My 2nd
film as an Assistant director ‘Thaniniram’ in 1973
Sasi Kumar sir Introduced me to Mr.Ragunath. He is also one of the
associate directors to sir. And director
asked me to work with him as an assistant director for ‘’Thani niram’’ produced
by Azeem and Co.
Azeem and co. were supplying the
set properties to film production companies in Madras. (CINE DECAR) Proprietor was
Mr.AZAM BAI. He produced a number of
films in Tamil and Malayalam. His office and godown were next to liberty
theatre in Kodambakkom. I went to the office with Raghu Annan met the produce r
Azam bai and production Executive and Cameraman Durai Rajendran. He offered me a salary of RS.500
every month. & gave me an advance of R.S.500. I told Sasi Sir about the
salary they offered me. He told me don’t ask any thing to any producer, whatever
the amount be, take it happily. I started the work on the script: copying and
breaking down. Raghu Annan instructed Rajendran to pick me up from home and
drop me after the work every day. So the first day they dropped me to my home,
From that day onwards I got vehicles from the companies.
Next day morning by 8 O’clock the car came, the driver Mani , an old man and Aazam bai’s personal driver, picked me and went to pick Raghu Annan at
kacherry road , Mylapure. Raghu Annan was staying in a lodge. He Introduced me
to Mr. Krishnan Nair a Veteran Tamil & Malayalam director. He advised me a lot
of things about cinema. From Raghu Annan I learned professionalism. Raghu Annan
was staying in Trivandrum. Only for the shooting he came to Madras. That’s how
I got more scope to work independently.
Sasi Sir was very busy
with shooting for other films. One day he asked me to meet Vayalar Rama varma (lyricist)
and explain the situation of the song. I went to Old woodland hotel in Royapettai.
I met him and explained the situation of the song & the song was needed very
urgently. So I waited for him .He offered me a tea and after taking his bath he
started to write a song , (VIGRAHA BANJAGARE). He requested me to copy it. I
made a copy: he checked it and told me that my handwriting was very good. From
there I went to AVM C theatre to meet Devarajan master, the music director. He
was busy with some back round score. But R.K. Sekhar helped me to meet him and
describe the song situation.
Oneday Azam bai suggested
that since I was working with the topmost director of the film industry, I
should have more dressing sense. That
day evening I met Costumer Kumar. He took me to Kailas silks, Pondy bazaar and
purchased some cloth and he himself stitched some dresses for me. That was an
eye opener- Since that day I took special care in selecting my oufits. We
finished the film ‘Thani niram’ - An action oriented political drama in the
locations of Sivaji Gardens, Nannu’s farm house and Prakash studios. Prem Nazir,
Vijayashree, Bhasi, and Bahadhur were the main cast.
When we finished 60%
of the film, the actor Bahadhur and producer Azambai had some misunderstanding. Without Bahadur it
was impossible to complete the film. But the producer was not ready for any
compromise. Finally Sasi Sir decided and completed the balance portion with
Pattam Sadan. In the film in scenes Nazir, Adoor bhasi and Bahadhur go inside the house & they are come out.
But in the scenes happening in the interior of the house Nazir, Adoor
bhasi and Sadan only acted. Like this the film got completed. After seeing the
film everybody was upset especially the distributor Geo kuttappan. Only Sasi Sir was confident. He didn’t want
the producer to Invest again extra 50%. Our Director always supported the
producers. Sasi Sir said, “The film is story - telling and the audience will
always be involved in the story; nobody will bother about the actors.” When the film got released Sasi Sir’s
judgment proved to be correct. The film was a box office hit.
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