Anbe Sivam promises humanity
PrintiView Author: Salik Shah (Delhi, India)
Email: kathspeaks [at] gmail.com
Anbe Sivam promises humanity
We don’t need no lectures anymore. We’re all grown-ups now. Did you like Rajkumar Hirani’s Munna Bhai? Comedy can be very effective to unarm and attract audiences if you’ve a message. Rakeysh Mehta’s Delhi 6 tried to teach a lesson of tolerance in highly artistic and literary terms. Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday was easily accessible to everyone — like Mehta’s Rang De Basanti. If I’ve learned anything from these brilliant films, then it is the reassuring fact that humor can be a powerful tool to bring about social change — to make what Andrei Tarkovsky would have said a “people’s movie†(for example, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai). Sundar C.’s Anbe Sivam (Love Is God) is another finest example of this magnificent medium which has reached millions since 2003.
Kamal Haasan and R. Madhavan play the guru and the chela in this bittersweet comedy written by themselves. R. Madhavan plays Anbarasu, a young ad filmmaker who insists on being called A. Ars, while Nalla Sivam (Haasan) is an artist/playwright who is working for the workers’ cause in a Tamil backdrop. The two meet at an airport as the city is engulfed in downpour and floods. After seeing a news about terrorists on television, Anbarasu mistakenly suspects Sivam to be a terrorist and calls the police. Mr. A. Ars is deprived of logic and depends more on instinct than his brain. The brash young man doesn’t even care if his action will affect other people.
Travel is a learning experience, isn’t it? What else could be the best backdrop for a lesson like Anbe Sivam? But these days, travel isn’t really a learning experience but a means to an end. We are too busy as we seek comfort of privacy. Well, today business gurus suggest ignoring unnecessary information and indulgence in activities which is not directly related with your business might save you an incredible amount of time and money. The new motto seems to be ‘Ignorance is wealth.’ Sivam confronts Anbarasu with bitter truths but in a benevolent manner. He is a mirror to his identity crisis. He tries to help the naïve young man not fully familiar with the ways of the world or himself.
They discuss many things — love and communism included. In some way, Sivam redefines communism as a feeling which is on a par with love. It depicts workers’ fight for fair pay. Anbe Sivam is a struggle between the moral and the amoral, a good man and a bad man. It’s a comic clash between experience and ignorance which ends at tragic conjecture. Sivam makes us believe that you and me are the real gods. That love is in fact the god we trust. I loved a scene when Ambarasu discards communism as a thing of past. Sivam asks, “Will people stop to love if Taj Mahal crumbles down?â€
The music by Vidya Sagar is melodious. I loved the choreography of a street play in the film. The love story between rich and poor beautifully progresses. The screenplay is very powerful. After several misadventures, Ambarasu finally sees his selfishness; he comes in terms with his ignorance and realizes that virtue isn’t always in the appearance. One man’s loss is another man’s fortune. Sivam loses everything in an accident. Ambarasu doesn’t know that he owes a great debt to the man who didn’t leave his heart without love. Anbe Sivam was my first Tamil film and I don’t feel cheated a bit. After all, Anbe Sivam soothes humanity.
Tags: Anbe Sivam, kamal hasan, Madhvan, Sunder C, Vidya Sagar
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Varma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Anbe Sivam is a lovely movie.The performances are spot on & the music is pleasant.
Salik- the story is inspired by Planes,Trains & Automobiles and the screenplay is by Kamal Haasan while the dialogues are by Madan.Madhavan has nothing to do with the writing as pointed by you
( you’ve mentioned that its written by Kamal & Madhavan).But hey! thanks for reminding me about this wonderful movie once again.
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Why don’t they send a movie like Anbe Sivam to Oscars!?
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Yes ,Anbe Sivam was a great watch for me,but a few critics tore into it for putting forward blatantly communist ideals without finding the right balance.I remember the critic of The Outlook gave it an “avoidable” rating.The same guy also gave the exceptional Virumandi and the average Aalavandhan “avoidable” ratings.
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@ravi We cannot send it oscar because Madhavan/Kamal scenes are a frame to frame remake of ’Planes, Trains and Automobiles’. Everyone would laugh at it…
Read http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Anbe_Sivam-61014-1.html. This fellow who wrote the review calls Kamal ‘King of copy’…
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Copy history of Kamal
Chachi 420/Avvai Shanmuki – Mrs.Doubtfire
Tenali – What about Bob
Virumandi – Story telling concept from Rashomon…its ok to take up a film making technique…but still
Vasul Raja- Munnabhai
Vikram – Indiana Jones, and many other hollywood adventure movie
Even when I saw promo of Marudanayagam…there were scenes as copied from ‘Spartacus’ especially the spear-throwing scene…even the camera angle is copied
Copycat Kamal..
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@Holycow,
“Copycat Kamal” ? ? ? ?
It raises few questions:
So in the present era when you can have handy cam, digital camera or any other suitable camera, you easily can replicate scene of any film made by anyone in the world?
If you get a camera and plan to replicate the favourite scene from a wonderful film then Your Amateur friends ( cum actors ) can defeat established actors while re-enacting the scenes done by these wonderful actors in the past?
All directors should make authentic remakes and which may surpass the original version also?
In motion pictures, this aspect baffles me. Please help.
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Have people actually seen “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” before saying Anbe Sivam is a scene by scene copy of the movie.
Please see both the movies before you can compare. Other than the fact that two strangers meetup and travel together there is nothing similar with both the movies.
I would be glad if I’m corrected.
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guys i just read wiki, jotted down quick notes, and here’s your point for discussion: Copycat kamal! lol
I just wanted to root for this film.. WATCH IT!
Ramu (maybe he’s wrong person to cite here) writes on his blog:
What’s your view on piracy? Would you want to curb it?
I basically make a living on pirating whatever intellectual thoughts I can lay on of all people across all ages. So I don’t think I am morally qualified for such lofty work.
http://rgvarma.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!5187B91811914FB4!8704.entry
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@ Holycow – I’ve pointed out before you that anbe Sivam’s story is inspired from Planes,Trains & Automobiles and thats the truth.Its not a scene by scene copy.
Regarding the other movies mentioned- Vikram is more of a James Bond style movie, whats the connection with Indiana Jones?
Vasool Raja was a a remake of Munna Bhai with the remake rights being legally bought and Kamal had admitted to Chachi 420/Avvai Shanmughi being a copy of Mrs.Doubtfire.But again its wasnt a scene by scene copy, it was a fairly Indianised version of it.Come on he has been in the Industry for more than 40 years ( started as a child artiste) and you just name a few movies to say he’s a copy cat,not done @ all.
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Anbae Sivam is a colossus among Tamil movies of the recent past and I think it stands right beside Kannathil Mutthamittal (Mani Ratnam) in terms of sheer quality of work. Kamal has, as pointed out, often borrowed ideas and suitably modified them, but what of his work in, say, Mahanadi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahanadi_(film))
and Hey Ram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Ram)? I admire the man for his ability to take up the most outre subjects and make extremely watchable movies. Even his Dasavataram, if stripped of the cosmetic razzle-dazzle wove a beautiful tale based on Vaisnavite Mythology and Chaos Theory while talking about the dark side of biotechnology!
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Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
- Wilde
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@Rk. what do you want to say? That professional copiers are better than amateur ones…I agree
@Salik. Whatever Ramu may say, why should one care about it…there are hundreds of original artiste in India and thousands around the world. Root for them
@Sethumadhavan – Yes, James Bond was also an inspiration, the scene I talk about is the one dining scene which is similar to ‘Temple of Doom’. Not a few films, I just haven’t listed others. Remember, Initially Kamal rejected copying charges, he dedicated the film and its content as inspired from his drama teacher ‘Shangmugham’ who used to play women characters. Hence the name Avvai Shanmughi.
Even if he copies and tweaks it to suit Indian conditions, copy is a copy. I dont know about others, but I have zero tolerance for copycats.
@Raghu. You are way off target, when you pick up ‘Kannathil Muthamittal’ and compare it with a mediocre propagandist film like ‘Anbe Sivam’. if you like it, your choice, good for you. Did I say Kamal did not do well in ‘Mahanadhi’? why should we deviate from the issue. I said Kamal copies big time…thats all..I did not say anything about ‘Thevar Magan’, ‘Mahanadi’ etc.
‘Dasavatharam’ is the biggest joke in Tamil Film history, except for the first 10 minutes which was quite good, the rest 140 minutes was certified nonsense like some bad fancy dress party. I have worked on C theory, Fractal Markets, and Stochatistic economics as part of my dissertation, believe me , ‘Dasavatharam’ has nothing to do with chaos theory. You cannot tell me by showing a butterfly, stupid story of the idol coming back and brine covering up the microboilogical disaster and feed it a chaos theory. Its mediocrity at its height
@salik..you are resonating Mr.Wildes thought proving his saying true…
..as Kamal resonates other people thought and claims his name
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Dasavatharam has nothing to do with chaos theory? Brush up ur brain a little yaar…
WHY DID THE 200 MUSLIMS ESCAPE FROM TSUNAMI?
1. you can say that it was cos Kali Fulla and family were living in their locality.
2. You can say that it was because Kamal (scientist)+Asin’s lorry collided with Kalifulla family’s van. (Else, there would not be a meeting between them at all and they wouldn’t be a police suspect)
3. Or if you are still not convinced, just think little more. The 200muslims escaped ONLY because there was that Policeman (at chennai airport) who was a fan of Avatar Singh. If he wasn’t a fan of that singer, he wouldn’t have moved away, the series of events including the escaping of Fletcher from airport would have been different.
This is just one aspect f chaos theory in that film. Reg the virus-NaCl episode, he says- it will be good if God is there. Means he lets it for the audience to decide whether the tsunami was for bringing out the God’s statue out, incidentally preventing the virus from spreading (chaos theory) or it was just coincidence (atheism).
Dasa is 1 film (its much greater than a film, in Indian standards) which cuold have been made well when you see the Asin’s irritating Perumaal parts… the film, on the whole, was much like fashion parade of course as it looked they searched for characters for making it perfect ten. But tthe contents in it…including the dialogues, stuffs… Kamal films do have something unique… Can anyone imagine he told about tsunami in Anbe Sivam!!!??? Tel me one Indian film actor who can do it. Naseeruddin Shah says-”I am not Kamal Hassan to be able to do all roles.”
Nothing more to be said about Kamal. He may copy. Atleast by copying from abroad, he educates a section of the audience about good cinema.
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this email is spreading virally lately.
about Kamal Hasan’s films predicting future unknowingly
http://www.fulldhamaal.com/interesting-facts/kamal-haasan-movies-and-the-coincidence-20321.htm
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Also:
Panchatantiram – Very Bad Things
Quite a few of his screenplays have direct foreign inspirations. But to be fair, we can’t count Vasool Raja, since he was merely an actor in it, not the screenwriter.
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@ Ravi K. Yes. I agree…Panchathanthram was an abominable rip-off of Very Bad Things…we need not count where he was a mere actor, but we need to consider those films where he was either the producer, distributor or screenwriter/director.
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http://jackofall.blogspot.com/2005/03/inspired-kamal-hassan.html
One may not agree with all said in the above link but it has some points which are good..read the comments as well, then you will get more info…remember , its just the tip of the iceberg..
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Anbe sivam is proabably is one of the best movies i have seen. The screen play and dialogues were brilliant. There is a huge difference between copying and getting inspired, but people have their own perceptions and judgements. To me excpet for thenali and avvai shanmugi none of the movies mentioned in the blog can be categorised as copy. And wonder how many movies mentioned there had kamal hassan for story credits.
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If you are ok with taking recycled stuff…I dont have anything to say..Your life your choice…But it is not good for tamil films or any language films, for that matter, if copying, under the psuedonym of inspiration is done.
When some movie works well, is original, like Mahanadi ( I dont think its a copy),then everyone is ready to credit Kamal with its success. They say Santhanabharathi is just a front-end, but the actual talent is Kamal. When same movie is charged with copy, then every Kamal fan tracks back and says, what Kamal was never involved in the story, it was all the scriptwriter/directors fault…
A fan is always biased…Thats why they are called Fans
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@Holyshit- Anbe Sivam was a brilliant film. You cant deny that.
You have just listed 4 of his 100 odd films which were inspired by other films. And you call Kamal a copy cat. Then Quen Tarantino is the biggest copycat in the world.. Frame by Frame copy? Vikram=Indiana jones and others acc to you,very funny. Have you really seen these films?
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@Holycow- sorry typo error in the last comment.
“a mediocre propagandist film like ëAnbe SivamÔ. You have a problem with Communism and Kamal’s atheist, periyar beliefs. There is 1 saying in kannada- “Kamale kannige yellavu arashana”.
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@dilipr. Abusing me would not hide the truth..I grew up watching Kamal & Rajni films. I dont have any problem with anyones personal beliefs as long as their work is good..I have enlisted the points which I have problem with…why do you have to try and delve deep into my psyche to analyze the root cause of my comments? I donot understand…you don’t know me…If Periyar were to hear what you said, the great man would have told…’Vengayam’…Naana kannige neeve arashana..
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is this the same pfc ?????…what films are being discussed here…anbe shivam?????????….guys please dont discuss fans, rumors and gossip here…this blog is meant to share passion for cinema not a gossip agazine..
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@ Guys, stop the mud slinging match right now. Any of personal attacks will not be tolerated here anymore.
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Im sorry.
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phew.. guys don’t forget to watch Anbe Sivam!!:mrgreen:
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Inspiration s diff from Copy.. Even the Characterization of Anbe Sivam is inspired from Mel Gibson’s “The Man Without a Face”
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Hey a remake ( rather a copy ) can never win an oscar. Kamal is an excellent actor. But why is he always giving his best perfomances in these hollywood copies
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because I think… once you know how a movie is… and then plan to make it your way, you have a mental direction of what needs to be done… there is background on which either you decide to follow or stay completely away …. my personal thoughts…
I also dont see anything wrong in remaking a movie till the due credits are given … and then again, brackets within the “non due credit given” crime, I would rate a kambakth ishq and a lot remakes which are ripped off lesser known movies, which could have been really critical for the original person’s creation, than maybe kaante… QT might have never thought of a folloing in india… nonetheless, I am not sure if Kamal Hassan gave a credit to “the godfather” in Thevar Magan or Mani ratnam in “Nayakan” which they agreed were adaptations of the original … however, to me I was taken aback by all 3 of em …
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