The hands you take and the hands you leave version 2 part 91in page86 - Page 59

Originally posted by: Mangothyme

Nice and unexpected discussion about Sivaji Ganesan. 😃

I was all of 8 or 9 years old when we were watching Thiruvilaiyadal with a group of families on a video cassette someone had carried from India and converted to US standard. It was not that easy to get movies when I was a child. Anyway, I was just starting Bharanatyam and with all the confidence of a child I announced during the Tandav in Thirvilaiyadal "Evarukku adave theriyala,(this man can't dance)". I managed to stun a whole group of adults who grew up thinking Shivaji was the greatest actor. I still think so as an adult. 😛. In fact several places in Thriuvilaiyadal he overacts for me (in the fisherman avtar). Also in Thillana Mohanambhal, as Karnan. I always found him unrealistic and exaggerated, over acting ki dukhaan for me . Still do in his older movies. I like him in movies like "Mudhal Mariyadhai" and "Devar Magan" where he is more realistic I feel.

Sivaji is also considered one of the greatest actors of India certainly but I have never liked him that much. I prefer people like Mammooty and Kamal who are more subtle for my taste.

I started liking Adhiraj little by little. I was dead against the romance, Anami is 17. But the way Adhiraj is characterized, he is no AYM. I am really tired of callous, obnoxious, annoying AYM who have no clue how to treat a woman, with a chip on their shoulder and their past is used to justify their jerkish actions especially in treating the heroine. But allegedly they love them so much. 🤔. Not in my world.

Adhiraj has a tough past too. But he is a decent, kind guy who has not once taken advantage of Anami. Believe me I would have been worse than Satrupa if he had misbehaved with Anami with the push-pull. I don't like push-pull romance and I will certainly not be quiet if an older guy behaves like that with a minor. A man with a past can be a decent guy, not a mahaan type. But just a nice guy, quite boring and shy. Tongue tied but with a sense of responsibility. Who woos with food. A guy who is a protector. Who does not lock a girl for protection, but accompanies her on her journey. Gives her gur paratha when she foolishly eats mirchi because she wants to prove a point. A guy with whom sitting on a rope cot in the middle of nowhere and drinking chai from a matka will be way better than all the fancy tea shops and coffee houses.

I have gone on many dates to fancy places. In many cases the place and food was better than the company. Believe me I am very sincere when I say I will gladly sit on a rope cot in rural India drinking chai from a matka with a man like Adhi and be very happy. Adhi is a marrying kind of man, a complex man but someone who will be with you. I really like how they have characterized Adhi and I will say Ankit because he is new is bringing a sense of reality in the romance. He is shy, awkward really clueless sometimes. He has no game. He is sincere in his actions. Someone with years of acting experience will not have this innocence in romance. I love that about Adhi and Ankit.

Originally posted by: moonwearer

Shivaji Ganesan was Kamals father in Thevar Maga. He was Thevar and Kamal the magan.

Originally posted by: Ardhanarishwara

I think overacting was the norm in older days..if we look at the old movies of now one of the finest actor of Bollywood Amir, he used to overact there..OTT was accepted as acting during those times and they used act like they were doing a stage drama.So I believe it was not the incapability or fault of actors at all, rather they acted how they were supposed/instructed to do. I find it difficult to watch old movies even if the story is too good because I most of the time find it unbearable to tolerate the OTTness.Only exception I found is Mohanlal..even in his older movies I find his acting very natural when all of his co-stars used to overact.

Sivaji ganeshan was there in Thevar makan? as who?It was a kamal Hassan movie na.

Agree with your analysis on Adhi..I have been watching Hindi/Korean/other Asian series for years and has shipped many couples( even push-pull couples,oh I find it embarrassing to admit now.. anyway that was a stage of growing up..And makers of such serials are doing wrong by manipulating teen minds to believe it's some sort of great love) but I have never felt like "I wish I get someone like him in my real life" for an on-screen character.Adhi has set boyfriend goals for me. And Ankit being a newbie his shyness,nervousness and awkwardness has added to the innocence and simplicity of Adhiraj.

Originally posted by: Janas2017

Mango (henceforth I am ignoring thyme, it's fetting too long 😉): When I was young probably a teen, I also felt Shivaji was overacting. I couldn't for the life of me understand why my mother was such a big fan of his. That's probably because I grew up watching more Hindi and Bengali films (Eng came much later) than Tamil. It was after I got married, when my husband explained, why Shivaji acted the way he did. It's more because of his theatrical b'ground than anything else. He told, catch his eye movt., lips movt. and most imp. throat movt. In fact as u urself pointed out his whole body emoted. I only understood how much he would worked for all these. And theatre era of the 50's were diff. to that of the 90's and it is even more diff. nowadays. We move along with times (I feel we have to accept change in whatever area for good or bad). Our original characters need not take a beating. We have to be a Roman in Rome without losing our identity. So I took a diff. look towards his way of acting. I realised most of the actors of that era incl. Manorama and Nagesh were also like that. In fact, Savitri is 1 actress who never worked in theatre (there may be others - I don't know) or learnt dance. And that's y I feel she is one of India's finest actress across all genres. After that I started accepting Shivaji for the way he acted and appreciated.

Moonwearer, even I feel Kamal is a narcissist. He always wants to act to gain sympathy (reminds me of Charlie Chaplin and Raj Kapoor). Both were fine actors, but I do not like them much. I prefer Rajini (not just his masala movies). I am talking of his eye exprns in some rare serious movies. He has not been utilised properly by Tamil cinema.

In my comments y'day. I forgot to mention Mamooty and MohanLal. But there is another actor whom i like in Malayalam - Thilakan. He may not have been a hero, but I loved his acting skill.

Mango, one other thing. Everyone incl. me would want a guy like Adhi. I am not questioning the characterisation. It is the way he is enacting that role which I am not able to accept. I am not an actor and I know the enormous pressure they face (especially in today's social era). But I wish he would try. It looks the same for the past 2 months. (I am talking of his way of acting the lover boy image). He is improving in other areas. Of course, I am totally against the way RKC has depicted a CBI officer (the way he carries out his job). Not against the intent.

Originally posted by: Mangothyme

My name is Anita, shorter than Mango too 😛

I love Thilakan and Nedumudi Venu. Among contemporary actors Fazil. Yeah, Mohanlal is such a natural. I was watching a movie called Puli Murugan he can convince you a man in his physical shape and age can take down a tiger. He is that good.

Adhi's CBI characterization is bad. I agree. I like the romantic hero.