Chandralekha (1948) - Did roaring business across the country, both in Tamil and Hindi. Gemini boss SS Vasan spared no expenses for this costly spectacle. Remembered for the elaborate drum dance
Velaikkari (1949)- based on CN Annadurai's play, scripted by Anna. The film's release coincided with the founding of the DMK, and dramatised the fledgling party's anti-caste, anti-Brahmin ideology
Parashakti (1952) - Sivaji Ganesan's stirring debut. Karunanidhi pens long-winded Dravidian ideology dialogues, in line with DMK policy
Nadodi Mannan (1958) - Produced and directed by MGR. Period adventure fantasy with DMK symbols thrown in.
Commercial success was followed by a public reception for MGR by the DMK, taking him in procession in a chariot drawn by four horses, thronged by people. The chariot had the background of a rising sun on a lotus.
There was no turning back for the future Chief Minister
Apoorva Ragangal (1975) - Radical theme with an older man falling for a much younger woman and a younger man having a relationship with a much older woman. K Balachander gave Kamal Haasan his big break as a lead actor and Rajinikanth his first-ever film role
Nayakan (1987) - Mani Ratnam's Godfather saga with Kamal Haasan. Made it to Time magazine's list of top 100 films. Ratnam's imaginative song picturisation skills in evidence (honed to perfection in his later films) especially in the Holi song. Great music by Ilaiyaraaja
Roja (1992) - Breathtakingly simple and beautiful, Vairamuthu's lines Chinna Chinna Aasha struck a chord all over. The A R Rahman star was born, marking the end of Ilaiyaraaja's overwhelming dominance in film music. Ilaiyaraaja never composed for Mani Ratnam again. After the days of Chandralekha, the first Tamil film to grip the entire nation. A well-crafted drama coming in the wake of high-profile kidnappings in Kashmir.
Kaadhalan (1994) - Prabhudeva's dancing skills in Chikku Bukku Chikku Bukku (Gentleman) had already gripped the South. Here was the rubber man as a hero for the first time. With Rahman's music and Prabhdeva's twists and turns, Kaadhalan was a rage. Director Shankar's formula of extravagant song sequences and massive budgets took firm expression
Baasha (1995) - Loosely inspired by Amitabh Bachchan's Hum (also starring Rajini), Baasha's stupendous success ensured Rajinikanth became a demigod from just a superstar. Each Rajini release thereafter was a gala event in itself. He could afford to take his time, carefully choose his films and needed to have only an average of one release in two or even three years.
Kaaka Kaaka (2003) - Signature statement of the brave new world of Tamil cinema, as the post-Rajni and Kamal generation stood up to be counted. A brutal and gritty cop film which resisted a conventional end. Surya made his mark, amply backed by technical finesse and slick editing
This is my list of the 10 most influential Tamil fims, and they need not and will not match with the best 10 Tamil films ever made. Here I submit that I haven't seen enough Tamil cinema to come up with a rating of the very best.
4 comments:
good one
Hi!
a very good analysis of the Tamil Cinema. I have seen all the films you mentioned after Roja. And the fact that baasha was inspired from Hum is news to me. Would like to add some more fims to this list. they are kannattil Muttamilttal( m sure u've heard of this one it's a mani ratnam film), Pita Magan( a national award winning film starring vikram and Surya, Saamy is another to the list. A fast moving film, and Indian.
just wanted to add. Saamy completely changes the perception we have of an Indian police Officer. Though u might find very few like him:) So is Kaaka Kaaka. and one more movie u must watch is Mozhi. Some may have considered Black(rani, amitabh) to be a slightly Dull in the sense that u might feel extremely sad watching the movie. But in this case Prakash Raj has added the fun element to the film. Perazhagan also fits into this list!
hi!
great choice of films. one important film/filmmaker you have missed out is 16 Vayathinile by Bharathiraja. Rural tamil nadu became a prime source of inspiration due to his films.
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