Gleanings on the film Periyar
K.S.Sivakumaran
To begin with since of late I stopped reviewing Lankan and Indian Thamil films because it is
sometimes difficult to review them and further there are others writing on these. However,
some outstanding films in Thamil also are screened in International Film Festivals in India and
as such I chose to write about them as well for the benefit of our readers.
One such film is Periyar. A revolutionary politician in southern India who formed the Dravida
Kalagam named E.V.Ramasamay Naiyakkar, a Telugu speaking idol who opposed
superstitions and social inequities was greatly revered as Periyaar meaning the Great Elder.
He was while being a social reformer was also an iconoclast. He condemned the caste system
in India. He called his mission Self-Respect Movement.
Based on Periyar's life Gnana Rajasekharan has made an appreciable feature film, although
in some respects it lacks a total portrayal of the subject. The film is in colour and an actor
Sathyaraj who usually shines in commercial films, plays seriously in the film, thus elevating his
own stature as a fine actor as well as giving the film a kind of aesthetic rendition to a feature
that might have been only a docu-drama. One also remembers Sathyaraj’s playing in another
good film Vedam Puthuthu.
The director of the film is presently the Director of Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth
Development in the outskirts of Chennai. He is a good filmmaker in Thamil and yet he needs a
little more sophistication and film techniques to compete with say Mani Ratnam or Balu
Mahendra or other new film directors. However he chooses off beat subjects for his film. For
instance he adapted a famous novel in Thamil called Moha Mull written by T. Janakiraman in
1994, and two other notable films in 1999 Mugham and Oru Kann Oru Parvai.
Subramania Bharathiyaar is a National Poet of India. Gnana Rajasekeran made the film
Bharathi in 2000. I did not much like this film although Thamilnadu critics hailed it to the
heights. I did not much like the playing by the Marati actor. He took the role of Bharathi and
was a miscast. Nevertheless Periyar outshines all of Gnana Rajasekeran's films. This was
made in 2007.
I met the director in Goa last November when this film was shown at the IFFI.
Amiable Gnana Rajasekeran listened to my views on his films and agreed on most points.
Thanga Bachan is essentially a fine cinematographer, but in recent times he has made a few
films in Thamil which are more than average good Thamil films.
He has handled the camera in Periyar and his contribution highlights the cinematic features of
the film and also the features and nuanes of the acting of Sathyraj. I liked the acting by
Jyothimayi but not so much the acting of the publicized Khusboo.
Contact: sivakumaranks@yahoo.com
K.S.Sivakumaran
To begin with since of late I stopped reviewing Lankan and Indian Thamil films because it is
sometimes difficult to review them and further there are others writing on these. However,
some outstanding films in Thamil also are screened in International Film Festivals in India and
as such I chose to write about them as well for the benefit of our readers.
One such film is Periyar. A revolutionary politician in southern India who formed the Dravida
Kalagam named E.V.Ramasamay Naiyakkar, a Telugu speaking idol who opposed
superstitions and social inequities was greatly revered as Periyaar meaning the Great Elder.
He was while being a social reformer was also an iconoclast. He condemned the caste system
in India. He called his mission Self-Respect Movement.
Based on Periyar's life Gnana Rajasekharan has made an appreciable feature film, although
in some respects it lacks a total portrayal of the subject. The film is in colour and an actor
Sathyaraj who usually shines in commercial films, plays seriously in the film, thus elevating his
own stature as a fine actor as well as giving the film a kind of aesthetic rendition to a feature
that might have been only a docu-drama. One also remembers Sathyaraj’s playing in another
good film Vedam Puthuthu.
The director of the film is presently the Director of Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth
Development in the outskirts of Chennai. He is a good filmmaker in Thamil and yet he needs a
little more sophistication and film techniques to compete with say Mani Ratnam or Balu
Mahendra or other new film directors. However he chooses off beat subjects for his film. For
instance he adapted a famous novel in Thamil called Moha Mull written by T. Janakiraman in
1994, and two other notable films in 1999 Mugham and Oru Kann Oru Parvai.
Subramania Bharathiyaar is a National Poet of India. Gnana Rajasekeran made the film
Bharathi in 2000. I did not much like this film although Thamilnadu critics hailed it to the
heights. I did not much like the playing by the Marati actor. He took the role of Bharathi and
was a miscast. Nevertheless Periyar outshines all of Gnana Rajasekeran's films. This was
made in 2007.
I met the director in Goa last November when this film was shown at the IFFI.
Amiable Gnana Rajasekeran listened to my views on his films and agreed on most points.
Thanga Bachan is essentially a fine cinematographer, but in recent times he has made a few
films in Thamil which are more than average good Thamil films.
He has handled the camera in Periyar and his contribution highlights the cinematic features of
the film and also the features and nuanes of the acting of Sathyraj. I liked the acting by
Jyothimayi but not so much the acting of the publicized Khusboo.
Contact: sivakumaranks@yahoo.com
