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Another Anbe Sivam!
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Anbe
Sivam is a classic that we are all proud of. However,
it is also something that we remember with a hint
of regret and morose. That is because we have
the unbecoming ignominy of being an industry and
audience which let such a beautiful piece of cinema
sink at the box office. As a responsible audience,
the only thing that we had to do was go and support
this masterclass; in theaters. But, instead the
choice of the masses was another ‘entertainer’
that had released alongside. All the harking for
good, sensible scripts and subjects seemed to
come to naught. Over the years, every time I watched
Anbe SIvam unfold on TV my disbelief has only
increased – How could this have failed?
No matter how much we have praised or embraced
the movie since; the injustice done to it in theaters
cannot be repaired and it would be a fair guess
to say that for quite a few years still to come
Anbe Sivam will serve as a potent example in the
hands of those who stand for complete commercialism
in cinema.
But, Anbe Sivam was eight years ago. Haven’t
we changed over the years? Perhaps, yes. The disbelief
that I felt over
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the failure of Anbe Sivam at the box office is not unique
to me alone, nor is it some kind of general disappointment
felt by Kamal Haasan fans. It is a genuine and almost
all pervading feeling amongst those who keenly follow
Tamil cinema. Most people do not want another ‘Anbe
Sivam’ (like debacle) to happen. Over the years
there has been a very active transition towards giving
good cinema a fair deal; not just in terms of awards
or accolades, but also in terms of revenue generated
from theaters. It is not just a connoisseur’s
delight, but also a commoner’s choice. Be it Thavamai
Thavamirindhu, Mozhi, Abhiyum Naanum, Veyil, Pasanga,
Vennila Kabaddi Kuzhu or quite a few such instances.
They might not have box office figures that are comparable
to commercial cinema, but they do have a degree of respectability
and hopefully a good margin of profits.
It did look as if we had come to a point where a producer
wouldn’t be in two minds about putting his money
behind a script that did not fall into commercial trappings.
But, the recent performance of Nandhalala at the box
office makes one think that it is a premature conclusion.
It has not been able to complete four weeks of regular
shows in Chennai city; in fact almost tottering along
at a very few number of screenings per day even from
its third week. All this for a movie that has invariably
received glowing, even superlative reviews from all
sections of the media; no exceptions. It was not the
intellectual or arty type of film that could not get
across to the regular film-goer. It was a simple yet
beautifully crafted piece of cinema. Come to think of
it; there are quite a few similarities between Nandhalala
and Anbe Sivam. Both are basically accounts of the experiences
of two people unexpectedly thrown together in a journey
that builds a special bond between them. Both films
do not end on a clichéd note of the two becoming
inseparable companions for life; but choose to depict
the bond as something above and different from the ties
of friendship that are normally forged. And, both films
have one character who is not the ‘normal guy’,
but someone who needs to be understood with patience.
All these similarities notwithstanding, there is one
that irks a lot; that both of them (to bluntly say it)
tanked at the box office.
Nandhalala is also perhaps a reality check for film
critics and reviewers that their opinions and recommendations
have very little say in the fate of a film. Else, the
equivocal extolling of Nandhalala by the media (print
and web) should have ensured it at least a decent run
at the box office. Instead, what we see is that it has
been literally forced out of theaters by the fourth
week.
In recent times, we have seen a very healthy trend of
eminent personalities in the film industry throwing
their weight behind a movie that they think is worth
its weight in gold. Such words, when coming from names
that the people trust and respect, helps the movie in
question gain a lot of mileage. The best example in
recent weeks is Mynaa which continues in theaters, nearing
two months. A lot of big names including director Bala
and the legendary Kamal Haasan had said wonderful things
about the movie which was also used very well as publicity
material. This is not to say that Mynaa is now successful
only because of these factors; it is a film of genuine
quality, the success of which was catalyzed by the endorsement
of the big guns. But, something similar did not happen
to Nandhalala. There were very few voices from within
the industry which chose to endorse the film; the two
names that come to mind being KB and Cheran. Otherwise,
there was a general silence. When there are people within
the industry who want good cinema to proliferate and
also do not want to see a repeat of ‘Anbe Sivam’,
this should not have happened.
But, from what we see now, Nandhalala is another Anbe
Sivam in the making. Perhaps, it has already been made.
And, in years to come people might wonder what was wrong
with this film to deserve a cold reception at the box
office. And, perhaps, then we would still be asking
for sensible scripts and refreshing cinema and we would
not have anyone to blame but ourselves. We complain
that good and unique scripts are scarce. But, one thing
that is sometimes not understood is that for every Anbe
Sivam and Nandhalala that tanks at the box office, at
least 10 unique scripts might be stashed, buried or
burnt because the producer feels it is unsafe; and we
cannot blame them. Justice cannot b done to a movie
years after it has released; the only justice is when
people go and watch it on the big screen.
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