I'd be lying if I said I'm a fan of Ajith or Vijay: Thambi Ramaiah | Tamil movie news

Talking to Thambi Ramaiah, it's like listening to a storyteller. It provides anecdotes like a filmmaker who tells his story with so much atmosphere, that he transports you in the same incidents that he describes. He uses a word or two to emphasize his points. The award-winning national actor has now donned the hat of a director for the sake of his son Umapathy Ramaiah, and directed Maniyar Kudumbam, in which both play father and son. He also made his debut as a composer with the film. In an interview with us, the main actor explains why he decided to direct his son, his journey in movies and his equation with Ajith and Vijay. excerpts:

What made you decide to lead your son?
I am now fifty years old and over. I have a son and a daughter. The girl excelled in studies, got a gold medal and made me proud. And I, as her father, did my duty by marrying her. As for my son, he wanted to become an actor. I could not give my children what they wanted when they were young because I tasted success late in my life – only a decade ago. So, I let my son pursue his dream. I wanted to let him do it alone; in case he stumbles, I will be at his side to prevent him from falling. He played in Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay, but this film did not become a success. But that earned him a good dancer's name. At the audio launch, Sivakarthikeyan congratulated him by saying that he's dancing like Hrithik Roshan. But he is afraid to knock on doors for chances. The failure of his first film marked him and I realized that I had to pick him up. I could feel people, and my son himself, waiting for me to do it because I am an actor and a director. So, I put my acting career on the backburner. I have not taken any movies in the last few months. I missed a film from S Thanu's production house, a Sundar C movie, Adanga Maru by Jayam Ravi … about seven films in total. But I had made the decision to help my son.

When did your son express his desire to become an actor for you?
It must be only 3-4 years ago. When he was in engineering school, he had won awards in cultural events and had directed a troupe of music without my knowledge! I've never thought of asking him to get into the movies because I know it's an unpredictable field. Kadava pallu vizhundhdhukku apparem kari kedaikkara thozhil idhu. He is six feet tall. He seems to have had a group of friends around him who pushed him to embark on movies. But he was afraid to tell me. In fact, it was when I heard an argument that he had with my younger brother, who lives in Dubai, that I learned his desire. My brother wanted him to undertake graduate school or that he accept a job. But he asked for three years to prove himself in the film industry, and if that did not happen, he would do as my brother said. This is so that he was allowed to act at Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay.

What is the film about?
You have to work to gain success, fame and name, but you have to work harder to keep them. So, my plot revolves around a family who had lived gloriously once, a father who does not want to work but who appreciates all the comforts, and his rebellious son. With a man like his father, the son does not know what his responsibilities are and becomes a slacker. How a girl, whom he falls in love with, motivates him and brings him to resuscitate his family's fortune is what the plot is about. Just like the Punnagai Mannan scene where Chaplin Chellappa amuses a boy to become smaller inspired Kamal Haasan to create Apoorva Sagodharargal, and how my Saattai character inspired Samuthirakani to create Appa, I was inspired by the naive father that I played Thani Oruvan. I created a character who was an extension of this father. But this one will also have a pathetic shadow – like my characters from Mynaa, Kumki and Vedalam. I told this idea to Samuthirakani and he suggested I leave immediately.

How did the experience lead your son?
I always do comfortable things for my co-artists. I have acted mainly with new faces. When I go into the background, they look at me with respect and a little bit of nervousness – because they see someone older and who has acted with the best actors. So, I'm acting friendly to them and I badure them that they can even go for 20 shots. Since I'm an actor myself, I know where an actor might have a problem, so I ask him to repeat the scene. My son had the habit of grasping what I wanted and delivering. Having been part of a dance troupe, he is not afraid of the scene; he's not shy either. And I am a nice father at home, so it was not difficult on the set. I made sure that there was a positive atmosphere on the whole.

Because you are in the film industry, you have facilitated the entry of your son. How was your entry into the movies?
Today, you can create controversy or the other and gain visibility. No one at home has told me to take cinema as a career. In fact, no parent does it. They might want you to become a doctor, engineer or scientist. But I had an interest in writing poems and composing tunes. Kannadasan is my God. Kannadasan, Viswanathan MS Ayya, TM Soundararajan and MGR were my heroes. So, I came to Chennai in 1984 hoping to write lyrics for songs. I worked in a private lodge and then as a manager in a three-star hotel. I resigned from my post in 1992 and I became seriously interested in entering the film industry. In these days, you will have to tell the directors step by step to become even badistant directors. The directors had so much attitude these days. Even getting to meet them would be very difficult. Today, if you have the creativity, you can make a short film, show it to a producer and even make a movie! Innikku ulla easy varadhu, nilaikkiradhu kashtam.

You also make his debut as a composer with this film. Are you trained in music?
My native is in Pudukottai District. In our village, we have an annual thiruvizha that is held for 10 days. They are going to hold musical events and I have grown up listening to this music. And then there were the songs of MGR. I had always written my own lyrics for the tunes of the biggest hit songs of the year. It was my entrance into the music. As for playing instruments, I did not learn them under a tutor. During the thiruvizha, they locked the instruments in a room. My friends and I used to open the lock with a hook, go inside and play our instruments alone, without really knowing what we were doing. And I had the habit of badembling different vessels at home and with a bamboo stick playing them like drums. Even today, between 7 pm and 10 pm every day, I compose tunes. If I had no musical knowledge, would anyone like Imman sing for me? The filmmakers I worked with know my interest in music. During the filming of Viswasam in Ramoji Film City, Siva asked me what song I had composed that day. In fact, one of the songs in my film is based on an air that I had sung in Siva during the filming of Vedalam. Even Vijay sir knows of my interest in composing music.

And you are now playing Viswasam with Ajith again …
I play Ajith Thai in the movie. If I say something else, I'm having trouble with director Siva (laughs). But it's nice to work again with Ajith and Siva, after Vedalam.

You mentioned how young actors feel a little nervous when they act with you. What about stars like Ajith and Vijay?
More than stars, they are wonderful human beings. I admire them a lot. But I would not say that I am their fan. I would lie if I said it. You do not become a fan of someone who has not inspired you during your growing years; I grew up idolizing MGR. What I like about both is how they managed to stay anchored despite having reached such great heights. I came into the industry at about the same time as they debuted, but they treat me like a main actor and respect me. This humility is what impresses me.