Thalapathi 's Roaring 90s

  

I was browsing through internet where i found some pages that had the rajinikanth jokes.One among them was 

Archaeologists unearthed an old English dictionary dating back to the year 1236. It defined “victim” as “one who has encountered Rajinikanth".

After  the reach of shivaji the boss all over India and before release of robot aka endhiran, this spur of rajinikanth jokes is all over the internet.Not every desi know that this is actually a copy of chuck Norris facts that spurred internet some years ago.Chuck Norris is being replaced by rajinikanth.They are attracted to the larger than life image of rajinikanth to make fun using his name.Once in an interview , rajini himself has said he knows about this and appreciated the innovative and funny thinking of today's youngsters.

Many of them are unaware of the long path that this legend has crossed to attain the super hero position in the south Indian industry.Most know the fact that he was a bus conductor who came to Chennai in search of green pastures and succeeded in life.That doesn't mean , everyone who comes to Chennai succeeds.In fact one among million such attempts succeed to attain such a versatile position in the industry and one of successful attempt is the invincible : Shivaji Rao Gaikwad aka RAJINIKANTH

 When i went to Madurai , on my usual monthly trip to meet my family , there was veera , a comedy film  with rajini in lead role , being played. My mom was sitting in the sofa and watching it interestingly.I was happy that my mom , who usually watches prime time soaps , is watching a movie that tickles fun.She was appreciating him that "Rajini mathiri innoruthan vara mudiyathuda" (Its impossible for anyone else to become like Rajini).Well , there you go . There are two ways of seeing the statement.My mom was fascinated with him and said that statement.Anyone reading only the statement (specially people above vindhyas who don't know the versatile roles he has donned spanning throughout his carrier) , will add the statement to one more joke of rajinikanth :) .So i want to recap the characters he has played that has amused me.I want to split the posts into three 1) Describing the films he acted in 90s.I am starting with this because , this is what i have seen while growing up. 2) The black and white and 80s era.This is the time in which he had the big challenge to prove himself and tell the world that he is here to stay and create history. 3) Globalization: Yes the 21st century saw him suck dust and then leap to everest.A roller coaster ride in his 50s .

Roaring 90s  

The first rajini film i saw was Panakkaran (cinipriya theatre,madurai) in which he fights with a Mottai (Fully shaved head) in the intro scene.The two songs   Maraththa Vechchavan and Ullukula chakravarthy are songs with golden verses.The verse என் தாயும் அன்று பச்சை இலை.நான் இன்று இங்கே எச்சில் இலை depicts the pain of an orphan who doesn't know his parents and his untouchable state that prevailed in the society.The song "Nooru Varusham" is still played in marriage halls as its verse blesses the couples to live 100 years together.A good film to watch and worth the money paid(Rs10 is the cost of the ticket those days).

The next one i saw was a blockbuster.The best of all rajini films.The character that stills made a deep impression in me.The film that made me his fan from childhood.Even after seeing robot or shivaji , this one film is what i will tell rajini was at his BEST.This film is what anchored rajini strongly in the Tamil film industry for the 2 decades.Directed by Mani ratnam.Costarring Mamooty.And this film is the title of my blog :THALAPATHI.If you want see an  Indian thug , this is the perfect movie to look for...Awesome acting by rajini. Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu by maestro ilayaraja became a whirlwind hit and became the 4th most listened song in world by BBC world service.But the song which has captivated me is 'Chinna thayaval'.Every time i play this, i get goosebumps and tears in my eyes.Want a glimpse , see this video.One of my all time favorites

The film has extremely powerful dialogues.

Some of them are 

கலெக்டர் சார் ...நீங்க எப்பயாவது பசியோட இருந்து இருக்கீங்களா ? பாக்கெட்-ல பத்து பைசா இல்லாம அலைஞ்சி இருக்கீங்களா ?  

(He asks to collector : Have you ever roamed without even  10 paisa or have you even felt hungry without food)

போடி.உங்களுக்கு எல்லாம் என்ன வேணும்.வெள்ளையா ஒரு தோலும் நாலு வார்த்தை இங்கிலீஷ்ல  பேசணும் .அவ்வளவு தானே

(He asks to his lover who gives her marriage invitation : So all you girls want is a groom with white skin and tongue that speaks English)

என்ன சந்தேகப்படறியா ? சூர்யாவ சந்தேகப்படறியா?நட்புனா என்னானு தெரியுமா உனக்கு? நண்பன்னா என்னனு  தெரியுமா  உனக்கு ? சூர்யானா  என்னனு தெரியுமா  உனக்கு ?

(Towards mamooty who doubts him : Are you doubting me ? Do you know the meaning a friend or friendship?)

 BEST OF ALL :

நான்  பொறந்தவுடனே எங்க அம்மா என்ன  இப்படி தூக்கி பாத்தா.நான் கருப்பா அசிங்கமா இருந்தேனா.அவளுக்கு பிடிக்கல.அதான் என்ன  ஒரு  மஞ்ச துணில சுத்தி தூக்கி  வீசிட்டா.அதோ தெரியுது பாத்தியா அந்த காவால தான் நான்  மிதந்து வந்தேன் 

(My mom held me in her arms and saw when i was born.I was looking black and ugly.She didn't like me.So she threw me into the river.)

The first time i saw this movie , i was a child.That time , i loved the initial fight sequence.Then each time i saw when i gew up , my like for the movie never waded.until now.

The next one was mannan. The comedy scenes with goundamani in the film is worth watching even today.Its in this film that he tried to sing a song. But it failed badly:).The best part of the film is this song : Amma Endru. An awesome song that depicts the importance of motherhood! I bet no other song has been able to surpass this song till date.

Annamalai is a masala flick that has all elements of comedy , sentiment , fight , dance . I like the song vetri nichayam.A heavy inspirational song that would asserts growth through hard work.More importantly, the rajini intro video was first shown in this film.  Pandiyan is a flop film that came from the super star's stable.I didn't like anything in this movie.The Mr.Right concept was a total crap in this film.Yejaman was a village subject oriented film.Its in this film , meena , who has acted as child artist with rajini some years ago, paired with him as heroine.This was criticized heavily . But in then Indian societies , man is as old as he feels. and woman is as old she looks (Blasphemous in today's scenario, but this was the case then).The hero workshop of rajini continued in this movie .A scene :As he is the leader of the village , people used to take the soil in which he has stamped and worship it. This was a total crap.But unfortunately , the Tamil cinema has always portrayed hero to be godlike, starting from MGR to current vijay.Valli, i didn't see in a theater, but in a videocassette. The "Ennulle Ennulle"  song was actually a vivid picturization of sensual seduction , which is a taboo in those days , but without vulgarity.Eventhough rajini had only a cameo role in this , its one of his attempts to do a screenplay.Veera is one the best comedy films that rajini has done.I remember that  i saw this during school summer holidays.The film was released strategically to take advantage of the  school summer holidays.Moreover this is one rare film that was remade from Telugu and was again dubbed back to Telugu.The song konjo konji , composed by ilayaraja and sung by SPB is a great melody.Hear it once . I bet you will feel the vibrations.I accept that's spb's voice and maestro's impeccable music.But when you throw rotten tomatoes at a hero for a bad song , the credit to represent a good song should rightfully go to him

Basha .arguably is the most famous film rajinikanth has ever been casted.Thanks to the "vedugundu kalacharam" (Bomb culture) speech by rajinikanth and jayalalitha's opposition to it , followed by rajini's support for dmk and congress split moopanar party , their victory and jayalalitha's famous cases.The film was a blockbuster in box office but a earthquake in the politics of Tamilnadu.I still remember the rajini speech in SUN TV.Trust me , there was not even a crow or sparrow in the street. All eyes were on the speech given by rajini.  Before we see the nuances of the film , let me share a clip from the film .

Anybody who lands in Chennai will know that the yellow colored 3 tyre vehicle ,called auto, is indispensable in the life of a chennaite .He was smart enough to give a song with them as lead.One of the powerful fact about rajini is his choice of characters.He associates himself with characters such as milkman,autodriver,peasant.This is MGR formula.And later became rajini formula. In basha importance was given to small facts like the shoe sound , the sound of a finger , movement of a coat etc.This is the film which promoted rajini in his larger than life era.

Muthu  aka ムトゥ 踊るマハラジャ   is rajini's film that drew global audience.He has a scene similar to rekla race , in which he rescues the heroine from a gang of goondas.An awesome picturization.The Malayalam verses Omanathinkal Kidavo, in kuluvalile song , though i cant understand , are sweet to hear.The song thillana thillana is a superb dance number.An excellence by rahman.The below song, is one of my all time favs.Verses with simple and powerful meaning.For aid of thoose who don't know Tamil, i am presenting you the song with subtitles.