'm acting" rule, the first round of casualties would be guru-sishyan NT-Kamal. Again, let us not please get into a NT vs Kamal mode but the point is, there will not be a single *versatile* actor who will pass.

Abhay Deol was "natural, and "spontaneous" in Oye Lucky and DevD. Those seem to be his comfort zone roles. One has to see him try different stuff. Like i already said, the last thing one would say about Madhavan's performance in say ND is "natural" or DLMINA. The end result is whether we think an actor is good and convincing or not. Illena everybody has to play Clint Eastwood, irrespective of the role, to earn the honors of DLMINA

And as Groucho himself has quoted Joe as saying. "NT is the king of underacting, overacting, controlled acting" etc, thats is exactly my point. It depends on the role.