Kollywood mourns for Paravai Muniyamma

Team CT

30.03.2020

The ever-popular Madurai Veeran Dhaane not only introduced Vikram’s Arumugam to the villains in Dhool, but also Paravai Muniyamma to Kollywood buffs. The popular folk artiste debuted in the Tamil film industry with the movie, both as a singer and an actor, and continued to impress audiences with her performance. She not only aced the roles of a forthright grandmother who had a modern view of the world in many of her films, but also of a wily ganglord in the spoof-comedy Tamizh Padam. Apart from Kollywood, she also tried her hand at a couple of Malayalam films, and hosted her own cooking show that focused on graamathu samayal. A highly energetic person, as described by many in the fraternity, she was forced to take a break when she fell ill four years ago. And in the early hours of Sunday, she breathed her last. A versatile musician who took pride in being part of the folk culture of Tamil Nadu, her work reflects her love for all thing Tamizh. We speak to celebrities who had closely associated with her in the industry...

‘SHE SAID SHE NEEDED WATER, BUT PASSED AWAY SOON’

I am yet to come to terms with her demise. I spoke to her on Sunday morning too, at around 2am. She told me about feeling uneasy and that she needed water to drink. But in a few seconds, she passed away. I first met her last year when I came across news that she was not keeping well. She became close to me when we met for the second time. She often used to tell me that I’m her grandson and that she would find a suitable girl for me. I can’t forget how she stood by me when I was going through problems in my personal life. She used to tell me not to get affected and that she would always be with me.

- ABI SARAVANAN, actor

PARAVAI MUNIYAMMA

1937-2020

Paravai Muniyamma was a very instinctive performer: Directors

‘HER INNOCENCE TURNED THE SHOOT OF DHOOL INTO A FUN EXPERIENCE’

In the script of Dhool,the hero and heroine come to the city from a village. Generally, in villages, they don’t let a young woman go along with a man, so I had written this heroine’s grandmother character, who would accompany them. I wanted this character to be that of a folk singer. Through my contacts in the music circle, I came to know of Paravai Muniyamma. I listened to her songs and they were very good. So, we called her in for a screen test. She was quite cool and relaxed during the screen test. So, we roped her in.

During the puja,we shot at a Murugan temple and then asked her to sing some song. When she sang, there was so much of positive vibration on the spot. I knew at the moment that she was the actress I was looking for to play that paati character,and that she would be a major draw in the film next to Vikram and Jyotika. She had done stage shows previously, so she was comfortable performing in front of a crowd. In fact, on the second day of the shoot, she was telling Jyotika to stand on the mark when she was standing a few feet away. She had intuitively grasped the process in just a day. There was a cuteness about her. And for her age, she never showed any fatigue. There was no problem with her on the set. Her innocence turned the shoot into a fun experience.

One of the lessons that I have learned from her is to do our job and let the results follow on their own. We generally expect instant results, but she did what she was good at for many years without complaining and earned the fruits of that labour when she was 65! I have been thinking about this from the moment I heard of her unfortunate demise.

The last time I met her was seven years ago, at a show for a TV channel. She couldn’t recognise me. Age had caught up with her. But after I told her that we had worked together in Dhool,she was able to recollect. She was a great person, and it’s a huge loss.

– DHARANI, director

‘SHE HAD AMAZING KNOWLEDGE IN FOLK MUSIC’

We first worked together in Dhool which went on to become a big hit. Our combination scenes in Kadhal Sadugudu and other films were also quite popular. As a professional folk singer, she had amazing knowledge in folk music. Later, she fell ill and was staying at her native village. One day, she asked for my help. Once, while I was traveling to a place near Kovilpatti, I went in search of her home. I called her up, but I was told by someone that she had gone to Madurai. So, I couldn’t meet her. Now, we are coming across the news of her demise. Time flies so fast. While talking about some films, people generally say that first half was good, but second half wasn’t. I think, in her life, the second half was better, with many good memories and experiences.

– VIVEKH, actor

‘FOR HER AGE AND UPBRINGING, SHE GOT THE NUANCES OF A SPOOF FILM’

She was one of those people who you cannot get to act. You have to let them be themselves on screen, which is a very original, natural and instinctive performance. While we were OK with that for most parts of the film (Tamizh Padam),we needed her to wear a coat, a hat and actually become a villain in the final moments. That was completely out of her comfort zone, for she had never done anything like that.

Even her lines were unlike what she would usually say. While she struggled initially, she was very adamant that she would do it. ‘Konjam time kudunga thambi, naan pannirren,’ she said, and took the trouble to do it. She understood the nuances of a spoof film for her age and upbringing, and that was amazing.

– CS AMUDHAN, director

— Lakshmi.V@timesgroup.com,Suganth.M@timesgroup.com & Thinkal.Menon@timesgroup.com