Depicting Hero in Mainstream Tamil Cinema: the Mould That Changes
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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 12s, (2020), pp. 09-14 Depicting Hero In Mainstream Tamil Cinema: The Mould That Changes Prabakaran V* & Dr. G Balasubramaniaraja** *Ph.D. Scholar, Reg No: 17234011021141, ManonmaniamSundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India. Assistant Professor, Department of Visual Communication, FSH, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tamilnadu, India **Professor and Head, Department of Communication, ManonmaniamSundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India Abstract The Protagonist, a hero, generally is the central character of any film. The antagonist, a Villain, performs against the Hero and negative side of the story. However, at times hero characters come with a negative shade. The films come up with the reasonable (at least to them) flashback stories in antihero subjects. They justify their harmful protagonist activities. For example, all the don stories of Tamil cinema have a flashback explaining why he has become so. MGR used the medium to communicate the positive elements only to maintain his image among the audiences and to convey his ideologies. He even made sure that his film titles convey the positivity. In this paper, the researcher analyses the changing image of the hero characters in Tamil cinema Keywords: The Hero, Tamil Cinema, Image building, antihero, Characterization Introduction Hero characters in Tamil cinema are classified into these categories. Category One, the good guy, who does good to the society in a natural way whatever the situation he faces. Second one whatever the way maybe; doing good to the society is matters. The third one is not at all good, so do not expect good from him. However, most of the hero portrayal will fit into any of these categories. This research paper analyses the changing image of the Hero in the Tamil cinema based on the article available on the portrayal of heroes. Review of Literature During the period of emergency in India, the citizens are unrest. It is quite natural too. The filmmakers utilized the situation and emotions of the public in their scripts. They have created characters who disobey the order, especially writers Salim and Javid. Their heroes never allowed the situation to overtake their life. They may be a coolie, or auto driver, or a smuggler or a police officer whomever it may be; they are bold, courageous, and strong enough to question the society. Though they are ordinary men, they live an extraordinary life, larger than real life. Hero's anger is not his anger; it is the anger of a common man who could not express it or who would not express it. Akbar Shahpurwalla, in (ed) NasreenMunnikabir's Bollywood 2001 (The Indian Cinema Story). Amitabh Bachchan 2001 said that he did not create these characters of 'angry young man' and added further that it is all created by Salim and Javed, who wrote the scripts of Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay and many of his films. He said the way they portray those characters on screen well received. It is maybe because the writers found likely that qualities in him and fortunately films met success too. (NasreenMunnikabir). Once Hero introduced on-screen, the fans start to celebrate by whistling clapping and throwing a piece of paper. ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 9 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 12s, (2020), pp. 09-14 Moreover, the audience feels pity for the villain. They firmly believe that the Hero is going to win finally. Most of the Hero oriented mainstream films are happy ending only. ManojBajpai argues that Amitabh Bachchan's film gave fulfillment to their fans through his angry young man concept films. Not only had his films all about his life received significant attention. When he met with an accident and admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in 1983 during the shooting of the film Coolie, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited him in the hospital and said in the media that she prayed for his life. He even entered politics and became MP and resigned after a few years and said that he is not suitable for politics. Javed Akhtar 2001 argues that the values of our earlier heroes come from the joint family culture of our nation. Obeying parental authority reflects in the heroes of our films till the 1950s. After industrialization, it had started changing slowly when the dream of people got shattered; it is natural and logical that they celebrate anger young man on screen. Shahrukh Khan 2001 expressed his view that the audience is ultimate in deciding the success of the films. Out of 180 films, only eight films tasted success, and others rejected straight away—Indian film audiences living abroad like love stories, pretty things, and women in sarees. So film producers make films like Taal, Dil to Pagal Hai, KuchKuchHota Hai, DilwaleDulhania Le Jayenge and Hum Apke Hain Koun in that style. He said furthermore that he dint like movies with social messages. A movie makes someone laugh, cry, sing, and dance is his choice of all time. S.V.Srinivas 2001 Telugu actor Chiranjeevi's diehard fans their thumbs to smear blood in the forehead of their favorite actor. If any other persons make wrong comments about the actor, the fans prepared to assault them. They imitate the hairstyle of the actor based on the film, and they use his gesture. The dialogues or punch lines of the actor are also mocked by them regularly. For such devotion from the fans, the mainstream actors, stars, should ensure that their films are not only loaded with two and half an hour of entertainment but also with the right message. MGR of the Tamil film industry makes sure that his film title also conveys the positive message, but the actor Shahrukh Khan said he does not like social messages in the movies. The vast difference in the ideologies reflects a difference in the content of films too. Research Methodology The standard qualitative research method in social sciences is content analysis. The fundamental concept of this research method is to interpret the texts and their meaning. Here the text means not only written text alone but also oral text, drawings, paintings, and audio-visual text. It is the research method for studying documentation and communication artifacts. In this article, the content analysis mainly used to study the image of heroes in various films. Different kinds of films and different kinds of audiences lead to the creation of different categories of Hero too. Not only Heroes, antiheroes, and sometimes villains, too, received the audience's attention and a heroic image. Various sources of information are collected and interpreted to understand the image of Hero, in Tamil cinema. The objective of the study To find out the image of Hero, in Tamil cinema ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST 10 Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 12s, (2020), pp. 09-14 To find out the changes in the image of Hero The 'Good guy' as a Hero The concept of the Hero, in earlier films, is a good guy in all aspects, and the classic example is MarudurGopalamenon Ramachandran alias MGR films. However, many actors contemporary to him followed up the same style of characterization in most of the films. MGR concentrated much on his image building. All the characters MGR has played written with most care. He gives importance to education. Padakotti (1964), Thazhampoo (1965), In Thozhilali(1964), Panathottam (1963), Naan YaenPiranthaen (1972), Kumarikottam (1971), in all these films though MGR belongs to economically weak family nothing stops him in getting a proper education. Born in fisherman family or as a plantation laborer's son, or a manual worker, or need to pledge his house or should work as a paperboy to meet his expenses or a gardener or a bearer in a restaurant is a not a matter to him in achieving what he wants, the education. Education is not only for elite and wealthy people; it is for all, especially for the poor. In a scene in the film Padakotti (1964), the villain gets the thump impression from the poor employees of him in promissory notes with bad intentions. The uneducated community accepts without any doubt on the employer. However, MGR finds the manipulated content in the documents and saved the uneducated group from the villain. In the film 'Engavettu Pillai' (1965), MGR reveals the real ugly face of the landlord to the co-workers. In all his films, he is particular that education is for all. (MSS Pandiyan, 1992) He is not only a celebrated actor but also the most celebrated human being. Tamilnadu people elected him as Chief Minister in the state assembly elections from 1977 to 1987 his demise. People of Tamilnadu worshipped him as a god. They even built a temple. (Vaasanthi 2017) To perform like the right person, one should be a good person. There is no significant difference between reel and real life. It was the ideology of MGR.(R Kannan 2017) Sivaji Ganesan said in an interview in the year 1997 that he thought there was no connection between cinema and politics, but people have proven him wrong. He added further that he acted like a drunk, a womanizer, and in many grey-shaded characters. It is essential to know that he is a successful actor, not a politician, though he was a member of quite a few political parties. SScriptwriterof the film Thirudathey, M.Lakshmanan suggested another title Nalladhuku Kaalamillai to MGR. However, MGR rejects it since it does not have positivity in the title. The explanation from him is in the first title we say do not steal a positive one, but in the second one, we say goodness stands no chance a negative one to the public who wish to do good.