If I get anywhere near what Mahendran did in ‘Uthiri Pookkal’, I’ll be a happy man… -  Director Mani Ratnam.

 

What more tribute one can give than these words by legendary director Mani Ratnam on the father of realistic Tamil cinema, Director Mahendran! Yes, I call him as the father of realistic Tamil cinema as he was the one who changed the way Tamil cinema was made in late 1970’s and early 1980’s and brought in a new revolution and set the tone for today’s realistic cinema. If Directors like Bala, Ameer, Vetrimaaran, Ram, Seenu Ramasamy, Pa. Ranjith and recently Maari Selvaraj, Lenin Bharathi and Era. Chezhiyan are celebrated for their realistic films, that golden path was laid by the pioneer Mahendran, who consistently brought out realistic films and achieved success with them.

Though Tamil cinema brought out memorable realistic films prior to Mahendran’s entry like Ezhai Padum Paadu (1950), Avan Amaran (1958), Padhai Theriyudhu Paar (1960), Kalaikovil (1964), Unnai Pol Oruvan (1965), Aalayam (1967), Punnagai (1971), Dikkatra Parvathi (1974), they were all of one- off attempt by the filmmakers, who did not sustain the movement and traversed into commercial cinema in between. It was Mahendran, who made his debut as a director with a realistic and visual oriented cinema in Mullum Malarum (1978) and continued with only such kind of films until the end of his film career. He never compromised his filmmaking style for commercial reasons and made all his 12 films with realistic and visual appeal.

Erich Oswald Stroheim, a visionary director of one of the finest and most important films ever made - Greed (1924), introduced the trend of telling an imaginary story with a realistic touch. Mahendran followed this auteur in Tamil cinema.

Mahendran began his career as a story-screenplay and dialogue writer and earned a big name for his dialogues in films like Thanga Padhakkam (1974), Vaazhndhu Kaatugiren (1975), Vaazhvu En Pakkam (1976), Mogam Muppathu Varusham (1976), Rishimoolam (1980) and Kaali (1980). However, when he commenced directing, his films had limited dialogues and set the tone for visual oriented films. He believed that the creativity and imagination is required more in a filmmaker only when his dependence on dialogues is less and the focus is more on visuals as he had the conviction that films are a visual medium and not a stage-play to dominate with dialogues. He often stated that one can make even a silent film more interesting through enthralling visuals.

As a director Mahendran shined in all his 12 films; Mullum Malarum, Uthiri Pookkal, Nenjathai Killathey, Pootta Poottukkal, Johny, Nandu, Metti, Azhagiya Kanne, Kai Kodukkum Kai, Kannukku Mai Azhagu, Oor Panchayathu and Sasanam and they will remain a benchmark for future generation for their realistic and visual oriented presentation. Among these, I strongly believe that Uthiri Pookkal (1979), selected as one among the Top 100 Indian films of 100 years of Indian cinema, will remain as his best and will continue to be one of the best films of Indian cinema for centuries to come.

Mahendran at the sets of Jhonny

Mahendran can also be credited for integrating Tamil literature with films. Most of his films were based on either a novel or a short story of a popular writer and he often emphasized the need to look for stories from literature and real life than sourcing from foreign films or remaking other language films. Though he himself was a story writer, he never hesitated to take the stories of other writers and use them as the base for his films. Hence, Director Bharathirajaa stated in an interview that

‘Mahendran was passionate about literature and books. Hence, every film of his was designed like a novel. He was not only a wonderful writer and director, but also a great actor.’

 

Though Mahendran’s acting career that commenced in 2016 was short, we can be proud that he left a mark in films like Theri (2016), Nimir (2018), Seethakathi (2018) and Petta (2019) through his unique style of acting. So much so, many directors wrote stories with characters, keeping him in mind, which is his great achievement in a short time.

Photo: Mahendran in Theri

In Mahendran’s view, unforgettable and Pride of Tamil cinema are those films, which have achieved success with audience and at the same time been a benchmark for their making for years to come. Amazingly, he brought out many such unforgettable films in his career.

My association with Mahendran dates back to 2009. In the last ten years, I had been closely associated with him in various capacities. In 2011, he took great interest in my research book ‘The Best of Tamil Cinema: 1931 to 2010’ and wrote a memorable foreword. It was he who took the book to Super Star Rajinikanth and recommended him to read it. Rajini sir not only read it, but invited me to his home and presented memorable souvenirs, in appreciation of my work. Mahendran went to the extent of writing a chapter on my work in his book ‘Cinemavum Naanum’, which gave me immense pride.

When we were setting up BOFTA Film Institute in 2014, I approached him and he readily came forward and joined as Head of the Department of Screenplay Writing and Direction and since then, he was closely associated in the growth of the institute. If today BOFTA is considered as one of the finest film institutes in South India, large credit goes to him, as he was the one, who pushed us to set up good facilities like a large library of literary books and DVDs, preview theatre, world-class class rooms, studio floors, edit suites etc. to make the atmosphere of learning comfortable and University affiliation to give students the due recognition for their course. He became a mentor to our students and to me personally and was always there to guide us in our journey. It is a big loss not only to Tamil cinema but to all of us at BOFTA.  As long as realistic and artistic films are made in Tamil Cinema, Director Mahendran will be remembered for pioneering a genre of such films and he will live through his memorable films for generations to come. We at BOFTA will try our best to walk in the path laid by him. Mahendran is known for his stylish salutes in all events. He richly deserves a royal salute from all of us for his pioneering work as we bid adieu to him from this physical world.

Dr.G. Dhananjayan

Dr. G. Dhananjayan is a two times National Award Winning Author and Critic, Film Producer, Distributor and Founder-Director of BOFTA Film Institute.