On October 16, Diwali day in 1944, Royal Talkie Distributors of Madura (Madurai) released Haridas, with Tamil cinema’s first superstar MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar as the protagonist. The movie, whose influence has been timeless, made history by running for 110 weeks at the now-defunct Broadway Theatre in Chennai. Based on the classic ‘Bhakta Vijayam’, the movie has – for its time – fluid camera movements, smooth cuts and iconic song sequences.
Director Sunder Rao Nadkarni, a relatively unknown filmmaker today, wrote the movie’s screenplay and edited it. Fashionably, the titles are in English (the British still ruled us). The cast includes Rajakumari as Ramba Devi, Vasanthakokilam as Lakshmi, and the famous NS Krishnan-Mathuram comedy duo. The music is by Papanasam Sivan and Elangovan wrote the sharp, witty dialogues. Adi Irani and T Muthuswamy shot the movie. But this is all but a Bhagavathar vehicle.
The opening song ‘Vazhvil ore thirunaal’ has Haridas bursting on the scene, riding a horse and leering at women by the roadside, who return his glances. Parallels to the description of women in this song can be found in Sangam era lyrics. The horse-riding sequence is reminiscent of Muthu (1995) where Rajinikanth, the superstar of an entirely different era, commandeers a chariot.
The horse in Haridas is also a bit of a surprise. While shooting this song, the director allows for jump cuts, but efficiently does the sound editing and mixing. Innovations in framing are ceaseless and the fast-paced editing is heart-thumping and energetic, all requirements for a well-executed opening sequence even today.
The plot unfolds with a ‘pimp’ promising to bring the ‘notorious’ dancer Ramba Devi to the house of Haridas, a well-known, rich womaniser. Even as he gets ready to invite his crush, NS Krishnan is all over the wrong Ramba – Mathuram impersonating the dancer.
Nadkarni makes a useful distinction: Bhagavathar’s character is lusty, manipulative, exploitative and nihilistic. But NSK’s love for Madhuram – even after she reveals herself to be a cook – remains incorruptible. Haridas’s lust will ruin him, even as NSK’s innocent affection will see him through.
The movie is peppered with several funny sequences. When NSK first meets Mathuram, he crashes against a mirror, causing much mirth. Mathuram’s dance making fun of Bharatanatyam moves is a pure delight, but so are NSK’s improvisations. The chemistry between the duo can’t be outdone by even the lead pair. His first meeting with Mathuram ends with them consummating their affair.
There is a sequence where two different women use the word ‘thevidiya’ (a slur that originates from the word ‘devanadiyar’ or women dedicated to the temple) with much relish, making use of the liberal Censor Board rules of that decade. Many of the scenes in the movie would be left on the editing table if the film was remade today.
Haridas must be one of the earliest anti-heroes of Tamil cinema. He arrogantly denounces God and insults his parents practically in the same line. He is the classic womaniser, who doesn’t want to let go of his wife even as he seduces his mistress on the side. Ultimately, Hari’s parents, who are devout Ramayana readers, are thrown out of the house.
MKT was in his mid-thirties when the movie was made and his charisma works like a charm when it comes to seducing women. But he is also a terrific actor in a pre-Sivaji Ganesan kind of way. The influence of the golden period of theatre is visible as actors make use of not just expressions but also their body language.
This movie could not have been launched without MKT headlining it. In turn, modern cinema owes a lot to Haridas. The film’s budget, appeal and sheer technical skill aided the meteoric rise of cinema as a popular entertainment medium. Haridas is definitely among a clutch of movies from the 1940s that have stood the test of time.
However, the movie is unintentionally funny as outdated movies sometimes are. Also, the levels of misogyny are remarkably high and this can be grating. Many of the scenes that have Bhagavathar ogling at women loom dangerously close to the modern-day definition of sexual harassment. Also, characters frequently talk to themselves as is fashionable in popular Tamil TV serials.
The movie chronicles the downfall of Haridas and his eventual redemption when Lord Krishna briefly leaves Heaven to come down and bless his devotee. This unexpected twist in the tale made Haridas box-office gold.
When we first meet Haridas, he is an atheist, though the word is never mentioned. “Pathini drogam cheyyatha paithiyakaran kadhaiya (Is this the story of the madman who remained true to his wife),” Haridas asks sarcastically at the beginning, referring to the Ramayana.
When Haridas first invites Ramba to his house, Lakshmi objects saying that a ‘thevidiya’ should not enter a Brahmin household. MKT’s reply seems to be directly for the audience: “When thevidiyas can dance in temples and in weddings, why can’t they dance in this house?” he asks, turning to face the camera.
The most famous of the song is, of course, ‘Manmatha Leelaiyai Vendrar Undo’? (Is there anyone who can defeat Cupid?), a perennial radio favourite. This song is also the high point of Haridas’s relationship with his mistress, Ramba. The other songs, though dime a dozen, fade in comparison. Dialogue and ambient sound intrude upon most songs, probably early such examples in Kollywood. We may not realise it immediately, but this level of sophistication in the song sequences involved quite a bit of wizardry.
The movie has dollops of laugh-out funny scenes that are full of refreshing irony. Apart from the comedy scenes, the song ‘Enadhu Manam Thulli Vilayaduthe’ (My heart is leaping with joy) explicitly expresses Lakshmi’s foolish faith in her husband even as he is trying to set up his next rendezvous with Ramba. Some songs have jaw-dropping visual effects in them -- and it is easy to envision audiences watching these scenes with rapt wonder.
A stunt sequence is staged with flair though you will be hard put to identify it as it is over in the blink of an eye and is edited with breathless speed.
As Ramba keeps seducing Haridas, he falls into a deep pit of alcohol dependence and gambling. His first drink, at Ramba’s childish insistence, is wonderfully staged. The peerless MKT does the scene, which is superbly directed, with all the expertise of a major actor.
Even after the first hour of the movie, there is no redemption in sight for Haridas and our hero, in a drunken stupor, eventually bets his own house in a dice game with Ramba, who promptly shows him the door. Though there are minor male characters who are up to no good, it’s the full-blown wickedness of Ramba as played by Rajakumari that keeps the pot at boiling point.
It is after Haridas’s eviction that the movie takes a rather bizarre turn. Out of the blue, the three ‘deiva kannigal’ show up, each named after a river. There is a sage, whom Haridas taunts and tries to kick, at which point our frolicking, philandering hero loses both his legs.
Back home, Ramba’s deceit is brought to the attention of the King who rules in favour of Haridas.
As expected, Haridas reunites with his parents albeit in a dramatic, suspenseful fashion. He gets back his legs, but there are a good 20 mins of the movie to end. It sure looks like it isn’t enough that Haridas is redeemed, he has to make his wife, who remains sceptical, see light too. And, there is a final test to pass.
Lakshmi’s journey from her parents’ house to the jungle where Haridas has found solace in serving his parents is superbly shot. Some of the sequences in the second half, laden with special effects and trick shots, are rather painful to watch. But there is a message in the end, a bit tacky but it works nevertheless: Take care of your parents.
Haridas surely made a big leap in terms of cinematic language. While the means that the film uses to get the point across is now thoroughly outdated, the core of the message remains completely relevant. That’s a good reason as any to catch the movie.