Rajinikanth stated that Mahendran had pushed him out of his comfort zone and had never settled so long as he was n & rsquo; Had not given the best of himself. films, perhaps not aware of his work as a character artist during his training at Kollywood. That was before the film industry trapped him in a star image after realizing that his middle touch could turn any film into a blockbuster. It was before he became a demi-god for millions of his fans.
It will not be wrong to say that director J Mahendran was only the second filmmaker after K Balachander to spot Rajinikanth's dramatic talent and make better use of it. .
Speaking at an event organized by Rajinikanth in 2017, Mahendran recalled that he had faced many difficulties in achieving Mullum Malarum, which was considered a breakthrough in visual storytelling in Tamil cinema at the time. He remembered that producer Venu Chettiar had refused to hire Rajinikanth, who was playing a negative role and especially a second violin compared to other leading male actors in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films.
It was after several days of dying negotiations that Mahendran persuaded Venu Chettiar to finalize Rajinikanth for the role of his life. "The producer was very angry at me after seeing how I had shot the film. He cursed me and accused me of misleading him. Because he had no idea how I shot the movie. If he had known my style, he would have stopped production halfway. Thank God, he never came to the firing point, "he said.
Also read | J Mahendran may have disappeared, but his films are eternal
After about three weeks after his release, Mullum Malarum has enjoyed good word-of-mouth and started running domestically in theaters. Even though Rajinikanth has played in more than 160 films until now, the top five films where he shined as an actor would not be complete without Mullum Malarum in first place.
"I saw another side of Mahendran, sir, on the plateaux of Mullum Malarum," Rajinikanth recalled at the same event in 2017. "He was like a tiger on the plateaux. He would not go to the next scene until he got what he wanted.
Mahendran's workforce in Rajinikanth's career is not limited to Mullum Malarum. "Mahendran Sir persuaded the director to name my character Rajini in Aadu Puli Attam in which he was a writer. It's he who created the Rajini style with this movie, "noted the actor. He was referring to his iconic dialogue in the film: "Idhu Thaan Rajini Style" (This is the Rajini style)
The Kaala star claimed that Mahendran had pushed him out of his comfort zone and had never settled until he had not given his best grip. "I'm happy with my acting career, I'm liberated from the fact that people accept me as an actor. But Mahendran sir and Balu Mahendra sir have kept me on my feet, "he said.
Rajinikanth even recalled how Mahendran had put his head in his eyes while preparing him for Kaali's role. "Usually, what people are talking about behind our backs helps us more than what people say to our faces." Mahendran and Balu Mahendra continued to discuss Kaali's characteristics and personality within earshot and have me turned into a character, "he said.
Mullum Malarum focuses on the relationship between a brother and a sister. Rajinikanth's Kaali is a pbadionate brother, who feeds a strong hatred of people of a privileged clbad. And his life turns to embarrbadment after his boss at work (played by Sarath Babu) begins to press his buttons. Kaali is totally different from larger-than-life characters for whom Rajinikanth is known. In fact, Mullum Malarum could be clbadified as an independent film by a producer known for his commercial films.
Rajinikanth's Kaali is an avenging man who pays a heavy tribute to his pride. Kaali is one of the few "human" characters played by Rajinikanth in a career spanning more than forty years.
"Mahendran, sir, showed me that there was another Rajinikanth in me. He has taught me a new dimension of actor. After watching Mullum Malarum, director Balachander sent me a letter in which he says he is proud to present himself as an actor. On the Petta plateaus, we both had the opportunity to talk a lot after a while. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation in our society and in politics. He has never compromised his self esteem for someone or something. He is a role model for new administrators. His disappearance is a very big loss for Tamil cinema. But there will always be a place. Let his soul find peace and deep sympathy for his family, "said Rajinikanth after holding his last respect for his friend Mahendran, who died Tuesday.