Drama and freedom fighters

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.

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.

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.

I gave it up for music & free electric band...

Just recently, the family of a now-deceased local legend and half of the longest standing Malaysian band Alleycats, Loga, was in the limelight for the wrong reasons. It was discovered after a fiery mishap in their modest rented house that his family members were in dire straits despite Loga's stature in the music scene.

Ahmad Nifsu

He made the same mistake shared by many legends of yesteryear. Like P.Ramlee's numerous strokes of ingenuity which were wholly copyrighted by Shaw Corporation until late, royalty from Alleycat's albums goes straight to the record companies. All there are left with are fond memories and 'terima kaseeeh' from fans.

Many Tamil screen legends were left in a similar predicament. V.K. Ramasamy, who had been in umpteen movies from the 50s all through the 80s, died a poor man depending on friends' goodwill to do the final rites. Then there was legendary Malay singer of the early 60s, R Azmi, who enjoyed singing so much that he would sing at wedding receptions for free and Ahmad Nifsu, the great director of the P. Ramlee era who became a pauper after the closure of Merdeka Studios in Singapore and lived life in a Japanese pillbox fort till his dying days.

We all have a short window of opportunity to consolidate ourselves. Failing to decide and seize this will see us and our dependents spiral down the stairway to heaven as time may bring in more and more baggage with it to deal with. It just gets harder and harder.......

The name game

It is interesting to note that certain people are born to this world with a particular task to perform equipped with an aptly given name. This, I discovered during the time around the passing of one of Malaysia's badminton legends, Punch Gunalan. Punch is of course a nickname given to him by ardent fans after seeing his style of play and his killer badminton punches! Interesting his real given name is Gunalan s/o Panchacharan. (Panch!).
Then there is the manager of one of BPL's premier team, Arsenal. Guess what, his name happens to be Arsene Wenger. And the English footballer with the name Alan Ball! Bon Voyage Punch! Hope not to see you so soon.....

Punch Gunalan 1944-2012

Before the bra burning

When I first started viewing this series after somebody's recommendation, I thought it would be about the people in the dog eat dog world of advertising.
True the setting is in the office of a famous advertising firm in New York City set in the end 50s era. From the office, the series moves into the executives' bedrooms and their private lives. Actually, it takes a nostalgic look at the bygone era when men were kings and the fairer sex were second class citizens. Cigarette smoking was a socially acceptable norm, done by men and women - pregnant or otherwise. Every frame and every room is filled with someone smoking and is hazy with cigarette fumes. The general public is still unconvinced that smoking is detrimental to health and practically everybody is a chain smoker.
Men are held up on a pedestal as the hardworking head of the family who brings the bacon whilst the women finds great joy and self imposed themselves the divine duty of staying pretty at home and cooking fresh food for their weary men. The men have a good time socially with fellow workers of either sex and having affairs while the wives do not have the guts to raise their voice but instead decide not to disturb their tired husbands.
Alcohol is consumed liberally even during office hours and after. The ugly head of stress and the fad of seeing a shrink is slowly creeping into the lives of the bottled-up wives.
The way I look it is like this. The writers came up with this story after reminiscing the good times of the late 50s and 60s when men ruled the world. Probably, they are subconsciously trying to find out where they lost it!
Just finished watching Season 1 of Mad Men, more stories to come later. This series, a period drama, a multiple award winner, is praised for its historical accuracy and ability to bring to live the ambiance and mood of the early swinging 60s. 'Mad Men' is the nickname referred to the Ad Man then - the world was not sure what their job was!.

So you think you know everything?

In our everyday life, we see many who walk around with an aura around them exuding confidence as though they know all the answers to all of mankind's age old secret of the universe. Unfortunately, things in life are not so black or white, they always come in various shades of grey to complicate things.

If you think you have covered all angles in dealing with a problem, then you would receive a knock on the head on a yet another angle that missed your scrutiny. If you think you have to move with the times and embrace modernity, then again you will be disappointed with equally dismal outcomes. Then you would tell yourself, 'Old is Gold'!

The dichotomy of choices are driving everyone nuts. If only you could turn back time... Then you would tumble upon a new sets of hurdles to cross.

At least, the people who go with their noses and shoulders up in the air shower confidence to the masses and hopefully provide yet another path to tread upon those who are lost for direction after hitting a brick wall.

Kisah Menyayat Hati Seorang Pelakon Ahmad Nisfu

Ahmad Nisfu merupakan seorang pelakon dan pelawak berbakat di era zaman kegemilangan filem-filem P Ramlee. Namun ada sebuah cerita yang menyayat hati mengenai beliau.

Melayukini.net – Kisah Menyayat Hati Seorang Pelakon Ahmad Nisfu | Malam semalam, Melayukini.net sempat menonton rancangan Tiga Abdul yang disiarkan menerusi TV2. Siapa tidak kenal gelagat mereka antaranya Tan Sri P Ramlee. Namun apa yang ingin dikongsikan di sini adalah pelakon Ahmad Nisfu. Siapa yang tidak kenal dengan beliau merupakan seorang pelakon dan pelawak yang berbakat. Banyak sahaja tagline yang digunapakai sehingga hari ini antaranya :

“Walaupun rupa mu tidak ku kenal, tetapi lubang hidungmu tu tetap menjadi pojaan hati ku..”

Ini adalah petikan dialog Aziz Sattar dalam filem Seniman Bujang Lapok yang ditujukan kepada tuan director lakonan Ahmad Nisfu. Dalam kita mengenang ramai artis-artis veteran terutamanya, mungkin tak semua yang tahu. Dalam kita mengangkat dan mengagungkan yang sudah pun berada dipuncak,namun kita terlupa dengan sekian insan-insan seni yang dahulunya membuat kita ketawa terbahak-bahak tapi masa memamah nama insan seni ini dan terus tenggelam ditelan oleh arus berzaman.

Mengikut arwah Norizan bekas isteri kepada P. Ramlee (dalam satu rancangan tv), Ahmad Nisfu merupakan antara teman rapat kepada P.Ramlee. Buktinya cukup nyata apabila sewaktu kemeriahan studio Jalan Ampas dahulu, setiap filem arahan P.Ramlee, Ahmad Nisfu boleh dikatakan kerap terlibat sama dan memegang watak agak besar. Gelaran Paq Besaq (Pak Besar) juga telah diberikan kepada Ahmad Nisfu oleh P. Ramlee kerana lubang hidung Ahmad Nisfu yang besar.

Pelakon yang berasal dari Tanjong Takong, Pulau Pinang ini pada awalnya ialah seorang pelakon bangsawan dan telah dilamar oleh Shaw Brothers untuk terlibat sama dalam produksi sebagai pelakon filem. Di sini bermulalah kerjaya Ahmad Nisfu sebagai pelakon filem. Walaupun memegang watak-watak yang kecil, Ahmad Nisfu dikatakan adalah seorang yang sentiasa bersyukur walaupun upah yang diterimanya adalah terlalu kecil. Hakikatnya, wang saku yang diperoleh digunakan untuk menyara dirinya sahaja kerana Ahmad Nisfu adalah seorang yang sebatang kara, tiada saudara mara, keluarga dan juga isteri.

Aktiviti sosial Ahmad Nisfu ini hanyalah dengan beramal di masjid di kawasan beliau tinggal dan juga di sekitar studio Jalan Ampas. Ahmad Nisfu dikhabarkan seorang yang pandai mengaji Al-Quran. Beliau juga merupakan seorang bilal di masjid di tempat beliau menetap dahulu.

Hinggalah penutupan studio Jalan Ampas, Ahmad Nisfu telah menghambakan dirinya dalam dunia lakonan. Selepas penutupan studio Jalan Ampas, Ahmad Nisfu telah hilang punca pencarian hidup. Filem Puaka dikatakan filem terakhir lakonan beliau.

Di sinilah Ahmad Nisfu tinggal semasa hayatnya di Kubu Jepun (pillbox)

Disebabkan tiada punca rezeki, Ahmad Nisfu hidup dengan bantuan ehsan dari orang ramai. Kerana tiada punca rezeki, Ahmad Nisfu hanyalah menetap di Kubu Jepun (pillbox) di Jalan Labu. Di situlah juga tempat Ahmad Nisfu telah menghembuskan nafas terakhirnya di dalam keadaan yang sungguh daif tanpa saudara mara, ahli keluarga dan isteri. Hanyalah teman rapat.- Balbo

Berikut pula, sedutan dari artikel yang dikongsi oleh penulis yang lain.

Setelah tidak bermain wayang lagi, Ahmad Nisfu sering berada dikedai kopi dipersimpangan Joo Chiat, Geylang Road dan Changi Road. Kedai kopi itu juga dulunya tempat ‘extras’ Shaw dan Cathay berkumpul. Sering juga mereka diambil sebagai ‘pak pacak’ dengan gaji $5.00 ringgit sehari!

Selain meluangkan masa disitu, dia sering keseberang jalan untuk menikmati ‘sop kambing’ kegemarannya. Kedai mamak sop itu terletak dilorong masuk ke restoran Osman Ghani yang terkenal di Geylang Serai dengan ‘kari ikan’ dan ‘dalca rusuk kambing’nya.

Ahmad Nisfu juga pernah menjadi imam di Masjid Onan Road (sudah tiada lagi – tapaknya diambil oleh Muslim Convert Association). Pernah satu kali, kami anak anak nakal, waktu sembahyang berimamkan Ahmad Nisfu, sedang dalam rukun, kami menyanyi perlahan lahan sesama sendiri “ura Cendana! Pura Cendana!” sambil menggigil gigil menahan ketawa. Habis sembahyang, tak sempat cium tangannya, kami diperambat hingga keluar masjid! “Korang usik aku ya!!! setan!!!”Itulah pengalaman nakal saya bersama ‘Raja Alam Syahbana, raja negeri Pura Cendana’.

Mungkin kerana keuzuran dia tidak lama menjadi imam disitu. Saperti sudah berputus asa, dia hidup berteduh dikubu Jepon diJalan Labu tidak jauh dari Masjid Aminah diJalan Nanas off Geylang Serai. Lama juga dia tinggal bersendirian disitu dibawah ikhsan orang kampung sekeliling. Tidak lama kemudian dia meninggal, setelah beberapa lama hidup sebatang kara dalam penuh kedaifan.

Melayukini.net - Rasa sedih pula apabila mengenangkan nasib allahyarham Ahmad Nisfu yang pengakhiran hidupnya amat menyayat hati. Seorang pelakon dan pelawak berbakat hidup dalam kedaifan. Admin percaya, rata-rata semua baru tahu mengenai riwayat hidupnya. Apa yang menyedihkan lagi, beliau dahulunya adalah hidup sebatang kara. Apa-apapun, marilah kita sama-sama mendoakan agar rohnya dicucuri rahmat. Al-Fatihah ~

A saint who walked amongst us in our land

Not many people, at least those not in Sikh community may be aware of an annual congregation of Sikhs from the world over to Malacca annually for a three-day prayer extravaganza to commemorate the passing of our own Saint who walked amongst us in the earlier part of the 20th century. Sant Sohan Singh (1902-1972) was a religious poet who started his life in India singing religious poem in temples and fairs. A tussle and brush with the law over gurdwara landed him in Malaya in 1926.

Gurdwaras in Malaya offered newcomers a roof over their heads, hence Sohan Singh found himself at home reciting his hymns in praise of God. People were impressed with his grasp of the language and was soon invited for many festivities. This towering figure (a six footer +) soon climbed the ladder of hierarchy of gurdwaras in Malaya.
He became the caretaker of the Malacca Gurdwara in 1927. He remained celibate and furthered his knowledge in Punjab. During the great war (WW2), he continued his daily prayers undisturbed by the invading Japanese Army and he continued feeding the hungry mouths, albeit rice porridge and tapioca.
He continued the work of the Guru until he fell ill and succumbed to his illness in Ipoh in 1972. His cortège which left Ipoh all the way to Malacca saw a gathering of mammoth proportions of believers paying homage to the passing of a saint.
The last commemoration (Barsi) was held between 24th and 27th May 2012.


http://sikhtemplemelaka.weebly.com/a-short-history-of-sant-baba-sohan-singh-ji.html
http://gurdwarasahibmelaka.org/santji.html

A Sikh singer, popular in Malaya, noting that Sant Sohan Singh travelled long distances by train, bus, taxi or on foot, suggested to him that he wished to present to the Sant a car which would be claimed to be donated by no one particular person.
Sant Sohan Singh showed him his dusty shoes and said, "Even these are not cleaned. Hold not the dust in derision; none is like the dust; while living we keep it under our feet, but after death it covers the body." "Once I accept a car now," he continued, "I will cease to be what I have been all these years. Now people refer to me as Sant. With a car I may be referred to as 'saan' (bull). The comparatively young singer had no further words.