Watching Vikram films...three in a row!

[srkitalianfan]

Well, after some suggestions about Tamil films I got me some films with Vikram.
Just a thing I like to say at the beginning of my opinions... I'm a female and definitely enjoy Tamil films, I feel it is sort of stereotype assuming that ALL females only like mushy/emotional films.
Here is one female who likes really very much action, actually I'm a fan of films as Matrix, Kill Bill, sci-fi and some horror too.
OK after this polysillabic bla blas...on with my thoughts with films

Dhool: This film has Vikram and Jotika, the story is basically about a group of villagers going to the city claiming access to non polluted water that caused problems to their people.
They go to their local political representative, but things turn to be not so easy for them.
Politician is corrupted, our hero is in danger...and there's also a damsel in distress.
I might say that this is an example of a very good masala movie, comedy scenes are very enjoyable both those with Vikram and Jotika, and those with Vivek... yes I like him, maybe the first Indian comedian I can say I like. In action scenes Vikram simply shines, there's one in the end of the film where while he's fighting, the old woman sings... great scene!
Songs are nice and the picturization is well done, yes Vikram is great at dancing too. I really like his style.
And the woman villain also is interesting as it is quite unusual in films I've seen before.
My rate for this film 10/10


King: This is the soft, emotional side of Vikram. It is about the story of a father and son, one of them gets seriously hill and the other has the task of keeping him happy for what remains of his life.
Both of them go back to their family home and little by little solve problems that separated the family years before.
Very little action while emotional scenes are many, and Vikram acts through all of them so nicely and naturally that I'm starting to think that this guy can do basically everything.
Very impressive how he can let the audience feel for the character, while he tries to be funny, happy (pretending happiness), or those moments where for twists and turns of the story suddenly he feels vulnerable and sad.
Believe me, if you don't feel at bit sad during some scenes you're a rock 
I might say that this is yet again one uforgettable performance
My rating: 10/10
Well, either I'm magnanimous or I'm becoming a great fan of Vikram  .

I'll finish later with the third film, Arul.

[Prem Rogue]

Dhool: This film has Vikram and Jotika, the story is basically about a group of villagers going to the city claiming access to non polluted water that caused problems to their people.
They go to their local political representative, but things turn to be not so easy for them.
Politician is corrupted, our hero is in danger...and there's also a damsel in distress.
I might say that this is an example of a very good masala movie, comedy scenes are very enjoyable both those with Vikram and Jotika, and those with Vivek... yes I like him, maybe the first Indian comedian I can say I like. In action scenes Vikram simply shines, there's one in the end of the film where while he's fighting, the old woman sings... great scene!
Songs are nice and the picturization is well done, yes Vikram is great at dancing too. I really like his style.
And the woman villain also is interesting as it is quite unusual in films I've seen before.
My rate for this film 10/10

Very entertaining film.  I liked it more than I thought I would because of the songs, Vikram's performance, and the visual style.  The cinematography is quite nice and more creative than most films like this.

The old woman's song is great.  She has a cooking show on Tamil TV, and they play some music from that song at the beginning.

[meenkaran]

Dhool is the ideal tamil masala movie...it has all the ingredients in the correct propotion.
It made me a Vikram fan. The song picturizations were so funny...especially Gundu Gundu...

King was also very good.

Arul has a much weaker script, but I enjoyed it due to Vikram's screen presence and Jo's comedy in the first half. It was essentially a rework of Saamy though.

IMO, vikram was convincing and looked different in all roles I saw him play..and he surprisingly has good chemistry with any actress paired opposite to him, contrary to what one might expect. The only Vikram film I hated was the dirty film Kadhal Sadugudu...which was not his fault.

[srkitalianfan]

What does kadhal mean?  ...
btw Third film I've seen during these days is Arul, another one with Jotika.
Some days ago, before watching the dvd, I was reading some reviews of this film. They were not exactly positive and so I had low expectations from it...
surprise, the film is not so bad as they say. Sure the story is similar to other previous films and has a couple of weak points. I mean basically you get to notice the absence of Vivek and some song characterizations were average...that said the story had interesting moments, those that dealt with problems between Arul and the rest of the family, especially his father. I liked very much how the whole thing was carried out by Vikram, when for ex. he came out of jail and the family refused to peform the welcome/purification rite to him.
Again there were nice comedy scenes with Jotika, the part of she pretending to be one legged was hilarious.
I did like also how Arul behaved when Jotika was insulted by Arul's father and he stood by her defending her honor... a well rounded hero!
All in all not a bad film even though not as effective as others.
I would rate it 8/10 

[donnai]

Hi!

kadal means love.

King is one of my favorite Vikram films, I especially like the scenes where he reveals his love to Sneha.

In Dhool ("dust") I like the scene where he is being taught English by the "vamp" with Jothika outside the window.

Do watch Saamy ("god" and "Arumugam Samy" menas "six faced god, the original god of Tamil nadu, Murugan, has six faces) it is probably my most favorite Vikram film, definitely the one I have watched the most and all the songs are so nice.

I, too, am a female who really enjoys and appreciates action films! I've been a Bruce Lee fan for as long as I can remember.

donna

[meenkaran]

Watching Saamy with too much high expectations (& especially after seeing Arul) will dissappoint initially. But I have seen it countless times now after initially being disappointed. Vivek comedy is hard to understand first, as it has a lot to do with social practices of TN. But it is excellent.

[mirmira]

I love you all guyz cos you felt the same way i feel when i see a Tamil movie with Vikram. I watched Anniyan without subtitles but i understood the gist and it's mind-blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm waiting for the dvd with subtitles but it's definitely the best 2005 movie!!!

[mirmira]

OUPS i forgot about my movies:

with Vikram:
KASI
SETHU
DHILL
GEMINI

with Surya:
NANDHA
KHAKA KHAKA
PERALAGAN
MAYAVEE

with Kamal Hassan:
GUNA
VIRUMAANDI
EK DUUJE KE LIYE

with Vijay:
FRIENDS
KHUSHI
THIRUMALAI
GILLI
YOUTH
VASEEKARA

with Rajni:
PADAYAPPA

with Ajit:
VAASI
KANDUKONDEN KANDUKONDEN

[stimpy]

Everybody's a Vikram fan these days

"I'm a Vikram fan" (cinesouth)
- 26.07.2005

Suddenly, the Bachchan family has become very fascinated by South Indian films. Bachchan Senior is acting in a Kannada film and Bachchan Jr is seriously considering a Telugu offer.
When he was acting in the film 'Run', Abhishek Bachchan had to stay in Chennai for more than two months. "That was when I fell in love with Chennai," Abhishek said. "I watch plenty of films in Tamil. 'Saami', 'Dhool', 'Gemini', 'Arul' and 'Pitamagan' are some of the recent films that I saw in Tamil," he said.
All these are Vikram starrers. "I'm a fan of Vikram. I enjoy watching his films," Abhishek added.
Abhishek Bachchan is seriously considering an offer to play the role of Lord Rama in Nagarjuna's new film 'Shri Ramadasa'.

Great to see somebody else doing Vikram marathons
Dhool was the first Vikram film I saw too and I was totally Dhool Dhool Dhool still a few days after that. Pure entertainment with good dishoom. I loved the Vikram/Jothika chemistry and comedy, Vivek especially had me snorting my coffee through my nose, the songs and dances I enjoyd a lot. Vikram kicks ass even when dancing. He has a sort of contained energy that you feel might explode any minute. And the evil Swarnakka woman, what a great baddie she made, scary.

He's been in 19? films, does somebody have a comprehensive list? the good the bad the ugly?

[srkitalianfan]

I've found this list at Vikram's official website, not sure if it is complete...
From older to recent:

Thanthu Vitten Ennai
Meera
Kaval Geetham
Pudhiya Mannargal
Ullasam
Housefull
Sethu
Vinnukkum Mannukkum
Dhil
Kaasi
Gemini
Samurai
King
Dhool
Kadhal Sadugudu... why is it a dirty film?
Saamy
Pithamagan
Arul
Anniyan
... yep total of 19 films

Stimpy, the article you posted is really interesting and...isn't Abhi just this cool guy, being a fan of Vikram too 

[srkitalianfan]

I love you all guyz cos you felt the same way i feel when i see a Tamil movie with Vikram. I watched Anniyan without subtitles but i understood the gist and it's mind-blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm waiting for the dvd with subtitles but it's definitely the best 2005 movie!!!

You're right, it's nice to read how reactions to these films are similar. So lucky you that could see Anniyan, I've read about a couple of reactions to this film and I'm waiting for the dvd and I think I'll have to wait for many weeks yet 

[Prem Rogue]

Kaasi sounded unrelentingly melodramatic, so I have avoided it.

[mirmira]

I really enjoyed KASI, his character has such an original point of view about life; great performance (now if anyone portrays a blind man, he closes his eyes like his and moves his head like his and sings the ways he's singing in the film) and above all grea great songs, very poetic and very good melodies.

As for SETHU, you'd better watch it for the performances, TERE NAAM is really nothing, just a farce comparing to SETHU; it's the movie I recommand.


And ANNIYAN is such a good film that Paramount Pictures bought it for the french market first and then for Europe ( I CAN'T WAIT!!!); it's a very rare process.

[meenkaran]

Interview – 'Chiyaan' Vikram

Source – August Issue of Deepika



Written by Ranjith Nair

The first day they met. “What do you do?” – A girl named Shila, from Thalasseri asked Vikram. What should Vikram reply…. that he starred as a hero in films that people never saw, or that he was good in dubbing. “I’m no one today, but tomorrow, I will be a star.” Vikram said. Even though he had nothing, Shila started loving Vikram.

Every time returning from a shooting of a film, Vikram says – “Watch out, this film will be a superhit…” As usual, that film flopped as well. Shlia, who was a psychologist, started making fun of Vikram. “You have a disease called delusions of grandeur.” Later on, Vikrams dreams started turning into a reality. “I brought a sports car, I starred in films directed by big directors…ten years like that.”

Today, Vikram is the one of the highest paid actors in Tamil Cinema. He brought a sports car long time ago. Directors like Govind Nihalani are narrating scripts to Vikram. He got the national award. Even though he failed several times, Vikram was holding onto his dreams and making them come true one by one.

“Sometimes, I thought of going to America. One of my friends called me over and he said – if you know multimedia, just fly down to America. Vikram says – “if I went to America then…” He looks at heaven, and smiles, as if he was thanking God.

You had a temporary job….how was that ten years for you?

I went to fight classes continuously. Then, Kala masters next class, directors would come there occasionally. I used to dance very hard, to get their attention.

Money was not a problem. My mother was a sub-collector, father is an engineer. My elder sister was a teacher in Kochi. They would give me the money I needed, not even saying one word that would hurt me.

Can you tell us one thing that hurt you back then?

I used to dub back then. I dubbed for Prabhu Deva in Kathalan. I never got depressed of saying that I didn’t get to play a character. But, losing out of Bombay was one of my biggest losses. I was almost signed for Mani Ratnam’s Bombay. I went to the photoshoot, me, and Manisha Koirala. I had beard back then. Mani Ratnam said that I should shave my beard. The beard was necessary for one of the films I was acting, it was shot only half way, and the shooting was stopped. If I shaved, then it would’ve affected the film. So, I lost out on Bombay. I was depressed over it, at least for a month.

So how was your entry to the Malayalam Cinema then?

The director, Joshi, saw a picture of me, in a magazine. That’s how he offered Dhruvam, which had Mammooty sir as the main hero. He showed a lot of closeness to me. He gave me a role in Sainyam as well, again with Mammooty sir as the central character. He is a complete foodie. On the sets, he would always force me to eat. Whenever I return from his sets, I would gain more weight.


 

You speak Malayalam very fluently.

Shila is one reason. Besides, I don’t want to lose out on a film, reasoning that I don’t know Malayalam. I have my closeness to Kerala. My marriage took place in Guruvayoor. That day, not just Shila and I, but 100 marriages were taking place at the same time. My friends started scaring me, that the bride could be switched, since there were so many of them. I held onto Shila tight. If the bride got switched by any chance, it’s all over…

The shooting is in Deevapalli, a small village next to Pollachi; the crowd is flowing in, even in the midst of the burning heat. Those who came early are standing in the hill, to take one peek at Vikram. During the interview, when two-aged woman from the villages came to meet Vikram, he stood from his chair, and greeted them.

Most of the stars have the attitude of saying – “I’m tired of these fans.” But in your case, it’s different

I have always wished for people to recognize me and say – “Hey, that’s Vikram!”

Its quite funny in some stars, when two films turns out to be hits, they start showing attitude. Later on, when their market goes down, they start being nice. Then we think, oh, they have finally learned a lesson. But again, when two more films become hits later on, they go back to being rude. You should be just how you are. You can never trust cinema.

Is that why you always select your each film carefully?

After Sethu, 12 of my films released, 9 of them were super hits! I always look at the safer side of the producer. After Anniyan, I have heard several scripts…but when I saw the Malayalam film – “Thommanum Makallum….i thought it was funny. I called up Shafi.

That’s how my films turn out. I also wish to do Kazha in Tamil.

When will we see you in a Malayalam film?

I want a character that will show my acting skills. If I’m offered an art film, I’m ready.

The assistant director came and told Vikram the shot is ready and left. Vikram said – “It’s a dance scene, it will take long.” We can continue the interview when we leave, in the car.”
Dance choreographer Raju Sundaram described the dance scene to Vikram. Not many rehearsals. But, some of the junior artists were having some trouble getting some of the moves right. Raju Sundaram seems frustrated; finally Vikram himself showed the junior artists the right steps.

Director Shafi suggested that the it will look better if they move the scene tractor towards the back, Vikram himself took over, to move it to the back. After the scene was shoot, he came over to the monitor to see how it went. You can judge from his actions that he’s loving every minute of this profession

“The minute I get to the location, I forget my kids – Dhruv and Akshitha. I haven’t called Shila the whole day. When I reach home, I forget the cinema completely.” – Vikram says as he leans back, inside the car.

…to be continued.

(translated by member of another board)

---------------

Wow.. I can imagine how great he would've been in Bombay.

[johndeeevans]

The Vikram of 1995 would have been good in "Bombay". 

But the superhero Vikram of 2005 would have changed the whole nature of the film as he put down the communal riots single-handedly. 

[Brindavani]

As for SETHU, you'd better watch it for the performances, TERE NAAM is really nothing, just a farce comparing to SETHU; it's the movie I recommand.

Another fellow admirer of Vikram in Sethu more than Salman in Tere Naam.  I will never watch Sethu ever again because that one watching kept me up at night for days.  I could not stop thinking about the movie. 

Thanks, MeenKaran for posting that interview.  Vikram sounds down to earth and I also did not know he has a wife and 2 kids. 

[meenkaran]

Vikram Interview – Part 2

Superstars just have to sit in the caravan, why do you act like the assistant director at times?

Long time ago, on the sets of Meera, I once helped to lift up a light. One of the unit members said – you will change after 2 films turn out to be hits. There is only one actor who still acts the same, and that is Mohanlal. I told him, just watch out, after 10 years, I will be the same. These simple things that I do on the sets are nothing, because that’s how much craze I have for cinema.

What other craze do you have?

I like travelling. I once did a serial, reasoning that the shooting is taking place in London. I don’t like shooting in Honk Kong or Malaysia. I don’t like busy places. Thekadi is one of my favourite places.

Then, I waist a lot of money on cars. I have 6 cars. To be honest, there is not enough space to park the car at home, my house is quite small.

You get millions for a film, why don’t you build a big house?

Our living was depended on how much we made. We lived in a middle class flat for 10 years. I brought a second hand car in the beginning. Later on, when Kashi turned out to be a hit, we rented a house for $ 9,000. We still live in the same house. Most people are surprised to see my house, the find it small…but in a small house, the happiness is more. When Anniyan released, director Shanker came over to my house one day. He said, whenever he comes over to my house, he feels very happy.

Like the hero of Anniyan, have you ever thought of any ways to make our nation better?

Whenever I return from a foreign country, I would think that. When I returned from Switzerland, I would always put the wrapper of a candy in my pocket, instead of throwing it away on the road. Then, after one week, I was the same, typical Indian, just like everyone else.

In Anniyan, one person is transformed into another, just like in Manichitrathazu (Chandramuki), if the change was shown in a slower pace, wouldn’t it have been better?

Shanker was considering that. But, I like acting in the climax more. We thought the audience would’ve liked the fast transformation. The climax got the most positive feedback from the fans everywhere.

After Anniyan, its Maja. Do you wish to stay between commercial films, as well as critically acclaimed films?

There are two separate sections in Tamil Cinema. One includes actors like Rajanikanth, and M.G.R, another with Sivaji Ganeshan, and Kamalahassan. I wish to stay in both. When I was acting in commercial films like Swami and Dhool, my Pitamagan turned out to be a hit. Look at Nassarudin Shah, he is a very talented actor. But, people haven’t even seen most of his films, because he is not an actor to attract audiences.


As the car stopped in front of the hotel – Shakthi, there were about 200 people – mostly the youth – waiting for Vikram’s arrival. Make-up man Kala, body guard Sharavanan, and a few other members from the unit surrounded the car. Vikram could’ve just wave to the crowd, giving them a fake smile, and leave. But, he went straight to the centre of the crowd.

To see everyone, Vikram climbed on top of the car. The crowd wanted to see Remo’s kiss, Vikram acted out Remo’s kiss. Someone from the crowd yelled out – Gemini, he reacted just like Gemini. When he was asked out to act like his character in Anniyan, he reasoned that he needed long hair. He didn’t even miss to give one person his autograph, and he didn’t upset one person who said they wanted to take photographs with Vikram.

As long as he still has the memories of himself, when he was nothing, back in the days, Vikram says that he will be the same no matter what. He believes that cinema is just a shadow, and that you can never trust the way cinema goes.

........the end

[srkitalianfan]

Interesting interview, as I didn't know much about the guy... so many years before gaining public recognition must have been uneasy for him.
All in all looks like he's a nice guy and a terrific actor with interesting ideas about being both in commercial and art films.

[veracious]

*bumps topic*

So, I watched the last half of Dhool last night and wow, such an entertaining film. If this is Tamil masala at its best, I think I might want to see more. It was my first Tamil masala so yeah, a really good introduction to this type of cinema. Good comedy, hilarious dishoom, story went smoothly and the romance was cute. And Vikram is the man, I swear.

I think when I first read/heard people going, "Yeah, Tamil films are more realistic than Hindi films", I somehow had this idea that they were all these really serious, no-fun-at-all type of films where people just sit around and talk about corruption or some other serious issues. It was great to see the realism is more like, "Hey, shit happens - like it does in real life - but we can still sing&dance!" and all the masala elements are there. There's just less escapism than in Hindi cinema.

[Prem Rogue]

It was great to see the realism is more like, "Hey, shit happens - like it does in real life - but we can still sing&dance!"

Exactly.

Its not that Tamil films are "more realistic" necessarily, but realism has more of a role in the films than in Hindi films.  Even a masala like Dhool (which is not uncommon, but done particularly well IMO) uses real issues as the basis for the story.

Dhool is better than most current films of its genre, in the cinematography and style, which is more creative than in other films, and the music is pretty good too.  Sure, there are some holes (why can't these bad guys kill the hero properly  ) but its an enjoyable ride.  Vikram is very convincing in his role, which helps greatly.

[veracious]

By current films you mean 2005-06? Because isn't Dhool pretty recent itself, 2002/2003 depending on the source.

Yeah, it's a really good film. Solid and entertaining despite some of the holes and some of the maaaajor WTF-moments (okay, maybe just that one song ). I'm still on a weird high after seeing it. Just so refreshing to see something a bit different. And whoo, dishoom.

[Prem Rogue]

By current films you mean 2005-06? Because isn't Dhool pretty recent itself, 2002/2003 depending on the source.

I guess I meant "contemporary" to encompass the past 3-4 years and not "current."

[mainhoonemily]

The only Vikram film I hated was the dirty film Kadhal Sadugudu...which was not his fault.

I'm curious, since I saw a scene from this on YouTube the other day which made me want to see it: why is Kadhal Sadugudu a dirty film?  Do you mean you personally thought it was dirty, or that a lot of, let's say, conservative viewers think so, or that it just plain is and there's no way around it?

[meenkaran]

I'm curious, since I saw a scene from this on YouTube the other day which made me want to see it: why is Kadhal Sadugudu a dirty film?  Do you mean you personally thought it was dirty, or that a lot of, let's say, conservative viewers think so, or that it just plain is and there's no way around it?

Haha, its not that bad. I was in high school when I saw it I think, and now I'm in grad school.
I didn't like the kiss scene @ first, but when i saw it again recently, its not that bad... I kind of liked it. []
But I still hate the first song. I would suggest skipping it.
The movie itself though is @ best a 5/10

[S Hushpuppy]

For my Vikram movie kick I watched Bheema, Dhool, Kanthaswamy, Anniyan and Majaa.  Just started watching Saamy.  I think I liked Bheema the best.  I didn't like the ending, but something about the relationship between Prakash Raj and Vikram's characters just fascinated me.  I really enjoyed the silliness of Majaa and GEEZ how hot did Vikram look in Kanthaswamy?  He is a pleasure to watch acting and dancing wise.  I don't have big expectations of the dancing in Tollywood, for instance I love Gopichand, but I don't really enjoy his dancing (Then again, Prabhas is a great dancer!).  But Vikram does just fine.  

I really enjoy  Vikram kicking some goonda hinny.  Now that's quality entertainment!