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Striking a right balance

Photo: M. Moorthy

Charismatic A master of all trades

Madhan wears many hats. His uncanny knack of combining skills, sets him apart, as a cartoonist, journalist, writer and film critic.

In recent times he has emerged as a well-known film critic on television. Madhan’s habit of putting across his opinion about the movie through cartoons at the end of the show ‘Madhan’s Thirai Paarvai’ had become very popular. “It attracted the kids much. I thought of doing something different and my cartooning skills came in handy,” he shares.

But his primary claim to fame was as a cartoonist. For him, cartooning is a unique skill. “If you draw too well, then you end up as an artist. With a vast and deep knowledge on varied topics you become a scholar. And an excellent sense of humour will make you a comedian. Hence, I feel a cartoonist must strike a right balance,” he says.

Madhan, who desires to produce at least a dozen good cartoonists, feels aspirant must have innate talent. “It is very difficult to teach cartooning, since it involves lot of creativity and ability to imagine and relate things.” Advances in the field of multi-media have come as a big plus, but no computer could draw on its own, he says with a chuckle.

Madhan wrote dialogues for the Kamal Hassan starrer ‘Anbe Sivam.’ “I consider cinema as an ultimate experience and very powerful medium that has even produced Chief Ministers. I am lucky enough to get myself associated with cinema,” he says.

But people haven’t seen him much after ‘Anbe Sivam’? “Lot depends on the commercial success of a movie. My first flick won critical acclamation but didn’t fare as expected at the box-office. I did get offers later, but I opted to be choosy.”

Madhan has written dialogues for Priyadarshan’s ‘Kanchivaram’ that has been chosen for the Toronto Film Festival. The film set in the period between 1942 and 1957 is about the weavers of Kancheepuram. “The movie is very close to Priyadarshan’s heart. He is a fantastic director and a good friend. I am happy to be part of the film,’ says Madhan revealing that he will be penning the dialogues for an untitled movie to be directed by debutant Siddharth and produced by Kalpathi S. Agoram for AGS Entertainments. Prasanna plays hero in the film.

He welcomes people’s interest for Hollywood movies, but quickly adds there is no point in comparing cinemas. “What I will like to tell our audiences is that please don’t look down upon our cinema. Our filmmakers have come out with some brilliant stuff and it’s high time we start appreciating good films made in Tamil.”

Even in this age of internet, Madhan prefers books to refer for answering readers’ questions on a variety of topics for the popular ‘Hi Madhan’ column that appears in the Tamil weekly ‘Ananda Vikatan.’ “Believe it or not I am quick at browsing my collections of books than the internet. Since I have a rich collection of books that covers various subjects, I never found the need for referring the net,” says Madhan, who authored the popular book ‘Vandhargal Vendrargal.’

But people themselves could surf the net and find the answers. How does he manage to sustain their interest? “I take utmost care in the way I present the answers. The extra information I give adds value. There is a difference between tinned and fresh food,” he smiles.

G. PRASAD

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