Monday, January 08, 2018

Tamil film in Malaysia

FMT - PH’s naming of PM: Nice end to Tamil film? (extracts)


PETALING JAYA: The way one DAP leader sees it, Pakatan Harapan’s naming of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its candidate for prime minister could have been the finale of a good Tamil movie.

Speaking to FMT, Pahang DAP deputy chief M Manogaran said he was reminded of Kollywood blockbusters when he thought of the complicated dealings and circumstances leading to yesterday’s decision to choose Mahathir as the man to lead a PH government until Anwar Ibrahim can take over.

“So we shall not laugh at Tamil movies for their twists and turns,” he said. “We are also experiencing an unimaginable turn of events in our political history. The inscrutable ways of fate and the law of karma are dancing before our eyes.

“Never did I imagine that I would be listening and clapping while Tun M spoke.”




He said he had set aside his anger at the former prime minister for the sake of a higher purpose.

“In 1998, I made a police report against the Tun,” he said. “Today, I am supporting this man for I believe that Malaysia under his leadership can be saved from Barisan Nasional, and that is a higher, bigger and nobler calling and responsibility.


My dear Manogaran, you're absolutely right that the brouhaha surrounding and leading up to the agreement on Mahathir as Pakatan's PM-designate has been a saga with an ending worthy of a Tamil movie.

And of course, as you mentioned, Tamil movies for notable for their twists and turns, with frenzy fans surrounding the cinema with the hope of seeing their favourite stars (especially female stars), though sadly, the songs this time were not so addictive, consisting of generally of "I can't remember", "I wasn't there", "It wasn't me", etc. 




above are some Tamil movie stars 

Yes, I love Indian movies, where the scenes can take startling and amazing shifts of landscapes - one moment the tyrannical dictator is oppressing the people, suppressing his opponents and mutilating the Constitution and next moment he's dating his sweetheart in the Taj Mahal cinema.

Then in the following scene they're riding down the meadow-ed slopes of Kerala to a waiting Proton limousine.


But what if we transpose those scenes to politics with an Alice in Boleh-Land surrealist image - where the evil landlord transforms to assume a benign benevolent paternalistic (older than old) hero-MGR-ish image, making startling and amazing sheaves of (or shaft the) promises to make the judiciary independent etc, which of course we know he was the very dictator who destroyed the judiciary and wasted national money, etc.







And we know his extravagant and nonsensical promises will never be fulfilled one iota - wasn't during his 22 years reign, but au contraire he broke stuff.

Oh, how the man came to be known as Makkal Thilagam (People's King) is a jolly good joke.


I hear the drums going ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum ke-tum tak tak tak, while sitars and hand organs wail ominously, and the pseudo-MGR leaps on stage with dazzling teeth and wrapped in rich silk shawl to croon the Desperado pop hit, to the flashing shifting background scenes of Kerala, Taj Mahal, Langkawi ........

Ah, our dear Puratchi Thalaivar, the Revolutionary Leader!


Puratchi Thalaivar

Mister Makkal Thilagam is certainly a revolutionary leader, considering he went towards East but ended up in the West, and from facing North to facing South. There is nothing he would not do to make sure his son becomes another Makkal Thilagam.

Like Tamil films the ending might be happy but we need to remember there are all make-believe. The reality may be not what you want.


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