Rajapart Rangadurai (Tamil, 1973)
Just like the caste system and religious intermix, there is big interplay of between Tamil cinema and Hindu religion. Back in the days when entertainment was scarce, to pass time, stage actors would act out stories in the Hindu scriptures to hail the greatness of the One and to inculcate good values to live a life full of good virtues.
The stage dramas were also a rendezvous for communities and couples (of different gender) to socialise and have some fellowship and share comradeship.
Then came the glitz of the silver screen. Stage drama continued in pre-Independent India to ignite the spirit of nationalism and spread the words of the freedom fighters. This 1973, Sivaji starred film is a tribute of sorts to the theatre troops and their role in society. Spiced it up with a little spicy emotional masala of self sacrifice and sibling betrayal, viola, you have a blockbuster!
In the 70s, Vaikunda Ekatasi (an auspicious day in December-January for Lord Vishnu where the heaven gates are open), Hindus in Penang used to stay vigil by watching films the whole night through. Cinemas in Penang would start their screening at 11pm and finish 2 movies by 5am. In some temples, they would screen three the old fashion way with a noisy projector and white cloth. I remember following Amma as an escort to one of these screenings. Rajapart Rangadurai was one of the movies I did view.
Rangadurai (Sivaji) is an orphan of a freedom fighter who was seen singing for meals at a moving train with his 2 siblings. A performance troupe teacher took him under his wings after hearing his sad story and hearing his excellent singing skills.
Rangadurai starts acting to bring up his younger siblings. His younger brother Baskar (Srikanth) successfully completes university in flying colours and has a girlfriend. Rangadurai arranges marriage for his sister, whose bride to be asks for dowry. A rich man offers his daughter to wed Baskar and Rangadurai accepts on his behalf.
Having a cash cow for a brother, Baskar lives in a fake world boasting of his aristocratic upbringing. Baskar has a showdown after hearing about his brother's plan. He leaves home to marry his love. His sister is ill treated by her mother-in-law and dies in childbirth
Rangadurai works very hard to pay his debts. In one of these acts, a rival shoots him down and he dies as a true martyr just like all his predecessors who sacrificed their lives to this art form.
A no brainer.
The stage dramas were also a rendezvous for communities and couples (of different gender) to socialise and have some fellowship and share comradeship.
Then came the glitz of the silver screen. Stage drama continued in pre-Independent India to ignite the spirit of nationalism and spread the words of the freedom fighters. This 1973, Sivaji starred film is a tribute of sorts to the theatre troops and their role in society. Spiced it up with a little spicy emotional masala of self sacrifice and sibling betrayal, viola, you have a blockbuster!
Rangadurai (Sivaji) is an orphan of a freedom fighter who was seen singing for meals at a moving train with his 2 siblings. A performance troupe teacher took him under his wings after hearing his sad story and hearing his excellent singing skills.
| Trying to imitate an act from 'Mera Naam Joker'. Here, he is trying to entertain his audience after receiving news that his sister was a statistic in maternal mortality. |
Having a cash cow for a brother, Baskar lives in a fake world boasting of his aristocratic upbringing. Baskar has a showdown after hearing about his brother's plan. He leaves home to marry his love. His sister is ill treated by her mother-in-law and dies in childbirth
Rangadurai works very hard to pay his debts. In one of these acts, a rival shoots him down and he dies as a true martyr just like all his predecessors who sacrificed their lives to this art form.
A no brainer.
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