Ameer, Vikram, Gautham and Kaaka
Kaaka
It was in 2001, immediately after the release
of Minnale and a few months after Mounam
Pesiyadhe. Those were the days when Ameer
and Vikram were very close friends (not
that they are enemies now). Goutham wanted
to narrate a script to Vikram but he suggested
that his friend should listen to the story
on his behalf. So Ameer (at that time pretty
anonymous in Kollywood) went to Goutham
for the narration. Goutham was in full flow,
spelling out each and every detail of the
movie, but there was just one problem; Goutham
was blazing away in English and Ameer was
able to catch very little of what he said.
Going back to Vikram he narrated the bits
and pieces he had captured and said that
the rest had escaped his understanding.
A busy Vikram could not follow it up. Kaaka
Kaaka went to Surya, Vikram did Swaamy and
eventually all turned out well. Till now,
Goutham never knew that the person who had
come to him to hear the story was the man
behind Paruthiveeran!
Ameer, Vikram and the salary misunderstanding
This was during the days of Vinnukkum Mannukkum.
Vikram sought a favor from Ameer, to get
his salary cheque from the office of Supergood
films. The office however refused to hand
over the cheque to Ameer saying that they
could not hand over the money to a complete
stranger. An upset Ameer said that Vikram
would not attend shooting from the next
day. Well, that never happened but interestingly
Ameer did direct Supergood Chaudhary’s
son Jeeva in Ram and they didn’t even
know that this was the guy to whom they
once refused the cheque!
Ameer and the hero who did not speak
This was during Ameer’s ‘Mounam
Pesiyadhe’ days. There was a press
conference where Ameer was asked a poser:
what is more important for a movie- story
or hero? Admittedly, Ameer was not adept
at handling these posers, and said- point
blank- that it was the story. This obviously
didn’t go down too well with the hero
who left in a huff. Only after the film
released and became a hit did the tensions
ease. Who was the hero?
Ameer-Bala stories!
Friends, colleagues, associates, enemies-
there might be many faces to this duo whose
relationship often oscillates between two
extremes. But Ameer talked a lot about Bala
who in a way is his Guru in direction, at
least Ameer did work as an assistant to
Bala for some time.
1. Ameer, Bala and Balu Mahendra
This incident involves Balu Mahendra, a
Guru like figure to both Ameer and Bala.
This incident took place during the days
of Mounam Pesiyadhe. Ameer had invited Balu
Mahendra to the Puja of the movie, but he
never came. This seems to have stuck on
in Ameer’s mind and he asked Balu
Mahendra about this a long time later. Balu
Mahendra’s reply was both shocking
and amusing. He said, ‘how could I
have come to your function when you were
at loggerheads with my favorite student’
(Bala). Now, does this mean that for Balu
Mahendra, Bala came first and then Ameer?
2. Ameer-Bala: The chemistry
Having been together for a long time in
Madurai nursing dreams of cinema, both Bala
and Ameer were friends first. But as Ameer
agrees, there was a rift in the friendship.
Contrary to what we think, this rift wasn’t
professional rivalry. As Ameer says, both
he and Bala have inflated egos, that can’t
easily coexist. The reaction between two
highly reactive personalities is not always
conducive for friendship and so they couldn’t
remain friends forever. However, none has
any grudge for the other; there is only
mutual respect, understanding and a safe
distance. In fact, Bala had come to see
Ameer’s Paruthiveeran -which is a
different story.
3. Ameer’s fourth generation
viewfinder
After seeing Paruthiveeran, Bala is said
to have handed over a viewfinder that he
always carries around his neck to Ameer.
As it turns out, the viewfinder has a bit
of history to it. It was given to Bala by
his Guru Bala Mahendra who in turn got it
from his mentor Subrata Mitra. Bala also
said to Ameer, ‘Pass on this heirloom
to the best talent you can find.’
Enough material for an autobiography- What
do you think?
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