A lot of new content is being created for OTT and other platforms, but the space for iconic old movies is shrinking.
A lot of new content is being created for OTT and other platforms, but the space for iconic old movies is shrinking.
Dewar Magna (1992) re-oriented us to his immense talent, as it was perhaps a stand-out film after the ’90s, which did justice to his fine acting abilities as he portrayed a patriarch ruling a divided land. role was played.
Kamalhasan and Sivaji Ganesan in Devar Magan. , Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Although my nephew was not born when Shivaji ruled the silver screen, his fascination with the actor got me thinking how the magic of old has not waned much. And how old does not mean boring for the new generation. But here, I’ve got my dad, aunt and nanny to come up with interesting trivia while we watched these classics on our VHS tapes in the ’90s. It definitely added to our viewing experience. It is quite tedious now to search for these old movies; Old songs are more easily available online than movies.
pasmalari Starring Sivaji Ganesan and Savitri. , Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. A friend of mine says that black and white films make him feel inferior. Maybe nostalgia isn’t always a matter of happiness. The art is beyond time, but the enduring appeal of a well-delivered dialogue or a brilliantly conceived scene or high emotional performance cannot be overlooked. For example: the writings of Aroor Das ( pasmalariBreathtaking sights seen in films by Shivaji-Savitri magical duo, CV Sridhar (Ooty never looks as spectacular as it did in their songs earlier) Kadilika Neramillai, He also later made a film set in these hills, Ooty Varai Uravu) The way relationships and women were portrayed then may seem regressive now, but the foundation of filmmaking was laid by these so-called ‘old times’ who redefined cinematic tropes for millennia.
retro songs
Like Ilaiyaraaja is retro today, MSV was retro in the 80s. But thankfully we still get to hear an ‘en inia ponilev ( moodpani) or ‘va vanilla’ ( Fair Thirundhadhu Kadhavu) on FM channels, TV reality shows and retro music shows. Songs are important for Indian cinema. They are often the reason for the success of a film or an actor. even a non-star led film like Veera Thirumagan (Produced by AVM) had a super hit song ‘Padadha Pattalam Padavandhal’.
Srikanth and Thengai Srinivasan Kasedhan Kadvulada, , Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
The comedy of black and white films remained unmatched until K. Bhagyaraj did not infuse impeccable humor in his scripts, and then came Kamal Haasan, whose screenplay featured dialogues from Crazy Mohan. Comedy has always been a stronghold of Tamil cinema. Beginning with NS Krishnan and TA Madhuram, it gained momentum when character-actors like TS Balaiah, who adores MR Radha, took on a variety of roles, including ace comedians and dreaded villains. And then there was the star of them all – Nagesh, followed by Manorama, Cho Ramasamy, Thengai Srinivasan, Suruli Rajan, Goondamani-Senthil, Vivek and Vadivelu (who is now famous for his appearances in memes and Insta). -reel). These funny clips are often seen on social media.
actor vadivelu in Eli.
Since OTT is a topic of discussion today, I think they should have a section that celebrates these great people whose hard work and talent continue to inspire us. Imagine an actor like Nagesh, who had the ability to wake up and go on sets almost every single day of his life from 1958 to 2008, and yet we get to see so little on our viewing devices these days.
Viewership statistics probably don’t have a section to document the appeal of black and white films, but viewing habits can be developed. While what is present today will be retro tomorrow, media networks can also do us good if they understand that old doesn’t mean old.
The author is a content producer, writer, artist and curator.