Mahendran J, Celebrating a Genius

Will always be remembered as the film maker, who helped Tamil Cinema, change its grammar irreversibly. 

Those visually alluring frames, that left you in wonderment, forever changed the way cinema was processed in Tamil Nadu.

Action spoke louder than words. The Silence had suddenly become sensational, relegating the verbal diarrhea to the background. 

The camera caressed the background lovingly and captured the emotions of the actors with a precision that left an indelible mark in your mind. The frames captured so much life, the temple tank and its fishes, those undulating pathways on the mountain ranges, the fluttering wind!!!, those uncluttered villages filled with simpletons, and damsels with their large lovely 'bindis' bathed in innocence.

If K. Balachandar can pride himself with introducing Rajinikanth, it is Mahendran who has distinction of firmly imprinting Rajini in 'Tamil consciousness'. Forty years later, we do not have a movie that showcases Rajini's talent as well as Mahendran did.

When Uthiripookal released in 1979 with a A certificate with almost no known faces, a running time of 2 hours, on Diwali day. Nobody expected the movie to be a silver jubilee. 

Forty years later, Uthiripookal feels so fresh, making you yearn for the lovely little village and its villagers. 

We will remember Mahendran for not only introducing the brevity in communication, but also ache for a portion of ourselves that we may have forever lost.

Thank you, Sir for enriching our lives beyond measure.