Category Archives: ET

1-By Laksh, ET, Movies

Bandla Ganesh, The tell-tale heart and Oththa Seruppu Size 7

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Bandla Ganesh and Parthiepan

My interest got piqued when I saw the news that Bandla Ganesh would reprise the character in a Telugu remake, that veteran Tamil actor Parthiepan played in the original film ‘Oththa Seruppu Size 7’(Single Slipper Size 7). Interestingly a Hindi remake is on floors now, with Abhishek Bachchan playing the same role. Anything that Bandla Ganesh does is synonymous with controversy, so I wondered what ‘Oththa Seruppu Size 7’ had in store for me, when I tuned into Netflix. And I was pleasantly surprised.

‘Oththa Seruppu Size 7’ is a remarkable feat that features only one character. The film narrates the story of an ordinary person (Masilamani) who is taken into custody as a murder suspect, and his subsequent interrogation, that reveals shocking secrets. As skeletons from the closet start tumbling down, the police try to make a sense of it all, with just one clue—a single slipper of size 7. What makes it even more difficult for the police, is the attitude of Masilamani that poses some serious questions about his sanity. As he vacillates from narrating the actual happenings to ruminating aloud, from pedestrian comments to relevant statements about the crime…the investigating team attempt to sieve the truth from his ramblings. Parthiepan, as he is credited in the beginning of the movie, ‘crafts’ a tale that is unique in its presentation with a brilliant sound design from the Oscar winner Rasool Pookutty. ‘Oththa Seruppu Size 7’ is an engaging watch and kudos to the veteran for putting this feature together.

There is a terrific short story from the master writer Edgar Allan Poe called ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ published in 1843. It is a first person narrative that tries to convince the reader of the narrator’s sanity and parallely describing a murder the narrator might have committed. As the story progresses, the narrator reveals the meticulous planning and execution of the murder.Ultimately, the narrator’s actions result in hearing a thumping sound, which the narrator interprets as the dead man’s beating heart and this troubled mental state reveals the truth to the police and audience.

I always wondered how anyone could make this kind of story engaging enough to the audience. Parthiepan shows it how, with his top notch handling of all crafts.

Senior comedy actor Asrani once said, his dream was to play a psychotic person, a total contrast to his popular roles like the ‘angrezoki zamane ki jailer’ from ‘Sholay’. Same with other comedy actors like Brahmanandam who aspire to tread different path by playing a mentally challenged person. Good actors can play any kind of roles and actively go after them. Their acting caliber enables them to transcend their successful genre, like the great Charlie Chaplin did with his shift from comedy to drama and tragedy.

Can Bandla Ganesh join that league? Seems like a deadly chasm to cross, considering the work he has done so far. But as the movie parlance goes, anything is possible in the industry, especially the impossible. All it takes is one super hit.

ET, Movies

Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar

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Chinnapa Thevar practiced Hindu religion and was an ardent devotee for Lord Muruga. Once Income Tax officials raided his house and was astonished to find so many Viboothi packets of Murugan temples, but no cash. Any profit from the movie he splits into four parts. The first part was given to Murugan temples as he believed that all of his success was because of Lord Muruga. Because of this many Murugan temples like Pazhani temple, Tiruchendur temple and Marudhamalai temple were benefited. The second part he kept for himself. The third part is for his old friends who supported him during his early days who collected few thousands and sent him to Madras for film making. The fourth and final part he gave to the needy people.

On 6 September 1978, during the shooting of the film Thai Meethu Sathiyam at Ooty, Devar complained of chest pain, since he had high blood pressure[2] he was advised by the doctors in Ooty to get admitted in hospital, he was soon brought in his car from Ooty to Coimbatore. He was admitted in a private hospital upon arrival. After treatment he recovered partially, but again got chest pain on 8 September 1978 and died by 10 a.m morning in spite of intense treatment. He was 63 when he died.[6]

The day of his demise was a ‘Shashti’ day, very special to Lord Muruga.

Complete bio on wikipedia

1-By Laksh, ET, Movies

In the Line of Fire

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It takes courage to play one’s age or near about on the big screen, especially for a global superstar. Clint Eastwood does it with élan, in ‘The Line of Fire’. He was 60+ when the movie was made and he plays a 50ish character in the film.

There are two ways to play an ageing hero, either ignore the age completely and do one’s regular gig (shoot to kill, song ‘n’ dance if you are an Indian star etc) or completely surrender to the typicality of the age in question to bring in the believability. Clint Eastwood takes the middle path. He brings to the fore the struggles of the age and the overcoming of it in the character of Frank Horrigan, while still displaying the heroics required. This allows him to be a human, and blend those aspects into storytelling.

Mind you, his age always hovers around him, when he is out of breath during the chases, or when he is hesitant about his chances of winning the heart of his fellow officer, but it is the effort that his character puts in and emerging as a winner that makes him a hero eventually. It’s a slow and steady path, much like his career graph over the years. In short he takes the ‘lambi race ka ghoda’ approach and not the effortless gunslinger we are so used to seeing him in the westerns and cop movies. But he still delivers his goods in the end.

This movie also servers a pointer to our Indian superstars who so easily get carried away by Sylvester Stallone kind of Expendables, aka Wild Dogs that allows little variety in storytelling. Instead they should look at Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Paul Newman to pick the characters that allow some backstory and sub-plot/s, which creates opportunities for drama, comedy etc, or display the strengths/features the audience associate them with.  More like a diversification showcasing their original traits in a sublime manner or as a theme and weaving the so called ‘new’ around it. Otherwise why should a famous star do it, instead of the part going to a newcomer?

Both ‘In the Line of Fire’ and ‘Wild Dog’ are streaming on Netflix.

Tail Piece 1: My father used say a middle aged actor would look very handsome as an old person, like Sanjeev Kumar in Aandhi etc. The reverse if often very difficult.

Tail Piece 2: The best way to show an old actor in flashback is not to show him at all. Like Sean Connery in ‘The Indiana Jones and the last Crusade’ where he chides the young Jones to speak in Latin.