Kabali was teaser, Kaala takes it a notch higher
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai: 08.06.2018
A couple of years ago, when Rajinikanth chose to join hands with director Pa Ranjith for ‘Kabali’, there was a chorus that the director would use the opportunity and get the superstar to take up the cause of dalits. That’s what eventually happened in ‘Kabali’, with Rajinikanth voicing the concerns of the oppressed classes – from their right to dress the way they want to the freedom to live like others do.
His announcement that the next film too would be directed by Ranjith did leave people wondering – what next? Soon after completing his part in ‘Kaala’, Rajinikanth announced he was plunging into politics by launching his own party soon. He is yet to do so, but much water has flown under the bridge since then. Unlike his earlier films, there was a muted response to ‘Kaala’ on Thursday. Industry observers blame it on his statement supporting the police opening fire at anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin, saying ‘anti-social elements’ were behind the violence and the fact that the film opened a couple of days after schools reopened after the vacation.
As ‘Kaala’ released worldwide, it became clear that even as he permitted Ranjith to ride on his popularity, Rajinikanth has leveraged the opportunity to reach out to the oppressed classes of society with an eye on his political journey. Focusing on landless masses with ‘land is our right’ slogan, Kaala takes the duo’s attempt higher and makes Kabali look like a teaser.
“Land means power to you, for us - it is our right,” the protagonist Kaala @ Karikaalan tells the antagonist Haridada (played by Nana Patekar), who is the front for land mafia and builders. “You cannot take a fistful of soil from here, without my nod. We have safeguarded it with our sweat and blood,” he says further, reviving the past slogan - ‘land belongs to the tiller’.
The movie is not just about land but about demolishing slums in prime city locations in the name of city beautification. “Why only slums, why not bungalows,” he questions. Through both ‘Kabali’ and ‘Kaala’, Rajinikanth has managed to convey the message that he is with the landless masses and the downtrodden, both urban and rural – a la MGR.
4K URLs of Tamil films blocked
Chennai: Nearly 4,000 web links showing ‘Kaala’ and other recent Tamil films were removed on Thursday by the anti-piracy wing of the Vishal-led Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC). TFPC had put out an advertisement asking moviegoers to report attempts by violators at recording the film on digital devices in film theatres. TFPC worked in tandem with its counterpart in AP and other groups such as Blockx, Copyright Media and Royal Spiders to take down websites streaming 'Kaala' online. TNN
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai: 08.06.2018
A couple of years ago, when Rajinikanth chose to join hands with director Pa Ranjith for ‘Kabali’, there was a chorus that the director would use the opportunity and get the superstar to take up the cause of dalits. That’s what eventually happened in ‘Kabali’, with Rajinikanth voicing the concerns of the oppressed classes – from their right to dress the way they want to the freedom to live like others do.
His announcement that the next film too would be directed by Ranjith did leave people wondering – what next? Soon after completing his part in ‘Kaala’, Rajinikanth announced he was plunging into politics by launching his own party soon. He is yet to do so, but much water has flown under the bridge since then. Unlike his earlier films, there was a muted response to ‘Kaala’ on Thursday. Industry observers blame it on his statement supporting the police opening fire at anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin, saying ‘anti-social elements’ were behind the violence and the fact that the film opened a couple of days after schools reopened after the vacation.
As ‘Kaala’ released worldwide, it became clear that even as he permitted Ranjith to ride on his popularity, Rajinikanth has leveraged the opportunity to reach out to the oppressed classes of society with an eye on his political journey. Focusing on landless masses with ‘land is our right’ slogan, Kaala takes the duo’s attempt higher and makes Kabali look like a teaser.
“Land means power to you, for us - it is our right,” the protagonist Kaala @ Karikaalan tells the antagonist Haridada (played by Nana Patekar), who is the front for land mafia and builders. “You cannot take a fistful of soil from here, without my nod. We have safeguarded it with our sweat and blood,” he says further, reviving the past slogan - ‘land belongs to the tiller’.
The movie is not just about land but about demolishing slums in prime city locations in the name of city beautification. “Why only slums, why not bungalows,” he questions. Through both ‘Kabali’ and ‘Kaala’, Rajinikanth has managed to convey the message that he is with the landless masses and the downtrodden, both urban and rural – a la MGR.
4K URLs of Tamil films blocked
Chennai: Nearly 4,000 web links showing ‘Kaala’ and other recent Tamil films were removed on Thursday by the anti-piracy wing of the Vishal-led Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC). TFPC had put out an advertisement asking moviegoers to report attempts by violators at recording the film on digital devices in film theatres. TFPC worked in tandem with its counterpart in AP and other groups such as Blockx, Copyright Media and Royal Spiders to take down websites streaming 'Kaala' online. TNN
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