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Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

Reality bytes (Above) Khushboo in ‘Periyar’; (inset) Thankar Bachan

He deals with real issues; his narration is simple; and his films are not glossed over. His films win critical acclaim and lure the masses into the cinema halls. Tamil film-maker Thankar Bachan’s 2007 release Pallikoodam (School) was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in the competition category. And he plans to submit his latest film Onbadhu Rubai Nottu (Nine rupee note) for the Indian nomination for the Academy Awards. “I missed the boat in 2007. Films that were censored before October 31 were considered. My film was censored on November 22,” he reasons. The above mentioned films, along with Periyar for which he was the cinematographer, were screened at the film festival.

Thankar thrived on films during his growing up years. “It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I might have watched as many movies as an operator in a cinema hall does,” he laughs. Commercial Tamil cinema was his opium until he joined the Chennai film institute. “I joined thinking I could use the degree to become a cinematographer. I had no idea it would change me.” The initial days of ragging required him to see a screening of The Bicycle Thieves standing upside down. “I was drawn to it; I was seeing realistic cinema for the first time. I then became a voracious reader of cinema; I spent more time in the library and watching films than attending classes,” he recalls.

He worked as a cinematographer for nearly 40 films before turning director. Meanwhile, he had penned Tamil novels which he later reproduced in celluloid. His films Solla Marandha Kadhai (a story forgotten to be told), Azhagi (beauty), Pallikoodam and Onbadhu Rubai Nottu are based on his novels of the same names.

“I wanted to make movies that are real and rooted in regional flavour. I didn’t want to make films that would be dubbed in three different languages owing to the star cast and Rehman’s music and make money everywhere. My films cannot be dubbed, because they are steeped in local flavour. That’s fine with me,” she states.

My films cannot be dubbed, because they are steeped in local flavour. That’s fine with me. - THANKAR BACHAN

In fact, Nandita Das recalls that he is one of the finest directors she has worked with (in Azhagi) and today, the top brass – including Vikram, Vijay and Rajnikant – are eager to work with him. Thankar says, “Rajnikant is under utilised. His initial movies speak of his acting abilities; later on he became a superstar and no director gave him roles that reflected his capabilities.”

Thankar revived realistic cinema in Tamil and is glad. “Pallikoodum, for instance, was about a village school teacher (Sneha) making the alumni realise the importance of the school which is on its last legs. After the film, many schools in Tamil Nadu have had alumnis returning to help village schools. That’s the essence of my films.”

SANGEETHA DEVI DUNDOO

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