The comedian's tragedy - N S Krishnan

Source http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/12/15/stories/2008121551290800.htm

The comedian's tragedy

S. MUTHIAH

There's one more centenary I must remember before the year is out - and that is that of N.S. Krishnan, whom film historian Randor Guy calls `The King of Comedy'.

NSK, as he was known, was born in Nagercoil in 1908 to parents too poor to send him to school. But even if he had gone to school, it is a moot question as to how long he would have stayed in it, for even as a child he was fascinated by the stage. NSK was in his teens when he started working with one of the most famous Tamil travelling theatre companies of the time, TKS Brothers. It was a warm and successful relationship that lasted 10 years.

During that decade, NSK, who knew every role in every TKS play and could step into any of them at a moment's notice, moved from serious roles and the occasional singing one to comedy quite serendipitously. When the troupe's comedian went missing one day, NSK offered to play his role - and did so so innovatively, he became the troupe's comedian thereafter.

In 1935, when the whole cast of the TKS Brothers' play Menaka was hired for a film to be adapted from it, Krishnan's success in it launched him as a film comedian who became a legend in Tamil cinema. Film followed film - and when Vasanthasena came along he found himself not only starring with a new actress, T.A. Mathuram, but also falling in love with her. Till his death in 1957, they were a couple on stage as well as off it. In his later years, it was she who did much to keep the home fires burning.

It was in the mid-1940s, heading out to qualify as an engineer, that I got fascinated with journalism after reading The Hindu's splendid and detailed reporting of the Lakshmikantham Murder Case. The only better newspaper report of a trial I've come across was the one in The Times, London, on what became known as `The Trial of Lady Chatterly's Lover', the famous obscenity case that followed publication by Penguin of the D.H. Lawrence story that had long been banned in Britain. (For the record, Allen Lane, after winning the case, published the entire trial as a Penguin title!)

A major figure in the Lakshmikanthan murder case was NSK, who was one of the main accused. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and Krishnan were found guilty and awarded life sentences. But on appeal to the Privy Council, they were acquitted in 1947. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar was never the same again - and the matinee idol of the Tamil cinema called it a day after a few flops. NSK fared better - and that had a lot to do with Mathuram.

While the case was going on, she did what she knew best to make the money necessary to fight the case; she started a drama troupe and had the best in the business to help her with it. She then started a film company - and its first production was just getting underway when NSK was released. He came out of prison, addressed a public meeting that had the crowd in splits hearing him narrate his prison experiences - and then he was ready to appear before the lights in Ennesskay Films' first production, Paithiakkaran.

Several successful films followed. At the same time, NSK, once a Periyar follower, became one of the leading lights of the Dravidian Munnetra Kazhagam. Between the film world and the world of politics, the hangers-on and sycophants were many. But he and Mathuram not only became unwisely generous with their money but they also began to burn the candle at both ends. All this contributed to NSK's death - and Mathuram having to live in near poverty till she died 10 years later. In their good days, however, there was no one else in their class in Tamil, nay Indian, filmdom when it came to comedy. If he was the `King of Comedy', she was, as Randor Guy emphatically adds, `The Queen of Indian Cinema Comediennes

Pavalakodi 1934

Blast from the past

Pavalakodi 1934

M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (debut), S. D. Subbulakshmi (debut), S. S. Mani and K. K. Parvathi Bai

Box office hit: Pavalakodi

Pavalakodi created history for many reasons - it marked the debut of the first superstar of south Indian cinema, Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, and that of stage and movie star of the early decades S. D. Subbulakshmi (later Mrs. K. Subramanyam). It also saw the introduction of the sadly neglected pioneer of Indian cinema, lawyer-turned-filmmaker K. Subramanyam as director.

Though, according to scholars, the story of Pavalakodi and Arjuna finds no mention in the Mahabharata, it was a successful play in Tamil in which Bhagavathar made a mark as a stage actor. Bhagavathar who reigned supreme on stage after the early demise of the iconic S. G. Kittappa had ideas of turning producer with this play, but SM. Letchumanan Chettiar (better known as `Lena'), a drama contractor of Chettinad, persuaded him to give up such plans and act in the film. It was produced by Meenakshi Cinetone and a wealthy distributor Al. Rm. Alagappa Chettiar was the moving force behind it.

Al. Rm. and his partners had a studio in Adyar which later became Neptune, Satya, (now MGR Janaki College). It had no compound walls then. One of the disgruntled partners took advantage of this situation and would begin to sound his car horn whenever Subramanyam said, "Start Camera"! Left with no option, the producers bought him out, but then a new crisis arose. from the crows of Adyar!

Adyar was more wooded than it is now. Numerous crows hovered over the food packs meant for the cast and crew of the film. In those days, all involved in a movie irrespective of their status ate the same food.

With shooting taking place in bright sunshine, the cast and crew would break for food only if a cloud cast its shadow on the sun. The artistes would rush as soon as the cloud cleared, abandoning the food packets, and the crows would swoop down to peck at the food. Their incessant cawing interfered with the recording of dialogue and song (as artistes had to sing songs on location just as they delivered dialogue). The exasperated director brought on board an Anglo Indian to shoot an air rifle into the sky to scare the crows away before he started shooting.

That was not all. There was a credit card in the titles, `Crow Shooter - Joe'. Perhaps the only one of its kind in movie history! The studio had no laboratory and Subramanyam and his team had no way of knowing whether a shot had been properly canned; they just hoped for the best. Not an ideal way of making movies perhaps, but that was how our pioneers worked .. The post production was done in Bombay.

Bhagavathar and Subbulakshmi excelled in their acting and singing (music composer Papanasam Sivan). The film was a box office hit and established Bhagavathar, Subbulakshmi and Subramanyam as stars of Tamil cinema.

A solitary print of this historic film is preserved at the National Film Archive of India at Pune.

Remembered for the debut of Bhagavathar, Subbulakshmi and Subramanyam, and for the fine music.

RANDOR GUY

Bollywood’s macho man bids goodbye

Source http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/05/01/stories/2009050151260600.htm

Bollywood’s macho man bids goodbye

V. GANGADHAR

Feroz Khan, who passed away recently, projected the Hollywood-type tough guy image on screen. ‘Welcome,’ in which he plays a super gangster, was his swansong.

Showman: Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan was the super gangster in the 2008 hit film, (which was also his last) ‘Welcome,’ and he enjoyed the experience. From the time he stepped out of the aircraft, twirling two guns and shooting at random making his ‘chamchas’ (henchmen) hop around, this super gangster, ‘RDX,’ was an impressive caricature of a larger-than-life mobster.

The 70-year old actor, who died in Bangalore on Monday, craved for a larger-than-life image and got it in his last film. In a career spanning 45 years during which he made 60 films, he never cared for the wishy-washy Hindi film hero roles. Of course, during the first 15 years of his career, which began in 1960, he was the ever-present friend, brother or romantic rival of the hero (‘Arzoo’, ‘Oonche Log’ and so on), but his heart was set on something bigger.

Played second fiddle

Since producers wanted him to play the second fiddle, or run around the trees or sacrifice the heroine for the sake of the hero, his friend, Feroz decided to go on his own. And how! The handsome, blue-eyed, fair and well built actor, who hailed from Afghanistan, always had a king-sized ego and was influenced by the Hollywood tough guys. Not the villainous ones, but the hard drinking, straight shooting types such as Gary Cooper or John Wayne.

He was among the first ones to switch over to jeans, checked shirts, and guns in Bollywood films. He craved for the macho image. His first home production was ‘Dharmatma’ based on Coppola’s ‘Godfather.’ Although the Hindi version (which was shot in Afghanistan) reduced the classic to the level of a farce, the presence of beautiful heroines such as Hema Malini and Rekha, the exquisite photography and great special effects helped to make it a hit.

After this success, Feroz was hungry for more. He never worried about budgets, going for the best technicians, the most glamorous heroines, exotic locales and lilting music. In the process, acting became of secondary importance and one never saw much of Feroz Khan, who won the Best Supporting Actor Filmfare Award for ‘Aadmi aur Insaan’. Instead one saw Feroz, the show man. But the hits continued to flow, such as the multi-starrer ‘Nagin’ and his own film, ‘Qurbani,’ where he introduced Nazia Hassan, whose number ‘Aap jaisa Koi’ became very popular. ‘Jaanbaz,’ another expensive production, was about pirates and he came back to the mobster theme in ‘Dayavaan.’

‘Terrible Khans’

The problem with Feroz Khan was that he seemed to believe he was immune to the ageing process. Haughty, easily provoked and occasionally wild, the Khan brothers (Feroz, Sanjay, Sameer and Akbar ), residents of Mumbai suburb, Juhu, were labelled the ‘terrible Khans of Juhu’ for beating up people and getting into trouble. Despite a roving eye, Feroz remained married to Sundari for 20 years. Then rumours about his link-up with a young starlet led to a divorce.

His career began to fade following unsuccessful attempts to launch son, Fardeen, in ‘Prem Aggan’ and ‘Janasheen’. When Fardeen was arrested for possession of cocaine, an upset Feroz stood by him. Then came the silver lining, the huge success of ‘Welcome.’ But, by this time doctors had diagnosed cancer which had spread. The Pathan fought a brave battle, but ultimately surrendered.

Graceful screen presence

Source http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/03/06/stories/2009030651150100.htm

Graceful screen presence

SAVITHA GAUTAM

‘Kamlabai’ tells the story of the first woman to appear on the silver screen.

THEATRE, her LIFE: The two faces of Kamlabai

There are actresses and there are more actresses. But there is only one Kamlabai Gokhale. For if she had not dared to take that bold step in 1913 by facing the camera for ‘Bhasmasur Mohini, a film by Dadasaheb Phalke, cinema history would have been quite different.

Documenting the struggles and successes of the first ever actress to grace the Indian celluloid and one of the first few women theatre artists is ‘Kamlabai,’ a touching documentary made by film maker Reena Mohan.

The film opens with the actress, now in her 90s, delivering a dialogue from one her plays using different expressions. She is toothless, her skin is wrinkled, the sparkling eyes are hidden behind thick glasses, but as Kamlabai mouths the dialogue, you are riveted to the screen. For, the spark and the spirit are still in tact. What a memory she has!

In the 47-minute documentary, which won Reena the National Award, Kamlabai recounts a life “where morning, afternoon and evening, it was only theatre. I knew nothing else.” Her mother, Durgabai, who separated from her abusive husband, worked on the stage to seek her livelihood. So, Kamlabai’s romance with the stage began when she was just four.

The veteran is candid, “My father was a bad man. He would beat my mother a lot. But my mother, she was beautiful and very talented.” Kamlabai, who has three sons, 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, remembers her early theatre days. “My first stage appearance was at the age of four… during the performance, I would often doze off in some corner, and then be woken up with a tap on the head when it was my turn to make an entry.”

Her life partner

She was 14 when she met Raghunathrao Gokhale, who was with Kirloskar Natak Company. They were to play the lead pair in many of the plays, even as they became husband and wife in real life. Memories come back flooding. “We were about 150 of us, who would tour various cities such as Dharwad and Hubli. We had goldsmiths, blacksmiths, tailors and dhobis accompanying us. We would travel in 80 bullock carts and it would take days!” She remembers how she landed a role in Dadasaheb Phalke’s “Bhasmasur Mohini”. “Phalke saab had heard that our company was closing down for six months. So he came and requested our director to allow my mother and me to act in his film. That’s how I got to play the lead role. My mother played Parvati.” History was thus made in 1913.

She was just 15, and Kamlabai had become a celebrity. But destiny was not too kind to her. She lost her husband when she was in her early 20s. She had three sons to bring up. To top it all, sound made an entry into the silent celluloid world. But nothing stopped this woman of steel.

Kamlabai Gokhale’s legacy lives on for her son, Chandrakant was a well-known Marathi actor, and grandson Vikram Gokhale has made a mark both in Hindi cinema and television.

Reena Mohan’s film is a poignant portrait of a woman “who would not stop her act on stage even when she cut her finger and was bleeding profusely.” Her motto… “The show must go on.”

‘Kamlabai’ will be telecast on March 8, 1 p.m. on NDTV’s Documentary 24x7.

Sridhar Will Live on ....

Source- http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/10/24/stories/2008102451180600.htm

Sridhar will live on …

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

Those with a penchant for healthy humour and classy romance will always remember him.

Photos By Special Arrangement.

CONNOISSEUR OF MUSIC: Sridhar and (right) With musician Balamuralikrishna recording the song ‘Thanga Radham…’ for Kalaikkovil.

The boat with two figures and the flag bearing the name Chitralaya flying aloft … C.V. Sridhar’s banner at the beginning of a film was enough to tell the audience that a worthy fare awaited them. More than four decades ago, when chaste Tamil was the language of the screen and social themes in a natural milieu were rare, came a young man who ushered in a new and appealing trend in filmmaking. And for the first time a star struck audience sat up and took notice of a director and the technical crew!

The first film under his Chitralaya banner was ‘Thaen Nilavu,’ with Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala. And when the beauty of Kashmir, where he had shot the film failed to woo the audience, he gave them a story on just a single set — ‘Nenjil Oru Aalayam’ and ‘Dil Ek Mandir’ in Hindi, and both turned out to be runaway hits. His stories were strong and his treatment ever fresh.

Sridhar began his film career as story and dialogue writer of ‘Rathapaasam’ and was catapulted to success with his first directorial venture, ‘Kalyana Parisu’ — a bi-lingual in Tamil and Telugu, both blockbusters. A love story with well etched characters played by Gemini Ganesan, Saroja Devi and Vijayakumari, ‘Kalyana Parisu’ had excellent performances from the cast.

Looking back, very few have dealt with romance, particularly, triangular and unrequited, in its various dimensions as Sridhar has.

Triangular love

Beginning with ‘Kalyana Parisu,’ be it ‘Nenjil Oru Aalayam,’ ‘Avalukkendru Oru Manam,’ ‘Nenjirukkum Varai,’ or ‘Ilamai Oonjaladugirathu,’ the basic strand of the story was three-sided love. But his story and treatment for each were amazingly different. And he tried out unique genres — ‘Nenjam Marapadhillai’ is a classic example. And without exception, the creations spelt class.

The serious storyteller who came out with excellent narratives was also a connoisseur of music. With M.S. Viswanathan’s scintillating compositions as bolstering factors films such as ‘Policekaaran Magal’ and ‘Kalaikkovil’ have gained immortality.

Then you have the ever-popular Ilaiyaraja numbers for ‘Ninaivellam Nithya’ — the launch pad of Gemini Ganesan’s daughter Gee Gee. You can go on and on …

Sridhar introduced a host of noteworthy actors to the Tamil screen, even as he directed giants such as Sivaji Ganesan and MGR. From Jayalalitha and Kanchana to ‘Vennira Adai’ Murthy and many more, his finds exemplify his acumen for talent spotting.

Healthy humour was also Sridhar’s strong point. Decades may pass but the comedy element even in a serious story such as ‘Nenjil Oru Aalayam’ remains unforgettable.

Nagesh’s fun fare in the film with Manorama, juxtaposed with the staid and sedate performances of Devika, Muthuraman and Kalyan Kumar, weren’t just a comic relief but an evergreen treat.

And who can forget the humour ride Sridhar offered with ‘Kadhalikka Naeramillai?’ The carnival feel and gaiety, the freshness of the cast, the hill station back drops in Eastman colour and the comedy that every actor projected so well, with Nagesh and T.S. Balaiah at the helm in ‘Kadhalikka Naeramillai’ will live as long as Tamil cinema does!

Even today the Thangavelu-M.Saroja track in ‘Kalyana Parisu’ is a stress reliever you can recall and enjoy!

None can say Sridhar is no more — the auteur will live forever through his films. Those familiar with the wealth of his repertoire will vouchsafe for the fact that he’s a winner nonpareil!

Song of real India

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Song of real India

ANJANA RAJAN

The classes and the masses meet in our films. From Begum Akhtar to M.S. Subbulakshmi, melody has known no barrier.

Akhtari Bai’s first film, “Ek Din Ka Badshah,” was directed by Tahir Hussain.

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

A Classic is forever :Noted film director Muzaffar Ali (second left) with Jyoti Sabharwal (left), publisher Stellar, Prof. Rita Ganguly, musician, and Pawan Verma, Director General, ICCR, releasing the book ‘Ae Mohabbat… Reminiscing Begum Akhtar,’ in New Delhi.

When it comes to ghazal fans, there are those who swear by Begum Akhtar and then those who prefer the more modern version, as represented by, say, Pankaj Udhas, Hariharan and Ghulam Ali.

Over the decades, as melody and instrumentation embroidered the poetry, critics of the metamorphosing ghazal felt it was entering the realm of film music. And Begum Akhtar was hailed as the epitome and the bastion of classicism.

Indeed the divide between classical and ‘filmi’ music is quite entrenched, to the extent that when classical singers even sing playback for films, it is considered an event. But, as the recently released biography of Begum Akhtar, “Ae Mohabbat… Reminiscing Begum Akhtar,” penned by her disciple Rita Ganguly, shows, the Mallika-e-Ghazal herself spent a considerable part of her career as a film actress-singer as well as a theatre star.

Begum Akhtar was not the only singer of her time to blaze across the silver screen. M.S. Subbulakshmi not only starred in “Meera” in Tamil and in its Hindi remake “Bhakta Meera”, but also captured hearts in the title role of “Sakuntalai”, a Tamil film based on the story of Shakuntala, in which her co-star was the eminent Carnatic vocalist G.N. Balasubramaniam (see picture below). Her other films were “Sevasadanam” and “Savitri”

Another set of legends of classical music — vocalist Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, violin maestro Mysore T. Chowdiah and mridangam vidwan Palghat Mani Iyer — acted in a film called “Vani”, recalls an old-timer.

“Begum and films”

Ganguly, who has been assiduously keeping the memory of her guru alive over 33 years — this event marks the 34th — promises that while this year her birth anniversary celebrations focused on the book release, next year the focus will be “Begum and films”. The process has already begun though.

Film personalities like Muzaffar Ali, Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak Shah, Sushma Seth and others were present at the book launches in various cities.

From the days when singers feared they would lose their life as the air of their lungs would be sucked out by the recording machines of a studio, to today’s reality shows where youngsters across the country vie for recording contracts, India’s singing industry has come a long way.

In the book, brought out by Stellar Publishers, Ganguly relates with interesting and compassionate detail the journey of her guru from being the daughter of a ‘respectable’ Saiyyad family — whose love for music so distressed her mother — to Akhtari Bai Faizabadi, and then to Begum Akhtar.

Akhtari Bai signed a contract with Corinthian Theatre for Rs.300 a month. She made her theatre debut with “Nai Dulhan”, a new production of the well known scriptwriter Agha Munshi. The play had music composed by Jhande Khan, who later entered the Bombay film industry.

Renowned for having composed 62 completely distinct songs in a single raga — Bhairavi — he was later famous for his hit songs for the film “Chitralekha” based on the novel by Bhagwati Charan Verma.

It was surely the distilled classical training that produced such masters and their masterpieces. The song Akhtari Bai opened with in that first play was in Soheeni, a dawn melody, a raga she had learnt under Ata Khan’s rigorous methodology.

Akhtari Bai’s first film, “Ek Din Ka Badshah”, was directed by Tahir Hussain. She sang seven songs in the film. Her other films included “Ameena”, “Mumtaz Begum”, “Roop Kumari”, “Jawani Ka Nasha”, “Naseeb Ka Chakkar “and “Anaarbala”, all made, the book tells us, between 1934 and 1940 by East India Films of Calcutta. Her last film was “Roti”.

While the films of yesteryear did not require the singers to materially change their musical style, film music today is a genre of its own.

The ‘purists’ feel the form gets diluted in the popular medium. “I don’t think so,” says Ganguly. “One has to understand, anything that has reached a classical status cannot be harmed by a little experimentation. The ghazals which Ammi sang as Akhtari Bai Faizabadi and what she sang in the 1960s were different. A healthy change is very important in a classical form.”

Healthy change

The very fact that youngsters are singing ghazals today, she points out, shows this healthy change. “We often make the mistake that something classical has to be very difficult,” she remarks. “Something which has rules, which has a science, which has seen the test of time — it is classical.”

Therefore, she concludes, “Any classical form is in no danger whatsoever from any experiment.” Besides, the oral tradition which is a part of Indian culture ensures that things change even as they are preserved. “That’s how our Vedas survived.”

And if audiences can’t recognise a thumri but can sway to the same song when Madhuri Dixit skips along with it, so be it. “There is no need to tell them, if they are liking it, that it is a thumri or a ghazal. Why should they know it?”

In tune with tradition, Rita Ganguly too appeared in Pradeep Sarkar’s “Parineeta”. But her parting anecdote somehow brings the divide back into focus.

Once, recounts Ganguly, she performed in Bihar. The audience was 35,000-strong. To ‘balance’ the effect of classical music, the organisers had invited a film band to perform too! “I was about to leave. But my musicians said, at least sing for a while. We will be paid.” So she relented. But the moment she began singing, the crowd was in raptures, remembering an old album of hers featuring thumris and dadras and making requests. “I thought they were hooting, but they were not. I was so happy. You see, this TV and all is available only in a few metros.”

Welcome, then, to the melody of real India.

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Of tragic lives and loves - Eugene O’Neill

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Playwrights Parade

Of tragic lives and loves

RANDOR GUY

American dramatist Eugene O’Neill’s plays, mostly autobiographical, are dark worlds full of agony and despair.

Inspired Hollywood: Eugene O’Neill and (right) his play, Long Day’s Journey into Night.

Eugene O’Neill (1886-1953) was a celebrated American playwright of Irish origin. Most of his inimitable works have been made into films by Hollywood, which gave his plays an international exposure.

Some of these films have become classics and are studied as lessons in converting stage plays into the celluloid medium.

His body of work was mainly autobiographical, dealing with the tragic lives and loves of his family.

His father, a famous stage star of his day, was more interested in perfecting his art and so neglected the family.

Readers can feel the despair, frustration, impotent anger and agony in his writings. . He sought relief in alcohol, which only pushed him deeper into problems, which were reflected in his plays.

His most famous work, ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night,’ also autobiographical, was brought on to the screen by noted filmmaker Sidney Lumet, and became a classic.

In it, Katherine Hepburn played the mother, whose tragic life was laced with drugs and alcohol. Lumet, a brilliant technician, used an excellent metaphor to convey her slow descent into despair and mental degeneration.

Nobel prize

In 1936, O’Neill received the Nobel prize for Literature. His plays were among the first to introduce to American drama the techniques of realism, associated with great playwrights such as Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, and August Strindberg. His plays were also among the first to have used the American style of speech.

His plays revolve around characters on the fringes of society, engaged in depravity, while trying to maintain their hopes and aspirations, but ultimately sinking into disillusionment and despair.

O’Neill wrote only one comedy ‘Ah, Wilderness!’ O’Neill spent several years at sea, during which he suffered from depression and alcoholism.

His parents and elder brother Jamie (an alcoholic, who drank himself to death at age 45) died within three years of one another, and he took to writing as an escape. His deep love for the sea became a major theme in most of his plays.

O’Neill was married three times. His daughter Oona married Charlie Chaplin against his wishes. (Oona was 18 and Chaplin, 54). He promptly disowned her and never saw her again.

The films based on his plays include, ‘Anna Christie’ (1930 with Greta Garbo, a classic), ‘Strange Interlude’ (1932), ‘Emperor Jones’ (1933, with Paul Robeson) and ‘Summer Holiday’ (1948, a musical version of his play ‘Ah Wilderness’ directed by Rouben Mamoulian with Mickey Rooney in the cast.)

Then there was ‘The Long Voyage Home’ (1940, a classic Western made by John Ford, it was an amalgam of four short plays of the dramatist. It had John Wayne in the lead and won several Oscars, including Best Picture).

After that came ‘Mourning Becomes Electra’ (1948, it was the modern version of the immortal Sophocles play and had, Rosalind Russell, Michael Redgrave and Kirk Douglas in the cast.) Next came ‘Desire Under The Elms’(1958, Sophia Loren and Tony Perkins were in the cast).

O’Neill died in Boston, on November 27, 1953, at the age of 65.

His final words, reportedly, were “Born in a hotel room, and God damn it, died in one!”

Bond of Tamil Screen

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Bond of Tamil screen

RANDOR GUY

Action-oriented thrillers earned Jaishankar the sobriquet.

A man of principles Jaishankar

The arrival of Hollywood’s latest Bond revives memories of our very own version — the unostentatious Jaishankar, who would have been 70 this year. One of the most popular Tamil cinema stars of 1960s and 1970s, he was involved in several action-oriented, thrilling entertainers and family drama. But justice has not been done to this actor, who was an excellent human being too.

Subramaniam Shankar was born on July 12, 1938. His father was a judicial magistrate. A typical Mylaporean, he went to the famous P.S. High School and on to Vivekananda College, where he did his Honours degree. He enrolled for Law but gave it up after a year because of his interests in fine arts.

A brief stint with Cho’s Viveka Fine Arts was followed by playing the lead role in Kalki’s “Amara Thara,” staged by Koothabiran’s Kalki Fine Arts. That, however, did not pave the way for his entry into cinema. Disappointed, he took up a job with Simpson and Co in Delhi. But he soon returned to Chennai and this time he was lucky.

His first success

A fine performance in a historical play drew the attention of Joseph Thaliath Junior, who cast him in his production ‘Iravum Pagalum’ (1965) in which he was christened Jaishankar.

The low budget movie produced by Citadel Productions and directed by Thaliath JR. also had a pretty new face, T.K.S. Vasantha. The taut thriller turned out to be a surprise package scoring well at the box office. Jaishankar had arrived.

The same year got him another success — AVM Productions’ ‘Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum.’ His charming manners, total absence of airs and ability to get on with people endeared him to the movie world. And opportunities poured in.

‘Panjavarna Kili,’ directed by editor-turned-filmmaker K. Shankar and written by noted screenwriter-filmmaker, Valampuri Somanathan with Jai and K.R. Vijaya in lead roles was again a hit.

Rama Sundaram, T.R. Sundaram’s son who took up production under the family banner Modern Theatres cast him in a number of films. Ramappa (as he was affectionately known) was an engineering graduate and the two men became close friends.

Jai was hero for many of Modern Theatres’ thrillers — ‘Iru Vallavargal’ (1966), ‘Vallavan Oruvan’ (1966), ‘Kaadalithaal Podhuma’ (1967), ‘Naangu Killadigal’ (1969), ‘CID Shankar’ (1970), ‘Karundhel Kannaayiram’ (1972) and others. And this earned him the sobriquet James Bond of Tamil cinema.

Jai’s hits in other genres include ‘Pattanathil Bootham’ (1967, directed by editor turned noted multilingual filmmaker M.V. Raman and written by Javert Seetharaman), ‘Nilagiri Express’ (1968, written by Cho, it was a well done suspense thriller with Vijayanirmala the female lead) ‘Jeevanamsam’ (1968, written and directed by Malliam Rajagopal. It was the launch pad for Lakshmi) ‘Nil-Gavani-Kaadhali’ (1969, directed by C.V. Rajendran and written by Chitralaya Gopu), ‘Poovaa Thalaiya’ (1969, produced by politician film producer Rama Arangannal and written and directed by K. Balachandar, the film was an excellent domestic comedy) ‘Nootruku Nooru’ (1971, written and directed by K. Balachandar ) to mention a few.

Sympathetic, he never made an issue when the cheques given by producers came back like a bad penny. He volunteered to step in when a new star scheduled to preside over an entertainment show let down the organiser.

The audience went hysterical seeing their James Bond on the dais. When the sponsors insisted on presenting him cash, Jai requested them to donate it to charity outfits. A man of principles, his support to the needy was always quiet and steady.

The family is continuing the good work, the best tribute that can be paid to a philanthropist and man of principles, which Jaishankar was.

B R Chopra A Tribute

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A long, meaningful innings

In a career spanning nearly six decades, producer-director B.R. Chopra made an amazing variety of films and television serials. A tribute

AHEAD OF HIS TIME B. R. Chopra

His was a soft voice which became animated when he reminisced about his early days in Lahore and passionate when he talked about his commitment to the art of film making. One of the most successful producer-directors of Hindi cinema, Baldev Raj (B.R.) Chopra who died in Mumbai recently at the age of 94 belonged to the category of Mehboob Khan, V. Shantaram and Raj Kapoor and richly deserved the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1999) from the Government of India.

Chopra saab’s stupendous career which spanned nearly 60 years (starting with the 1949 flop “Karwat”) offered us an amazing variety of films — socially relevant, joyously entertaining, whodunits with an unusual twist and those that are stirringly patriotic. As head of B. R. Films which he started in 1955, Chopra saab produced 33 films, directed 18 and was also associated with some outstanding TV serials, of which ‘Mahabharat’ held the entire India under thrall.

Highlighting social issues

A scene from “Naya Daur”

During a 20 year association, I met him six or seven times and was amazed at his deep love for film making. He had the necessary background, having worked as a film journalist both in Lahore and in Bombay where the family migrated after Partition. Every time, his message was clear. “Films are for entertainment. But in a poor and divided country like India, they must do a little more, like highlighting some of our major social problems.” And how well he did it!

He was far ahead of his time. His most talked about film, “Naya Daur”, highlighted the man versus machine issue. As early as 1958, “Sadhana” focussed on the plight of prostitutes, while “Dhool Ka Phool” was about the plight of children born out of wedlock. “Dharam Putra”, which Shashi Kapoor regarded as one of his best films, did not click at the box office, but dealt with the important issue of national integration. After focussing on marital infidelity in “Gumrah”, Chopra saab in “Insaf Ka Tarazu” presented to us a heroine, Zeenat Aman, who was ready to take on her rapist and bring him to book.

Even as late as 2004, Chopra saab brought Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini together after several years to star in “Baghban” based on his own story on the disintegration of the joint family and its repercussions.

The themes were important. What was equally important was how he presented them. They were seldom preachy but had all the ingredients of successful commercial cinema. Again, ahead of his time, he gave us a songless court room drama “Kanoon”. He made two suspense films, “Ittefaq” (again songless) and “Dhund”, with a climax that left us gasping.

He realised the importance of good comedy, and the result? The unforgettable “Pati, Patni Aur Woh” and “Chotisi Baat”. “It is all okay to talk about the sanctity of marriage,” Chopra saab told me, smiling: “Do you deny that most males have a roving eye?”

Sanjeev Kumar, who according to Chopra saab was next to Dilip saab in acting skills, was ready to strip to his striped underpants and expose his bulging belly in a bathroom scene, one of the funniest in Hindi cinema. Chopra saab was keen to make a sequel to “Pati…”, but unfortunately, Sanjeev Kumar passed away and the idea was shelved. “I could not make the film without Sanjeev,” he confessed.

He tried many new techniques and most of them clicked in a big way. Despite his closeness to stars such as Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, he felt good films could be made without big stars and proved it with films such as “Insaaf Ka Tarazu” and “Nikah”.

If the script needed dozens of big stars, Chopra saab didn’t hesitate to go ahead with the project. “Burning Train”, “Waqt” and “Humraaz” will vouch for this. Unlike other movie moguls, Chopra saab mostly favoured lesser known music director Ravi and promoted singers such as Mahendra Kapoor. Yet, B. R. Films invariably had outstanding music scores. “They suited my themes, and personally, I got along well with Ravi and Mahendra Kapoor. They knew what I wanted,” he explained.

Epic fascination

Why did he make the television blockbuster ‘Mahabharat’? “‘Mahabharat’ is part of Indian life,” he explained. “Second, the epic is packed with some of the most interesting stories that one can come across. Can any of our storywriters produce something like ‘Mahabharat’?” he asked.

The industry loved Chopra saab. His was the typical rags-to-riches story of a Partition victim. At 25, he was the sole breadwinner in a large family and was nearly bankrupt when his first film failed. So confident was Chopra saab about his knowledge and skills in film making that he was not deterred by failure, and went ahead. In the process, he not only achieved success but also became one of the most beloved leaders in the industry.

As Dilip Kumar said: “Chopra saab was warm, affectionate and approachable who cared for the welfare of everyone, including the spot boys on the sets. His education, upbringing and culture endowed him with a rare humanism which was reflected in the manner he made his films.”

V. GANGADHAR

Andha Naal

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Andha Naal 1954

Sivaji Ganesan, Pandari Bai, ‘Javert’ Seetharaman, P. D. Sambandham, Suryakala and T. K. Balachandran

landmark in Tamil cinema Andha Naal

Andha Naal created history in Tamil cinema as the first movie sans song, dance or stunt sequence and is still being talked about. It is impossible for any producer to even dream of making such a movie today! The emerging Indian movie mogul AV. Meyyappan created history when he produced Andha Naal, which was less than 12,500 feet long, while most Tamil films of that day were 15,000 feet and above. The film was written and directed by the multi-faceted S. Balachandar who later attained fame as a veena player. The dialogue was written by ‘Javert’ Seetharaman and the film was photographed by talented lensman Maruthi Rao.

Many people to this day are under the impression that the film was an adaptation of the Akira Kurosawa classic Rashomon. Interestingly, the Japanese film was released in theatres in India soon after it created history in the international movie circuit and in the first international film festival held in India in 1952, thanks to the efforts of Pandit Nehru. The Japanese film was a brilliant narration of a single event seen through the eyes of the protagonists, each at variance with the other about what was the truth. However, Andha Naal, though bearing thematic resemblance to the Kurosawa classic, was actually an intelligent adaptation of a British movie Woman in Question made by Anthony Asquith (son of the British Prime Minister Lord Asquith), one of the three British movie maestros, the other two being Carol Reed and David Lean. Asquith’s film was a flashback on the murder of a woman with several people claiming to be the killer. Andha Naal was about the killing of Sivaji Ganesan by his wife (Pandari Bai, revealed to the audience) and many people claiming to be the killer. This film won a Central Government Award, and critical and public acclaim.

However, it did not fill the coffers of Meyyappan who understandably never thought of making a similar film later. Balachandar had an assistant in the directorial department, young and talented who later emerged as a successful filmmaker, Muktha V. Srinivasan.

The cast consisted of Sivaji Ganesan as a traitor, leaking secrets to the Japanese during the Second World War, Pandari Bai as his patriotic wife, ‘Javert’ Seetharaman, T. K. Balachandran, Suryakala, Menaka and P. V. Sambandam. Even today after five decades and more, this film sustains interest.

Balachandar, a brilliant technician had acquired vast knowledge of the art of cinema by watching movies from abroad, mostly from Hollywood. He put to good use his acquired skills and talents in this film, especially in the lighting to create mood and character. Sample this: in a sequence the anti-hero (Sivaji Ganesan) is totally in the dark while his abandoned sweetheart is brightly lit to bring about the contrast in the mood and the characters. In Hollywood lingo, it is known as ‘painting with light.’

Remembered for being the first Tamil film which had no dance, song or stunt sequence and for Balachandar’s impressive direction and fine performances by Sivaji Ganesan and Pandari Bai.

N S Krishnan- The generous comic genius

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The generous comic genius

RANDOR GUY

N.S. Krishnan, ‘the Charlie Chaplin of India,’ used laughter to expose the inequalities in life. Big-hearted, he also donated, along with his wife, to deserving causes. A tribute in his centenary year.

Cult figure: N.S. Krishnan

Critics and cognoscenti hailed him as ‘the Charlie Chaplin of India.’ This comedian was a genius and perhaps, there will never be another quite like him. He was N.S. Krishnan.

He used laughter to make the audience think about the inequalities in life, superstitious beliefs and so on. He translated these ideas onscreen in a brilliant and effective manner. This not only made him successful but also a cult figure.

Curious by nature

Nagercoil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan (NSK) was born on December 1,1908, into poverty. His lack of formal education was made up by his curiosity, native genius and enthusiasm. Thanks to the talent-spotting eyes of TKS Brothers, NSK gained entry into Tamil Theatre as a comedian. Soon he was a big draw with his inventive and innovative comic bits.

He faced a movie camera for the first time in ‘Sathi Leelavathi’ under Ellis R. Dungan’s direction in 1934. However, problems delayed its release till 1936. Meanwhile, another movie, ‘Menaka’ (1935), established him as a new talent on the horizon.

N.S. Krishnan with Kannappa and wife T.A. Madhuram in Film Centre’s Nannambikkai.

This comedian was also a filmmaker, screenwriter and social reformer. He and his star wife, T. A. Mathuram, virtually dominated the Tamil film world for over two decades with their own brand of screen comedy. From the mid-1930s to his untimely demise in 1957, NSK was in almost every other Tamil film. He was so popular that his films drew audiences even in non-Tamil areas where they were screened without subtitles or dubbing.

NSK had a unique method of working. After being signed on for a film, he would wait till it was completed. Then, along with a team of writers and artists, he would work on his comedy track. Next, he would shoot it himself, edit the footage and hand over the reels to the producer or director with detailed instructions about how and where to link his comic sequences to the main movie. He charged a lump sum, which also included the salaries of his team members.

NSK usually had a duet in the films. He often sang and composed the music for it using popular folk songs, stage melodies or even brazenly copying them from Hindi movies. He would also record them.

During the making of ‘Vasanthasena’ (1936), he met and fell in love with Mathuram. Their marriage was performed by the icon of early Indian Cinema, Raja Sandow.

NSK established his own production unit based in Coimbatore and produced comedy shorts which were sold to producers and screened along with the main film. Many of these short films proved to be more popular than the main one.

NSK was also known for his generosity and gave away his earnings to deserving causes and the poor.

Then came the sensational Lakshmikantham Murder Case. NSK, whose involvement was never proved, was imprisoned for 30 months. He was released early in 1947. Soon, he turned producer and director. ‘Nallathambi,’ adapted from the 1936 Frank Capra classic ‘Mr.Deeds Goes To Town’ by C. N. Annadurai, is one such example. It became a cult film and is often telecast on television. His ‘Manamagal (with Padmini in the lead),’ about a woman who chooses not to be a wife but remain a bride, was a major success and had social messages.

End of an era

As times changed, NSK also faced health problems and a financial crisis. Although he continued to act, it was not the same. He died in 1957, when he was barely 50.

Mathuram was reduced to a mere shadow after his death. In a chat with this writer she said, “ ...we destroyed ourselves by giving...my husband and I did not realise that one should always think of oneself before thinking of others... generosity should have limits but we did not bother in those days when we were at the top ... eventually we were the sufferers...” She lived for nearly a decade after NSK’s death, in poverty and with failing health, helped by a few friends. Heartbroken, she died in 1968.

One is, perhaps, not likely to see again another husband-wife team with this kind of popularity and success, genius and generosity. With their deaths, an era in Indian cinema had ended.

Chandralekha

MADRAS MISCELLANY

A ‘Cecil B. DeMillean’ Chandralekha

S. MUTHIAH

Sixty years ago, a film was released in Tamil and Hindi that broke all box office records. S.S. Vasan, the person who made the film, has been called the ‘Cecil B. DeMille of Tamil Cinema’ by film historian Randor Guy.

Given how spectacular it was — and the appreciation lavished on it from 1948 till well into the 1950s, which is when I caught up with it — I’m sure that if re-released, it would do better at the box office then most Tamil films today.

“Chandralekha” also had a storyline that, corny though it was, grabbed everyone’s imagination. Film critic V.A.K. Ranga Rao has described it as “the most complete entertainer ever made.”

It was in 1943 that Vasan, following two successive hits, announced that his next film would be “Chandralekha”. Yet, when he launched an advertising blitz for the film, he had nothing more than a name for the heroine — which he had found used in the storyline of a tough, talented woman that he had rejected.

One of his storyboard men, Veppathur Kittoo, then developed a story the ‘Boss’ liked from Robert McCaire the Male Bandit, a novel by G.W.M. Reynolds who was synonymous with one of the most famous pulp magazines of the time, Mysteries of the Court of London.

When shooting began on “Chandralekha” in 1943, few realised it would take five years to complete. With Vasan making his debut as a director halfway through the shooting, scenes were shot and re-shot. In the end, the cost mounted up to Rs. 3 million, the most spent on making a film in India at the time.

Starring in the film as the gentle son of the king was M.K. Radha, who had not wanted to play the villain’s role.

The villainous son was Ranjan (of “Mangamma Sabatham” fame), who replaced Vasan’s first choice, K.J. Mahadevan, the hero of “Thyaga Bhoomi” who had proved too soft in the first shots that were made for “Chandralekha”.

The heroine was T.R. Rajakumari, whom Randor Guy considers “the first dream girl of Tamil Cinema.” Krishnan and Mathuram were part of a circus troupe that was an afterthought — but a key link in the story. And the rest of the cast was as well-known.

Many years later, Kothamangalam Subbu recalled, “During the film’s making our studio looked like a small kingdom…horses, elephants, lions, tigers in one corner, palaces here and there, over there a German lady training nearly a hundred dancers on one studio floor, a shapely Sinhalese lady teaching another group of dancers on real marble steps adjoining a palace, a studio worker making weapons, another making period furniture using expensive rosewood, others set props, headgear, and costumes, Ranjan undergoing fencing practice with our fight composer ‘Stunt’ Somu, our music directors composing and rehearsing songs in a building…there were so many activities going on simultaneously round-the-clock in the same place.”

Out of this mayhem there emerged a super hit whose highlight was the drum dance, to this day one of the most famous scenes in Tamil cinema.

Vasan had Gemini Studios’ 400 dancers preparing for that single sequence, and they rehearsed daily for six months. When they finally executed the scene flawlessly, the sequence had cost Rs. 5 lakh!

Making the film in Hindi sometime later, Vasan opened the doors of Hindi film theatres to films made by South Indians.

He also pioneered making South Indian films in English — a shorter version of “Chandralekha” in English was screened in the U.S. and Europe in the 1950s. All of this helped him make a fortune — but, more importantly, it made him one of India’s greatest film-makers and someone no film committee of the time could do without.

The tragedy is that his home on Edward Elliot’s Road (Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai) and his Gemini Studio, which should have been turned into a Vasan or Tamil cinema museum, have vanished.

MSV

SOUCE

Grand rendezvous

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

IN CONVERSATION A not too well known facet of veteran composer M.S. Viswanathan will come to the fore this weekend.

Photo: S. S. Kumar

IN TUNE: M.S. Viswanathan.

The quiet Tuesday morning at Musee Musicals on Anna Salai turns vibrant as M.S. Viswanathan enters the premises. Seeing the maestro at the music showroom is a pleasant surprise for the aficionados present. As he is led to the piano on which he would play this Sunday, at the programme, ‘Vaarthaigal Sollum Vaadhiyangal’ (VSV), organised by www. msvtimes.com and presented by Aircel, his eyes reveal the joy of a toddler who is given a freehand with his favourite toy!

An impromptu treat comes your way as the musician’s fingers dance on the keys of the piano with gay abandon. He pauses for a moment to say: “Decades ago I would come to this shop to check out various instruments. The ambience is still the same. It makes me nostalgic.” Getting back to his keys he plays some of his evergreen hits, looks up after a while at the group gathered around him and with a smile asks, “Is it enough for now.”

Amidst posing for pictures and signing autographs, the chat begins. Composer, singer, harmonium player, MSV is all these and much more. He is a seasoned pianist too. “Please! I’ve not mastered it. You can’t accomplish it in one lifetime,” is his typical, modest refrain. But you know that he’s an ace on the instrument.

Why the sudden idea of showcasing his prowess on the piano? “I’ve always wanted to do such a show. So when my friends, Vaidy, Sabesan and Ramki suggested a programme on these lines, I grabbed it. They even have a website, some dom-com they call it, in my name,” he guffaws.

The piano has been an integral part of many an MSV hit, and most of the pieces — such as ‘Ellorum Nalam Vazha,’ ‘Paaduvor Paadinaal’ and ‘Andru Vandhadhum’ — each a fascinating bit, have been played by the composer himself.

“As a boy when I began playing the harmonium my master would give me a whack if the notes didn’t spell out the lyric used,” he recalls and gives a demo on the piano as an explanation. Words are vital. It is the composer’s job to cull out the music hidden within them is his contention. “Just watch this. If I play ‘Kaanilae Enna Undu’ instead of ‘Kannilae’ the word gets distorted and so does the tune. It’s ‘Tha na na’ not ‘Thaa na na.’ Do you follow me?”

So ‘Vaarthaigal Sollum Vaadhiyangal’ will have many instruments such as the flute, accordion, sax and guitar, each of which will be used instead of the voice, with the rest of the orchestra offering the score. What about the piano? “I’ll be there on it throughout. I prefer being in the background,” he laughs. The stage will have singers too, including MSV. But they will be part of the chorus.

Crowning glory

Of the 32 songs that have been selected for the evening, the troupe will have time to play about 25 pieces — the crowning glory will be a medley with the entire orchestra in action. “The crowd should pardon me if I take off on my own on the piano for a while,” he chuckles. Most of the numbers will be those in which piano is the mainstay. “We’ve also planned compositions where I’ve not used the piano. ‘Ullathil Nalla Ullam’ from ‘Karnan’ for example,” says MSV.

Is the programme a pioneering effort? “Way back in 1958 I recorded instrumental mood pieces for HMV. ‘Pongum Poompunal,’ as it was called, had Kannadasan giving his voice to explain the segments. For example the ‘East West Wedding’ piece in the collection had religious mantras chanted alongside a church choir, with a blend of nagaswaram and western instruments,” he remembers. But VSV will be the first entirely instrumental music show on stage by MSV.

Knowledge of Classical music is a prerequisite for any endeavour in the art, he feels. “I’ve composed a variety of numbers to convey various emotions. Proper use of the ragas, be it Hindustani or Carnatic can enhance their beauty. ‘Kannuku Kulamedhu’ (‘Karnan’) in Pahadi is the song that comes to my mind now,” he says.

MSV wishes to present off beat music-based programmes on television to highlight the beauty of classical music, ghazals in particular. The veteran is still smarting from the lukewarm response his album ‘Sangeetham Santhosham’ met with. “The tunes were melodious and Kamakotiyan’s lyrics were remarkable. Only the publicity wasn’t enough.”

For the first time in the interview he becomes wistful. But the next moment he is back to being his cheerful self. “I’m planning to work on another soon,” he says, and gets up to return to the rehearsals that are on in full swing for the show that’s round the corner.

“I’m thankful that I have the drive to keep trying out new things and the heart to appreciate good music wherever it comes from. Today’s youngsters are very talented,” he smiles. The zest is incredible. “You are as old as you think you are. I’m just 22,” he winks.

Sridhar- Trend-setter

(SOURCE)

Trend-setter

RANDOR GUY

Filmmaking got a new definition with the arrival of Sridhar.

Photos: Chitrakala Sundararajan, Kalaniketan Balu and Special Arrangement.

NUGGETS: (Clockwise from top) At the puja for ‘Uthama Puthiran.’ The group (from left): V.C. Shanmugam, Ratnam Iyer, T. Govindarajan, A. Vincent, M.N. Nambiar, A.V. Subramaniam, Kamal Gosh, C.V. Sridhar, Tiruchi Arunachalam, Venus K. Murthi, T. Prakash Rao, K.A. Thangavelu, K.R. Shanmugam, Chitralaya Gopu, K.S. Gopalakrishnan and P.V. Sathyam. Raj Kapoor was a guest at the marriage reception of Sridhar and Devasena, Sridhar as chief guest in a stage show of Policekaran Magal presented by Kala Nilayam, a scene from the film.

“Nenjil Oru Alayam” was shot in a record time of four weeks. Sridhar thus proved that movies could be made with new faces, limited sets and low budgets if one had an interesting, emotionally rich story, tautly narrated on screen with pleasing music. The cast had Muthuraman, Kalyan Kumar (from Kannada cinema), Devika, ( not yet a star) and Nagesh then struggling for recognition. Besides the triangular love story it had excellent music by Viswanathan-Ramamurthi and the innovative cinematography of Aloysius Vincent who had a penchant for unusual angles, then a novelty in South Indian cinema.

This film was remade in Hindi, Telugu (“Manase Mandiram”) and also in Kannada (“Kunkuma Rakshe,” Rajinikanth in one of his early roles, directed by S.K.A. Chari).

Inspired by the success and innovative features of this film Sridhar wanted to enter it at the Cannes Film Festival and had the screenplay translated into French at great cost and sent his administrative manager, Sarma to Europe.

Not many are aware that a few years ago, California-based Indian filmmaker Jag Mundhra was keen on remaking “Dil Ek Mandir” in English and also Hindi, making some marginal changes in the film treatment. This writer took Jag to Sridhar and learnt that Sridhar had assigned it to a film financier for a paltry sum, for eternity. The assignee demanded an exorbitant fee for giving up the rights, which was almost 75 per cent of Jag’s budget!

Moving to Madras (from Maduranthakam, where he worked as a government servant) Sridhar made a name as a dialogue writer and worked on scripts for movies like “Maheswari” (1955, T.R. Sundaram- T.R. Raghunath), “Amara Deepam” (1956, T. Prakasha Rao), “Maadhar Kula Maanikkam” (1956, T. Prakasha Rao), “Enga Veetu Mahalakshmi” (1957, Adurthi Subba Rao) and “Uthama Puthiran” (1958, T. Prakasha Rao. A Venus Picture production in which Sridhar was also a partner).

Disciplined life

Somewhat shy and retiring by nature, Sridhar had no airs and led a disciplined life with his regular evening Marina Beach drives in his open maroon Standard Herald car with ‘Chithralaya’ Gopu seated beside him. He ran his office on systematic lines something unheard of in film companies of that era. Files were maintained meticulously and he had Film News Anandan as his PRO and no letter addressed to him or his company went without a reply.

Not many are aware that he launched a film with MGR, “Andru Sindhiya Ratham” and after some reels were shot, differences of opinion arose and the production was closed. Soon it took a fresh avatar as “Sivandha Mann’ with Sivaji Ganesan in the lead. It was mainly shot abroad and a major success, remade in Hindi as “Dharthi” with Rajendra Kumar in the lead.

As star maker he gave breaks to many aspiring and talented new faces which include Muthuraman, Jayalalithaa, Srikkanth, Major Sundararajan, ‘Vennira Aadai’ Murthi, ‘Vennira Aadai’ Nirmala and brought talented actors, such as Kalyana Kumar from Kannada.

What was his impression of working with top stars, MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesh? He told this writer that he loved working with Gemini Ganesh because of the top star’s sophisticated, educated middle class background, whereas he did not enjoy that freedom with the other stars for whom, of course, he had great respect. GG was his favourite hero and worked with him in many films.

Sridhar’s wife Devasena is from the famed political family of Nellore district and closely related to the Congress leader Bezawada Gopala Reddi and much respected Justice Party leader Bezawada Ramachandra Reddi.

Tamil Cinema has never witnessed a multitalented filmmaker like Sridhar and the void is most unlikely to be filled in the years to come.