When a widower is being wooed by three woman, isn't he the real "handsome" guy? It just sums one of my favourite movie "Azhagan", starring some of my all time favourites - Mamooty, Madhubala & directed by evergreen K. Balachander. It is a simple yet sensitive movie that covers almost all emotions beautifully, laced with lighter vein scenes. This is one movie I still go on my knees to watch it, the reasons are more than one for being so.
Mamooty's restrained performance as a self-made businessman, with so much of humbleness and vulnerability, a typical non-hero material in terms of commercial parameters. Madhubala was wonderful as a comulsive liar Swapna, providing a relief to this otherwise sensitive drama. Bhanupriya lived as a dancer Priya Ranjan with her lissome figure and dancing skills. Geetha played her age gracefully, a spinster who falls in love at a later stage.
The movie carried stamps of K. Balachander throughout. The movie was so young that it was really hard to believe being directed by a old man. The night long sweet nothings was a testimony for that. Another instance being Madhubala "colouring" the B&W photo of Mamooty. The dog getting tamed by a wink of Madhubala shows the evergreen youthness of KB. Not to forget the wonderful line in the card Mamooty presents to Bhanupriya - "Ennai pudhupitha pudhiyavalukku..."
The script written and directed by KB was competent that it provided a wholesome entertainer that actually was out of the commercial parameters. It underscored the possessive and impulsive nature of a city bred girl and its impact on the hero who has inferiority complex (Remember the last shot in "Thudikkirathey nenjam..." song where Mamooty tries the dance step lonely flushing all the kids out of the room) and the way they react naturally. It had a refreshing thought that you have to move ahead when love didn't materialise. Geetha and Madhubala when decided to move ahead, didn't run away from Mamooty's life, but instead choose to set things right between Mamooty and Bhanupriya.
Coming to sensitive comical scenes, I simply love two scenes - One when Mamooty "drops" Madhubala from his life and she reacts - "Enna ithu, intha manushan bus ticket-kku kooda kaasu kudukkama poittaru" and another one when Madhubala gets an "entry" to Bhanupriya's house by intimidating the Gurkha - passes the message through her chappals. Madubala showed wonderful timing sense in these scenes.
Suresh Chakravarthy as "Chokkalingam" who fuels the rivalry between the girls was wonderful. KB offered novelty by making a non-living thing "Telephone" as an important character that it deserved a mention in the credits. The kids were a natural extension of the script.
Maragadhamani (alias Keeravani) came up with scintillating numbers, that are hard to forget, underlined by his trademark of "Solo" Violin. My all time favourites are "Mazhaiyum neeye..." and "Thathithom...". Keeravani is one of the music directors who hadn't got his due. I am happy that he is getting his recognition in Bollywood atlast with SRK's "Paheli" being his entry card to big movies in Hindi.
Bharathidasan's poem in "Kudumba Vilakku" which serves as an inspiration for "Jaathi malli pooccharame..." was the best in the cinematic format.
They say good movies never get their due in the first release but become classic in later years. Azhagan was no exception. It didn't do too well in the box-office, but I have to come across anybody who hated it. Those who saw it, loved it. It will be surely remebered with fond by all those associated with it - say whether it be Madhubala & Keeravani's fantastic debut or Bhanupriya's dancing burst out that will go as one of the best scenes in the Tamil cinema forever.
