Kamalism and Rajinism - two new isms in Tamil Nadu geopolitical scenario

 

In what could be called an example of how only social media marketing can keep your flag flying, is the look at current week trending subjects in Kollywood. This week you have Kamal Haasan complete 61 years, Rajinikanth first movie got released 45  years back , Raadhika Sarathkumar completes 45 years as an actress  and Vyjayanthimala turns 84 . Now the fight turns to space in the world of social media. A Common DP released on Rajinikanth breaks all records and wins hands down. Next Director Lokesh Kanakaraj releases his version of a video of the Sathya song to mark 61 years of Kamal .This too breaks the roof. What gets muted is Radhika;s 45 years and Vyjayanthimala Bali’s 84^th birthday. In between I saw a CDP of Ramya Pandian ( Joker girl) but don’t recall for what. Sridevi birthday fell on Aug 13th and Thala Ajith fans did the necessary on social media as their idol has bonded with Boney Kapoor and is doing a second movie for him.

From what goes on in the social media, TN is now having Rajinism and Kamalism, the two new isms that will be making an entry in the cultural- political scenario. Socialism, Communism and then Dravidianism or rather Periyarism against Brahminism to now Rajinism and Kamalism is what TN politics is all about. Now as I gather from this two isms is that it means lot of hot air especially the Rajinism . Kamalism to a certain level has given certain `doctrine’ (if you can call it) to his newly floated political party. Rajinism is still rooted in the dialogues uttered by the Superstar in his films and his fans take it as a doctrine. Most of the popular ism’s are that he uttered doing gangster roles. In Kabali, his ism took a pro Dalit slant as the director Pa Ranjith is one.

His kutty kathai ( small episodes from puranas) or fables that he speaks has not gone down so deeply into the fan’s mind. What is his political stance ? He is no hurry. He says it will be a spiritualism kind of politicism. He will not be a CM but will ensure that good is done through his selected few. So I visualize a Gurukul kind of system . In Ramrajya or other kingdom’s, the Royal sage words were the diktat for the King and Kingdom. Guru’s sishyas did what was told. What about the company he keeps ? Equidistant from all State- National political parties, he says. To my mind, only plan he said sensible was to link rivers nationally to help farmers . Maybe when he announces the party manifesto on time of formation, we will get a real ism.

Kamalism is giving views on a daily basis through Twitter. His think tank of educated professionals are probably putting all this together to unleash the ism just before State polls. It might include even his views said on stage of reality show Bigg Boss. Raadhika who has a very good library of memorable films and a successful innings in Tamil Telly has no ism to offer. She says that Ekta Kapoor is the Raadhika of Hindi Telly. Maybe after lockdown is lifted, the class of 80’s ( group of actors who acted in that era) would make up for it.

Now  Vyjayanthimala who is turning 84 is the first victim of B’Town nepotism and was the first Madrasi heroine to break the ceiling and be nationally famous. I had met her several times as my Editor Tara (Screen weekly) and Printer and Publisher Ranganathan made it a point to visit her during their trips to Chennai. I accompanied them. Anbalaya Prabhakaran,a successful producer of Tamil films with low budget was given the job to launch her son Suchindra as hero. The film did not take off after the press meet.  Bali did a Hindi film with Sharbani Mukherjee as heroine with Nana Patekar and Ayeshya Jhulka It bombed and he left for US and  in hotel business is what she said.

My Editor Tara, who is a personal friend of Saira Banu ,would be  told in detail by  Vyjayanthimala each time she visited about her fight with Dilip Kumar and how Saira brokered a truce and got both working together . She also made it a point to tell about her of having being taken off a film due to Dilip Kumar and role given to Waheeda Rahman. She made it a point to repeat the story to Publisher Ranganathan  of how after her fall out with Raj Kapoor ( who she was sure would ditch his wife and children and marry her), the filmy press coming under the PR of the Kapoor clan planted stories about her being  Mysore Maharaja’s illegitimate child and that the Maharaja had a soft corner for her actress mother Vasundhara Devi. She was praise for the then Editor S S Pillai for resisting all such attempts despite being a personal friend of Raj Kapoor and staying in the neighborhood.  In the last visit to her house, she was keen to know if anything had come out of the investigation into the death of Jayalalithaa. A few years back,  I was in Mangalore and I saw posters of her being the Chief Guest of an Expo.

When I met choreographer Saroj Khan at the Screen awards in Mumbai she told me about Vyjayanthimala whom she had choreographed for Pyar Hi Pyar. Keeping in mind that she did not get a national award for Amarpalli, a dance opera, Vyjayanthimala would ask Khan – If I twisted my body this way would I get a national award?. The award went to Nargis for Raat aur Din.

Having fallen out with Hindi heroes, at age of 34, she settled down in Chennai with Dr. Bali (who was personal doctor of Raj Kapoor). She expected Tamil cinema to come up with offers as she was only 34 but nothing happened. My friend Ali Peter John in his FB post says that she was offered the mother’s role in Deewar and she refused.