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

Like a Meteor she vanished …….

The year : 1972. Location : Kollam Hotel Neela. 
 

Cinematographer Ashok Kumar was on the camera shooting a scene involving Shobana for the film “Chemparathy” being directed by P.N.Menon. After my first film “ Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile” with John Abraham, I was into my second feature film “Ragging” directed by N.N. Pisharady. We started the film with newcomers in the main roles, but on seeing their dismal performances we decided to rope in well known artistes. Hence myself, N.N.Pisharady and Aluva Thampy went to Kollam to contact Sudheer and Rani Chandra and get their dates for our film. That was my first meeting and she was a simple and friendly person. Though she was selected as Miss Kerala, I found her to be a typical Malayalee girl with curly hair and tanned skin with an out going nature. At Neela Hotel Bamboo bar we also had an eventful meeting with veteran Malayalam writer Kakkanadan too along with S.K.Nair playing host.

On the set of "Ragging " she was simple and friendly with every one and didn’t show any airs of stardom and was at ease with other new comers like Balan Nair and Somasundaran. Others in the cast included Vincent, P.J.Antony and Jameela Malik .

On the set of RAGGING

It was only in K.G.George’s film “Swapnadanam” her acting talent rose to its summit. It was such a powerful role and she took all efforts to perform as the director had intended. K.G.George was instrumental in polishing her talent and bringing out the hidden talent in her. Her acting in “Swapnadanam” earned her Kerala State Award for the Best actress in 1975. After that she was flooded with offers to act in many films including well known Tamil production houses.

Rani Chandra and Dr.Mohandas

Mallika, Rani, myself & Dr.Mohandas in SWAPNADANAM

Thirty five years back, on 12 October 1976, after a film career spanning only eight years, Malayalam actress Rani Chandra died in a tragic accident near Bombay Airport on a flight to Madras in an Indian Airlines Caravelle aircraft. Her last film was “Badrakali” (Tamil) in which she starred opposite Siva Kumar, was completed with a similar looking actress enacted Rani’s scenes and released after her death was a huge success.

It was really shocking news to the Malayalam Film Industry that she had left this word at the height of her career blazing a trail, she vanished like a Meteor.

I felt deeply on losing a personal friend and real human being, and on that occasion I wrote the following lines:

NOT EVEN MEMORIES

- (To Rani Chandra)

Through fire you made your exit

That was no trick shot.

All that remained in the end

Ashes, an indistinguishable lot.

Many longed for you

But not in this form.

Among the mourners I spot

One who still loves you.

A fellow traveller,

On a journey in dream,

Oh, a friend sweet and lovable

You sailed through enormous sufferings

A rare one who cared for others

Even if others cared not.

Your absence

None can replace

Not even memories.

An abridged Malayalam translation of this article was published in Metro Vartha on 13 October 2011.

Twin loss for Malayalam Films

Malayalam film industry recently suffered two shocking losses with in a span of one week. Actor, Writer and Director Cochin Haneefa passed away on 2 nd February 2010 and Lyrics and Script Writer Gireesh Puthenchery snatched away on 10 th February 2010. Both of them as script writers too, had made much contibution to Malayalam films, which faces a shortage of good scripts.

Cochin Haneefa

I had known Cochin Haneefa since his early days when he was seeking his fortune knocking at the doors of film directors for a chance to act in film roles. To be exact during the filming of my second film RAGGING directed by N.N.Pisharody at Alwaye in 1972-73 period Haneefa used to come to the set seeking a role in the film. He used perform his masterpiece imitation of Sivaji Ganesan to impress people, Since already all the major and minor roles had been allotted he could not be accomodated in that film.

Later on I had witnenessed his struggles at Madras to get roles and his rise as a scriptwriter and Actor. He was hard working sincere and a simpleton, qualities which made him liked by all those who came in touch with him. We had not worked much together in films, but I remember working with Vinayan's AKASHAGANGA in which he had given a supurb comic performance.

Now that he had left us all of a sudden, let us pray for his family consisting of his wife and very young twin daughters,

Gireesh Puthenchery

Twenty years back, in 1990 a young man came to see me at Hotel Maharani, Calicut during the shooting of Vijayan Karot's film BRAHMA RAKSHASS. I invited him into my rooom and offered him a cup of tea and read some of his writings. I learnt that he was a friend of Vijayan Karot and had written the script of the film BRAHMA RAKSHASS. I do not remember whether he had also written the lyrics. His name was Gireesh. I went through the script and told him my opinion about it and told a few nice words on his writing.Years later he had become a popular lyrics writer and whenever we met he used to narrate that incident and hold my hands with due respect for the kindness I had shown to a novice like him.

He had written many hit songs for my films, notable amongst them are the songs from KANMADHAM, the music of which was by Raveendran. I used to meet Gireesh often during functions and during those meetings he told me of his desire to direct a film and had insisted that I must do the Cinematography for him. Unfortunately that could not materialize as he had been invited by the Powers above to write lyrics for their Divine Music. RAMAN POLICE, his unfullfilled film project had become an orphan. I really miss you Gireesh for you have left a great void in our hearts. I pray for you and your family !