Favorite Rajni Performances - I
Chakravarthy - Nettrikkann
The director who has worked with Rajnikanth in the most number of films is S.P.Muthuraman. While the majority of these were masala flicks that were instrumental in creating Rajni the star, his offbeat films(like Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri, Aarilirundhu Arubadhu Varai, etc.) gave Rajni varied roles that revealed the actor in him. The best of these roles - and my favorite Rajni performance - is as businessman Chakravarthy in Nettrikkann.
The role of the rich man, who has lost none of his libido with age, is a fantastic creation and Rajni digs into it with relish. Each of his conquests is interesting and his style and class makes him a believably charismatic, rich man. He has a terrific leer and uses it to full effect. Inspite of all the women he beds, he still loves his wife and with some subtly emotional scenes, Rajni makes that believable too. The best part of the performance comes later though. Rajni is at his villainous best when he realizes that those around him are playing him and tries to get at the truth. He is chillingly ruthless in the scene where he alternates between slapping Lakshmi and asking her to get his things. And no other actor could deliver a line like "Nee Yuvaraja-na Naan Chakravarthy-da" with as much panache!
Comedy, villainy, emoting, style, charisma... this is a role that requires all of them and none but Rajni could have pulled it off so successfully!
Happy Birthday Superstar!
Balaji's Thots... [Permalink]
Your Thots (24)
24 Comments:
netrikann above mullum malarum and aarilirundhu aruvadhu varai not even in the top five...?? well, de gustibus non disputandum est!
Netrikann was in my top 5.. am happy to that extent.
Well I had an inkling that it might be NetrikaNN. Difficult to imagine Rajni doing such a role(or that barber role in Johny) in present times :-)
Hmmm, thought 6-60 was going to be #1. Didn't think of Netrikann.
Haven't seen either 6-60 or Netrikann in ages, but remember enjoying both then. All this time, I thought Netrikann was a KB movie!
Its with a pinch of salt that I will accept Thalaivar's performance in Nettrikkann over his all-time best Mullum Malarum (IMHO). But overall, a list that is convincing to most of the Thalaivar fans...
idhu! Back-with-a-Bang. really i like a lot of neRRikkaN rajini especially father rajini....super bb.
prakash, KB wrote the screenplay for Netrikkann...Visu wrote the story and dialogues...KB produced it as well..
Balaji,
I have been reading u r blog for quite some time and this is my first comment. I thoroughly njoy u r writings..
To top that all, a nice tribute of 6 articles for Thalaivar's birthday!!
Happy Birthday Thalaivar!!
Sundar
mapillaiku maman manasu..mamanukko kaman manasu...artham puriyadha vayasulaey ketta pattu..analum keeps rining in my ears :)
I also like the scene where Chakaravathy Rajini and Lakshmi goes to the college function and watches the younger Rajini speaking in a pattimandram about Raman. Then the conversation goes like this:
"Chakra: Ivan vutta kaliyuga Ramanave aayiduvaan pola irukke.
Lakshmi: Avan unga pillai aache.. pinna vera eppadi iruppan? (chuckles)
Chakra: Puriyaleeye?
Lakshmi: Ramyanam kooda theriyadha? Ramanoda appa Dasaradhan. Avanukku nooru pondaatti.
Chakra: Nooru pondaatiya? koduthu vechavan..."
Typical Visu kusumbu. Also the song "Ramanin moganam" is one of my all time favourites..
I know that this list was for Rajini's acting skills. This list though does not have the three movies that defined Rajini for masses. Ninaithale Inikum, where he first got the idea for his Style. Thillu Mullu this full time comedy made people aware of his flair for comedy and became an integral part of all his future movies. Thambhi Ku Entha Uru, where he successfully combined both the above mentioned and included the third part of his formula adanga pidari ponnai adakurathu. This formula is now being copied by Vijay to the T.
IMHO, the Superstar overwhelmed the artiste in Rajni's wonderful career. It would have been a different dimensional competition that would have evolved - imagine Al Pacino type Kamal & Robert De Niro kinda Rajni. Imagine Iruvar with Kamal & Rajni or Agni Natchatiram with Kamal & Rajni. Oh well, imagine..imagine...
ram/filbert, both 'mullum malarum' and 'netrikkann' had great performances. i feel the former was a 'great performance' while the latter a 'great rajni performance'. the mix of comedy, sarcasm, villainy and style was something no other actor could've done...
srivatsan, some awesome lines. thanx :)
spk, thursday night...
srivatsan, haven't reviewed either of them... just not finding the time to catch up on old movies these days...
sundar, thanx :) hope 2 c more comments from u in coming days...
vidya, that was a great song. esp. that bit "idhu kattil, idhu thalakani..."
saw ur comments for the other rajni posts... periya thalaivar fan pola irukku :)
bart, yeah i think that scene is followed by him imagining himself as dasarathar...
anon, these r my favs. as i said b4, there r so many options that another's top 5 could have 5 other movies...
anon, thats a common opinion. but i'm happy how his career turned out. we've had some good actors but no real star and rajni filled that spot...
bb, netrikann-a number-1 aa vechurukeenge but... vidhya sonna line "theeradha villaiyaatu pillai" song and not, "maapillaikku..."
yaanaikkum....:-)
i meant, neenge sonna bit is from "theeradha..." the "kattil, thalagani, etc..." bit...
Hello Balaji and gang;
Here is something for fun.CheckHere.
Sorry wrong link.Here it is.
ram, zero, thanks for clarification on the Netrikann-KB connection
BB: Have to agree with anon1. Ninaithale inikkum and Thillu mullu are impossible to miss (I know you have mentioned Thambikku endha ooru elsewhere). Just proves that it is impossible to encapsulate Rajini in a "Top 5 list"!
Btw, did you know that the "Toyoto car" (makes me laugh everytime I imagine Poornam Vishwanathan saying "Toyoto") sequence in Ninaithale Inikkum with was inspired by a Roald Dahl short story called Man from the South?
anantha, naethu thaan andha "toyotO car" scene-a behindwoods.com-la paathen! its a hilarious sequence...Rajni's expressions after Cigarette #9 are masterful!! I also like the casual way in which Poornam says, "body-a ingaye adakkam panradhaa irukeengala ille...?" (referring to an ailing Kamal) and also the way he says, "That is the SPIRIT" and takes out a bottle of spirit!
Yes bb..big fan :) ana most of my bestest friends here (bayarea) are kamal fans. Romba lonelya irundhudhu. Thank god for virtual space. :) ram - titbit for you..andha entire scene was shot in a single sequence. He did try that 10 cigarette bit in one shot and didnt falter even once ;)
BB no Iyampettai aruvadainambi Kaliyaperumal Indran??? I feel that is too is one of Rajini's beshtu performance...
In an industry which is blessed with greats like Rajni, Kamal and the likes, we are also dispensed revolting wannabes - watch this:
http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/gallery/Events/10947.html.
It is only befitting that artistes like Rajni & Kamal are accorded the highest respect for their sheer magnificence in cinematic persona and personality; many cheers for celebrating the Superstar's superstardom...
Can't remember why but I didn't really like this movie
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