There’s a miracle of friendship that
dwells within the heart
And you don’t know how it happens
or where it gets its start
But the happiness it brings you
always gives a special lift
Any you realize that friendship
Is God’s most perfect gift.
I clearly remember that day in 1991.Thalapathi was the first Tamil flick I ever saw..The crowd in the theatre mainly comprised of the fans of ’Thalaivar’ (Who else but Rajnikanth?).The catcalls and whistles before the movie stared were numerous, however after the movie started…there was pin-drop silence…it was evident that everyone was engrossed in the flick. Self not being an ardent follower of Rajni didn’t quite anticipate the flick to be all that great. Little did I realize I would come out as a die hard fan of the maverick filmmaker called MANI RATNAM
Thalapathi is one of those rare pieces of work which touches a chord in you and pulls at your heartstrings, It leaves you asking for more and quenches your thirst for good cinema.
The story of the movie heavily borrows from the Karna-Duryodhana track of the great ‘Mahabharatha’ . Mani has added all the necessary ingredients to suit the modern sensibilities yet manages to capture the quintessence of the puranic epic.
The story is all about a golden-hearted goon named Soorya(Rajnikanyth)who beats up another goon so as to avenge the insult the latter inflicted on a lady.The goon dies of injuries and his ‘master’, Devraj(Mamooty)is enraged.However the enemity soon blossoms into a beautiful bonding between the two men.Soorya becomes a loyal henchman of Devraj despite being aware of the fact that Devraj is certainly no saint.Eventually Soorya falls in love with a staunch Brahmin girl Subbulakshmi(Shobana) but doesn’t quite succeed in winning over her father who refuses to give his daughter to a guy from another caste.Meanwhile the newly appointed collector Arjun(A very smart-looking Arvinda swamy) takes a vow to vanquish the local hit men but soon realizes that he was against someone as hard as nails .
The ensuing combat between Arjun and Devraj(with Soorya) builds up tension in the minds of the moviegoers and you are left gaping at some of the clever twists and turns in the story.One such example would be Soorya’s unplanned marriage and the wound he nurses due to his illegitimate birth.i don’t want to give away too much of the storyline so I will stop here….
Thalapathy is one movie which showcases a kaleidoscope of emotions skillfully-be it motherly love, sundred hearts , hatred or loyalty.But the one aspect that really stood out for me was the friendship between Devraj and Soorya .In one sequence where Amrish Puri approaches Soorya to persuade him to change sides, Soorya resolutely sticks to his guns by giving a fiery reply-“I would rather die along with Deva than survive because of you’.
Of course Mani Ratnam has handled the other sentiments in a very mature manner as well, For instance, I never tire watching Rajni pine away for his love yet hide it so as not worry his bosom friend….or when he panics when Devraj is seriously hurt….or when he discovers the truth about his biological mother….or the reaction when he is unexpectedly married to his victim’s wife…..or….well I could go one and one ……such is Mani’s midas touch!!
The performances in a Mani Ratnam flick are seldom disappointing and ‘Thalapthi’ is indeed no exception.Mammoty delves deep into his character and delivers a very chiseled performance.He especially stands out in the scene where he goes bride-seeking for Soorya and returns back, humiliated.Shobana is very authentic as a lovely Brahmin girl who can’t forget her first love yet doesn’t dare to offend her father.Srividya , Arvindaswamy, amrish Puri and others all shine in their respective roles thanks to their immaculate characterizations.
However the scene-stealer is Rajnikanth ….after a long list of stale, repetitive performances, he really manages to grab your attention in this one.It is easily his best performance.He effortlessly portrays the fire-in- the belly sort of character and conveys a multitude of emotions through his eyes.There are a great number of pregnnant pauses in the movie and his facial expressions easily showcase the mental anguish.One such scene would be the one where a policeman taunts him about his parentage.Rajni’s reaction speaks volumes of his untapped potential which has unfortunately been diverted to mindless-heroics and banal song and dance routine.
The technical aspects of the movie is top-notch, the slums have been recreated tastefully and thhe lighting is just right. A special mention of the choreography for the ‘Rakamma kaiya thattu’ song-the song is so upbeat that you really want to put your dancing shoes on!!....All the other songs(By Ilayaraja)stand out…be it the sober’Yamunai Aatrile’ or the mellifluous’Sundari Kannal Oru Sethi”.The Bhogi song and the opening number also deserve a round of applause.
So far I have only sung praises of the movie but the movie is certainly not without it’s flaws.’Thalapthy’ tends to get a tad melodramatic at times and hence may not rank among Mani’s best efforts like’Nayagan’.It is also not for the faint –hearted or those who expect Swiss-Alps and gossamer romance….it is a gritty tale which will haunt you for long…tighten your seatbelts and be prepared for a rollercoaster ride which you will cherish for the rest of your life……………..