Monday, December 12, 2005

Favorite Rajni Film Scenes - I

"The Unmasking" - Baasha

While Annamalai may be my favorite Rajni movie, Baasha is probably Rajni's most popular movie among fans and non-fans alike. Though featuring a larger-than-life role as always, the film had realistic violence rather than cartoonish stunts and lacked his trademark comedy or politics, which probably makes it the most universally liked Rajni film among his recent films.

While Rajni films are usually dismissed as disposable entertainment, it is undeniable that Baasha is a real trendsetter. Its story of a man living in anonymity before his very different past is revealed, has since been copied numerous times. But none of the imitations have come close to matching the power of intensity of the original.

My favorite is the pre-intermission scene where everyone finally learns that there's more to the meek auto-driver Maanickam than meets the eye. Everything in the movie builds up to this scene and it doesn't let us down. From the moment Rajni sees the blood on his sister's lips, the adrenaline starts flowing. And it never stops. We almost feel the impact of the punch as Rajni lashes out at the first henchman who approaches him and as he flips his shirt back and stands with his hands on his hips, we get goosebumps. The "Ulle Po!" to his brother is uttered with such fierceness that we flinch and the subsequent fight sequence is pretty raw and realistic. Finally, as Rajni utters the immortal line "Naan oru thadavai sonnaa... nooru thadavai sonnaa maadhiri" with the streetlamp shining only on him, the film announces the intermission on an incredible high.

24 Comments:

At 9:10 PM, Blogger narayanan said...

Infact Basha itself is derives its inspiration from Amithabh's 'Hum' but the characters and intensity with which these 2 movies were made were totally different.

The full version of what I guessed in the previous comment. Love this scene :).

-narayanan

 
At 9:38 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i think suresh krishna hit a real peak with baasha...and save the wonderful Aaha, it's been downhill all the way...

yeah, this is an exciting scene, no doubt...

 
At 10:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good job Balaji. The series was a nice read :-)
Why you left out Alex Pandian or the playboy netrikaNN rajni ;-) ?

 
At 10:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

annamalai - khuddar
baasha - hum
mapillai - allari pidugu

 
At 10:33 PM, Blogger srijithunni said...

Nice Interesting Read, balaji..

Grew nostalgic, about how I have felt overawed, on watching those scenes.

Baasha, has always been a favourite, and it`s one, movie we can watch any number of times.

 
At 11:18 PM, Blogger Balaji said...

narayanan, and rajni plays the brother's role in 'hum' right?

ram, yeah he did. his later works for both kamal and rajni were disappointing though me thinks both movies were ghost directed by the 2 actors.

prabhu, i love 'netrikkann' too but as i mentioned in another comment, this list was more for the superstar rajni than the actor rajni :) and its been so long since i saw 'moondru mugam' that i don't remember scenes in as much detail as i do these scenes.

anon, knew about 'baasha' and 'maappillai' but didnt know 'annamalai' was remake. but if u wanna list remakes there's a huge list like 'panakkaaran', 'velaikkaran', etc.

srijith, thanx :) and i have watched 'baasha' several times :)

 
At 11:37 PM, Blogger மு.கார்த்திகேயன் said...

Balaji,
Likewise scenes you can list out Superstar's songs....

I really involved into the lists..but having moondru muduchchu will be right one..

Anyway, it's good attempt to make top 5 list which make ppl like me to read and enjoy..

thanx Balaji

 
At 11:48 PM, Blogger NS said...

nice list, but disappointed that u have considered only super star's scenes, not Rajini's scenes... Thalaivar's acting career spans 30 yrs, not 10!:D

I'd have loved to see the interview scene of Ayyampettai arivudai nambi kaliya perumal Chandran right on top of the list..:) And then the "idhu eppadi irukku" scenes by Parattai... And moondru mudichu, where thalaivar brilliantly portrays a sadist... also that movie was the first time thalaivar showed the cigarette flicking style..:)

surprising u picked another scene from padayappa and not the unjal scene..:)

 
At 11:49 PM, Blogger NS said...

correction, dint know u had already mentioned u wud be listing only Super star's scenes... couldnt have asked for anything better then..:)

 
At 4:58 AM, Blogger Vidya said...

Baasha was very good. But my vote will go to Talapathi, in which Rajni comes out with so many facets of acting. He portrays a rowdy, a lover, a dutiful husband, an orphan and a friend. I think this was perhaps his best role till date. The best scene perhaps was the one where SriVidya and Rajni are at the temple on Bogi day..

was actually a little disappointed that it didnt make it to your list .. n e wayz.. as neelambari says to Rajini in padayappa 'Unna yen ellarukkum pidichirukku teriyuma? Vayasaanalum un style komjam kooda korayala' .. This is to Rajni... 'The Style Mannan'. :D

 
At 5:13 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah, this scene is easily #1. Doesn't matter how many times I see it, the first half of the movie still thrills.

 
At 5:19 AM, Blogger Raju said...

Nice list, Balaji.. kalakkitteenga..

I have to agree with Prabhu.. Moondru Mugam, IMHO, was the real beginning of 'superstar' Rajini. It had a hair-raising scene when he confronts Senthamarai..

"Enn peyarai sonna vayithula irukkura kuzhandhai kooda than vaayai moodikkum" kinda dialogue... It was very famous those times..

 
At 6:31 AM, Blogger Ram C said...

Seems 'Alex pandiyan' is behind in the race.... I may not rate 'Uzhaipali' as my favourites.. others are good selections. You can consider 'Mannan' scene as well while he confronts Vijayshanthi..

 
At 9:19 AM, Blogger Vee Cee said...

I think Padikkaadhavan (not Annamalai) is a remake of Khuddaar.
I also feel Alex Pandian's "adhey kozhandhai kitta Alex Pandian paera solli paaru. Innora kaiyaala than amma vaiya moodum" ranks right up there.

 
At 10:23 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

sorry..annamalai was a remake of Rakesh Roshan's hit Khudgarz

 
At 12:04 PM, Blogger narayanan said...

Yes BB, Rajini and Govinda act as Amithabh's brothers in Hum.
~~~~~~
Annamalai was a remake? never knew. It ranks the highest in my list of 'Superstar' movies and 'Aarilirundhu Arupadhu Varai' in 'Rajinikant' movies.

-narayanan

 
At 4:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.telugucinema.com/c/movies/rajinikant_factfile.php

 
At 4:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

BB, for the few non-(rajni fanatics) who comment on bbthots (are there any? except me...?!) u should also come up with a list of best rajni-the actor scenes...
adhula as narayanan said, aarulirundhu arubadhu varai (esp. the scene where he advises fatafat not to blow a fight with his sis out of proportion) would definitely figure in that list...

 
At 4:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ram said...
"BB, for the few non-(rajni fanatics) who comment on bbthots (are there any? except me...?!)"

Well, yeah!

Me :)

 
At 9:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very well written Balaji. Baasha interval scene is my all time favourite - I had to watch the movie from the first row in the theatre. I could really see what larger-than-life meant :)

karthik

 
At 10:39 PM, Blogger Balaji said...

karthik, i'm sure more lists will come soon :)

nithya, yep. i had to limit myself in some way. otherwise the list would've had no end :)

prasanna, i thot the list of his top movies would be too common. just wanted to do something different...

vidya, all u said about 'thalapathi' is true. but as i'd mentioned, i wanted to pick scenes that showcased him as a superstar rather than actor.

prakash, true. one of the best examples of pacing and build-up.

raju, yeah that truly was a memorable scene. and looks like its the most popular one here too :)

ram, there r quite a few. off the top of my head i can think of raju, aparna(me too) and gopi.

karthik, thanx :) that was a nice comment on larger-than-life :)

 
At 4:44 AM, Blogger Jeevan said...

i am a Fan of Superstar, i dont know how many times i have saw Basha, now looking forward to see his Shivaji, in direction of my favorite Shanker.

 
At 7:12 AM, Blogger Me too said...

Thanks, Balaji. I came here to say 'me too' to Ram!

Ram, if you find time, check out my
'November Kamal spl. Friday melodies'

 
At 10:46 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

me too, my pleasure-- will defn. check it out today!

 

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