Written by: JBR
Tamilian influence in Kerala is quite remarkable. The Tamil films and film songs have impacted Malayalis a lot. They especially love the music of Ilayaraja and AR Rehman.
From recent times, Tamil cinema seems to have an influence in Kerala. One could say this started even from the times of Sivaji and MGR. From those times, Tamil films have been creating records there. K Bhagyaraj's 'Mundaanai Mudichu,' Kamal's 'Apoorva Sagotharargal,' Sarath Kumar's 'Suriyan,' 'Shankar's 'Gentleman,' 'Kaadhalan,' Mani Ratnam's 'Dalapathy,' 'Roja,' 'Mumbai' are some of the Tamil films that were received very favorably in Kerala. It is noteworthy that these films grossed more money than the contemporary Malayalam films.
In many Malayalam film functions as well as college culturals and so on, Tamil songs are played predominantly. Dances are also performed for these songs. Top Malayalam heroines like Nayantara, Gopika, Asin and Meera Jasmine have crossed over to Tamil films for money and fame.
While this is the reality on one hand, there is also another reality that Malayalis and the Malayalam film field cannot digest the immense popularity of Tamil cinema. Even while acting in Tamil films, they still wax lyrical that there is nothing greater than Malayalam films. Tamilians have grown up seeing the hero of '16 Vayadhinile' from his kiddie days.
Malayalam actor Narain says of his 'Chithiram Pesudhadi' experience in a Malayalam TV channel, "Since I was just wearing ordinary footwear and acting, they could not accept me as a hero. Tamilians want their heroes full of gloss and stardust." Malayalis are generally of the opinion that Tamilians wear loud clothes, are unclean and dimwitted. Let us see how they portray this in their films.
Mohanlal, Srinivasan and Parvathi acted in 'Akkarai Akkarai Akkarai' directed by Priyadarshan. The story takes place in the US. Standing before the tall buildings, Mohanlal comments, "Tamilians look open mouthed at the LIC building. If they see this, they will die in shock." These words belittling Tamilians, were spoken with great relish by Mohanlal.
At the time the film was released, LIC was the tallest building in south India. People from not only Tamilnadu, but Kerala as well, looked with awe at the LIC building. There was no such building in Kerala at that time and this dialogue that took place in 'Akkarai Akkarai Akkarai' can only be said to have been spoken with disregard for Tamilians.
There are many Malayalam films that show Tamilians as being astrology crazy with no mind of their own. In one film, a Tamilian will ask actor Raju, "Aren't you Kuppusamy?" In response, Raju says, "Kuppusamy? I am born in a good Nair family."
When caste differences was at its height, Dalits were not allowed to give their children civilised names like Murugan or Selvam. Only names like Kuppusamy were allowed. This antagonism of Malayalis over the caste differences even in naming their children was remarked upon by Raju in the film.
In one film featuring Mohanlal and Kiran, Nedumudi Venu plays the older brother of Mohanlal. He does not allow beverages like Coke or Pepsi made by multinationals into his village and instead promotes locally produced brands. The villain who disrupts this is a Tamilian. The film shows the Tamilian as being the cause of promoting multinational products in the Kerala village and destroying the livelihood of local farmers and small businesses.
In 'Naran,' Mohanlal opposes the putting up of a Tamil signboard. He argues that if Tamilians are allowed in the shops, they will create lot of trouble. The film also shows how the Malayalis have to put up with these troubles when the Tamilians are allowed into the shops.
From the example of both these films, we can see that the film portrays that entry of Tamilians in Kerala will create hardships for Malayalis. In reality, many Tamilians who go to Kerala to eke out a living are purposely denied becoming members of the employees union and left to suffer by the Kerala govt. Maybe they think they are very politically intelligent, but this only shows their small mindedness.
Tamilians are being portrayed as people who are selling their souls to outsiders. But if Tamilnadu decided to show its 'political intelligence,' which Nair would be allowed to have his tea stall inside the borders of Tamilnadu? They must be grateful that Tamilians do not bother to show how politically savvy they can be.
They call Kerala 'God's own country' and they are proud of nature's bounty in Kerala. For them, Tamilnadu is a waterless wasteland. This is quite crudely portrayed in the film 'Udayon.'
As usual, the villain of 'Udayon' is a Tamilian. He tells the hero, "If it rains in Tamilnadu, you will get water in your well." In response the hero says, "For that, it has to rain first in your place."
When the hero comes to Tamilnadu, the villain tells him to have the sweet sugarcane juice. In response, the hero says, "The sugarcane juice may be sweet in your land, but in my place, even the water is sweet like sugarcane."
Such dialogues that portray the water issue between Kerala and Tamilnadu abound in Malayalam films. Of course there are films that are exceptions. Kunchala Bopan, Samyukta Varma and our Parthiban have acted in 'Narendran Magan Jayakanthan Vaga' directed by Sathyan Anthikkad. In the film, Anthikkad actually pokes fun at Malayali culture. Parthiban plays a Tamilian and efforts are made to chase him out when he comes to Kerala. The Communist party throws a bomb to scare him. Parthiban pokes fun at them that their bombs were nothing but fireworks used in his hometown. He makes their chief stand and sit and makes him say that Tamilians and Malayalis were equal.
When Malayalam films in general portray Tamilians in a bad light, Anthikkad has taken his film differently. Just like Malayali women are shown in Tamil films as wearing mundu minus a shawl, Malayalam films also show Tamilian women in poor light. The trend continues that Malayalam stars consider their cinema to be superior to Tamil films.
In sharp contrast, it is to be noted that more than Malayalam films, it is Vijay's 'Pokkiri' and Simbu's 'Vallavan' that did great business in Kerala.
Instead of being more realistic, it will do more harm than good if Malayalam films continue to degrade Tamilians in their films.
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-04.04.2007
