Memories about a Lion!
Once upon a time, I saw a lion in Nandan Kannan zoo. I had seen lions in Chennai’s vandalur zoo as well, but this lion, I saw was bigger and it looked every bit like the lions I had read about in the stories as a child. It evoked a kind of fear and awe in me, the feeling you have when you see the smaller hair in the back of your head rising in a moment of electric tension. I have never been able to feel that awe ever since (Of course a different awe and goose flesh experience comes over when I hear a Ilaiyaraaja’s soul searching melody). It is my life’s pity that I never faced that lion without the iron/aluminium bars in between and the deep hole and moat that seperated the lion and me. For a moment there was this urge to cross the fence and observe its brilliance upclose and personal.
There was another lion, whose most brilliant moments I have seen in a much smaller cage – Tele Vision. As a person born in the late 70s and with a growing passion of cinema in the 90s, I have been denied the opportunity of watching this lion perform on the big screen, save for certain fortunate moments. This lion I am referring to here is Late.Chevalier Shivaji Ganesan, popularly known in thamizh nadu and rest of south india as ‘Nadigar Thilagam’. This post was in my mind for a while, but when I remembered that tomorow (July 21st – Thanks to Murali Srinivas of www.mayyam.com/hub for reminding everyone) was the eighth death anniversary of the legendary actor, i could wait no more and hence the birth of this post.
There are thousands of articles and web pages devoted to this actor par excellence that inform the discerning reader about the life and interesting tidbits about him. This blog post is devoted to recounting the pain and loss of not being able to watch some of his memorable performances on the big screen.
Sivaji Ganesan aka ‘Nadigar Thilagam’ ( I donno how to translate this one) aka ’simmak kuralon’ (the one with the voice of a lion) was the single most defining actor in the thamizh cinema and stage. His magnificience and range is unmatched till date in thamizh film world. His dedication to the character above everything else set him apart from the actors who subverted the character to beat their own drums and advancing their political doctrines and plans. His craft was ever so perfect and method – probably the best in the industry and his obedience to the director unmatched and discipline and respect for his profession is still being talked about as the right example.
He broke into the silver screen from theatre and as a result was blessed with supreme beauty of diction and absolute command over the language Thamizh, which he presented so beautifully and with grace that an entire generation of thamizh youngsters took it upon them to pronounce thamizh ‘the sivaji way’. More than his mastery over the language and superior memory that comes with intense theatre practice, it was his understanding of his face, eyes and voice and the rest of the body as efficient tools of his craft and the perfection of their use to convey the complete mood, thought and emotions of the underlying character being fleshed out by him, that made him the most hailed and sensational actor from Thamizh nadu. He was a man possessed in the ’scene’ and became almost the characters he enacted . He did this not just for the shot where he was in focus, but also for the shots where someone else was being captured, so that the other actor too was able to bring out the ‘mood’ of the shot properly in camera. Most of his directors maintain that he is a major reason why overall acting in a sivaji movie is so good.
Coming back to the words in paragraph one, I have a huge regret that I have seen a sivaji performance on the big screen only on a handful of occasions and that too in movies mostly released in modern times. From what I have seen, I can vouch for the fact that his performances are best seen in the big screen, for his acting is not just ‘bombastic’, but it is packed with so many minute details about the characters that come across by way of those perfect expressions and gestures that would make any world class actor of critically acclaimed art house films proud. It is a pity that the critics of his acting did not stop to observe those beautiful intricacies and took pride in labeling his performances as ‘Over the top’. However to them I would like to quote the famous Sunny Gavaskar joke ‘Look where the ball is‘. For Sivaji Ganesan always chose to be an artist of the masses, he designed his performances in such a way that they reached everyone while serving requisite information for each layer of his audience.
As a person who grew up on a staple diet of sivaji performances over Door darshan, I was enchanted by the ‘diction’ and voice that was designed for maximum impact.
Sample the thunderous scene that went over the top, yet made me feel like a million bucks in Veerapaandiya kattabomman in the clip below:
Similar scenes in Parasakthi, his debut film, Manohara ’s climax were irreproducible by any other actor, over the top alright, but simply explosive and sensational like no other performance seen before or after. Every superlative Sivaji performance on this front was matched by another Sivaji performance of this sort, Parasakthi was matched by manohara and Manohara was bettered by Veerapaandiya kattabomman. Around the time, there were reports of Sivaji acting in Veerapandiya kattabomman on stage and vomitting blood after every single performance. This kind of put an end to similar rousing long monologues in thamizh movies forever :-( .
Even in the days of such high voltage performances, Sivaji did not fail to enthrall his audience with the subtle and restrained acts like the ones he did for director Late Sridhar. Notable movies of the combination were ‘Amaradheepam’, ‘ sivandha Mann’ and the comedy ‘Ooty varai uravu’. Speaking of ‘Ooty varai uravu’, a mention must be made about ‘Bale Paandiya’, where he matched step to step in comic timing and satire with the legendary genius M.R.Radha. In the age of tear jerking melodramas, Sivaji’s comic acts in Bale Pandiya, Sabaash Meena (the riot he created with Another comic genius Chandrababu is unforgettable) and ‘Arivaali’ (the adaptation of Shakespearean comedy Taming the shrew with Banumathi Ramakrishna playing the shrew).
In my opinion though, what Sivaji did the best was to play historical figures and mythological characters. He relished in creating unique character traits for mythological characters and brought them alive with wit and sparkle instead of playing them straight forward costume holders as most of the artistes did. His portrayal of the Lord Shiva(thiruvilayaadal) is still looked upon with awe and his first ever portrayal of a mythological character in cinema was that of Bharatha which evoked whole hearted applause from a soul no less than ‘Rajaji’. His portrayal of Saivite saints or Nayanmars, particularly that of ‘Thirunavukkarasar’ was so poignant and real (he derived the mannerisms and gaze of the saint from what he observed of the saint of Kanchi) that people cried in the final scene when thirunavukkarasar struggles to reach the mount Kailash. It was a remarkable achievment that only an actor of a great calibre can accomplish. His portrayal of the freedom fighter and the pioneering leader of the ’swadesi’ movement V.O.Chidambaram pillai (also fondly known as Kappalottiya thamizhan ) was so real that the son of VOC gave Sivaji a warm hug after the screening and lauded the way how he had recreated the smaller and subtle mannerisms of VOC on screen. His keen power of observation was the key in such accomplishments. An actor who always kept his eyes and ears open and constantly observing the people around him to reproduce the traits appropriate to the character he played, be it a head strong barrister (Gauravam) or crazy scientist (Bale Pandiya) or a conflict stricken professor (Aandavan kattaLai) can never fail to impress people with the beautiful elements of realism mixed with nuanced theatrical expositions that heightened the dramatic element of the scene and Sivaji was the perfect example of that.
Writing about Sivaji is a humbling experience as it is similar to being asked to explain about the brightness of noon time Sun. There is no other object comparable in its luminosity and I don’t intend to embarass myself by writing any more on his acting achievments or abilities. Even in Kamal’s best performances, I see so many moments of Sivaji reflected in them. In Rajini’s stylish acts in screen we see so many suave moods of Sivaji of ‘Uththama puthiran’ and ‘Santhi’ reflected in them. Sivaji did not redefine acting, he was the only definition and be it old school(Paalum Pazhamum) or new age (Andha naal, Mudhal Mariyadhai) his expression for a situation were unsurpassable and were the final word. The ultimate delight for a Sivaji fan came when he acted opposite some of the best actors of the day, Kamal and Nasser in Thevar Magan. A movie I remember since the Diwali of 1992 for that singular Panchayat scene where he showed that he can excel under the new age baton of Bharathan as well.
A true nationalist, he always stressed the theme of national unity and integration while dravidian movement was in its full swing in the state. His political leanings apart, he was the single face thamizh citizens of all generations associated with acting. It is a pity that such a legend’s classic movies are still run only in the small screen while his epic performances in movies like Karnan, Raja Raja chozhan, Pudhiya Paravi and Vietnam Veedu deserve to be seen in big screen as often as possible by way of re releases. One hopes that theatre owners and distributors remember the icon who earned them so much of profit in his acting days by way of strings of hits (like he did in the year 1972 – Thanks once again to murali Srinivas, Saradha and Raghavendra from www.mayyam.com/hub) take note and screen his awe inspiring performances once again in the big screen atleast once a year.
When that happens, I wish to see those momentous performances in the big screen once again and relive the experience of seeing a Lion – up close and personal. Till then I have my DVDs of Thiruvilayaadal and Gauravam to revisit and relive the days of the Lion.
Sivaji in Gauravam
Sivaji Ganesan with Marlon Brando – thanks to ‘The Hindu’
Stamp released in honour of the great actor
Statue of Shivaji Ganesan in chennai
Tags: Acting, Chevalier Shivaji Ganesan, Sivaji Ganesan, Tamil Films, Thamizh films
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Ah!Jai thanks for this.Like you even I was born in the late 70’s so I’ve not been too fortunate to see the master in action on the big screen on more than a few occasions.But whatever I saw I was completely in awe.Though those were the days of Kamal & Rajni we would still as kids try to imitate Sivaji sir’s dialogue delivery.
Just yesterday I read an interview of the great Adoor Gopalakrishnan who was in Chennai last week (unfortunate that I couldn’t go for the awards function for which he had come) where in he mentioned that he first visited Chennai in 1958 during his student days and one of the higlights of that visit was watching the shooting of Sivaji’s Veera Pandiya Kattabomman.
The influence of Sivaji on a host of actors in Tamil cinema has been very apparent and Kamal is a shining example of the same. In my previous organization my office used to be a stone’s throw away from Sivaji’s house and would visit the place as a pilgrim every single day.
Some of my favorite movies of his include Thevar Magan,Mudhal Mariyadhai,Vellai Roja,Thirisulam,Vietnam Veedu,Thillana Mohanambal,Ooty Varai Uravu, Pudhiya Paravai,Pachai Villaku, Padithal Mattum Podhuma, Kappalotiya Tamizhan,Pasa Malar, Veera Pandiya Kattabomman,Parasakthi, Vasanthamaligai etc.
It’s a surprise as to how Sivaji & MGR only acted in 1 movie together- Koondukili while atleast Kamal & Rajni, their successors acted in more than 10 movies ( a total of 13 movies in all ) before deciding to stop acting together for business reasons.
Great post..
I was also thinking of ‘Yatramozhi’, where Mohanlal shared screen space with Shivaji..
The climax scenes of the movie.. was such A master class in acting..
yatramozhi was a delight indeed! It had mohanlal, shivaji and Raaja’s music a combination I would lap up any day.
@VPJ : you got it absolutely right when you said he was best the best in doing historical figures. I am sure no one could ever match his persona on screen while doing these epic movies. He was so good in Karnan and Veerapadndiya katta bomman even after so many years that his face will be the first thing that comes to my mind whenever these historical figures are discussed anywhere. Another movie charecter which became a cult was his portrayal of SP chowdary in Thanga pathakkam, as far as i remember that should have been the first authentic potrayal of a police office in Tamizh cinema. He was outstanding. ACtually we could go on and on and its so hard to restrict with just a few movies. He had a great impact and influence on all the actors in his and the forthcoming generations. Kamal being the prime example of his biggest and favourite disciple. The scene in Vasool raja after the death of the cancer patient where he breaks down is an exact replicate of Shivaji Ganesan.
A very good article to one of the greatest actor that our country has seen. ( My only dissapointment is that but for the panchayath scene, you could have uploaded the scene where Kamal is confronted by shivaji at his home when he says he wants to leave the village. IMO one of the best scenes ever i have scene..brilliant writing, great bgm& cinematography and undoubtedly acting at its peak best)
@KPV – The panchayath scene is my personal favourite and more than the panchayat itself, when the infuriated periya thevar is walking back and when others try to convince him, the dialogues and the delivery was simply too good. particularly ‘andha idhumbaangale’ Simply superb.
@VPJ : The scene i mentioned is my all time favourite
.. yeah i couldnt stop smiling when i read..” andha idhumbaangale”…simply awesome..
VPJ…elegant writeup…it would have been unpardonable otherwise to write about the greatest actor in Indian cinema…A man who put all his heart out into this art…he lived to act…
Great injustice was done to him by Indian authorities as they did not confer him with even a single National Film Award for best actor…where as MGR, who was a non-actor, won it for ‘Rickshawkaran’..lobbying was more important than talent I guess
However, late in his career Thevar Magan earned him a special jury award…but it was not done…
Some say he was over-the-top dramatic in many of his early essays…however, never was he out of control…he knew what he was doing..that was the difference between this Lion and other lambs…
Mudhal Mairyadhai was my favorite…he shed all facades and performed in such a way that no one even today can match the expressions that flow through his face like clear stream of water…especially while reacting to Vadivukkarasi’s tantrums..what an actor!!!!!
When he took up nine different roles in ‘Navarathri’…each and every character was breathed with a distinct believable life of its own…not like the forced caricature of a fancy dress put on by Kamal in Dasavatharam….Kamal or any other actor can never become what he was….Shivaji was the first and he will be the last of his kind in Tamizh…
When the world bowed before his talent…except for TN and few regions in the south…he was never recognized for his talent…
Thanks again VPJ for letting the ignorant world get a glimpse of this great man…
@RamV
Recognition from state was always not in the cards for him as he spoke his mind and was never too friendly with lobby groups for garnering awards. He trusted the people who watched his movies and they remember him till date and have accorded him the top status and thats what counts. He did not associate himself with the art house movement that got most of the awards of the time and the reason being the lack of any such movement in thamizh films.
With all due respect to Chevalier, I some how cannot relate to Shivaji’s school of acting. I found it to be too loud and “acting”. Nothing natural in it. At times it seems as if he was a trained Kathakali dancer rather than an actor. Give me Naseer, Om, Mohanlal, Kamal anyday but not Shivaji.
@Agnostic Indian – On the contrary, it had a very natural and organic element in the heart, presented in a dramatic and loud fashion for the sake of ‘public consumption’. Even in the most ‘loud’ moments of his acting, there are enough for people who delight themselves in consuming the subtle. Just a little bit of adjustin to is required from a different perspective. Kamal himself derived some of his best moments from countless of Shivaji performances.
VPJ..Excellent post!!
Andha Idhumbaangale
In Tiruvilayaadal, the best part was that of the fish vendor. (Though Dharumi episode is the most popular due to the performance of another genius). Sivaji chose to play the fish vendor with a little bit of mischief(in his eyes and voice), so that the audience is always aware that the Lord himself has come as the fish vendor! Such an instinctive performance!!
Agnostic Indian: I remember Cho Ramaswamy saying this in an interview. In a shot where Cho and Sivaji acted together, Sivaji was over the top. After the shot was okayed, Sivaji asked Cho’s opinion and Cho, who speaks his mind, said that Sivaji hammed. Sivaji asked for a retake and now he performed subtly. Cho was mightily impressed and asked Sivaji why he did not choose to enact the subtle way earlier. For which Sivaji answered, if I act like this, only you will enjoy. If I act over the top, entire Tamilnadu will enjoy! He knew his audience and acted accordinly. Naseer, Om, Mohanlal and Kamal belong to the next generation. 10 years from now, the next generation will say that Surya, Vikram, Prithviraj, Aamir Khan are better actors. It does not undermine the quality of Kamal or Mohanlal. Sivaji Ganesan changed the way Tamil Cinema actors performed. Like Kamal said, Sivaji is like Christ, you could bifurcate acting into two – Before Sivaji & After Sivaji!
I remember the scene in Thevar Magan, where Sivaji and Kamal have a showdown, over the latter’s decision to leave the village. Both the actors, going head to head, with brilliant exchange of dialogues. And then Kamal telling Sivaji, he is not interested at all in staying back in the village. Till then Sivaji, who has been trying to convince Kamal in a rather calm manner, loses his anger, and grabs Kamal by his shirt. For a moment there is a fierce anger, and then he immediately, dusts off Kamal’s shirt, checking to see if he has hurt. From anger to compassion in one moment, the switch was exceptional, it was so natural.
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I could make a list of all off his great performances, Pasamalar, Veera Pandiyan.., Mudal Mariyadhai but that one scene in Thevar Magan, should be watched by every aspiring actor, to learn how to change from one expression to another, without too much effort. Surely one of the finest actors in Indian Cinema.
@ratnakar : bingo, very well put…that was the exact scene i mentioned in my reply..that one single scene is simply mindblowing..
That scene has been written about in the forums probably a couple of hundred times, however the panchayat scene is where he was completely unleashed and that is therefore my fave. If one where to pick sivaji’s best scenes, one post or blog wont be enough. Sivaji’s talent and ability to carry an entire scene on his shoulders automatically meant that in 60s and 70s, most of his films had a mandatory ‘play withing film’ scene where shivaji played ‘chatrapati shivaji’, ’samrat asoka’,'Thiruppur Kumaran’ and even ‘Othello’. These were scenes where sivaji quenched his thirst of playing larger than life characters who deserved a full length feature film, but did not owing to budget constraints of regional films those days. In those delightful 20 minutes, the actor created his own space to enthrall fans who enjoyed plays but came to see that sivaji on screen.
wow Jaiganesh..’Play Within’ is a beautiful observation..yes I do remember the thespian as Othello..I dont remember the movie though…and yes it was delightful…Shakespeare would have been happy..He definitely used to create non-existing situation so that he could quench his histrionic thirst and whenever provided the opportunity, he drank high on as much celluloid as possible…
I was personally awe struck by his performance as Samrat asoka in Ratha thilakam. He also reprised his performance as Chatrapati sivaji in ‘Raman ethanai ramanadi’. It was his lifetime ambition to play the reformer EVR Periyar on screen which remained his unfulfilled ambition.
I am not sure, if he ever played the role of Chattrapati Shivaji in Tamil movies( other than the Play within the movie). But in the Telugu devotional movie Bhakta Tukaram, based on the story of the 17th century Marathi Saint, he played the role of Chattrapati Shivaji, though it was more of a guest appearance. That movie had great performances from two legends- ANR in the title role, and Sivaji Ganesan as Shivaji himself.
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Sivaji Ganesan acted in a couple of Telugu movies too. One not too well known movie is a historical “Viswanatha Nayakudu”. It starred Sivaji as a Nayak or one of the chieftains in the Viajayanagar empire, and a trusted ally of the emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya. However he later rebels against the emperor, and forms his own kingdom, and he faces battle with his own son, who is sent by the emperor to quell him. His monologue in the climax, where he tells the emperor why he betrayed and rebelled against him, after he is captured and bought, was spellbinding. Unfortunately the movie was a failure at the box office, and hence not too well noticed.
Though Sivaji could speak telugu well, his voice in telugu movies was dubbed by famous actor jaggaiah. He also acted in couple of Kannada movies thanks to director B.R.Bandhulu who made Karnan and ’school master’. The role he played in Kannada was that of an old scientist who helps some children who travel in a space ship to a planet of their own. the movie was also released in thamizh as ‘Kuzhandhaigal kanda kudiyarasu’ (republic of children) a scifi movie in 1950s. Right now I am going splits with his ‘absent minded professor’ act in Bale pandiya
Not entirely related; the dialogue from the Veerapandiya Katabomman clip reminded me of the Kannada movie clip Kittur Chenamma.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA3WlQuo3Fs&feature=related
Excellent post bro.
Would have to save in my favourites. Watching him act in Thevar Magan was a great experience, complex emotions potrayed easily.
The movies mentioned by Sethu are my favourite Sivaji Ganesan movies too.
Ratnakar, Viswanatha Nayakudu indeed! That scene where he confronts Krishna :-)
The director cuts between Krishna’s expressions and Ganesan’s to capture the fiery confrontation – and what a contrast between the clueless Krishna and the fiery Ganesan – still LOL recalling it.