A Captain's Salute to A Soldier

During the location  shooting of K.G.George's film "Elavamkodu Desam"(1998) at Olappamanna Mana at Vellinezhi,  actors Thilakan, Narendra Prasad and Captain Raju were staying in the same hotel near Ottappalam. Although Captain Raju did several roles in many films as Villain, it was the character of Aringoder in ORU VADAKKAN VEERA GAADHA that brought up his acting potential in him. After that film onwards he had changed his mind and refused to do negative character roles in further  films.

During one of the after shooting drinking sessions, Thilakan, Narendra Prasad and Captain Raju were having a heated discussion about performing in films, stage etc. Prof Prasad and Thilakan went deep in to the merits and demerits of various styles of acting in theatre, dance, classical arts etc about which Raju didn't have any clue at all. Finally when Thilakan remarked something about the wooden faced expressions of Raju, he could not bear any longer  and burst up - " Thilakan! You may be the Award winning Best actor in India, but remember I am a Captain in the Army and you were just a foot soldier. As a superior Officer whenever you see me,  you are bound to stand up in attention and salute me !."

Captain Raju's Farewell Salute to Thilakan

Whether it was intentional or not , the above incident came to my mind when I witnessed the scene of Captain Raju giving the Farewell salute  to Thilakan's body lying in state at the V.J.T Hall, Thiruvananthapuram. Here is a Captain saluting a Soldier - yes, a Bold, Brave Soldier who single handedly fought against all evils in the film industry!

Thilakan and Babu Nambbodiri in

Elavamkodu Desam

On Location at Elavamkodu Desam ( From L to R) Bharat Gopi, K.G.Georgr Mammootty, MAK Ali, myself and Thilakan

I had known Thilakan for more than 40 years,  ever since he started his career in films in P.J.Antony's Directorial venture PERIYAR. At that time (1972) I was at Alwaye shooting the film RAGGING (Director: N.N.Pisharody ) which was scripted by P.J.Antony. Later on we worked together on  K.G.George's film KOLANGAL  based on P.J Antony's subject. It was only YAVANIKA which brought Thilakan to limelight and earned him the First of the many State Awards. Since then I had the opportunity to work with him in several films including a Double role in  MUGHAMUDRA directed by Ali Akbar.

Like a jack fruit he had a tough thorny outside  but a soft sweet interior. His tough looking exterior might frighten people but when you become closer you will understand his goodness and outspoken nature. He had the  natural tendency  to pick up arguments for argument's sake, and relish it. For example, when some one on the sets greets him "Good Morning , Sir!"He will call him and tell  " Hey, what is so good about the morning, today is just like any other morning, so don't use the word  good  when you are wishing" Then the guy agrees " Ok. Morning Sir!" Then Thilakan will retort " Oh man, It is morning only and everybody knows it and why you have to say it again" The guy surrenders and says just  " Sir" Thilakan  cuts him off by saying"Look , we are all human beings and all men are equal,so  please don't call me sir" The dumbfounded poor fellow avoids greeting him from the next time onwards.

He was always precise with his words. When he reads the script he will point out unnecessary words and repetition of dialogue. And most of the time he as correct and the Directors made the necessary changes in the script. Being a Theatre Director,  he had an excellent sense of performance and dialogue delivery.

I distinctly remember him arriving on the location of the film GHAZAL (1993) at Perinthilmanna in his Fiat Premier 118NE car. It was just after his By Pass Surgery at Chennai and he had driven the car all the way from Thiruvananthapuram to Perinthalmanna all alone. When we asked him why he had not taken the services of a driver , he said he never liked others driving the car. He had consulted the doctor regarding the driving and he had advised him to take a few minutes rest and a little walk after every hour of driving. But he didn't stop that many times and drove on . That shows his will power and boldness. Any other person would have arrived with a driver and helper just to show off.

We had to film an early morning song in a Mosque set with him and Vineeth and it required him to get up early at 4 AM and be ready with make up and be on the set by 5 AM. As we have to shoot just as the sun rises we had only a few minutes to take the shot. So the song was shot over several days, early in the morning and in spite of his physical conditions he was already on time to take the shot. Such was his dedication towards work.

Though Thilakan had acted in a notable role in Director K.G.George's  film KOLANGAL,  it was a stage curtain that was instrumental in landing Thilakan  his First State award winning role in  K.G.George's film YAVANIKA. The Production Executive of the film P.A.Latheef,  in order to save production costs suggested to George, that if we book Thilakan for the role of the Drama troupe owner we can also get the stage curtain for free as Thilakan was running his own  Drama Troupe at that time.So, whenever the shooting schedule of YAVANIKA was fixed, Latheef would telephone Thilakan to remind him to bring the stage curtain along with him !

The last film  work we did together was the Film SAPHALYAM(1999) directed by G,S,Vijayan and after that we could not get an opportunity to be associated together. Of course I occasionally used to meet him at public functions and at  his daughter's marriage. The last time I saw him was at the Thiruvananthapuram  KIMS Hospital a few days before his demise and that time he was in a totally unconscious state.

Indian Cinema had lost a Great Performer and upright Personality !

 

On Location of the film SAPHALYAM with Director G.S.Vijayan

P.G.Viswambharan - A remembrance

Malayalam film Director P.G.Viswambharan passed away in the early hours of yesterday ( 16 th June 2010) after a brief illness at Ernakulam.


In the mid Seventies, outside the editing rooms of G.Venkitaraman and Sankunny at New Era Lab and A.V.M. Studios, I used to see a number of Assistant Directors working in connection with various films under production. I remember two of them in particular because they were wearing white shirts and white pants. They were Hariharan and P.G.Viswambharan. Hariharan was assistant to M. Krishnan Nair and P.G.Viswambharan was working with Sasikumar.

Years later in 1983, P.G. had asked me to work in his film SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU which he was planning to direct based on a popular story serialized in VANITHA magazine. I had my own reservations about working with him as he was known as short tempered and bad mouthing person. After I started working with him I found him to be a jovial person, often cracking jokes and keeping the crew on their toes, keeping up to the schedule. Only when he finds people not performing properly, he lashes out with the choicest words. But later on he will forgive and forget it altogether. The film SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU when released became a super hit and Mammootty by over night became a popular Star! Myself and P.G. continued working happily for another dozen films.

Joking on the Sets

His shooting schedules were well planned and finished within the budget and usually ahead of schedule too. He was also particular that all those who worked in his films got their payments in time and he insisted on seeing that they are paid before the shooting wrapped up. Because of this quality all the technicians loved working with him. He was also a producer's delight as he finished his films within the planned amount and time. Even when some artistes had tight schedules and didn't have enough dates, he used to manipulate the shots and take the scene in such a way, as he knew very well how that can be later on edited seamlessly. Since he had his early training under Director Sasikumar, who is a master at such scene taking, he will take the master shots, combined shots and the close ups of an artiste in a hurry, from various scenes at one go and send him off in time and later on fill up the scenes with shots of other artistes.

Hence those artistes working with him too, were very happy because he will certainly finish their work within their given dates and so there is no tension about clashing dates.

Viswambharan and Jayaram in Operation theatre
Film: FIRST BELL

He had brought popular Hindi artistes to Malayalam film industry like Amjad Khan and Kaajol Kiron ( EE LOGAM IVVIDE KURE MANUSHYAR - 1985) and Deepika ( Sita in RAMAYAN serial), Madhu Kapoor in INIYUM ITHILE VARU (1986). Though he didn't know Hindi and his knowledge of English was poor, he managed to communicate with them his requirements for the scene to be taken.

Amjad Khan taking a Meter reading!

Altogether I have worked in 13 of his films including his last film, PUTHOORAM PUTHRI UNNIYARCHA (2002)

List of my films with P.G.Viswambharan :

1. SANDHYAKKU VIRINJA POOVU (1983)
2. PIN NILAVU (1983)
3. SAGARAM SANTHAM (1983)
4. ONNU CHIRIKKU (1983)
5. ONNANU NAMMAL (1984)
6. ORU KOCHU KATHA AARUM PARAYATHHA KATHA (1984)
7. IVVIDE EE THEERATHU (1985)
8. EE LOGAM IVVIDE KURE MANUSHYAR (1985)
9. INIYUM ITHILE VARU (1986)
10.IRIKKU M.D. AKATHUNDU (1991)
11. FIRST BELL (1992)
12. PRAVACHAKAN (1993)
13. PUTHOORAM PUTHRI UNNIYARCHA (2002)

For the past eight years he had not been doing any films and i used to meet him at Ernakulam in Association meetings, where he used to diffuse heated exchanges in tense situations by his native humour and wisecracks. We are really going to miss his presence in film makers' future gatherings at Ernakulam. I also miss a personal friend and also a relative from my wife's family.

I pray for his soul to Rest in Peace and my Hearty condolences to the bereaved family members.

Mammootty, the Person and Actor

While going through the website of Mammootty I came across some rare photographs , which prompted me to write this piece. His very first film was DEVALOKAM Directed by M.T.Vasudevan Nair and Produced by Janasakthi films.The film remained incomplete and never saw the light of the day. The shooting location was Palakkad and at that time P. I. Muhammad Kutty was a lawyer working at Manjeri. He was called in by M.T. to do a supporting role in the film . The lead role was done by Sabu, son of Shobana Parameswaran Nair's brother. Kannada actress Jayamala was in the female lead.

A still from DEVALOKAM
Muhammed Kutty and Jayamala leading a procession


On the set of DEVALOKAM
(L-R) Purushan Kadalundi ( Asst Director), Sreedharan Master ( Still Photographer), Sabu ( Male Lead actor) & Muhammed Kutty ( Second Lead Actor)

Since the film Devalokam stopped half way, M.T. wanted to give Muhammed Kutty one more chance in the film written by him and directed by M.Azad, VILKANUNDU SWAPNANGAL. In a confrontation scene Muhammed Kutty proved himself as an actor with much potential against a stellar performance by Sukumaran. In the film his voice was not used but instead Sreenivasan had dubbed for him!

VILKANUNDU SWAPNANGAL

Sukumaran, Sudheer and Mammootty in
VILKANUNDU SWAPNANGAL

During the shooting of VILKANUNDU SWAPNANGAL, Sreenivasan and Mammootty became closer and their friendship continues till today. When K.G.George directed the film MELA, he was looking for a new comer with smart and handsome personality as a daredevil motorcycle jumper. Sreenivasan suggested Mammooty's name while we were shooting at the Raymon circus at Ernakulam. When called for interview he told George that he can ride a bike though he had previously ridden only scooters. When the time came for shooting the motorcycle stunt jumping the truth came out! But we managed those scenes by putting on a helmet and switched places with the real stunt jumper from the circus.

MELA was a real learning experience for him as he had to enact a song sequence and also do fight scenes too! At that time there was no stunt master and when a scuffle scene between him and the circus manager (played by his friend Sharraff) was being shot, myself and K.G.George composed the action scene. I showed Mammootty , one move which he rehearsed with Sharraff, but unfortunately did not time it well and Sharraff got hit on his nose. There was some bleeding as well and ice packs were applied and the shooting continued. After the incident a scared off Sharraff left his film dreams behind and went to the Gulf to seek his fortune. But MELA was a turning point and people took notice of him and he was flooded with offers from reputed directors.

With Raghu in MELA

K.G.George, Myself & Art Director Sundaram with the Small Actors in MELA

Having done the Cinematography of all the above three films I too became good friends with him and had been associated in some of his land mark films such as Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu, Yavanika, Padayottam, Oru Vadakkan Veera Gaadha, and now Yuga Purushan. Though he appears to have a hard exterior he always had a soft corner for people who loved him. I can vouch for this from my personal experience.

It was during the shooting of Sandhyakku Virinja Poovu in 1982 at Kottayam, that I got engaged to be married. The function was held at Kollam and he drove me all the way from Kottayam in his car accompanied by his wife Sulfath and baby daughter Surumi. Below are some of the photographs taken at that time. Together we attended the function and returned back to Kottayam to resume the shooting of the film. Such was his concern towards his friends!

Waiting for the Ceremony to start

Making fun of me!


Having the traditional Lunch


Mammootty with wife and Surumi

To end up, here is a photo from my collection taken when Mammootty had to shave off his moustache for make up purposes while acting the older character role in Padayottam!

Without Moustache! During PADAYOTTAM