Year 1989 - Revisiting Tamil Cinema

Rewinding to the year 1989, which is kind of special for me, because as cinema is concerned this year is my earliest remembrance of watching many films in movie theaters. This was also the year which made me to turn from Rajinikanth to Kamal. The reason is Apoorva Sagotharargal.

Apoorva Sagotharargal is celebrating its 25th anniversary year now (2014). Even though there are many memorable films released that year, I kind of always go with Apoorva Sagotharargal as the best in terms of entertainment value. 

The story is a old template. Two brothers getting separated after their father is killed by the villains. One brother taking the revenge in the climax. Kamal as Appu, the dwarf was awesome (not sure if its the right word). The circus is not a new setting in the Tamil Cinema, MGR had done a circus based film before, but this film was something new for this (that) generation. Especially the dwarf role- sometimes folding his leg, sometimes the tricky camera angle, sometimes just standing on the dolly which is set underground. This was an out-of-the-box thinking for an entertainer. I wonder how the thought process should have worked between Kamal- SS Rao-PC Sriram-Thota Tharani. 

One standout scene is the “Registrar office scene”. Willingly or unwillingly in Kamal films there will be a scene in which he will cry due to someone close getting lost, I assume this started in Nayagan and this continued even till Virumandi\Hey Ram. My mom would say this is typecast for Kamal. But in this registrar office scene, he will make a subtle sob, of course he can't cry like Nayagan. With tears in his eyes, little smile on his face, Illayaraja background music adding to the pathos and PC Sreeram playing with lights- this should be the best scene in the history of Tamil Cinema!.

Trivia- Kamal came as a dwarf on the stage to collect the best actor award given by Tamil Nadu Govt.

The next best in this year was Puthiya Pathai and Karakattakaran.

After 25 years, it is good to see Parthiban of Puthiiya Pathai refound his pathai in Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam (2014).

Karagattakaran is a cult, I mean it has a following even now. It ran in theaters for more than an year then. Ramarajan call sheet was booked till the year 2000!. It’ll be a sin if I didn't mention Goundamani\Senthil comedy. The comedy track was by Veerappan (if I’m correct). This film fell inline with three best musical\dance scores in Tamil Cinema. These three films were based on specific music directors era- KV Mahadevan, Illayaraja and AR Rahman. The other two films were Thillana Moganambal (KVM) and Sangamam (AR Rahman).

Other notable mentions are Puthu Puthu Arthangal, Sandya Ragam- I remember seeing it many times in DD, but not in theaters. On a different genre Nalaya Manidan.