every actor is modest. It has become a fashion statement
to say that all the good luck is the grace of the
stars above. So it’s not just that. Style, the
next swift response. Everytime he twirled his glasses,
our throats were hoarse from screaming. His stride
got my grandmother whistling. It seems like just yesterday
when Thalaivar perched on the swing challenging Neelambari.
Could it be that he charmed the socks out of us? Hmmm…
We do have Kamal for that. So what is it? When we
watch Thalaivar in a movie, we don’t see him
as an actor. Instead we see him as Thalaivar. He is
a larger than life phenomenon, we accept that. His
sky defying actions rarely raise an eyebrow, we expect
that. Call us fools and the pain in your jaw is from
the irked punch delivered. Never mess with a die-
hard fan, not only can we debate for long hours into
the night, when it push comes to shove, we can wrestle
too.
Most of us became ardent fans watching Thalaivar don
negative roles. Rewind to Parattai and Ramanathan.
He can play a saint and a don with equal exuberance.
From ghosts to sci-fi, his movies have spanned various
genres. We are crazy about Thalapathi and Thillu Mullu.
If you thought Thalaivar was awesome in Sivaji, download
Mullum Malarum. Baasha can make a fan out of a five
year old. As an actor he has more than proved his
mettle. Thalaivar introduced Punch dialogues to Tamil
audiences. Although toddlers seem to be making their
attempts at punch lines, some of the most iconic dialogues
can be recollected even during deep slumber. There
is even a book published for the less informed.
Once Thalaivar’s movie hits the screens, we
have to get done with the initial 5 rounds to whistle
and scream our lungs out, then return for a ritual
5 rounds to savor the enigma and then for the final
couple of times to pay attention to the plot and analyze
what the story is really about. We have to soak in
the drama and record the year as a Thalaivar release
year. It’s the Diwali, Pongal and Christmas
all tied together.
The man is in his 60’s but scares the hell out
of the 20 something stars. He still claims that his
best friend is from his conductor days. In fact he
doesn’t cringe but fondly recollects being a
conductor. This in an era, when actors shamelessly
claim that they would have gone on to become surgeons
and athletes. If somebody did ask him what he would
have become if he did not enter films, he would swiftly
reply chief conductor and then thoughtfully add a
maybe. He is a man of humble beginnings and he stands
with both feet on the ground. His charisma is not
because he is humble but because he reminds us of
a common man. He could get on stage and attribute
his performance to Kamal Hassan, acclaim that he is
his bigger brother and learned to act by watching
Kamal. We wouldn’t believe a word of it if it
came from somebody else’s mouth. But from Thalaivar,
it has a ring of truth and when they hugged we knew
the camaraderie prevailed. Thalaivar scaled great
heights by submitting to his success instead of letting
it get to his head.
We don’t care that he is the greatest philanthropist;
in fact we are almost unaware of it. When die- hard
Tamil fanatics argue that he is from another state,
we rarely protest. Such uncouth remarks have one fitting
response – silence, Thalaivar style. The line
between politics and Tamil cinema has faded into an
invisible dot. It is with pride that we state that
for all the fame that Thalaivar garners, he stood
firmly by not turning a politician. He made us proud.
If he had jumped the political bandwagon, many of
us would have become wary. His allure would have prevailed
but his aura would have diminished. By breaking every
rule, he has become a role model.
People in London, San Jose joined the melee in India
to offer prayers for a speedy recovery. He was in
ICU, yet thoughtfully released a message to comfort
us. When we heard the strain in his voice, we shivered.There
can be Little and Big Super Stars, everybody who is
somebody can claim that he is the next super star
but as true Thalaivar fans we acknowledge that there
is only one Super Star not in his or our lifetimes
but in the entire lifetime of Tamil Cinema. We are
glad that he is swiftly recuperating and only wish
the best for him. And Thalaiva, get well soon because
we really can’t wait for Rana. 2011 missed its
place in history but 2012?
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