"MSV CLUB" - The Discussion Forum of MSVTimes.com

[madhuraman]

Dear Friends,
Seeing the encouragement given by Mr.RAMKI, a member of the core crew of this site, I begin my narration on VENNIRA AADAI released in the year 1965 quite ahead of another movie Aayirathil oruvan where Jayalalithaa had donned the role of the heroine.
Thus CV Sridar stands the credit of identifying Jayalalithaa as an actress.
It is quite difficult to say if VENNIRA AADAI was a venture or an adventure.
Why I get baffled here is, for the first time CVS has done a movie project without his trusted lieutenants A Vincent and P N Sundaram. For one who has always teamed up with these people, it could not have been any easy since several non-verbal signals between them would have become almost impossible in the new dispensation. [I reserve my observations on this segment for a later edition relating to cinematography]
All other technical crew were the regular components of Chitraalaya team. Yet, as cine goers we the then college students felt for their separation more than the people who separated themselves. Interestingly after the very next movie [BR Pantulu's Aayirathil oruvan ] of Tamil screen, V R segregated in to MSV and TKR. To be very frank MMs were known only as Viswanathan Ramamurthy till then with no idea of their initials. Only subsequently MS and TK were added to their individual names.
VENNIRA AADAI [ V A ] was a movie far ahead of its times for a totally new approach in story, screen play, Star cast and Publicity.
Though Chitraalaya had been founded in 1960-61, amotto for this banner was made in this 1965 movie. It was

"Alai kadalil engaLadhu Siriya Thoani
Kalai Ulagil engaLadhu Pudhiya paaNi"

It was rendered in English as

"We know art is an ocean
We row for novel creation"

In all advts, the couplets accompanied the Chitraalaya logo and very crisp stills made the publicity material. Short observations about Jayalalithaa's role appeared in different styles and banners. Jayalalithaa tapping her elbow [ Enna enna vaarththaigaLo] turned out to be a land mark still[s] which were later availed of for sale promotion of products.

A seriously significant information about this movie was, except the technical crew, all artistes were brand new members and totally new to the screen.
[Look at this adventurous choice of artistes for Tamil movie in colour
as early as 1964- 65]
ACTUALLY, Hemamalini was in the slot of Jayalalitha but was taken off after shooting some footage. Then Ammu was brought in and named Jayalalithaa for the Tamil screen.
All new comers to play the entire movie!
Mr. Venkataraman [Renamed Srikanth - Officer from USIS -Chennai]
Mr. Krishnamoorthy[ "" Moorthy- a qualified lawyer from Chidambaram]
Mr. Mahalingam [ Maali - a good friend of Chitraalaya group]
Major Sunderrajan [ brought to screen from Stage]
Mr. Seshadri [ an officer from Indian oil Corporation]
Ms Ammu [Jayalalithaa D/O Sandhya a well known actress ]
Ms Nirmala [ a dancer brought to screen ]
Ms. Aasha [An air hostess from B O A C -a British Airlines company and she later became Saila shree in subsequent movies]
To my knowledge, no other movie has been made with totally new artistes for a serious story line that relates to a mentally shattered teen age girl.
If at all there was a senior artiste, it was Mrs.Rukmini [ the real life mother of actress LAKSHMI who took to acting in 1969]
Such was the level of confidence from Sridhar unit which brought out a good movie purely on the strength of their movie-making skills including the extraction of potential from every one. So, with convicrion I can say that this movie was quite ahead of times in every aspect of the processes involved there in. Let us look at those features one by one to substantiate my contention. [ To Continue]
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[S.Balaji]

Dear Prof ,

Very good start to another gem of a movie . Interestingly, even Kadhalikka Neramillai had 2 new stars , Ravichandran and Kanchana . Not sure about Rajashree.
While the main characters Srikanth and JJ retained their own name, Nirmala and Murthy got the Venniraadai prefix !

Sir I just saw the movie few days back and really stunned by the screen play, matured acting and the glorious music . As you rightly put it, Srikanth will be displaying a trait of a Doctor’s etiquette and will never go overboard.

Sridhar seemed to have this opening song straight after the titles ! Enna parvai is another example no ? Chitirame nilladi saves time in developing a story to show their love angle . What a crisp homework they had done !

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr.Balaji,
Here are my responses to your observations.
Yes, K Neramillai had 2 new comers in Ravichandran and Kanchana. Of course, Rajasree had earlier acted in movies, but attained stardom only after K Neramillai. As for Ravichandran, it was PNSundaram who took him to CVS and Kanchana was picked up from Indian Air lines where she was a hostess.
As for the opening song in V A " Chithiramae solladi" , it was a nice way to narrate a lengthy idea. People then were telling that the success of K N has tempted CVS to begin with a song. To me, it was a clear screen play that firmly established the strength of Srikanth's character and his stand offish etiquette in handling J L throughout the movie. Of course it was another V R effort that soared the value of the movie by the sheer variety of songs.
From your response under Prologue I infer that you are yet to see the subsequent postings on V A.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[Damodaran Pachaiappan]

Dear Professor Sir,
Thanks to you, I have seen V A after several years. I sort of avoided the movie because of my previous (erroneous) impression that it had a sad ending. I dislike films that have a sad ending thurst upon the viewers unnecessarliy (like Rajapart Rangadurai in my humble opinion). But when I saw the movie last night, I realised how wrong I was. The ending is anything but sad. It was perfectly acceptable when I understand the maturity and intelligence of the character that Jayalalitha portrayed.
In this age when the medical field is awash with money mongers, it is refreshing to see a character of a young doctor full of principles. At the same time,Sridhar has avoided an overkill.
The scene where Srikanth explains to his mentor that he wants to practise on his own so that he could progress in his career is extremely true in real life.
One may ask why did the hero move so intimately with Shobha when he could have easily foreseen what could happen. But Sridhar very deftly puts this to rest. He moves with his patient ( the race addict ) like a friend. Even the patient calls him 'friend'. He offers his patient's wife, when she visits him alone,refreshments at his house. Yet he refuses to accept the gift she offers him saying it is wrong.
When he agrees to go to the patient's (Shoba) house, his only aim is to cure the patient and make name and fame for himself. Right from the scene when he arrives at the guest house, Director Sridhar shows, in a subtle way how he starts developing a bond with the place and the family. MM's music plays an integral part of everything in this movie.
Sridhar has directed the movie in such a way that neither the doctor nor the patient could be blamed for what happens later on. --contd
_________________
Dr.Damodaran Pachaiappan

[madhuraman]

Dear Doctor,
I was about to post a request seeking your response on VA, since you had indicated that you would again watch the movie. Nice of you to have made a frank statement on your first and now the present attitudes to the movie. That you intend writing more on VA is precisely what I wanted from our knowledgeable friends. As is my general luck, most of what I do doesn't receive [and perhaps doesn't deserve too] any attention. Yet, desire is a tonic to write whether one really deserves to record his impressions or not.
This is not a hollow frustration of mine; rather it is a well drawn inference based on critical assessment. Despite the utter failure of my writings, that you have come out with your perceptions is the lone solace that someone reads such unimpressive pieces. I am in the process of introspection to see where I fail. As of now I successfully fail in all fronts. Therefore, to avoid mounting failures, I need to stay in safe shelters and feel rewarded if some responses manage to come to suggest "their' reactions to my way of looking at items. Under the circumstances I owe a lot to you,
for at least slightly arresting the sag in my morale. I profusely thank you for this morale- booster. But, I do not wish to launch any further on my own, as, responding to others is much simpler without the attendant risks of morale de-fusion. I am incapable of telegraphic writing leaving an opinion to wild guess. May be this fast world demands only quick browsing. Obviously I can not deliver the goods. Till I get to know to compile without demanding the readers' time , I should keep off.

My sincere thanks to you.

Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai