Line Up

The American Film Institute has just published the list of the top 100 movie quotes of all time in Hollywood movies. So what makes a line a quotable quote? I guess it should be short; it should be catchy; it should be so inseparable from the scene that just hearing the line brings back memories about the scene; and most importantly, it should catch the public's fancy and be endlessly reused(imitated, satired, etc.).

Naturally, the list led me to think about memorable lines in Tamil movies. Surprisingly, I couldn't recall many lines from the acknowledged classics i.e. the movies that were mentioned in the Top Ten post by both me and the readers. Most of the lines I could recollect are from more popular movies.

So, without further ado, here are 15 lines(in no particular order) from Tamil movies over the years that I think would make it to a Best Quotes list...

"Naalu perukku nalladhu seiyaradhunaa, edhuvum thappilla" - Naayagan

"Naan Adichaa nee sethuruve" - Naayagan

"Naan oru thadavai sonnaa nooru thadavai sonnaa maadhiri" - Baasha

"Verum kaathu thaanga varudhu" - Thevar Magan

"En vazhi thani vazhi" - Padaiyappa

"Adhaanne idhu" - Karagaattakkaaran

"Thagudu thagudu" - Kaakki Chattai

"En characteriye purinjikka maatengiriye" - 24 Mani Neram

"Odi polaamaa?" - Idhayathai Thirudaathe

"Idhepdi iruku?" - 16 Vayadhinile

"Mathavangalukku kaadhal kannula aarambichu manasula mudiyum
Namma kaadhal manasula aarambichu kannula mudiyatume" - Kaadhal Koattai

"Odinaal odinaal vaazhkaiyin orathuke odinaal" - Parasakthi

"Enakkoru unmai therinjaaganum saami" - Mudhal Mariyaadhai

"Mr. Chandramouli. Mr. Chandramouli" - Mouna Raagam

"Kedaikiradhu kedaikkaama irukkaadhu. Kedaikama irukuradhu kedaikkaathu" - Muthu