Rajini and Kamal appreciation thread.

[groucho070]

Most of both's fans are either also fans of the other, or are well-wishers who got not issue with other (just the fans who are pains in the ass when it comes to box-office shit). And then, there's folks like me and Plum, who, retired fans of both, are now more into NT but still look up to these two icons of our childhood AND adulthood (they are still up there, dammit, suck that Gen Y!).

Anyway, kicking off. I want to start with Rajini's Kai Kodukkum Kai. I liked the film back then (grudgingly, was in the other camp, remember), but why is it dismissed? Even Mahendran was on record calling it a "romba mOsamAna padam". To say it didn't quite match his quality output, when I look at his subsequent films, I feel this is where he started "losing it". But not totally, mind you. I believe he just wanted some moolah, and Rajini at that point was a cash cow.

Rajini was in masala mode, though at times, as usual, generous enough to showcase good performance. Star of the show, Revathi, was really good. As was the creepy Chinni Jayanth (debut movie?), and the music, sollavE vEnAm (in my case, in your case, romba sollunggapA).

And what the fuck happened to Mahendran after that? Why no work with Kamal (was it that Kamal was also in mix-masala mode that time, and he chose Rajini having worked together before)? We may need a separate thread on that, I guess.

[2040]

its not a bad movie... second halfla konjam masala thookkal... matthapadi a nice village movie... innakki standards'ku award/offbeat movienu sollalaam... thalaivar was super cool and not to forget the famous song..

[app_engine]

I watched KKK only recently on DVD and had to FF a lot. (Also, watching that movie with a teen child wasn't a great idea and I had a lot of moments and did additional FF).

Yes, 'thAzhampoovE, vAsam veesu' is an all-time classic both on and off screen! Rajini is smart and Revathy is adorable.

Other than that, very low rating for the movie

[app_engine]

Why no work with Kamal (was it that Kamal was also in mix-masala mode that time, and he chose Rajini having worked together before)? We may need a separate thread on that, I guess.

That's a latcha roobAi kostin.

As told in many interviews / articles / tfmpage posts, Kamal intervened (even offered to fund) when MM producer disapproved of the then-off-beat movie by Mahendran. In other words, MM would not have seen the daylight but for some help by Kamal.

avvaLavu irundhum these two never worked together. I wonder what kind of great movie we would have got had the two collaborated at least once.

However, we can be happy that those first two he did with Rajini (MM & J) had happened

[plum]

I dont know - I quite like the movie. Revathi might have something to do with it. silpaans chinni's first movie. (appOvE oru rasApAsAmana comedianA uruvAgaradhukkAna ellA arigurigaLum thenpattirukkindrana)

Although, my evaluation might have something to do with the belief(till recently) that it was SPM who directed a Mahendran story here

(SPM rangekku idhu soopperrnu mindla fix Agi pOchu. Mahendrannu therinju pArthA re-evaluate paNNuvOmO ennamO)

[plum]

Creepily enough, Nasser repeated the same in Avathaaram later portions(Revathy blind, villain watches her bathing, rapes her...deja vu)

[jaiganesh]

Kai kodukkum kai - spoilt by the telugu villain, rajalakshmi (who has a crush for Rajini early on).
The plot was a good one for a short film - which it was in Puttanna kanagaL's katha sangama.
Mahendran just around that time was beginning to lose interest in film making (essentially he is a writer - not an avid film maker like Balu Mahendra). The problem was that he was running out of good solid actors in 80s - His loyal actors like sarath babu and Rajesh were busy and Rajini goaded him to make the only one story he acted in 'katha sangama' into a full blown movie and mahendran was hesitant as he had already burnt his fingers with 'poottadha poottukkaL' kinda movie - this was right up there as it pertains to fidelity in marital life. I would put one leg up and say that the Rajini hero elements in the movie did it in along with the audience who were beginning to lose it after having begun the 80s so beautifully well with movies like UP, NK etc. and they had migrated shamefully to payum puli, sakalakala vallavan and murattu kaalais.

[groucho070]

Thanks Jai for the background info.

Plum, interesting.

[Bala (Karthik)]

http://tinyurl.com/b43v98r என்ன ஆச்சு இந்த ஆளுக்கு?.ஒண்ணியும் சொல்றத்துக்கில்ல
Attention Plum!

[CF]

http://tinyurl.com/b43v98r என்ன ஆச்சு இந்த ஆளுக்கு?.ஒண்ணியும் சொல்றத்துக்கில்ல
Attention Plum!

This is not the first time he has done this,seems a genuine fan-deserving or not us a matter of discussion.

I know a lot of people with refined tastes talking highly about Dilip Kumar,have not watched him enough to make a decision.

BTW,people having different screen names was very common those days and the tradition continues even today.

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

[Bala (Karthik)]

http://tinyurl.com/b43v98r என்ன ஆச்சு இந்த ஆளுக்கு?.ஒண்ணியும் சொல்றத்துக்கில்ல
Attention Plum!

This is not the first time he has done this,seems a genuine fan-deserving or not us a matter of discussion.

I know a lot of people with refined tastes talking highly about Dilip Kumar,have not watched him enough to make a decision.

Fair enough CF. I know zilch about this. NT padame innum yeraalama paakka vendiyirukku.
However,
1. Over nenju nakking in this instance.
2. NT-DK hyphenated treatment is deeply unsettling. Hope it is either aaruvakkolaaru or the way the article has been put together

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

ஸ்ஸப்பா, இத்தநைக்கும் எல்லா பெரிய இந்துக்கோவில்கள் பக்கத்துலயே ஒரு மசூதி கட்டப்பட்டிருக்கு.

இவங்க சும்மா சந்தேகப்பட்டதுக்கே, இவரு செல்லம் கொஞ்சிகிட்டு "சும்மா விட்டுடமாட்டேன், பிரியாணி போடணுமாக்கும்" னு சகோதரத்துவ பாசம் கொண்டாடுவாரு. அவ்வை ஷண்முகி படம் வெளிவந்தப்புறம், அதை பாத்துட்டு என்னங்க இப்படி கிண்டல் பண்ணிருக்கீங்க ன்னு மரியாதையா கேட்ட்டதுக்கே, இத்தனைக்கும் இவங்களைப்போல் "எங்களுக்கு போட்டுகாட்டிட்டுத்தான் ரிலீஸ் செய்யணும்" என்ற காட்டுமிராண்டித்தனமான கண்டிஷன் லாம் போடலை. அதுக்கே இவருக்கு கோவம் வந்து "அந்த சின்ன சமூகத்துக்கு இருக்குற பக்குவம் கூட இவங்களுக்கு இல்லையே" ன்னு பொருமுவாரு. ஆனா இவங்க ஒரு "ஷாப்டேளா" சொல்லிட்டாகூட, அதைக்கூட விட்றாம கிண்டல் அடிச்சிடுவாரு.

சில விஷய்ங்கள்ல சரி இல்ல தலைவரே, அம்புட்டுதான் சொல்ல முடியும்

[Bala (Karthik)]

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

ஸ்ஸப்பா, இத்தநைக்கும் எல்லா பெரிய இந்துக்கோவில்கள் பக்கத்துலயே ஒரு மசூதி கட்டப்பட்டிருக்கு.

இவங்க சும்மா சந்தேகப்பட்டதுக்கே, இவரு செல்லம் கொஞ்சிகிட்டு "சும்மா விட்டுடமாட்டேன், பிரியாணி போடணுமாக்கும்" னு சகோதரத்துவ பாசம் கொண்டாடுவாரு. அவ்வை ஷண்முகி படம் வெளிவந்தப்புறம், அதை பாத்துட்டு என்னங்க இப்படி கிண்டல் பண்ணிருக்கீங்க ன்னு மரியாதையா கேட்ட்டதுக்கே, இத்தனைக்கும் இவங்களைப்போல் "எங்களுக்கு போட்டுகாட்டிட்டுத்தான் ரிலீஸ் செய்யணும்" என்ற காட்டுமிராண்டித்தனமான கண்டிஷன் லாம் போடலை. அதுக்கே இவருக்கு கோவம் வந்து "அந்த சின்ன சமூகத்துக்கு இருக்குற பக்குவம் கூட இவங்களுக்கு இல்லையே" ன்னு பொருமுவாரு. ஆனா இவங்க ஒரு "ஷாப்டேளா" சொல்லிட்டாகூட, அதைக்கூட விட்றாம கிண்டல் அடிச்சிடுவாரு.

சில விஷய்ங்கள்ல சரி இல்ல தலைவரே, அம்புட்டுதான் சொல்ல முடியும்

Shabbaaaaa!!!!! He has the right to criticize one particular group more than another. This can be driven by various factors. Who the hell asked you to assume that being atheist automatically comes with a legal, moral and ethical clause that one has to criticize all religions/castes equally, right down to the decimal?

And we are not talking about a Hindu changing the name to Viruchagakanth.

[Bala (Karthik)]

Let's debate if needed

Nope, he did it when there was a controversy (to an extent, valid from the protestors in my opinion) for UPO also. This is consistent with his affinity towards the community. In fact, last week he called a meeting with his fans prior to the audio release. As soon as our people went in to his office he began in a stern tone warning everyone not to create any sort of 'trouble' during the release. He also started explaining that there was some rumors that the film was anti-Muslim and he explained at length why this was completely baseless. Salient points:
- Name Kamal Haasan, his father's contemplation whether to spell the name as 'Qamal' so that everybody would 'know'(think) that it was a Muslim name
- Muslim influence in India, contributions etc. Christianity getting a clean chit but Islam being marked all the time
- Not sure but from the version i heard (possible room for mis-quoting or misinterpretation from my side), he plays a Muslim in VR
- Javed Akhtar is unique because he is from the Muslim community who can address a group of his people and talk pagutharivu without fearing for his life [Note 1: Namma makkal thevai illaama indha kelvi-a kettutrukkaainga There, can we move on now?]

So, i said this before during the UPO controversy - he has an affinity towards the community. Fact. He also knows there is very little margin for 'error' in that community. Idhuvum fact. Idhu rendum mutually exclusive-a irukka vendiya avasiyam illa. Also, i don't see any problem with an atheist having an affinity towards one group and who reserves the most scathing criticism of one particular religion. Idhula edhurkkavo, "madakkitten paathiya" nu nenachuttu kelvi kekkara point-o enakku purila

Let me make it very very clear so that there is no room for ambiguity. Is it easy for him or anyone for that matter to criticize a Brahmin than a Muslim? Of course. That doesn't mean he should criticize everyone equally. This is again a variant of the "neutral" menace.

[Bala (Karthik)]

Kamal criticizing Brahmin more - I find it baffling why anyone would find it odd or contradictory. Duh!!!

[Wizzy]

BTW,people having different screen names was very common those days and the tradition continues even today.

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

why does Shaam/Arya have more of a hindu sounding name or for that matter Joseph Vijay prefers to be called as Vijay??
having a different screen name is common but this is clearly a different case. wonder why TFI doesn't even give them the liberty of reprising a role of a muslim/christian thorough and through the movie, TFI is so reclusive in this regard

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

ஸ்ஸப்பா, இத்தநைக்கும் எல்லா பெரிய இந்துக்கோவில்கள் பக்கத்துலயே ஒரு மசூதி கட்டப்பட்டிருக்கு.

இவங்க சும்மா சந்தேகப்பட்டதுக்கே, இவரு செல்லம் கொஞ்சிகிட்டு "சும்மா விட்டுடமாட்டேன், பிரியாணி போடணுமாக்கும்" னு சகோதரத்துவ பாசம் கொண்டாடுவாரு. அவ்வை ஷண்முகி படம் வெளிவந்தப்புறம், அதை பாத்துட்டு என்னங்க இப்படி கிண்டல் பண்ணிருக்கீங்க ன்னு மரியாதையா கேட்ட்டதுக்கே, இத்தனைக்கும் இவங்களைப்போல் "எங்களுக்கு போட்டுகாட்டிட்டுத்தான் ரிலீஸ் செய்யணும்" என்ற காட்டுமிராண்டித்தனமான கண்டிஷன் லாம் போடலை. அதுக்கே இவருக்கு கோவம் வந்து "அந்த சின்ன சமூகத்துக்கு இருக்குற பக்குவம் கூட இவங்களுக்கு இல்லையே" ன்னு பொருமுவாரு. ஆனா இவங்க ஒரு "ஷாப்டேளா" சொல்லிட்டாகூட, அதைக்கூட விட்றாம கிண்டல் அடிச்சிடுவாரு.

சில விஷய்ங்கள்ல சரி இல்ல தலைவரே, அம்புட்டுதான் சொல்ல முடியும்

Shabbaaaaa!!!!! He has the right to criticize one particular group more than another. This can be driven by various factors. Who the hell asked you to assume that being atheist automatically comes with a legal, moral and ethical clause that one has to criticize all religions/castes equally, right down to the decimal?

And we are not talking about a Hindu changing the name to Viruchagakanth.

Iam not asking him to critisize all religions or all any xyz for that matter, equally, of same weight with milli gram precision. But I see an imbalance there. Its more of pummifying than paasam, acc to me. When he said "அந்த சின்ன சமூகத்துக்கு இருக்குற பக்குவம் கூட" that small comm he referred that time was not Islam but its Thevar comm.

But in fact till today;s date, he has got more tortures from that comm only and now this islam comm too. And that too this briyiaani thingi as a response to a group who says they want to see(and censor) VR b4 public release. ennaa araajagam and kaattu miraandi thanam?!? Same kaattu miraandithanam by other branches of that comm, when they blocked the US embassy and created traffic jam and other troubles.

This country has many politicians who put jalraas to so called minority, specifically islam. They just don't have guts to pin point the mistakes thay do, now our ulaha naayahar joins that list. Thatsall. enakkonnum illa. thats his wish, opinion and this is my opinion that he is faltering.

Rationalist or not, theist or atheist, is his, my, your choice. But what i look for is, as a citizen, antha nermai, nadunilaimai ivar kitta sola samayam falter aaguthu. and thats not fair, is my opinion.

unfortunately the only politician who speaks centered about muslims had done mass murder on the same community! But that doesn't ,mean all of those in that comm and christian comm are punithappasukkaL.

Christian as a minority comm enjoys more softness against islam, nnaa, christina, avanaiyum pottu thaakka vendiyathuthaane! Athukkaaga ivan panrathu thappu illainnu aagidumaa

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

BTW,people having different screen names was very common those days and the tradition continues even today.

Why does our man go around with a Muslims-are-always-persecuted complex????????

why does Shaam/Arya have more of a hindu sounding name or for that matter Joseph Vijay prefers to be called as Vijay??
having a different screen name is common but this is clearly a different case. wonder why TFI doesn't even give them the liberty of reprising a role of a muslim/christian thorough and through the movie, TFI is so reclusive in this regard

In sa,me TFI only Rahman and Kushboo and Jyothika and so many muslims are there na?! Who asked Arya or SHaam to hide their religious interests? Are we building castle aout of nowhere?? I don;t see this as a point at all. esp in TN atleast. North la Dileep kumar naa athu vera vishayam

I have ppl saying that whatever penetration rahman was 'allowed to' (yes!) into bollywood was with the main ticket that he is an muslim!

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

Kamal criticizing Brahmin more - I find it baffling why anyone would find it odd or contradictory. Duh!!!

Pannattum, aanaa oru chinna "ShaaptELaa" solrathai kooda thappu kandu pudikkiraare! Do you see ALL of his thoughts about religion, 100% pukka? no bugs at all?? is the kostin. And we are pinpointing some bugs on table!

[2040]

chaplin devlotee'nga...

nammala matthavanga gaeli panradhukku munna naamalae pannidanum... i don mean he does it avoid others to criticize the community he was born in... i only mean, he is politically more rightful to criticize them...

idhu natural dhaanae... and already pesi mudichadhu dhaanae... aduttha round'a?? bottle theeravae theeraadhaayaa??

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

Enna veNaa assume pannikkonga. Avan periya ivanaattam padathai naan paathuttu sensor senjappuram thaan release pannanumnu solraan. ivar avangakitta poi pammuraar.

Avar selective aa irukkalaam, full rights undu. athai comment adichaa mattum thappaa?!?

As he himself says its not just black or white and there are gray areas too. If he is NOT addressing the grey areas of all comm, surely its faltered. Thats his choice/right though.

[2040]

apdiyaachum avarum grey color dhaan'nu ungala purinjukka vekka try panraar...

[CF]

B(k),
Posted this yesterday too.This discussion has been done to death before at the Hub.Don't think we need to go through this again as both of us are going to continue holding on to respective positions.

Since your point is made,I will re-iterate mine and we will stop here.

1)He has every right to criticize anybody, more so his own community since he or any of us will know the weaknesses of our own group.

2)He has every right to have affinity/softcorner etc etc etc to a Individual/community/religion/nation.But it hurts when somebody whom we look at as an intelligent,rational person exhibits what we see as a bias.Adavadhu avarum oru saadharana manidhar enbhadhai ennal othukolla mudiyavillai.

Now don't tell me having such an expectation is my fault and bias is as I have put it, my opinion.

3)Brahmin bashing is a fad in TN-Fact.Doesn't gell with me when KH joins the herd.Will naturally feel that, enna,indha community-le mattum dhaan faults-a.Mathavanga ellam perfect-a?What prevents him(he calls himself a rational thinker who likes to promote that line of thinking)from being neutral?

4)Dasa,Virumaandi was opposed by small time so called Hindu/caste based outfits,he didn't give a damn(rightly so).So why go out of the way to please similar nuisance creating outfits.He has got censor clearance,so just show every opposing individual/group/outfit,the 'middle finger'.

Ippadiaye,indha topic-a expand panni-media,so called intelligentsia,politicians,government policies-nnu debate pannalam.Time illai.

As of now,all I want is a smooth release for VR,a fantastic film and a BB,that's all.

[CF]

Wizzy,
Do you really think that Sham/Arya/Vijay hide their religion because they will be persecuted?Sounds very unlikely to me.

After all,whatever their screen names,everybody knows their religion.

I guess,names are changed so that identity with the masses will be easier.It's like voice based BPO's giving a different name to their employees(if I am not wrong,have very little knowledge on how they work,this is hearsay)

[Sakalakala Vallavar]

யார் என்ன சொன்னாலும் அவர் நமக்கு/எனக்கு தெய்வம் மாதிரிதான்! அவரே அப்பப்ப இப்படி பேசினாலும் அவர்மேலுள்ள மரியாதை எல்லாம் சத்தியமா குறையாது. கலைஞன் கமலை கூட விட்ருங்க பகுத்தறிவுவாதி கமல் மட்டுமே கூட என்னோட கடும் மரியாதைக்குறியவர் தான். ஏதோ அப்பப்ப இதுமாதிரி தப்பு செஞ்சிடுறதால அவரை என்னால் என் மனசால் ஒதுக்கிட முடியாது! அதே சமயம் அந்த தப்பை சுட்டிக்காட்ட எந்த தயக்கமும் படமாட்டோம் என்பதுதான் மேட்டர். அவர் பலப்பலப்பலப்பல விஷயங்கள் பேசுறார், 98% அதை தெளிவாவும் பேசுறார். அதுல சில தப்புக்கள் இருக்கும்தான். இதெல்லாம் "No man is perfect" ந்க்குரதை நிரூபிக்குரதுக்காக டெலிபரேட்டா கண்டுபுடிச்சி சொல்லும் தப்புகள் இல்லை. சில சமயம் அவரின் செயல் பேச்சு தப்புந்னு தெளிவாவே தெரியுது. நாமளும் அந்தமாதிரி தப்புக்களை எல்லாம் வளைச்சி வளைச்சி வாதம் பண்ணி நியாயப்படுத்தவேண்டிய அவசியமே இல்லை ங்குறதுதான் என் தனிப்பட்ட கருத்து

அஜய் சொன்னாப்ல முடிச்சிகிடுவோம். படம் வருது, பெருசா ஜெயிக்கணும், நாம அதை கொண்டாடணும். அடுத்ததுக்கு குறைஞ்சது ஒரு வருஷம் ஆகும். எனவே கொண்டாட்டத்துக்கு தயாராவோம்!

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