The perpetuity of polestars 

Towards the end of the iconic Tamil film, Nayakan, the protagonist Velu Nayakkar, played by Kamal Haasan, is asked a simple question, “Neenga nallavara kettavara?” Faced with the predicament of either having to accept his sins, or argue against it, the protagonist says, “Theriyalaye pa…” Velu Nayakkar might not be a big fan of duality, but Tamil cinema is. Throughout its glorious history, Tamil cinema has often reveled in pitting icons against each other and watching the world bloom or burn. “I didn’t let competition ever disturb my mind. It is my choice at the end of the day. I am the sum of all my choices,” says a rather philosophical Simran, who was not just paired opposite members of such iconic clashes but was part of one such clash herself when her career got inexplicably intertwined with that of Jyotika. 

One of the earliest such clashes in Tamil cinema was between MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and PU Chinnappa. It sowed the seeds for Tamil Nadu’s tryst with duality in cinema. You were either a fan of MKT or a fan of PUC. And later, you were either an MGR fan or a Sivaji fan. And then, later, you were either a Rajini fan or a Kamal fan, and now, we have got the whole Ajith-Vijay narrative going on for a while. “I think it is not just in Tamil Nadu. We have also seen it happen in the Telugu and Malayalam industries too. Also, the world likes these polar opposites. Day and night, black and white … We want two opposing sides. Duality is comfortable for the system,” points out National award-winning author and producer G Dhananjeyan.

Noted dramatist, playwright and actor YG Mahendra, a self-confessed ‘greatest fan of Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan’ shares that this duality was an important need of the then fledgling Tamil cinema industry. “Tamil cinema was finding its feet in the 50s and 60s, and the presence of father figures to properly guide us through our first steps was important. That is where Sivaji and MGR came into the picture. You could go to them with any problem, and they ensured that it was resolved. There was a sense of respect and fear about their aura. They were controlling the industry and bringing order to all the chaos. Of course, their immense charisma helped too,” says the thespian, adding, “By the time, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan came into the picture, the industry had changed. We didn’t need father figures. We needed brothers who would spread the name and fame of the industry. And so, it was a bit more friendly. There might be no problem-solving or statesman-like guidance anymore. They were not leading the industry, but what is constant through the generations has been these icons’ unwavering charisma and mass appeal.” And it is this charisma that turned these actors into superstars, and then later… demi-gods.

While the immense aura around these dual figures enveloped the narrative, there were always other actors who flirted with superstardom too. They might not have consistently seen the dizzying heights of fame, but they did have extended runs under the sun. When asked if the duopoly often affected the rest, actor YG Mahendra clarifies, “Never. Even during the times of MGR-Sivaji, you had young actors like Jaishankar and Ravichandran finding their niche. The talent pool became wider with every passing generation. During the times of Rajini-Kamal, we had immense talents like Vijayakanth, Prabhu, Karthik, delivering consistent successes. Even now, we have actors like Dhanush making their own mark. I haven’t seen the ones on the top stop the progress of anyone else.” 

Actor-politician Sarathkumar, who developed a strong fan following of his own even during the reign of the big two stars of his era, believes the titles and monikers associated with this adulatory should be taken with a pinch of salt. “These aren't awards or achievements. What we have actually achieved is the love from people, and these titles are bestowed on us by them. I don't think actors should take it so seriously. Also, Tamil cinema always had a place for not just A and B but also C, D, E… you get the drift, right?” 

Even if actors don't take such chatter seriously, the system does get to them sometimes. Cinema is a fickle-minded beast, and the nature of the profession can create a sense of mistrust and self doubt. “Healthy competition is always welcome, but I feel we were working so much then that we only had time to focus on our work. But the competition does push you to do better work,” says Simran expressing confidence that every decision she took was her own and played to her own interests and ambition. “Playing an antagonist in Paarthen Rasithen and dancing in a special number in Youth were all dubbed as decisions that could derail my career. Many asked me to reconsider it, but I have always believed in my thought process and the audience.”

Every actor worth their salt want to be part of this duality phenomenon at some point in their careers, but it is the audience who decide the names that adorn the coveted thrones. “The sheer number of people throwing their weight behind the actors is growing astronomically. We were crazy fans too, but this present-day frenzy is something else altogether. Watching films of Sivaji and even Kamal for that matter, we did want the films to be successful, but we wanted them to be good cinema too,” says YG Mahendra. “It was pre-determined that we walked into films of MGR and Rajini for pure entertainment. When Vijay and Ajith became the focus, the expectations from both were just entertainment. Fans just want their star’s film to turn out to be profitable and break records. It’s important that fans are critical of their matinee idols and give them a reality check.”

Of course, Rajini and Kamal are still going strong after almost four decades of being on top. With Vijay announcing his political entry, and Ajith treating cinema as one of his many passions, the baton of duality is set to be passed on once again. Now, there are no clear-cut pole stars in Tamil cinema. You have the slightly older guard of stars including Suriya, Dhanush, Vikram and Silambarasan among others vying for the throne with a relatively newer star like Sivakarthikeyan. The playfield is open like never before, and even if the actors might not accept it, all roads are meant to lead to the dual throne. But this multi-pronged race to that destination also brings to the fore a few questions. Is the duality phenomenon in Tamil cinema in its final leg? Have we seen the last of our Superstars? Will the medium be finally democratised, and will every Friday bring a new star to the fore? To quote one Mr Velu Nayakkar… “Theriyalaye pa…”