Master- Tamil Cinema's Most loved cult Movie

Master - Tamil Cinema's Most loved cult Movie.

While we were waiting for Bigil to come release, a piece of rumours about Vijay's next with Lokesh Kanagaraj were keeping us fired up. We were waiting for the official news as his diehard fans. On August 2019, the news that we waited for actually came. XB Film Creations was producing thalapathy 64 which will be directed by Lokesh and music composed by Rockstar Anirudh.

Just then updates of the cast came with Malavika Mohanan as the heroine with Vijay Sethupathi as the villain. Shantanu Bhagyaraj and Antony Varghese were on board. Antony suddenly dropped out because of other commitments and thus Arjun Das who got a sudden breakthrough with Lokesh's Khaiti filled in.

The pooja had commenced with writers Pon Parthiban and Rathna Kumar along with Stunt Silva on board the movie. It was shot in Delhi, Chennai and Shimoga as well as Neyveli. We were waiting for the first look which would arrive on new year's eve 2019 and on exactly 6:00 pm the first look came out as Master. It was the first time Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi shared screen space together.

While shooting was going on,  there were some problems that disrupted the progress as Vijay was picked up by Income Tax officers due to a raid. He was let off scot free as he paid taxes on time. He was also politically targetted but he escaped. He took a selfie with his fans at Neyveli and that picture was the talking point.

Shooting wrapped up and already a few singles came out like kutty story, Vaathi coming and Vaathi raid. Vaathi coming has become the most loved single and also the Vaathi step started trending.

It was on March 2020 that the Corona Virus arrived in India. The entire film industry was shut down. We were shocked but still hopeful that master will release someday in theatres. After a long wait, we finally got the news that master will release on pongal 2021. We were more than excited to see the movie. 

It released on January 13th 2021 on theatres with 50% occupancy. This movie entirely was credited with saving the movie industry from a financial fiasco. The movie turned Lokesh into an amazing Filmmaker to reckon with and also won love from other Filmmakers. 

One year has passed but the master hysteria will never die. Vijay's role of a flawed character JD has been my favourite. The kaapu that he put became an amazing style. If Kaththi was a breakthrough for Anirudh then Master put Anirudh on the map of fame. 

JD is not just a name but it is an emotion. This is one such movie which will always be special for diehard thalapathy veriyans. 

Parallels Between Kireedam and Maheshinte Prathikaram

Parallels Between Kireedam and Maheshinte Prathikaram

Similarities: 

Set in 1989, Kireedam is a story of Achutan Nair and his son Sethumadhavan who plans on becoming a Police Officer but their lives go into turmoil when Kireekadan Jose enters and harasses the locality. Sethu attacks Jose and suddenly turns into a different person that he actually didn't want to be. This movie was written by A.K Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil. It was based on an incident that happened in Lohi's hometown and he wrote the story and sent it as a wedding gift to Sibi who was getting married. This movie became a milestone as it won the National Award Special Mention for Mohanlal.

Set in 2016, Maheshinte Prathikaaram is a story of a small time photographer Mahesh Bhavna who lives with his dad Vincent. They open up a studio named Bhavna Studios. His life changes when an argument escalates into a brawl where Mahesh is humiliated and decides to wear slippers only after avenging his humiliation. This movie was written by Syam Pushkaran and directed by Dileesh Pothan. It was based on an incident that happened in Syam's hometown which involved his neighbor Thampan Purushan. Syam wrote the screenplay on Pothan's insistence. It was a milestone in Mollywood's New Wave for it won 2 National Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Movie.

Difference:

Kireedam explores the thought of human failures and fate. It conveys the tragic fact that Society typecasts people in roles that they didn't sign up for and forces them to act it out whether they like it or not. The movie ends on a tragic note where Sethu and his father are completely spent on the emotions after he murders Jose and is commanded by his hysterical father to drop the knife. He is later disqualified from the Police Force. Sethu loses his girlfriend Devi who is getting married to someone else whom she doesn't like but he asks her to listen to her parents as he is in a helpless situation. This movie is truly a tragedy.

Maheshinte Prathikaaram is tale of sweet revenge as it combines revenge and rib tickling comedy to make it an amazing movie. It ends on a happy note when Mahesh wins over his enemy and forgives him. Mahesh gets to know that his childhood sweetheart is marrying someone else and makes peace by wishing her the best. He then moves on and finds another girl and starts bettering himself with help from his father who teaches photography as an art to him. Fahadh became a sensation and went on to become the face of parallel cinema in Mollywood.

Conclusion: 

Kireedam and Maheshinte Prathikaaram focus on the single theme of Revenge but are different in their approaches. Kireedam followed the tragic path as it focuses on one single act that pulls the hero into a downfall period from which he can never recover. Maheshinte Prathikaaram follows the Path of Betterment in which one act sets him on a path to change himself into a better character and finally achieve victory. Both the movies turned Mohanlal and Fahadh Faasil into Legends of Mollywood.

Dr. Rajkumar- Karnataka's Legendary Icon

Dr. Rajkumar - Karnataka's Legendary Icon

Aadisi Nodu, Beedisi Nodu Uruli Hoggudu. This line from a song in Kasturi Nivasa is a testament to a legendary superstar of Rajkumar's Calibre.

It was in Gajanur that the icon was born as Singanallur Puttaswamaya Muthuraj on April 24th 1929 to a family of Impoverished Theatre Artists. He studied till 3rd Grade and found himself inspired to take the stage.

In the year 1953, he married his cousin Parvathamma from Saligraama. The next year, Muthuraj came across Director HLN Sinha who was on a search for a well built and pleasant man to play Kannappa Nayanar. Sinha was pleased and signed him for the film Bedara Kannappa and he was christened Rajkumar.

The movie released in 1954 and was a breakthrough for Rajkumar who had never looked back. He starred in 205 Kannada movies. His characters ranged from Saints, Common People, Police Officers, Lawyers, Army officers, Farmers and James Bondesque heroes.

He even starred in movies that spoke of social evils and how to stop them. He was the 1st Kannada Icon to weaponize Intertextuality. His family consisted of 24 children. His 3 sons Shivarajkumar Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar were stars in their own rights. His wife was a producer. 

Rajkumar was the 1st actor who played roles of Krantiveera, Pulakeshi, Mallasarja and many roles who were based on History of Mysore Kingdom. His films Rayasa Sore spoke against Dowry.  His film Bangaarada Manushya saw NRIs coming back home to save Indian Agriculture. His last film Shabdavedi spoke about Youth Empowerment and fought drug mafia.

Rajkumar has been considered as a iconic figure in the Kannada Diaspora because he shunned smoking, alcohol and swear words onscreen and offscreen. He was responsible for the shifting of Kannada Cinema from Madras to Bangalore.

He maintained an apolitical stand and when it came to the Gokak Movement. Rajkumar gave speeches on the importance of Kannada language. He was a singer who trained in carnatic music in his theatre days. His rendition of Nadamaya won him the National Award for Best Singer. His song Huttidare Kannada became the unofficial anthem of Karnataka.

On 2000, he was kidnapped by Veerappan and after 108 days he was released. He still contributed as a singer for the films that starred his sons. He made his last appearance in Jogi.

On April 12th 2006, Rajkumar died from a cardiac arrest. Karnataka was shocked at the loss of its son. Even after his demise, he still continues to be an icon because he taught us how to respect elders and other life lessons. He also was a philanthropist who helped feed light boys and also he established Shakthidharma to save women from Prostitution.

Rajanna has been a symbol of Karnataka and he will remain the same as a legend for many more generations to come.