Read the full article on Film Companion, here: http://www.filmcompanion.in/article/southern-lights-introducing-rajinikanth
A look at the superstar’s hero-intro scenes from the time he was before a superstar.
After IV Sasi’s demise, a lot has been written about the director’s work in Malayalam cinema – but he made a handful of Tamil films as well, and I thought I’d revisit Kaali, released in 1980 and featuring a pre-superstardom Rajinikanth. The film is named after the character he plays, and it’s a name whose variants he’d adopt in many films (Murattukaalai, Kai Kodukkum Kai, and most notably, Mullum Malarum, which was written and directed by J Mahendran, who wrote Kaali as well). Seen today, Kaali is hardly a director’s showcase. What Sasi does is tell a story, and he tells it competently – but it’s Rajinikanth who keeps you watching.
It’s that star-being-born thing. Mullum Malarum was more of an actor showcase, and with Kaali, you can see that actor being phased out by a star. This isn’t to say Rajinikanth stopping acting altogether; just that the star began to become more prominent. Contrast the “hero introduction” scenes from Mullum Malarum (released two years earlier) and Kaali. Mullum Malarum is about a rough-natured brother’s love for his gentle sister. The title can be read two ways: as a descriptor of the siblings (in which case, it translates as the thorn and the flower), or as a pointer to the end, where the brother softens (even a thorn will bloom).
Continued at the link above.
Copyright ©2017 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
Pavan
December 12, 2017
Mullum Malarum is one of my favourites in Rajinikanth’s “actor” filmography. Except for the scene where Sarath Babu visits Rajinikanth to talk about his relationship with the latter’s sister, I found Rajinikanth’s performance consistently natural.
To be frank, yes Rajinikanth has been tamed into a Superstar and has been caged into a sort of Magician. But I don’t think that is a bane. I really wonder if Baasha would have been the same if Rajinikanth was an actor in it, not the selling superstar face. Though many say he has lost his edginess after turning into the superstar, I would say he learned restraint as a performer. I find him more refined and real when acting, not when the action sequences crop up. Surely not.
Still I see that edgy man around. That laugh by Chitti when he spots the black sheep, that sharply fierce face when Kabali is about to begin narrating his story to the students – the man is still around. It is better he stays restrained. Superstardom does give that one boon.
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Madan
December 13, 2017
Great article. I have never given Kaali a fair go, so my marker for the actor-to-star metamorphosis was Murattu Kaalai. I still think Kaali is missing a mass song like Podhuvaga En Manasu which became a template for his subsequent films.
I never realised animal magnetism is an actual concept before reading this article. I only know it as the name of a Scorpions album which incidentally came out in 1980. It was also a turning point for them (already begun on Love drive) but that’s another story.
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Madan
December 13, 2017
*knew it
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Enigma
December 14, 2017
I think Rajinikanth has a great introduction scene in Thee too which was also released in 1980.
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Karthik
December 15, 2017
There’s an early scene in Moondru Mudichu, which is not really an introduction shot (Rajini has an earlier scene establishing his friendship with Kamal), but it could just as well have served as an introduction shot for the actor, for the character and for half the plot.
Kamal and Sridevi’s characters have just met and developed a mutual infatuation. This scene has Kamal and Sridevi in adjacent buildings washing clothes by whipping them on stones; initially as their whipping rhythms respond to each other, the scene cuts between close shots of the actors, and slowly as the camera pans out, their rhythms start to synchronize, until the camera, now capturing them from a distance, pans from Kamal to Sridevi and back, once, twice, and then bang- Rajini appears atop the building! Right in the middle of the frame, lording over the two other protagonists, exuding that raw energy and with menacing glances, does his signature cigarette flip. No words required! That’s just an example of a great filmmaker maximizing the impact of an actor’s innate ability.
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brangan
December 15, 2017
Karthik: That’s a scene I’m using soon 😀
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ramitbajaj01
December 15, 2017
What a beautiful comment Karthik! Have you written anything else?
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GODZ
December 16, 2017
One Interesting and often overlooked Phase in Rajnis career after the failure of Maveeran starts in late 80’s. He restrained himself a bit and started focusing on some serious story and family oriented movies. This phase starts from 1987 from like Velaikaran, Manidhan, Raja chinna Roja and continues till 1991 until Thalapathi. Although various factors are attributed to his Superstar success, What I see just by skimming through his flimography in wikipedia is the number of movies he acted during the timeframe from 1977 till 1983 and its 74 movies(Approx) and thats an average of almost 10 movies per year. This shows his enormous commitment to work. I am sure money is not the motivating factor considering the variety in the roles that he played. Most of Superstars memorable roles, the dynamic Rajni we know were played during this phase only. Although its very common to act large number of movies at that time, its not just the number but the variety of characters he played which arguably is more richer than what Kamal played during the same time frame. To me Rajni was a far better actor than kamal during this time frame Although Kamal later transformed himself after the failure of Vikram. Interestingly One actor who is churning out movies in such rate is Vijay sethupathi!.
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Karthik
December 16, 2017
brangan Cool. Looking forward to reading your take on it.
ramitbajaj01 Thanks. Other than comments on this blog, I’ve only written work related stuff.
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