“RAJINI WAS STOPPED AT THE ENTRANCE OF POES GARDEN”

Annamalai in Rajinikanth’s career is an important film, which was released 25 years ago on this day (27th June 1992). Yes, its 25th anniversary for this blockbuster film produced by K Balachander for his Kavithalaya Productions. We caught up with director Suresh Krissna who shared with us many interesting facts about the film.

How do you feel to have directed such a commercial blockbuster?
Firstly, I am so happy that even after 25 years, people remember the film fondly. It is a kind of feeling you won’t get for all the films. Annamalai had that impact which is still growing rich. People have not forgotten Annamalai and Baasha. These films figure in two of his bests in Rajini’s career. I am also glad that I got to be associated with these two milestone films.

How did it all begin?
Originally, Vasanth was supposed to direct Annamalai, but exactly 48 hours before the shoot, he walked out of it. The film was scheduled to begin shoot on March 11th, 1992; he left on March 8th.  I came from Mumbai on 9th morning. KB sir wanted to meet me immediately and he told me that I am directing the film. I had no clue about the story. He told me, “It’s a prestige issue for Kavithalaya and I don’t want the film to be postponed. I want to start on the scheduled date and release on June 27th 1992”.  When I began, I did not have a clue. There was no script in place, there was just an idea. Everything evolved at the sets/shoot.

There are many firsts to Annamalai

1. We had included the Superstar logo in the title for Rajinikanth for the first time. Those days, we did not have CGs and hence we did in the typical style of adding each alphabet frame by frame. Rajini, in fact, did not want it at all. I convinced him, saying that it has a special vibration. When fans are coming for his films, why not give them that fizz. KB sir told Rajini- “What is wrong in Suresh’s idea Rajini? People are clapping for your name. It is a great idea and let’s go for it”. Since his Guru said, Rajini did not say anything more.

2. A mass introduction song for a hero was done for the first time in Annamalai like the leg shot, dafli (drum) going up and he catching it and winking at the camera. After that, it became a trend.

3. There would be a special background music for the hero– yaey yaey whenever he comes on screen. This was started in Annamalai. In Baasha we did  Baasha Baasha  Baasha.

4. Another first was a milkman becoming rich in just one song. People might laugh, but we had to do that as the story was not about how he grew up but what happens after he becomes rich. So we had a five-minute song to show the hero becoming rich.

Political clash between Rajini and Jayalalithaa
Besides all these, there was a political clash going on between Rajinikanth and Jayalalithaa then. There was a check post at the entrance of Poes Garden, the police questioned him when he was entering to go to his house and then he walked all the way home. He was very upset then. Hence, when the film was being released, there was a special rule by the corporation saying no film posters should not be stuck in any wall in Chennai, just to stop it from getting its mileage. So, the film was released with just the paper news. For the first time, a film of Rajinikanth was released without any poster. But it created a big buzz.

Innocent dialogues, understood differently
There were many dialogues which were written with no political motive, but were interpreted to have had such conjectures by the public. There is a scene for heroine introduction where an astrologer would say to Rajini, “Very soon, you are going to have problems because of a woman”. This was claimed to be spoken for Jayalalithaa. There were many political dialogues written by KB sir for the story, which were construed differently and politicized.

Rajini’s Superstardom
Rajini’s film till then used to get 4 weeks of good opening and then slowly reach the 100-day mark. So people felt Annamalai also would follow suit. But it went on and on and on and recorded 25 weeks which was mind blowing. 150 million those days was a huge money. That was when Rajini’s Superstardom came to be established. Rajinikanth is not just a star but a SUPERSTAR who has an amazing opening and his stardom was ascertained in all the centres (A, B, C). It was a turning point in his career and mine. There was a lot of repeat audience for the film. All the songs of Deva were superhits.

Annamalai paved way for Baasha
Annamalai paved way for Baasha and Rajini’s image went into a different level. That Superstardom, I used in Baasha.

Jyothsna Bhavanishankar

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