Supporting actors make the most noise - An ode.

Iftikar,Deven Verma,Asrani (Bollywood)

Sreenivasan, Mukesh, Laalu Alex,Jagadish,Siddique, Innocent,Oduvil Unnkrishnan (Malayalam)

Some names we know but probably Sony Max may never promote a movie by saying 'watch blockbuster Don - starring Iftikar, Sunday 9pm' will they?

 Iftikar

Asrani

So do supporting actors remain supporting actors without  being supported? (ok don't support me in my puns!) Well I don't think so. Whoever coined the term did a fab job because its true. They truly do support the actor and not just that. They actually do carry the movie when the script is weakened by the over imposition of the 'superstar' and one man shows kind of movies.

Can you think of Don without Iftikar's balanced,quiet and evolved acting compared to Amitabh's aggressive AYM role? ( that's angry young man in case you didnt know...haww!! ) Iftikar has always been so and probably why he features in most of these AYM roles as the still water to the tsunami which AB's roles were meant to be. Similarily Sanjeev Kumar in Sholay and Utpal Dutt in,well,all his movies.

Utpal Dutt 

Imagine Naadodikaatu without Sreenivasan ( actually I still cannot see Lal without him) such is the affect of those golden stuff. Think how Godfather would be without Jagadish's nervous,comical antics which scaffolded Mukesh's attempts to bring Kanika down. What about Shubhayatra where Siddique is like a bookend to Jayaram?

Godfather  

In Harihar Nagar

Innocent  

Laalu Alex

Oduvil Unnikrishnan

All said and done, the brilliance of such actors is so much that I'm not comfortable calling them supporting. They have carved their identity in singular lead roles too. Vadakku Nokki Yanthram can never be better performed by anyone else other than Sreeni.( imagine Mammootty in front of the mirror applying powder). In Harihar Nagar was an ensemble cast of actors who started out with secondary roles. Saath Saath, Chashme Baddoor and Kisi Se Na Kehna were all better off without the big shots of that time and moreover, needed the calm of actors like Farooque Shiekh.

Naadodikaatu

Just few examples of popular cinema but the shine of these stars are bright like Venus in the evening sky,not overwhelming but you can spot them nevertheless,

T.P. Balagopalan M.A - 1986

Look at the pic below. How many of us do that everyday? Looking upto God and loading him with wishes and needs. Promising him and other accessible Gods all the offerings money can buy once he gives us the money.

Balagopalan, the character played by Lal has no less desires. His wishes are many, but, like many of the young men today and esp in the troublesome 80s when unemployment was high, his wishes are more for his family than himself.

Another Sathyan Anthikad movie about hardships, middle class family, values and human nature in the best and worst of times. I would have categorized this too as another 'movie of masses' but Lal once again doesn't let you stereotype his movies! :)

Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam

Kaviyoor Ponamma is not just the mother of Mohanlal ,Dileep and Suresh Gopi but also of all the malayali people who love to watch family naadan movies. So when she cries we all cry.

Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam would have been another cry-athon if not for her superb acting. Like the movies which seek to teach a lesson to modern kids about respecting their parents and mallu kids esp to leave gulf, Duffai and foren shores and go settle down with kappa and meen curry, this movie too is on similar lines.

Though most of all is subtle and not loud. Mammotty is downkey in the movie for some reason and Ponamma cearly emerges out as the actor in all respects.

A wonderful movie to watch with family. ( duh!) Also a great movie or those who truly miss the naadu!

Swagatham 1989

Imagine a Malayalam movie without Mohanlal or Mammootty.

Imagine a coastline with friends hanging out all the time.

Imagine a story about friendships and general fun without fights and villians.

That is Swagatham movie. A 1989 film with an extensive star cast. With Jagathi's histrionics not-withstanding, there is romance and hey! you can choose which one you want - the sweet and shy kind which Parvathy and Asokan share or the serious one which Urvashi feels later on.

A story about friends, young guns ,youth and their immature nature but true feelings, Swagatham takes you back to your college days and the time when chatting meant meeting for an icecream rather than feeling a 'ping' vibration in your pocket from your android phone.

Saajan 1991 - Why you should never have pseudonym

There are more reasons to watch Saajan than there are not.

You should watch it if :

- You are an 80s kid. Duh!

- You want to know why Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri are making 2014 seem like 1991,when in both eras they were in the news.

- You should know the classic hits Nadeem Shravan gave.

- The true meaning of love triangle

- Some heartrending shayari

- Ooty

- Salman Khan in clothes.

- Sanjay Dutt acting from his eyes.

- Kader Khan

You should not watch Saajan if :

- You do not have time

-Because classics like these need to be enjoyed and listened. Yes the movie has songs which are hummable till now.

Director - Lawrence D'Souza

Guddi - Movie infatuation in hemlines

Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Basu Chatterjee.

I fell in love with the above two fabulous directors and their creations since I saw Golmaal. Its my comfort movie, sunshine factor and BFF for all seasons and reasons. The duo's movies are not exactly new wave cinema, art movies or commercial.  They are just light ,breezy movies which are made for fun, in fun and watched for fun. But they stay with you forever unlike stupid, funny bone movies. The reason being the script.

Guddi is one among them. I watched Bombay Talkies recently. Supposedly an ode to 100 years of Indian cinema which I still did not understand how. I felt Guddi should have been a better tribute. The below dialogue from the movie says why :

' Guddi to phir bhi bacchi hai. Aaj kal miya biwi ek doosre mein Dilip Kumar aur Saira Banu ko dhoondte hain' ( Guddi is still a young girl. Today husband wife look for Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu in each other)

It isn't exactly a documentary about cinema. Its a story about a girl who breathes cinema and a moviestar worshipper. It's a story of a middle class family,of love and then some bittersweet stories of the movie industry. But true to Hrishida's nature,nothing is grim,gray or gore. Rather its poignant,mellow and rather funny in many parts.

Watch it for :

- all Hrishidas regulars. Utpal Dutt is there yes.

- Asrani in Shammi Kapoor style

- Jaya Bachhan in mini frock

- who calls Sharmila 'baby'

-wonderful poster art

- a glimpse of all leading heroes of that time

- Because very few movies let you live your childhood and adolescence

Yavanika 1982

Those who know Jagathi can say, Malayalam cinema is a very grim place without his histrionics. Now imagine a movie where, even with his smart-ass jibes and jokes,leaves you grim. That's Yavanika  for you.

At a time in 1982 when Prem Nazir's romance, husband wife tales were bringing people to the  theaters, here was a movie by K.G George with an unknown actor ,Mammootty and some small time actors like Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan etc. with an investigating theme to it. Bharath Gopi had just won an award and was popularly known for portraying the good man roles. This was his first negative role and he has done a commendable job. A very risky mix And the risk paid off. Yavanika was one of 1982's biggest hits. Probably from here on,it set the trend of murder mysteries.

Apparently the movie's murder theme is based on the Rashomon affect where witnesses give different version. The investigator has to solve among st the different versions. Mammootty inspite of his 7th movie has pt up a almost perfect performance.

You have to watch the movie for the way the suspense unfolds. True to its name, Yavanika , which means curtain of secrecy , the movie blends the Kerala's traditional theatre culture and a murder mystery to make you glued to your seat.