RIFLE RANGE BOY

Sampoorna Ramayanam (Complete Ramayana, Tamil;1956) (சம்பூர்ண ராமாயணம்) The epic of Ramayana has fascinated people for ages. It has been narrated for generations via oral traditions, print media, stage performances and the silver screen. As early as 1922, a silent film on Ramayana came out in cinemas. Before this 1956 Tamil version, Hindi and Telegu versions of Ramayana can be found. Many other editions since then, and now, at the time of cable TV, Ramayana has permeated into households regularly. There are many versions of Ramayana. Valmiki wrote the earliest one. Even Hanuman was concurrently writing his view on the occurrences of the day. With time, it evolved to Buddhist, Jain and South East Asian adaptations.  Valmiki's Ramayana is said to be the authentic text of Rama's life, but it ends with his coronation at the throne after his banishment to the jungles for 14 years and capturing Sita from Ravana. Other additions of vilification of Ravana as the classical ev...

Nirai Kudam (நிறை குடம், Full Pitcher, Tamil; 1969) Sivaji Ganesan was at the zenith of his career. It was at a time when almost every month saw the release of one of his movies. It must surely be a record of sorts. The 'modern' world may accuse him and the films of his era as melodramatic, stereotyping and over-acting. His loyal fans, however, to date, place him and his skills in a pedestal so high that cannot be filled by anyone yet to be born. Being so prolific must have its downside. This film must provide the testimony of such an endeavour. The story is such loosely knitted that defies logic; that a group of three final year medical students (a brother-sister pair and her boyfriend) should engage in such a foolhardy prank that kills one of them and blinds the other. The girl blames her boyfriend for her brother's death and her loss of vision. The truth of the matter is kept a secret until the remaining student becomes a successful ophthalmic surgeon and di...

Many who live in the present, enjoying the comforts of modernity, growing fat with the affluence and the ease of doing things with scientific advances abhor the many changes that happen around them. They clamour about decadence, injustice and our self-induced path to destruction. They reminisce about the good days when foods were tasty, the air was clean and leaders were honest. The more you delve into history, the more one realises that Man's past was never anything but of turmoil. Take the instance of South India, for example. They talk about the glorious good old Golden Age of the Pandyas, Cheras and Cholas and their gargantuan seafaring, scientific and philosophical feats. Thanjavur Periya Kovil Sample of Chola architectural prowess All these achievements did not come without any human sacrifices. The Hindu kings had to outdo their Jain Kings with their architecture and their wealth. They had to compete with the Buddhist for support from the masses as Budd...

Nitchiya Tamboolam (1962) Met up with a friend after 30 over years. I did not have much to talk about then, did not have the opportunity to, but now, somehow we clicked on common grounds. After honing his survival skills with the courtesy of the School of Hard Knocks of Life, he has a leaning towards philosophy. We had talked a good one hour before we realised that we had others to meet up at the gathering. When we spoke about films and philosophy, he was quick to add, "Why go so far as to look for philosophy in movies when you have tonnes of them in every Tamil movie!" True. Just look at this happy tune from 1962. It shows a group of carefree youngsters, including the pudgy Sivaji Ganesan who is trying to portray a young punk, are seen singing merrily humming a tune and playing their harmonica and guitar, driving down a country road. Despite the temporary setback in the punctured tyre, they repair their damage and carry on their merriment with a little bit of help...

Karnan (Tamil; 1964) I vividly remember my history teacher and her inappropriate remark when we covered Indian Civilisation in Form 1. She was explaining Mahabharata, an epic story of a war between two families, Pandavas and Kauravas where Krishna was on the side of the Pandavas. She remarked, “Can you imagine a war where God takes sides?” Well, the truth is far from that. Well, the truth has so many layers to it that the truth may not appear like the Truth, the real Truth and the only Truth. It may seem wrong or cruel. This is the essence of the lesson all the ancient scriptures are trying to tell us. Everything that happens in life is not all white or black. The Pandavas are not the good guys. Neither are Kauravas epitome of evil. Is it determinism that made a son fight his brothers? Is it the free will of the people around us that decide on daily occurrences? Does one good deed deserves another, is it like a token that we can use as ‘get out of jail’ free card? These are s...

Ethiroli (Echo, Tamil, 1970) Story, Screenplay, Direction: P. Balachander The opening scene of the movie says it all... Sankaran (Sivaji) is a defence lawyer who stands flabbergasted as the prosecuting officer (VS Ragavan) crumbles his case where a defenceless women stands accused of murder. Sankaran's turn to cross examine the main witness, pin drop silence, only the echo of the sound of the rotating fan. Camera moves on Sankaran's face. He walks towards the witness, staring. He does not say anything, just twirling a pair of reading glasses. He does not ask any question any question, just stares. Beads of perspiration are seen on the forehead of witness. Witness shivers. Prosecution cries foul, accusing of intimidation. Judge presses for Sankaran to proceed with questioning. Sankaran stays mum, still staring at the witness with fury. All of a sudden, the witness breaks down. He admitted that he never saw the accused actually run from the site of crime as he was bad si...

Raja Raja Cholan ( ராஜ ராஜ சோழன்,  Tamil, 1973) Of late the name of the Cholan Empire has been in the limelight. The remnants of an old relic had been ignorantly bulldozed by capitalistic minded building developers who thought that those remains of an ancient shrine were just giant boulders that just happened to be there, as if stupidity is a legitimate excuse for acquittal. The shrine was allegedly built by the local inhabitants of Swarnabhumi who were awed by the culture of the invading Chola Kingdom and decided to emulate their way of living. One of the ancestors of this kingdom is Raja Raja Cholan. He is said to have ruled South India at the zenith and glory of Tamil civilization. In this 1973 film, the era of Raja Raja Chulan was immortalized by the eloquent and sometimes over acting doyen of the Tamil movie screen, the late Padmashri Sivaji Ganesan. This film highlights the cunning and far thinking megalomaniac of a king who strives to leave his mark in hi...

Sorgam ( சொர்க்கம் , Heaven, 1970, Tamil) Don't understand why it is ' சொர்க்கம்'  and not  'சொர்கம்' I remember entering the hall late when the first song was on-going and Sivaji was immersed in a day dream. In his dream, there was a chubby girl with coarse features and thick limbs (Vijayalalitha) gyrating to an electric guitar infused hot music clad in scanty parchment named clothes stuck with rupee bills. Some how, I remember the hall as the same one as the one where Psy wowed Penangites. As usual it was a last minute plan by Amma's regular movie buff, Rajamah. Rajamah, whose monthly grocery bill would include cartons of Ipoh's Chap Kwan Loong dragon brand 'minyak angin' (medicated oil), could easily be a glue sniffer -only difference was her glue was medicated oil. It was from her condition that I learnt about the diagnosis of 'Rhinitis Medicamentosa' - of a lady with chronic congestion of her nose whilst continuing with her sniffi...