Movies about Movies

Movies that took us close to Kollywood (From Anbulla Rajinikanth to Kulesan)

Movies about movies are box office taboo in Indian cinema: the word out there is that plots set in the movie industry seldom work. Is this because the world of cinema feels too esoteric, self-reflexive, and unreal for the audience? Or is going behind the scenes too much like finding out how a magic trick is done, and being disappointed from it? But the critical and commercial success of Udayananu Tharam and Om Shanti Om hint at unexplored box office jackpot. Movies about movies usually tend to be satires, spoofs, and parodies - and this is fatal for an audience wanting to be more emotionally involved with the plot. (Though it seems to have worked nicely for Sathyaraj in Maha Nadigan). Udayananu Tharam is superb for the way it makes you care for its characters even as it smartly goes about making (good natured) fun of the industry.

We had to think hard to come up with examples of Tamil movies about movies. Though we haven’t featured the classics here, we’d like to, for the record, list them: Sripriya in Natchathiram (with cameos by Kamal and Rajini), Baghyaraj’s Thavani Kanavugal, and Bhrathiraja’s Kallukkul Eeram. There seem to be more movies with passing references to the film world (the star next door in Bama Vijayam, the junior artists in Oru Veedu Iru Vaasal, Nagesh as aspiring actor in Server Sunderam, Ajith as aspiring director in Kandukondain, Kandukondain, etc) than movies set entirely in or about the industry.

Few as they are, we thought it important to pay tribute to them because they took (and continue to take) risks: it must be a challenge for these filmmakers and actors to hold a mirror to themselves and honestly portray/ examine themselves on screen. Even if movies about movies don’t always work for a large audience, movie buffs savour them. We feature six movies about movies – four well known, and two yet to be released!

Though it isn’t set entirely in the film world, this was too special not to include – how could we not when it’s the only film where the Superstar plays himself in a movie? The story, for those who may have forgotten it, is the tender relationship between a dying orphan child (Meena) and rising star Rajinikanth who befriends her on a visit to the orphanage. The child is petulant at first but slowly warms to the star, writing him letters. Rajini faithfully writes back. He takes her to his shooting spots, and she (along with us the audience), get a glimpse of Rajini on the sets. It is rare for a star to be as transparent as Rajinikanth is in this movie.

It got us thinking about other Tamil stars who’ve appeared (briefly) as themselves in movies: Kamal walking off the sets of Virumandi and into the last scenes of Nala Damayanthi as himself, Nagesh repeatedly saying, ‘That is Nagesh’ in Thillu Mullu, and the kidnapped Simran asked by villagers to shake her hips in Pithamagan. Honourable mention: Shakeela as Shakeela in Dhool!

Mani Ratnam’s masterpiece is about the three great passions of the Tamil people: cinema, music and politics. He masterfully evokes several decades from the early years of Tamil cinema, while A.R. Rahman’s songs accurately reflects the sound and song style of films from each of those decades. Most memorable (and remarkable) are all the early scenes of struggling actor Anandan (Mohanlal) and his electrically charged encounters with poet and screenwriter Thamilchelvam (Prakash Raj).

A failure, but an interesting failure. Kathir’s film about an intense young man (Richard) and his two great passions in life- cinema and love –feels personal. Kadhal Virus borrows some elements from Devdas, and some from Nenjil Oru Aalayam. Kathir's intentions are earnest but the script, unfortunately, is half-baked, and parts of the movie are corny and over-the-top melodramatic. What still comes through in the movie is an artist conflicted between the devotion to his art and his yearning for the woman he loves.

True, it doesn’t work as well as it could have but let’s give director Jagangi (Cheran’s assistant) a high-five for attempting to record the joys and sorrows of an assistant director making his debut. Nandha is not an actor with a lot of range but he convinces us in those scenes when he and his producer (Manivannan) throw tantrums at each other. Memorable also are the early scenes when he goes from one Kodambakkam office to another pitching his script. If you look carefully, you’ll spot a couple of famous Tamil directors make quick cameos in the movie. Kodambakkam is also a neat title for a Tamil movie about a movie.

Prithviraj is Mohanlal, the assistant director with a great script that he wants to direct, Prakash Raj is Sreenivasan, the supporting actor who will do anything to turn into a star. The casting is perfect. Trisha and Jeyam Ravi appear as themselves. The question for many fans of the brilliant original in Malayalam, Udayananu Tharam, is how faithful and successful an adaptation is this Tamil remake going to be? Jagathy, playing a flamboyant acting coach in the original was a kind of Kollywood Stranislavaski via Kathakali. Who will play Jagathy here? Sathyaraj? Will all the self-referential in-jokes and gags about the movie industry safely carry over into the remake? Udayananu Tharam boldly satirized certain Indian stars and their nearly fascistic behaviour on and off a film set. Director Andrews, Sreenivasan and Lal also bravely criticize Malayalam cinema, once known for its artistic excellence, for selling out. Will the Tamil remake be as audacious and entertaining?

Pasupathy is Sreenivasan, the poor but acerbic barber; Rajini is Mamooty, the mythic star who runs into his old school chum when he comes to shoot in the village. Mamooty had an extended cameo role in Katha Paryumbol – the movie was really the barber’s story. If Kuselan retains the best of Sreenivasan’s witty and intelligent dialogues, it should work beautifully. Because the strength and successes of a film based on his screenplay are always the sharp, mocking dialogues. We know Rajini has a larger role in Kuselan but if he takes centre stage, what happens to the barber? The original told the story not only through the barber’s eyes and ears but his wry, cynical sensibility. The idea to reverse the central character from the barber to the superstar is actually interesting, and could make for an even more fascinating film. One thing we all know for certain is that no actor is more moving than Rajini when it comes to scenes involving old childhood friends meeting again. We can already imagine how charged with emotion the scene where the old school friends- the barber and the star – meet, are going to be.