Dear
Behindwoods.
I was really elated to have my article
published in visitors' column, but was
a little sad to see the point having been
misinterpreted by most readers as attacking
other actors. In that I had mentioned
that I
hoped Suriya the actor did not suffer
like Rajini the actor. Here's why
I felt so.
I belong to the third generation of Rajini
movie lovers. I grew up in the 90s when
the superstar was churning out superhits
after superhits, every film breaking the
collection records set by the previous.
But for some reason I found my dad not
enjoying any of his films. At first I
thought he was a Kamal fan (Which he definitely
is) and didn't like Rajini until I got
to watch Chandramukhi in 2005 with my
whole extended family in Coimbatore. I
saw my dad sitting there with a rather
cynical outlook of Rajini films (This
was just the third time my dad saw a movie
in a theatre in 19 years of my lifetime
then). I was thoroughly enjoying the fan
reactions, the aura etc etc of the star
and his style. After the movie, I happened
to ask my dad how he liked it, for which
he replied, he saw the Rajini he loved
in 'vettaiyan raja'! The arrogance, the
cunning looks, the 'devil may care' attitude
and the irritable feel he gave the female
audience. I was rather shocked to hear
any thing positive about Rajini from my
dad's mouth! He then told me how he liked
the bad man act of the brilliant 'actor'
that Rajini was even in his earlier days.
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mom also joined my dad in praising Rajini's acting,
stating how Rajini's villain roles used to churn the
stomach of girls and irritate them during her college
days! I was left thinking how come no more fodder
was being given to such an actor who was only repeating
his act in innumerable movies! Cut to 2010, recently
I saw the Rajini movies that released before I was
born. I was awestruck at the personality he changed
into in some of his movies. The Netrikkan Rajini (father
role) was mind blowing. Right from the opening song,
the heavy headed millionaire, to the shameless womanizer,
to the scenes he's irritated by his son and daughter-in-law,
he was absolutely brilliant. Playing villain looked
so easy! So were the roles portrayed in Aval Appadithan,
Moondru Mudichu, Ilamai oonjal aadugirathu. Each role
was a gem, and he was 'Au naturale'. His comic timing
in Thillumullu, Ninaithale inikkum, etc were impeccable.
In fact, he stole the show right under Kamal's nose
in some of the scenes! Imagine doing that to such
an actor of calibre, even back then. I felt really
bad for my generation considering the crap movies
we grew up watching compared to my dad's generation
and was really angry at my uncle's generation to have
encouraged a genre of mindless movies which such a
brilliant actor succumbed to!
Sadly, Rajini has ended up creating a larger than
life image for himself as he strayed into a 'one way'
stardom, somewhere losing the brilliant actor in him
on the way! Here's hoping to see Rajini- in all his
brilliance playing a role with shades of grey in Endhiran.
I would like to wind up with a famous Kamal dialogue
from Devar magan which goes like 'Unakulla muzhichittirukkura
mirugam dhaan enakkulla thoongittu irukku'. As far
as I'm concerned, Rajini must atleast now be given
his due fodder in acting. Avarukulla irukkura andha
mirugatha yaaraavadhu thatti ezhuppanum!
Cheers and Best Regards
Yashwanth C Shekhar
yashwanthcshekhar@gmail.com |
