Meet actress, who featured in 1500 films in her 60 years career, worked with 5 chief ministers, real life was full of pain, she was…
In Indian cinema, where stars rise and fade, many artists have been there who left an unforgettable mark that not just created personal space for them but also became an example for upcoming generation that one must not think that life is like a cinema, enjoy it until you can. However, their real life had a completely different approach for them that only caused pain and sorrow.
Today, we will be talking about one such actress, who wasn't just a performer, but also a powerhouse of talent. Let's read below! The Aachi Of Indian Cinema
Here we are talking about Tamil comedian star Manorama , who was one of most renowned actresses from her time. The actress, with span of 60 years' career, acted in over 1,500 films and delivered more than 5,000 stage performances. Her comic timing and magnetic presence lit up screens across languages and generations. She earned a nickname from her ardent fans, Aachi , for often portraying powerful motherly roles that touched millions.
The actress, born in lower lower-class family, made her debut in 1958 in GR Nathan's Maalayitta Mangai , which became a significant role for her career. Later, she featured in many highly acclaimed films, including Chinna Thambi, Maman Machan, Nattamai, Gemini, Saamy and many others. Later, after leaving significant mark in Tamil industry, actress tried her luck in Bollywood, which turned into a charm for her as she featured with actor Mehmood in Kunwara Baap . The film received positive response and became a box office hit. When Manorama Served With Renowned Ministers Like…
The actress who primarily worked in Tamil cinema, also appeared in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. In the 90s she also received Filmfare and National awards for her outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. Later, during the 1996 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, she campaigned for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), led by J. Jayalalithaa, which gave her a dynamic approach in the world of politics, too. In the upcoming years, she worked with five famous chief ministers that includes, C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa and N. T. Rama Rao. The Real and Reel Life Difference of the Comedy Queen
The personal life of Manorama, also known as the comedy queen , was filled with sorrow. Her mother, Kasi Clockudaiyar, raised her while working as a maid in other homes. As her mother's health deteriorated, she was forced to leave school at the age of 11 to work as a maid. When she was 12 years old, she joined a play troupe and began acting.
Manorama, who progressed from theatre to film and eventually to top actress position, broke financial barriers and achieved enormous fame but, her personal life, however, remained buried in sorrow. The actress had a love marriage in 1964 with businessman S. M. Ramanathan , but in 1966, after the birth of her son Bhupathi , her spouse abandoned her due to an astrologer's prediction. In the year 2015, due to long-term illness and multiple organ failure, the comedy queen of Indian Cinema bid farewell to this world.
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
‘Malai koothu' has evolved, but there's not much in the art form for ‘koothadi'
In the sprawling landscaped compound of the Kadavu Nachiamman Temple of Nilavur in the Yelagiri Hills, a 'malai koothu' on Haribalan-Sivabalan Sandai was about to open. On that new moon night, the audience had arrived for the temple festival from as far as Jolarpet. They would stay up till dawn. 'Here comes 'Boppan' for the opening Act.' 'Boppan', the buffoon, makes an entry in a jazzy orange outfit, prancing up and down to the blaring but often indiscernible vocals. The buffoon jumps, gets whipped, pretends to scare children seated on the ground, gets whipped again. As the night advanced, a section of the audience dozes off with banners for blankets, while a few elders keep themselves warm, crouched beneath woollen blankets. An artist hurls profanities at Maradhanda Asuran, causing giggles, and falls on the lap of an old woman in the audience after a pretence-chase by Maradhanda Asuran. A ploy to keep the audience awake on that chilly night. Tearful monologue Haribalan-Sivabalan Sandai opens with Maradhanda Asuran and his daughter Sillingi, and Sillingi's sons Haribalan and Sivabalan conceived of a boon from Lord Siva, according to mythology. Sillingi, played by an old man draped in a sari and a wig, comes out to narrate her story. Sillingi's tearful monologue is interrupted when a visibly moved old woman, gets up and pins a currency note to Sillingi's sari at the shoulder. This would be the last act for this season from the Tamil month of Thai to Aadi. 'Malai koothu', a form of 'therukoothu' (street play), a seemingly plebeian art, is culturally moored in the lives of the inhabitants of the hills — the Malaiyali tribes of Dharmapuri and the Javadhu and Yelagiri Hills in Tirupathur. It is also an expression of social cohesion and is primarily performed as a temple dance form in the hills. 'We perform 'koothu' for temple festivals, births and deaths, and marriages,' says K. Govindasamy, former president of the Adhanur panchayat comprising 14 villages of the Yelagiri Hills. The 75-year-old is a veteran 'koothu' artist. He runs the Kadhavu Nachiamman Koothu Kuzhu that trains artists at Nilavur village. 'We did not allow film songs to contaminate the form,' he says. In the hills, the performers are high pitched so as to reach a larger assembly of audience while performing with no mikes, something that the artists from the plains find hard to emulate, says A. Thirumalaisami, an artist and researcher from the family of 'therukoothu' artists in the plains in Krishnagiri. The 'koothu' centres around The Mahabharata and the Puranas. The story-telling revolves around Draupathi. The art form is closely associated with the regions that worship Draupathiamman in a dedicated temple, with a puritan style of performance seen in Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, and Cuddalore districts. 'The Therkathiya Bani (the southern style) is different from the Vadakathiya Bani (the northern style) seen in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts. 'Vanniya Puranam can be performed by anyone here; but in Tiruvannamalai, troupes comprising only Vanniyars perform it,' he explains. Starting out as a dancing girl 'I learnt to read and write because of the 'koothu',' says Siriran, a septuagenarian artist and 'koothu' teacher in the Javadhu Hills. He dropped out of school in Class 1 to graze cattle. 'When I was 13, I joined a 'koothu' troupe as a dancing girl. That was my first role.' Soon, he learnt to read and write by reading dialogues during the act. Today, he runs the Adiparasakthi Nadaga Kuzhu in the Pungampathunadu panchayat in the Javadhu Hills. Mr. Siriran never dons the role of 'asuran '. 'I did it twice, but I don't feel good opposing the gods. I have donned the roles of Krishna, Siva, Arjunan, and Dharmar.' The epical roles are seen as self-fulfilling and expression of the righteousness of the performing artists. 'You want to learn the art, when you see someone don the paint and mouth a dialogue to win over the audience. The young boys always want to perform a 'woman's act',' says Mr. Siriran. Value in attire 'Malai koothu' artists do not see themselves as commercial artists, unless they are called to perform. Unlike the 'therukoothu' artists, 'malai koothu' artists see value in the perfect attire that wins over the audience. 'We spend about ₹15,000 for stitching our costumes. If we keep it safe, it can last 3-4 years. In the hills, we cannot rent clothes as the artists do in the towns. We do our own make-up, and we pay a value for our costumes since our art is in our costumes,' he says. In the Yelagiri Hills dotted by high-end resorts, the employment for the artists often come from the ever-growing hospitality construction projects, when 'koothu' falls silent during the lean season that begins with the monsoon. But, in the remote villages of the Javadhu Hills with its marginal landholdings, the adult population is largely away in cities for construction work. 'When there is a festival, we send word and the artists return,' says Mr. Siriran. A troupe of 15 may get paid ₹25,000-₹30,000. Good artists are called by 'troupe companies' in the plains. If 'koothu' and 'koothadi' are invoked as pejorative terms for those outside its experience, the art form is sacred for its practitioners. 'Malai koothu' has come a long way, but not the 'koothadi'. 'Back then, a burning log propped up in between a splintered bamboo held up on two sides would light up the 'koothu' all through the night. Then came the kerosene torch and the Petromax lamps,' says Mr. Govindasamy. For the artist, the precarity remains. There is the constant struggle to keep the audience engaged and strike a balance between the pleasure of pursuit of an art form that caters to an already struggling people and making a living by other gainful jobs.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Kannada Sahitya Parishat seeks Karnataka High Court's permission to intervene in plea on Thug Life release
The Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) on Thursday filed an application in the High Court of Karnataka seeking permission to intervene in the petition filed by Raaj Kamal Films International on the issue of releasing Tamil film Thug Life in Karnataka, after controversy cropped up owing to actor Kamal Haasan's statement that 'Kannada is born out of Tamil'. In its application, the KSP has said that 'being a primary stakeholder in preserving the integrity, history, and respect of Kannada language, it seeks to intervene to present relevant historical, linguistic, and constitutional aspects concerning Kannada's independent linguistic identity and cultural stranding.' The KSP further said that it would bring to the notice of the court the constitutional, cultural, and linguistic concerns arising from the statement of Mr. Haasan and the directions sought by the producer of the film particularly from the perspective of protecting the identity, dignity, and historical legacy of Kannada language and culture. Contending that Mr. Haasan's statement was made without factual backing or academic support, the KSP has stated that 'the language is heart and soul of the land and hence called sacred mother tongue. Bracketing language in terms of seniority or superiority is akin to comparing sacred motherhood which is totally unacceptable in a civilised society.' Mr. Haasan's letter to Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, which had demanded his apology, does not contain any categorical apology, the KSP said. It further said that freedom of speech and expression is not absolute as it comes with reasonable restrictions. The application is likely to come up for hearing when the petition is posted for further hearing on June 13. Earlier in the week, Mr. Haasan had chosen not to tender an apology for his statement, despite a suggestion made in this regard by the High Court to put an end to the controversy. Raaj Kamal Films International had filed a petition seeking police protection for release of the movie owing to opposition from Kannada organisations and the KFCC. The company stated that it is not willing to screen the movie in Karnataka unless an encouraging dialogue takes place with the KFCC.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Thug Life box office collection day 1: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's film opens at ₹14 cr despite no shows in Karnataka
Thug Life box office collection day 1: Expectations were sky-high with Thug Life, which marked the reunion between Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan after the cult classic Nayakan. The film arrived with controversies after it was not screened in Karnataka following Haasan's Kannada language row. Now as per the latest update from Thug Life has collected ₹14.94 crore on the day of its release. (Also read: Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's Thug Life likely to face ₹40 crore loss at box office due to Karnataka ban) The latest update states Thug Life had 48.72% Tamil Occupancy on Thursday. The morning shows registered 50.66% occupancy, whereas there was 50.35% occupancy for the afternoon shows. The numbers dipped slightly for the evening shows at 45.15%. Thug Life is expected to hold on to the momentum in the upcoming days, and take full advantage of the extended weekend. Since Thug Life has not been released in Karnataka, it lost out on an additional ₹35-40 crore, as predicted by a report in The Hindu. It all started when Kamal said during a promotional event, 'Kannada was born out of Tamil,' which sparked massive uproar. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce threatened to ban the film's release in the state, but the actor refused to apologise and claimed that his statement was being misconstrued. Thug Life also features Trisha, Silambarasan, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, Nasser, Abhirami and others. The music for the film is by maestro AR Rahman while the cinematographer is Ravi K Chandran and editor is A Sreekar Prasad. An excerpt from the Hindustan Times review of the film read, 'What plagues the film is the the 'old wine in old bottle' screenplay which loses steam mid-way incorporating far too many unnecessary characters, meandering through various places with glaring loopholes and quite a few insipid dialogues. The movie has emotions, intense action and some romance but the plot is thin and execution was paramount to making this flick highly engaging. And that's where it falters.'
