HIT AND RUN
Hit and Run is a favourite term in Cricket and American Baseball games. Mention this two words to the tinsel town heroes especially kollywood kings they just shiver and shudder. No one is exempted from this feeling as everyone is looking desparate to prove their real worth not like before. From super star to santhanam, from Ilaya thalapathi to inian, from Ultimate star to Vaigaip puyal, from K. S Ravikumar to Vasanthabalan all of them experienced to the maximum never seems fully understand the concept of the success.
We have different sections of jargons used to title a cinema like mainstream, entertainer, award winning, documentary, docu-drama, epic, historical etc but none of this describe the real cinema… The real cinema can be classified into two broader terms only. Good cinema and Bad cinema. What ever film that succeeds might be called a good cinema because of the box office collections, its star value, technical credits etc. But unless it has a good story with a well written screenplay the chances of it becoming hit is remote.
The title hit and run suggestively implies the real winner and the number of days it runs to packed houses, collections, the over all review of the movie etc. Now a days movies hit the theatre, run without a sound within few days not making any noise but the howling of the hapless producers and grief stricken distributors, agonized cinema theatre owners. Gone are the days movies celebrate 100 days, 175 days, 200 days in a single theatre when the star cast of the movie assembled in important cities to celebrate the success.
What happened now a days is totally different and interesting phenomenon. Within the first week of the release the movie stars started visiting theatres all over the state promoting and literally begging the movie goers to watch the movie in the movie halls rather than in c d, which are dime a dozen now a days. The irony is even when they are visiting the movie halls it needs some heavy advertising and publicity to pull the crowd even for the particular show.
This was recently happened in Madurai when the artists of the latest movie “Goa” visited a theatre here the total number of audience is below hundred with none of the upper class people decided to move their butts out of their seats out of shame, or dis-interest or false pride or some other only a handful of people surrounded the artists and threw the widely read and accepted questions like how come u act such glamorous in the movie ( of course to the heroine not to the man who played gay in the movie ), what is your next movie, what do you think about the future projects, all socially very relevant questions and without those answers the life became endangered.
After a 5 minutes of pregnant silence the crew answered all those questions bordered at the range of absurdity to stupidity, one by one much to the delight of the cheering people. The enthusiasm died after ten minutes and only the photo mongers were stood in front to see their photographs in the next days issue of vernaculars, pushed for a handshake ( especially with the heroine ), and understood the secret of their existence in this mother land and fulfilled a greatest achievement which could be boasted of to their near and dear ones next day.
What made this or created this chaotic atmosphere? Where are those eager first day first show watchers who do anything for a glimpse of their favourite stars, never mind about their looks get shattered by the maddening crowd at the ticket counter, sweated like a raging bull while they entered the cinema, whistling like a double mouthed parrot on a mere look at the white screen.
Just take a brief look at the careers of most of the top, trusted and assured money spinners’ movies and their performances. Nothing moves in Tamil movie industry without the magnetic name rajinikanth whose last movie kuselan really made the producers and distributors an apt choice for the title sank without a trace. The reason for this movies' debacle may vary, from his chance and selfish remarks before the movies’ release sparked controversy all over the state and even his fan clubs ditched the movie obliterating the earlier most welcomed, highly successful!!!! Sivaji the boss, and the trend setter Chandramuki.
Kamal Haasan, the ever youth man in wrong side of fifties tried his expertise in highly acclaimed and very successful dasavathaaram ( of which 3 are just to add the numbers was another issue ). He tried to repeat the success of the hindu movie a Wednesday remade it as unnai pol oruvan, ran as an also ran but the media and satellite channels projected the movie a great attempt by the versatile actor. He roped in Mysskin another successful but not so powerful director whose own project Nandalala is yet to see the light for reasons known only to select few. The movie required lots of research and mysskin took his own sweet time to ready it but not before kamal changed his mind to do a commercial comic caper with his trusted K.S. Ravikumar and shifted the dates to it.
Vijay who has been touted be an would be superstar with string of success until Pokkiri, bite the dust not for once but four in a row ( Alagiya tamil magan, villu, kuruvi, and now vettaikaran ) trusting heavily on his next venture “suraa” and body guard both were claimed as commercial pot boilers ( actually pot does not mean the producers stomach here ). Anyone of it click he will stand to stake a claim otherwise will also become a point of no return for him for the cult status.
Ajith, claimed to be an actor has a biggest opening next only to super star steadied his career with superstar’s remake of billa, but erred in Shahrukhs remake of main hoon naa, and came the original interestingly titled Aasal a pale copy of earlier movies, proved once again that flashy cars, smoking cigars, glamour doll heroines, gravity defying stunts will not hold a film together. This is the real lesson to Saran who tasted success on and often but failure regularly, except when he is with bankable stars like ajith, kamal etc. His earlier Mothi vilayadu can be clearly reviewed for how bad a movie can be made not for any other cause.
Vikram took almost a decade to establish as a bankable star did movies with bala which are very good, faced defeats in two movies which took long time to reach the theatres. Both Bheema, and Kandasamy did nothing to raise his stature. He pins all his hopes on Maniratnams’ Raavanan ( what is so secret about movies by maniratnam who cares very little for fans refusing to divulge even the title of his film is a mystery )
Surya, a talented artist trying something different every movies gone back to the commercial routine in Hari’s Singam. His latest Aadhavan create ripples initially only initially and nothing could save this film became an average also ran film.
Vishal who claimed fame by a hat trick of hits dived and went under the ground with consecutive flops and looked distraught seeks asylum with Bala signed a double hero subject with Arya formed other half., Bala who is a notable film maker notorious for his painstakingly slow film making. But bala has promised his next Avan Ivan will be released before 2010 end but highly unlikely.
Cinema is somewhat a safe place for smaller names like Dhanush, Ravi, Jeeva, Karthik, Bharath, who are growing heroes with not so weight on their head and doing roles which suit them. It is always better to do roles that justifies their age and stature rather than projecting themselves super hero and next to super star. One film might click and ten others will make them feel for what they do.
It is true that no one will work, shell out money, time, and sacrifice their careers to make failure movies but one thing they all conveniently forget is people now a days become so erudite, knowledgeable, tech savvy, knew the nuances in film making. And to make them come to theatres that too with family is a tough task for every film crew. Most of the time the story decides on success, some times the racy screenplay, songs, and technical expertise can only hold the film not carry it to the success. Heroes are trying hard and flexing every inch of their skin to make their film a success. Unless the above mentioned objects are intact no one could save a film from its fate.
The next best thing the kollywood film makers could do is take a leaf out of world cinema, bollywood, on the canvas they really paints their movies, making films which are closer to the heart rather to the skin, where the viewers feel the movie rather watch it. The all time grosser AVATAR, 3 Idiots, My name is Khan, are the latest examples about how films are projected in a different atmosphere, viewed in a totally different perspective could make viewers watch in awe. James Cameron who waited for more than 13 years to make an Avatar is a real case study for todays directors both veteran and budding ones.
Attending film festivals, panoramas, participating in panel discussions on how good movies are made, reviewing a movie by ripping it apart will not take anyone to the height of success. But an honest approach on the project in hand, extensive research before going to a shoot, planning concrete on a budget, last but most important is a will and determination to finish the film on time. Of all the movie production houses only AVM has this determination of announcing the release dates on the time of start none others do.
The delay in release of films is a clear indication of uncertainty in the minds of the directors and people lose interest in the movie. Or sometimes even the over expectations turn negative and reflects on its performance. The classic example is selvaraghavans’ over hyped Ayiraththil Oruvan (should have been titled Ayiraththil oruththi as only reema sen stole the show and occupies maximum screen time). Selvaraghavan’s angry remark to the scribes over this film is being a rip off of Hollywood block busters is a really funny one. The shadows are from Mckennas’ gold, Battle scenes from Mummy, exploration from Indiana jones series, The concept is from The Myth the examples are many.
All said and done a movie become hit and run for 100 or more days will not happen for quite some time. The celebration of silver jubilee of a movie was a distant past but everyone crave for. We see the 100 days, 175 days, only in news papers not in theatres any more. Chandramuki is an exception. I, as an eager movie buff wish the cinema took a different route altogether and hope all the actors aware of their plus and minus present movies which is appropriate to their age and stature lure the audience back to where they actually belong.
Movie watching is an enjoyable experience. No amount of communication advancement will diminish the sheer joy of watching the movies in a big screen with DTS, DOLBY sound effect with coke, ice cream and popcorn. Hoping to be back to theatres and enjoy the show.
My take on directors follows….
