It needed an Englishman to make a classic film on Mahatma Gandhi. Fortunately that is not the case with Subramanya Bharathi, the legendary Tamil poet. 'Bharathiyar' is so much a part of the Tamilians' psyche and soul that to make a film on his life would have been a risky and challenging proposition. Because any discrepancy in the portrayal even inadvertently would have been considered almost blasphemous. May be that was why no one ventured upon this high potential subject so far. But now Gnana Rajasekharan, an IAS Officer and the director of the offbeat Tamil film 'Mohamul', after intensive research into the eventful life and the multi-dimensional persona, and the rebellious spirit of Bharathi, has immortalised the Bharathi saga on cellulloid.
Subramanya Bharathi was born as 'Subramania' in December 1882 in Ettayarpuram, a suburban village near Tuticorin in Tamilnadu. Poetry was in his genes as his father was a poet in the court of the local king. He started composing poems at the tender age of eleven and the highly impressed king of Ettayarpuram bestowed upon him the sobriquet 'Bharathi'. That was how Subramanya became 'Subramanya Bharathi'. Ettayarpuram was close to Panchalamkurichi, which was the birthplace of the great Tamil freedom fighter 'Veera Pandia Kattabomman'. Influenced by the legendary hero Bharathi developed patriotic fervour, hatred for the British domination and casteism at a very young age itself. "Though Bharathi was a people's poet there were only around fifteen people to attend his funeral. It is this irony which made me go deeper into the Bharathi saga and make a movie on his life", revealed Mr.Rajashekharan at the release function of the audiocassettes of the film titled 'Bharathi'.
'Bharathi' is an ambitious project of 'Media Dreams', a one year old subsidiary of Pentamedia Graphics Ltd., Chennai. Pentamedia has already made a mark on the small screen with 5 serials produced by them successfully running simultaneously on various channels. 'Bharathi' with which they make their debut on the silverscreen marks the second phase in their endeavours in the entertainment arena. Three more films from Pentamedia including a Kamal Haasan starrer by Shankar, are in the pipeline.
The audio cassettes of the film Bharathi were formally released recently at a function at Park Sheraton Hotel, Chennai with writer Sujatha handing over the 10 cassette set to director Maniratnam. Speaking at the function the director Gnana Rajasekharan narrated an incident that happened at Trichur when he was the Collector there. "A.youngster was distressed that no one had attempted to make a film on Bharathiar and that observation became a catalyst for me to venture upon this ambitious project", he said. He emphasised that it was "not an art film, but a film for both the class and the masses".
Music being an integral part of Bharathi's life songs predominate the film too. Bharathi's immortal poems, not all of them the often heard ones though, have been set to music by none other than Ilayaraja. Staying in a houseboat in Kerala the Tamil film music maestro composed the music for the ten songs in this film.
Writer Sujatha speaking on the occasion elaborated "how he prepared the screenplay after intensive research and going through several books on Bharathi, always concentrating on authenticity. "I wish I had done this film" was the recurring refrain by eminent directors like Mani Ratnam and Balu Mahendra who spoke on the occasion. The lead roles in this film are played by Saayaji Rao Shinde, Marathi theatre personality and the villain of Ram Gopal Varma's 'Shool' as Bharathi and Devyani as the poet's wife. And if the video clippings of the song sequences shown at the function are anything to go by they could not have made a better choice, especially in the case of Shinde. As Sujatha pointed out it was wise to go for an "outside artist" for the protagonist's role who could be better identified with the character. The writer hoped that "like the sobriquet 'Shivaji' was added to Shivaji Ganeshan's name after he portrayed the Maratha King 'Shivaji' Shinde too will become popular as "Bharathi Shinde" after this film". "He will be nothing less than Ben Kingsley's Gandhi", he added.
'Bharathi', expected to be a landmark film, would reach the theatres in August.
