#SIVAJI GANESAN HIT CRACKED#

Wow! So, the thundering lines from Manohara (1954), Veerapandiya Kattabomman, and Karnan, and all those plays he staged (with that famous monologue of the Maratha King Sivaji, from whence Villupuram Chinnaiyah Ganesan was bestowed the title Sivaji by EVR Periyar), was all rendered on someone elseвЂ™s reading and on his single hearing?! The enormity of his talent hit me as I opened the print-out and looked at the man, the world respectfully called, (and continues to call) вЂNadigar ThilakamвЂ™.

IвЂ™m used to being read to - this is how I have learnt my lines for most of my films!вЂќ he chuckled. вЂњRead, I will stop you if I have any doubt. How do I read Tamizh to a man who embodied itвЂ™ to such precision? I nodded a вЂyesвЂ™ but it should have ended in a вЂnoвЂ™ because he asked, вЂњYenna Thamizh padikka theriyuma, theriyaadha.?вЂќ (Do you know to read Tamil вЂ“ yes or no?) I quickly nodded a вЂyesвЂ™. sir, here.вЂќ I mumbled, holding on to the sheaf of papers for kind support! He busied himself and looked into my eyes and asked, вЂњSo are you ready?вЂќ On that day, I felt like one of the grand-kids hovering around him in Devar Magan!

#SIVAJI GANESAN HIT CRACKED#

His demeanour was firm yet fond, like a patriarch who had indulged in friendly banter with a couple of 19-year olds! He had discussed his lifeвЂ™s journey, cracked the odd joke, posed for the camera like only he knew how with his quintessential actorвЂ™s charm intact. I sat on the edge of the single sofa, looking intently at his painting (his famous pose from Paasa Malar (1961) by Lata MangeshkarвЂ™s sister Usha) I snapped from my reverie as he cleared his throat and sat down on the sofa to my right. He specified we come for breakfast and he also wanted to see the chat transcript. The central hall with the tusked-mirror beckoned us more affectionately today. вЂњI am a fan of NageshвЂ™s clean comedy, which is difficult to re-enact! I also liked working with Ranga Rao, MR Radha and Savithri! An ego-less understanding between actors is important to create that magic on-screen.вЂќ he said and went on to elaborate on his 50-film pairing with Padmini and his successful later-year pair K R Vijaya.Дecember 1, 1994. Our chat covered almost all things that stand as a symbol of Sivaji GanesanвЂ™s Himalayan talent вЂ“ his memory for recalling dialogues and incidents being foremost. вЂњMy wife Kamala manages my life, smart woman huh! (And as if on cue the lady of the house makes her appearance and arranges for some snacks and tea for us.) I like to travel I like France, itвЂ™s one of the most well-planned cities in the world and artistic too, right?вЂќ вЂњFrom working three shifts a day to settling down to a slower pace in life thereafter, what are your favourite things to do?вЂќ вЂњOf course, I will enact all my characters twice as better as you see them now! Just that IвЂ™ve grown older, so my age wonвЂ™t match some of those roles,вЂќ he laughs that hearty laugh one associates with a life well-lived. вЂњWhen you watch yourself on screen do you think you couldвЂ™ve enacted your roles differently?вЂќ My theatre training helped IвЂ™ve learnt Kathak and Bharatanatyam and know to play a few musical instruments too вЂ“ I use these skills whenever a role demands it!вЂќ Case in point: The song Paattum naaney from Thiruvilaiyaadal (1965). Unlike now, where there is so much technology available to enhance a performance, in my time, I had to sing, dance, fight and deliver dialogues in sync-sound like my very life depended on it. вЂњHow would it sound if the lines вЂKisthi, Thirai, Vari, Vaddi.вЂ™ from Kattabomman (1959) were spoken without that crescendo emotion?вЂќ He went on to modulate the lines in a normal tone - what a contrast! And what an impromptu humorous piece of acting! вЂњI have to make you feel for me and with me when IвЂ™m acting.

вЂњYou mean when they criticise me for over-acting?вЂќ he retorted with graceful candour and continued. вЂњDo you think your famous histrionics is lost on the current generation?вЂќ вЂњYes - Rangoon Radha (1956), Andha Naal (1954), Motor Sundaram Pillai (1970), Bale Pandiya (1962), Aalayamani (1962), Navarathiri, Uyarntha Manithan (1968), Ooty Varai Uravu (1967), Mudhal Mariyadhai (1985).вЂќ I rattled off a few more in a mix of his off-beat roles with his popular ones and he said, вЂњNot bad! So what are you going to ask me? I muster my courage. Sivaji Ganesan entered a few short seconds after us, clad in a spotless-white dhothi and shirt he apologised for the few seconds delay and said he was coming back from a check-up with his cardiologist! He asked the first question, вЂњHave you seen The imposing tiger at the entrance and the expansive centre-hall was intimidating yet had that lived-in warmth! His elder son Ramkumar was kind enough to arrange this вЂtalkвЂ™ with his illustrious father as we were participating in a student-magazine competition held by Ananda Vikatan.

Sivaji ganesan hit