Did any one see the preview of ayirathil oruvan...quite interesting...supernatural fantasy with a mediaval interlude
Sri
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
Funny though - the history parts weren't what I imagined they'd be. They got the language right (gave me the shivers to hear 1000 year old Tamil spoken), I think, as well as rituals like navagandam (which was a sight to behold) - am afraid of giving away too much as it might spoil the viewing experience for others.
Some part of Reema Sen's portrayal weirded me out (you'll know which ones, if you watch the film). Seriously - they went a bit overboard with that (shock value, probably). There's a good deal of magic, spirits, powers, etc - and there's also a helpful disclaimer right at the beginning about not taking this film as a historical basis for Chola/Pandiya history. (Oh boy ...)
Selvaraghavan, though, seriously has guts. (That, or insane bravado.).
The Telugu Movie " mahadeera" is also a nice fantacy. Entertaining. (and no logic but liked the movie althrough. language was not understandable in historic part but the visualisation helped to understand)
Thanks. It should be sensible and watchable, that is all I want. I was pretty disappointed by the Behindwoods review, may be many would be turned off by this kind negative review. I will revert with my own review after watching the movie.
Hi every one, Just watched the movie 7 am show. Not much of history ...more of fantasy than history. But it would be better if ppl know the under current of Chola and Pandya fights. Some customs have been captured along with the language.
Movie would be very gory and crude to some people, though I liked the movie.
But its a well made movie and far better than regular Tamil movies.
Only reason ppl wont like the movie its the gory towards the end where ppl expect something else.
Should also warn you there a scene with nudity(but never in the way you expect it to be).
Request to all reader, please dont get turned of by Behind woods review. I cant accept the fact they have rated movies like Kuruvi with 2 stars and Aayirathil Oruvan with half. There is seriously somthing wrong.
AAyirathil oruvan is well made and please take the effort of watching it and then make your own opinion.
The movie is well made. Whether you like it or not is upto you. Behind wood review to me is really offensive.
Subramaniyapuram is well made movie lot of ppl dont like it bcos of the violence...in same way I can surely say this movie is well made but whether you like it or not would be surely ur opinion, don't go by behind woods.
> I cant accept the fact they have rated movies like Kuruvi with 2 stars and Aayirathil Oruvan with half
Major: Vairam Ithai naan vanmayaga kandikkiren Vairam This i will vehemently oppose!!!
Ilaya thalapathi vijay padathai korai solringa... Young general vijay movie blame talking...
Ravi: Major sir, I will take it from here... nambo vairam theriyama sollitar, naan explain pannaren.
Vairam sir!!!
Enga Ilaya thalapathi padam 2 stars kudutha athu oru star sun innoru star sirius... enga thalaivar avalo prakasam...
Kuruvi pathi enna sir theriyum ungalukku ???
Padam parthu chennai nagar la irukira kuruvi ellam malasiya poiduchu theriyuma ? Ippo you cannot find chittu kuruvi in chennai!!!
Periya RJC wars pathi pesaraanga...Evalo pera sir adikkanum ?
100, 1000, 10000, 100000 ??? Enga thala pathi adippar, 4 maasam thoongathaa mathiri adippar. Ore adi la ellarayum thookuvar...
Enna sir periya Muruga peruman thaan young kadavula ?? Enga thalapathi innum school kooda mudikala theriyuma, avara vida younga yaar irukka ?? Ippo pona maasam kooda 10th Std padichar nu kelvi patten.
Law of physics ellam pichai vaangum sir enga thalapathi kitta ! Thalapathi holds the longest jump in human history, next hanuman jump thaan... athuvum sketch potturikkom...
athu eppadi sir enga thalapathi padathai korai sollalam ??
Dear All,Our REACH Epigraphy teacher and historian, well versed in Tamil as well as one who has fantastic memory on historical chronology of events, the inscriptions themselves, dialgues in many books and also the Thevaram and Alwars verses, ...SHRI.S.RAMACHANDRAN had been roped in to the dialogue writing of Old Tamil as well as to script some song in chaste Tamil in the movie "Ayirathil Oruvan".May be the picture runs well or not, indeed our humble and great Ramachandran sir is "Ayirathil Oruvan" 2 batches of inscription classes conducted successfully and full attendance are ample proof for his prowess.We wish he gets more accolades. Selvaragavan did not meet Ramachandran sir but one of the smart assistant directors came to know of Ramachandran sir and sought his help :)
we should call him to one of his meetings and ask him how much of PS language he considers as close to RRC's age. in fact we should ask him to convert atleast one dialougue of say aditya to something nearest to the actual language of the cholas. sure should be interesting
Did we discuss about this movie already? They have depicted Cholas as some Barbarians, uncivilized. And as if Chola and Pandya Still continue fighting and will continue ...
http://thatstamil.com/has given a very poor rating to this movie ... and its review comments did reveal the true rank of this movie.
" dont we have brains? why should we ape english films.if you can show me one scene from the film which is similar to that of a holywood movie i will call it a day. i have a degree in engineering and can find another job'
this was selvaraghavans out burst in his press conference. reported in times
Hi venkat: unga vai murtham palicha super but 7 1/2 naatan starts for engg industry... I think he means that he does not have sam jackson or fraser on the scenes by stating we don't copy. Pavam party tension agi nara mamisam saaptra poguthu. Pakathile pogantingooo.. Thatstamil had a decent review.
Cholas had a way much better society than what lives inside mr.selva's mind. Honestly I am tempted to spill the can of worms to help others from not goin thru the pain.
Blair witch proj la irunthu oru scene bit adichiruka, ithule dialogue vere... kadavule! -R
Hello; Watched the movie yesterday. I loved it. A very brave attempt. Some slip ups, yes but on whole a super adventure. There were lots of small touches. I would urge members who haven't watched this movie to go watch it. You might hate it but do watch i :):)
Its not a surprise that the only appreciative mail forthis movie comes from the capitalof pandya empire!! Just Joking...
Dear Ravi
Thanks for the warning...I have seen some gruesome images...both in profession,real life and movies but this beats them all...
Dear Pavi
Read your rediff review I think you have been very partial to the director...
In my humble opinion Selvaraghavan has lost the magnificent oppurtunity to have a ground breaker in Tamil history which he has lost due to his lack of preparation and understanding our history.
What was good!
The graphics..The settings though so dark the paintings in the background were akin the bigtemple murals...I was a good fantasy ...It was new venture in tamil films ..I am afriad things end there...
The use of graphics in the trap areas was good
A modification of the legend of Quatzqiatl....which led to the masacre of the Incas has been modified..to suit his story
What was wrong...What could have been better
Trying to mix history and fiction in an irresponsible way!..It is hard to believe by any sensible persn that the Pandyas are holding grudges against cholas....tough they were thrown out of power not by the cholas but the sultnas...and were rules by nayakars..and british!!! Nallu molam poo.....Instead he could have chosen a fabled lieage like MGR marutha nadu neithal naadu.....
Claiming this is how they lived...and spoke..yes it would be fine if he was making a historical movie...not in a fantasy...that common folk cannot understand...
Involvement of the Army...I think this was the major flaw...It is not clear is it army or mercenaries...However the viewer is led to believe it is the army as there is a central minister..ex major ...air drops in a phone call...We can ape holly wood...But then do we really need to show the rape and humiliation in army fatigues!! What does that graphic detail add to the movie?
It again leaves one perplexed why a civilisation which so advanced they laid 7 boobytraps had reduced to cannibalistic state....and a man shown as a responsible king acting like caeser with gladiaors???
The audience are left with the image of a king who needs someone to scrath his back...and readiliy drops his veshti ....
The song sequences don't make any sense at all...
Selvaraghavan could hav made this into a nice family entertainer....
He has asked what is the englih movie this has been lifted from
Mackennas gold..Narnia..Lord Of the Rings..13th Warriar..Beowulf...
Well I better finish here
Sri
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
Thanks for those honest comments (see, there are actually people who like AO :D) {meantime - warning, long mail :)
Re my review - As far as AO is concerned, I seriously felt that the positives outweighed the negatives. Yes, SR has lifted scenes from several Hwood movies (I've pointed that out in my review :) and stuffed a few too many things that weren't necessary at all - but these, I feel are the common mistakes of someone who wants to give a creative product - yet trying to conform it to the mould of people who don't really get to see such movies. Those of us who get to watch hollywood movies are used to its format; most people here aren't. (I'm not talking of city audiences). For them, cinema means just one thing: kuthu dances, fight scenes, slapstick humour, and thats it. My neighbours are like that - this is the kind of stuff they like. They can't spot hollywood imitations if it knocked them over; they couldn't care less, as long as it comes in a format they can identify with. [Even movies like Avatar and 2012 had to be forcefed to them, considering they're the ultimate in expensive western masalas :)]
Every week, I watch movies in the company of people who blink at the slightest of intelligent conversations, who yawn when two characters *talk*; who boo when the characters attempt something different. They're perfectly Ok with Namitha stripping on-screen, but can't bear a normal romantic interlude between a married couple.:) I have no idea why the first is "normal",. but the second is "vulgar."
Some of AO's reactions to its gruesomeness seem to be of this kind. Oh, I understand that some people might find it difficult to stomach - but to trash it as "horrible" - oh, that's a bit much. :) Come on - we can stomach movies that actually show men cutting off people's heads in cold blood in movies like Subramaniapuram - but we can't take this?!
I might not like SR's overtly sexual approach - but I understand it. Without this veneer, most of our movie-going audiences wouldn't even walk in, let along stay with it. The very idea that he's actually attempted a theme like this - my god, its Tamil history! - when practically every Friday, we see silly movies with no logic, rationale or screenplay whatsoever - was mind-boggling. To me, that out-weighed any other minus the movie might have. You can like AO, or you can hate it - but you can't ignore it :)
In Junior Vikatan (even) Kudavayil Balu Sir observed that the Cholas are not shown in proper spirit / befitting way.
But I think when the Director clearly spells it is a FICTION.. we have to look into the brighter aspects .. and a nice departure in the positive direction of traditional /majority (?) (tamil) movie making process ..
Like Dasavatharam (though Criticised) this movie has also created more awareness .. to read more about the DARKER or GLORIOUS past !!
But my heart misses the OLD AYIRATHIL ORUVAN .. though this new one - almost - coincided with the Legend's birthday !
That is a hallmark....I cannot imagine any generation of tamil kids not singing the tunes of Adho andh aparavai pola in theirschool trips...
There was an interesting backdrop to that song...Apparently it was a time when Kavingar and MGR had a fued and various other songwriters wrote lyrics which did not satisfy the bigman...who wanted somethng to capture the free spirit of the waves and breeze in that situation of equality!!
Finally someone summoned the courage and said shall we speak o the kavingar...and the rest is history as mentioned in this forum below:
When I wrote about MGR-Kannadhasan relationship earlier I forgot to mention one pertinent incident.
When BR Banthulu was producing and directing 'Aayirathil Oruvan'(1965) MGR insisted on a motivational song to be sung on the ship's deck in the middle of the ocean. Banthulu tried his best to extract such a song from Vaali and other cine poets but not to his or MGR's satisfaction. Finally, Banthulu, a long time friend of kaviarasar, hesitatingly suggested the latter's name to MGR. During this period their political rivalry was at its peak. MGR had repeatedly told all and sundry that his political animosity with kaviarasar should in no way interfere with their respective professions. But it was the producers who dared not ask Kannadhasan in for fear of reprisal from MGR. Of course, Devar was an exception.
MGR agreed to the suggestion which set Banthulu to telephone kaviarasar in his home. Setting aside all formalities he (kaviarasar) asked Banthulu of the song situation and before he could finish he gave him the first stanza over the phone and promised that he will come to the studio the following day to complete the same. The stanza was "atho antha paravaigal pola vaazhavendum, itho intha alaigal pola aadavendum". MGR was satisfied with the stanza at the first glance itself. Kaviarasar came the following day as promised to complete the song. MGR was impressed with this song and he requested for two more songs from kaviarasar amongst which were the classics "odum megangale oru sol keliro" and "naanamo". MGR commented to those present in kaviarasar's absence that no one can beat the genuis in Kannadhasan. He remarked that all the other poets were blank as to motivation in the middle of the sea for them to be inspired to come out with a suitable song. But the genius Kannadhasan saw the birds and waves in his mind where others had failed to notice in their imagination - they only noticed the vast ocean below and the sky above.
Incidentally this song "atho antha paravai pola", it seems, has been translated with a few changes here and there to serve as the national anthem for Vietnam. I read this piece of info sometimes ago.
See you all on March 3 as I am very busy with some important office meetings.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
So the Princess still plays by the Angappan limit!!
I agree with most of what you have said but I think there is alovely chance to edit and make a U AO and an AA AO don't you...
I agree Tamil filmdom has little imagination and every now and then we have something like this
Sri
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin, Into his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson