A phrase that never fails to escape a writer making a statement about a piece of art or cultural history is, ‘they don’t make them like that any more’. This especially holds true for the legendary Tamil film production house – Devar Films.
The famed founder of the production house, Sandow M M A Chinnappa Devar and later his son-in-law, director R Thyagarajan, made iconic films featuring animals (lion, snakes, elephant, you name it) sharing equal screen space with the top stars of the day, including MGR, Rajini and Kamal.
On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the family’s production venture Vellikizhamai Viratham that was Thyagarajan’s directorial debut, his daughter, Shanmugavadivu talks about her father’s works and her family’s special connection with Superstar Rajinikanth.
Shanmugavadivu says her father enjoyed watching yesteryear classics like Gone with the Wind and Awara and films such as these were his staple diet right from his teens. So, when Thyagarajan married Chinnappa Devar’s daughter Subbulakshmi, it was a match made in heaven not just as wedlock but also for the film industry.
Under Chinnappa Devar’s guidance, Thyagarajan’s directorial debut, Vellikizhamai Viratham, featuring Sivakumar in the lead with snakes in the cast, became a huge hit, Shanmugavadivu said, and added, “Everyone was flabbergasted as to how a debutant director had canned such cumbersome shots with snakes.”
After his successful debut, Thyagarajan went on to direct many hit films. Amongst them, the films that stand out include Aatukkara Alamelu (Mera Rakshak in Hindi) that had a goat as its protagonist and of course the films that starred Rajinikanth like Anbukku Naan Adimai and Annai Oru Alayam that went on to be huge blockbusters.
“In Anbukku Naan Adimai the theatre would resound with claps during the maan kombu fight sequence between Rajini and villain Karate Mani. In Mera Rakshak, the shots where Ramu the goat would take a transistor and run and the other shots like jumping over the bushes fetched applause from the audience.”
Shanmugavadivu says her father’s fans still appreciate his film-making skills especially in scenes where Rajini fights a lion in Annai Oru Alayam. She says, “Appa would go to any lengths to get the perfect shot. While shooting with animals, he used to camouflage himself in a khaki attire. The shooting had to be done according to the moods and fancies of the animal, especially the lion scenes.”
“It’s no wonder we still receive calls from fans who admired the antics of the cute, pot-bellied elephant in the film and scenes that feature crystalline brooks shot in yet-unseen deep forest areas. The shots were on a par with English movies,” she said.
Rajinikanth and Thyagarajan went on to work in 11 movies throughout their career in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Anbukku Nan Adimai, Thai Meethu Satyam, Thai Veedu, Ranga, Jeet Hamari and Bewafai are still talked about. “The bond was inexplicable and the synergies spelt magic movie after movie at the box office,” says Shanmugavadivu.
Devar’s advice to Rajini
Rajini has on many occasions spoken in reverence about Devar’s influence and help in his career. Shanmugavadivu recalled an incident in the late ’70s when Devar helped Rajini gain control of his struggling career and life due to personal problems.
“Devar, knew about this ‘dynamic youngster’ right from Bhairavi days and wanted to make a film in the cowboy genre for him and penned a story. When Devar met Rajini, the superstar took Devar to be in the status of a father and confided in him his problems.”
According to her, Rajini said to Devar, “Ayya, enough is enough. I’m totally fed up with life. Whatever I do becomes news and lots of rubbish is being written about me. I haven’t slept for four days. I regret leaving Bangalore.”
Shanmugavadivu said Devar advised Rajini to “Let people express different opinions about you. You remember Lord Murugan and act. Let me see who stands in your way.”
This simple advice and timely help by Devar to Rajini on a couple of occasions seemed to have turned Rajini’s life for the better and that’s why even today the Superstar has a portrait of Devar in his pooja room, says Shanmugavadivu.