Filmmaker's Top 10s

[NOV]

[tscii]
K. Balachander

1. Andha Naal
2. Chandralekha
3. Kalyana Parisu
4. Thillana Mohanambal
5. Pasamalar
6. Ulagam Sutrum Valiban
7. 16 Vayathinile
8. Mullum Malarum
9. Kadhal Kottai
10. Kathal


‘Andha Naal’ was released in 1954 starring Sivaji Ganesan and Pandaribai. It was the first talkie in India without song or dance. I like the way director S. Balachander tackles this experimental film, an unusual attempt at that time. Just like ‘Sivaji’ today, people talked about ‘Chandralekha’ in the past. Produced at a cost of Rs 30 lakhs (a huge sum at that time), it has grand sets. I have seen it 12 times. ‘Kalyanaparisu,’ a love story, is the first of its kind. I became director Sridhar’s fan after watching it.

[NOV]

[tscii]
Sridhar

1. Sindhu Bairavi
2. Roja
3. Vedam Puthidhu
4. Thillana Mohanambal
5. Nayagan
6. 16 Vayathinile
7. Udhiripookkal
8. Thiruvilaiyadal
9. Servar Sundaram
10. Saraswathi Sabadam


‘Sindhu Bairavi’ is a masterpiece in its own way. The screenplay and the actors’ performances make it the best. I choose ‘Roja’ for its patriotism. ‘Vedam Puthidhu’ appeals because of its message that all humans are the same.

[NOV]

[tscii]
J. Mahendran

1. Chandralekha
2. Ratha Kaneer
3. Thillana Mohanambal
4. Nenjil Oru Aalayam
5. 16 Vayathinile
6. Veedu
7. Kadhal
8. Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi
9. Paruthi Veeran
10. Mozhi


I choose ‘Chandralekha,’ a remarkable film, because of its grandeur in all departments of filmmaking. There are no graphics or special effects. If anybody tries to remake this black and white film, they will make a mockery of it. ‘Ratha Kaneer,’ made in 1954, has progressive ideas and great acting by M.R.Radha. ‘Thillana Mohanambal’ must make all Tamils proud. It not only fuses Bharatnatyam and nadaswaram, but has an outstanding screenplay and a great cast.

[NOV]

[tscii]
Balu Mahendra

1. Parasakthi
2. Devadas
3. Ratha Kaneer
4. Pasamalar
5. Silanerangalil Silamanidargal
6. Unnaipol Oruvan
7. Aval Appadithan
8. Kalyana Parisu
9. Nenjil Or Aalayam
10. Thanneer Thanneer


‘Parasakthi’s’ heavy dialogue (written in chaste Tamil by the current Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi) coupled with a stunning performance by newcomer, Sivaji Ganesan, make it a favourite. ‘Devadas’ has superb lighting by B.S.Ranga, excellent performance by A. Nageswara Rao and Savithri and haunting music by C.R.Subbaraman. As a teenager, I saw it 40 times. As a filmmaker, I saw it for the 50th time a couple of years ago. It still captivates me now as it did, when I was a teenager.
‘Ratha Kaneer’ has brilliant dialogue and inimitable performance by M.R.Radha.

[NOV]

[tscii]
K. Bhagyaraj

1. Adutha Veettupenn
2. Parasakthi
3. Nadodi Mannan
4. Uthama Puthiran
5. Kalyana Parisu
6. Thillana Mohanambal
7. Ulagam Suttrum Valiban
8. Aval Oru Thodarkathai
9. Mullum Malarum
10. 16 Vayathinile


I like ‘Adutha Veettupenn’ for the natural acting, ‘Parasakthi’ for its message of social awareness, reform and powerful dialogue. In ‘Nadodi Mannan’ and ‘Uthama Puthiran,’ I enjoyed the way both heroes combine acting prowess with entertainment.

[NOV]

[tscii]
Mani Ratnam

1. Udhiripookal
2. 16 Vayathinile
3. Aval Oru Thodarkathai
4. Andha Naal
5. Mullum Malarum
6. ‘Uthama Puthiran
7. Anbe Vaa
8. Pitha Magan
9. Moondram Pirai
10. Pasa Malar


I had just stepped into the industry and Mahendran’s ‘Udhiripookal’ just bowled me over. It was a breakthrough film in commercial cinema. The negative character in it and the way it ends make it outstanding. ‘16 Vayathinile’ is memorable for its script, high standard and realism. K.Balachandar has done some of the best films before and after ‘Aval Oru Thodar Kathai.’ But I choose it mainly for its storyline. It is not the plot or the story, but the character that carries the film through. Although it was released about 25 years ago, the character remains fresh in one’s memory. That is the greatness of the film.

[NOV]

[tscii]
K.S. Ravi Kumar

1. Pasamalar
2. Nenjil Or Aalayam
3. Aval Oru Thodar Kathai
4. Kadhalikka Neramillai
5. 16 Vayathinile
6. Mullum Malarum
7. Nayagan
8. Deivamagan
9. Ulagam Suttrum Valiban
10. Puthu Vasantham


As a kid I saw ‘Pasamalar’ and cried. As an adult, each time I have seen it I was moved to tears. Recently when I saw it, the film left a lump in my throat. That is the power of the script and the performance of lead players. Sridhar’s ‘Nenjil Or Aalayam’ depicts the supremacy of love. Through his script and direction, Balachandar brings out the tender core of his middle-class heroine, assailed by problems, in ‘Aval Oru Thodarkathai.’

[NOV]

[tscii]
Ameer

1. Andha Naal
2. Nenjam Marappadhillai
3. Thiruvilaiyadal
4. Ulagam Suttrum Valiban
5. Moondru Mudichu
6. Aval Appadithan
7. Udhiri Pookal
8. 16 Vayathinile
9. Moondram Pirai
10. Sethu


‘Andha Naal’ by S. Balachander was a trendsetter. When songs were the mainstay those days, this film was a bold attempt as it did not have any. Each camera angle makes watching it worthwhile. In fact one can say that this film changed the sound concept in Tamil cinema. ‘Nenjam Marappadhillai’ not only breaks free from the formulaic screenplay but director Sridhar does something revolutionary by introducing new faces in it. Recently I read in a paper that the film has been remade in Hindi. This is the power of Sridhar’s script. Director A.P. Nagarajan’s ‘Thiruvilaiyadal’ is imaginative. It treats a mythological subject in an interesting way. It is one of the best films in the annals of Tamil cinema.

[NOV]

Very interesting collection of best movies by the jambavaans of tamil cinema. I for one do not agree to some of the movies listed. :roll: And it is quite obvious that some very good movies have been left out. In any case, we need to respect their opinions and accept them wholeheartedly.

Let the analysis begin!

Can someone analyse which movie gets the most vote and from that we can derive the best 10 movies for these eight filmmakers.

[joe]

I for one do not agree to some of the movies listed. :roll: And it is quite obvious that some very good movies have been left out. In any case, we need to respect their opinions and accept them wholeheartedly..

:yes: IMO ,Most of them wanted to strike a balance (different category ,actor ,period etc)

[Thalafanz]

16 Vayathinile - Out of 8, 7 people's favourite...

[NOV]

Leading nominations:

Sivaji
Andha Naal
Thillaana Mohanambal
Paasa Malar
Thiruvilaiyadal
Saraswathy Sabatham
Parasakthi
Uthama Puthiran
Deiva Magan

MGR
Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban
Nadodi Mannan
Anbe Va

Kamal
16 Vayathinile
Nayagan
Aval Appadithan
Moondram Pirai
Moondru Mudichu

Rajini
Mullum Malarum
16 Vayathinile
Moondru Mudichu
Aval Appadithan

Vikram
Pitha magan
Sethu

Ajith
Kadhal Kottai

Surya
Pitha Magan

[Thalafanz]

Ajith
Kadhal Kottai

:shock: Yaaru pa intha padatha mention pannathu??? Lemme go through the list again... :P

[selvakumar]

I remember Mani praising Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban a lot for its aesthetics and making. I think Anbe Vaa in his list could have replaced by USV

[selvakumar]

Ajith
Kadhal Kottai

:shock: Yaaru pa intha padatha mention pannathu??? Lemme go through the list again... :P
Same here :lol:
Looks like it is in KB's list :shock:

[sarna_blr]

Ameer -------------10. Sethu---Directed by guru of ameer

K.S. Ravi Kumar----10. Puthu Vasantham----Directed by guru of KSR

K. Bhagyaraj--------10. 16 Vayathinile--Directed by Guru of K Bagyaraj

y 10th place for there guru's :? :roll:

[NOV]

Directors List

K Balachander
Sindhu Bairavi
Server Sundaram
Aval Oru Thodarkathai
Thanneer Thaneer
Moondru Mudichu

Sridhar
Kalyana Parisu
Nenjil Oru Aalayam
Kadhalikka Neramillai

AP Nagarajan
Saraswathy Sabatham
Thillaana Mohanambal
Thiruvilaiyadal

Bharathi Raja
16 Vayathinile
Vedham Puthidhu

Mahendran
Mullum Malarum
Uthiri Pookal

Maniratnam
Nayagan
Roja

MGR
Nadodi Mannan
Ulagam Sutrum Valiban

Balu Mahendra
Veedu
Moondram Pirai[/u]

[NOV]

Looks like it is in KB's list :shock:I guess you will now be a little more tolerant of KB now onwards. :P

[selvakumar]

Looks like it is in KB's list :shock:I guess you will now be a little more tolerant of KB now onwards. :P
NO
Both on screen and off screen, KB is not my favorite. I like few of his movies. Not a director or a creator whom I like the MOST.
I prefer Mahendran. Moreover, I am surprised to see KK in his list. Kaathal kottai is a good movie. I like few other romantic movies of ajith more than KK. But I respect his view

[Thalafanz]

Leading nominations:

Actors...



Vikram's name is missing for Sethu & Pithamagan... Should be above Ajith. :roll:

[selvakumar]

Leading nominations:

Actors...



Vikram's name is missing for Sethu & Pithamagan... Should be above Ajith. :roll:
was about to say that :)

[joe]

NOV,
Aval appadi thaan ,you missed in Rajini list.

[NOV]

oh ok, I was just comparing based on usual duels ie MGR-Sivaji, Rajini-Kamal and Ajith-Vijay :P

[joe]

Kathal Kottai is National Award winning Screen play.

[joe]

Raththa Kaneer is mentioned by 2. :D

[Thalafanz]

Leading nominations:

Actors...



Vikram's name is missing for Sethu & Pithamagan... Should be above Ajith. :roll:
was about to say that :)

There are Roja & Kaathal which makes Aravind Swamy (:cool:) & Barath (:P) to be same level as Ajith :roll:

[selvakumar]

oh ok, I was just comparing based on usual duels ie MGR-Sivaji, Rajini-Kamal and Ajith-Vijay :P
I am LOST - NOV.
Expecting a PM :)

[selvakumar]

There is Roja & Kaathal which makes Aravind Swamy (:cool:) & Barath (:P) to be same level as Ajith :roll:
That is quite true Yoga. KK, Kaathal and Roja are movies known for their directors if not actors. Had he mentioned Vaali, I would have accepted it as something related to ajith. Not KK :)

[selvakumar]

Kathal Kottai is National Award winning Screen play.
Yup ! Agathiyan's BEST ??

[NOV]

Edited, to include Vikram and Surya.
Thats it no more... appuram sindhu bairavikku sivakumar, server sundraththukku nagesh, imsai arasanukku vadivelu nu engEyO pOyidum list. :roll:

[selvakumar]

nagesh deserves a place in the list for Server Sudaram NOV :)

[joe]

appuram sindhu bairavikku sivakumar, server sundraththukku nagesh, imsai arasanukku vadivelu nu engEyO pOyidum list. :roll:

Puthu Vasantham Murali ,Aaanantha Babu -va vittuteenga :evil: :lol:

[joe]

nagesh deserves a place in the list for Server Sudaram NOV :)

Nagesh Nadicha padam list-la niraYa irukku (ofcourse not a hero)

[Thirumaran]

Ippa ethukku ithellaam list pannanum :confused2:

[joe]

NOV,
I think ,AP Nagarajan should be in Directors list ..3 of his movies in list ,that too Thillana mohanampaL is chioce of many. :D

[NOV]

Ippa ethukku ithellaam list pannanum :confused2::exactly: basica oru analysis pannaa ... :roll:

anyway, from this list, we can at least get hold the movies and see what it so intersting in them ;)

[joe]

Ippa ethukku ithellaam list pannanum :confused2:

Pirichu meYiRathukku thaan :wink:

[NOV]

Done Joe. :D

[NOV]

Disappointment 1 is not finding Gouravam in anyone's list.

Disappointment 2 is not finding any Kamal movie post Nayagan in anyone's list.

:cry: :cry2: :cry3:

[Thirumaran]

The movies i had not seen or seen partially from that list.
1. Chandralekha
2. Paruthi Veeran
3. Silanerangalil Silamanidargal
4. Unnaipol Oruvan
5. Aval Appadithan
6. Adutha Veettupenn
7. Uthama Puthiran
8. Devadas

The movies which i am not much impressed with
1. Saraswathi Sabadam
2. Veedu

My 10 from that list (not in any specific order)
1. 16 vayathinilae
2. Nadoadi Mannan
3. Nayakan
4. Andha Naal
5. Thiruvilayaadal
6. Vedam Puthithu
7. Sinthu Bairavi
8. Moondram Pirai
9. Sethu
10. Ulagam Sutrum Vaalipan

I found Ameer's list to be very interesting and good :yes:

[joe]

Disappointment 2 is not finding any Kamal movie post Nayagan in anyone's list.


IMO ,the reason is when someone want us to list Top 10 ,we used to think about old classics and few movies which has impact on us recently.

That is why we can see mozhi ,paruthiveeran ,kaathal in all time great list ,but not Mahanathi .

Moreover here they are asked most favourite movies ,not Greatest movies .

[leosimha]

NOV, where did you get the list of Filmmaker's TOP 10 movies?

[raaja_rasigan]

some months back it was released in Hindu Newspaper

[sarna_blr]

some months back it was released in Hindu Newspaper

yeah...its still there in hindu online edition :)

[leosimha]

some months back it was released in Hindu Newspaper

oh okay. seeing you after a long time, raja_rasigan.

[raaja_rasigan]

some months back it was released in Hindu Newspaper

oh okay. seeing you after a long time, raja_rasigan.

idha nan unga kitta ketkanum :)

yeah... not frequent as before, but still reading most of the threads :)

[leosimha]

Kathal Kottai is National Award winning Screen play.
Yup ! Agathiyan's BEST ??

And KK did have a very different script.

[leosimha]

some months back it was released in Hindu Newspaper

oh okay. seeing you after a long time, raja_rasigan.

idha nan unga kitta ketkanum :)

yeah... not frequent as before, but still reading most of the threads :)

I was also busy but now lil bit relaxed now.

okay now going into the topic. The movies listed out here by the directors are for best direction or for the best acting by the actors.

[sarna_blr]

okay now going into the topic. The movies listed out here by the directors are for best direction or for the best acting by the actors.

Respective directors Top Ten Favourite Movies

[NOV]

yes, it came in Hindu paper in conjunction with 75th anniversary of Tamil cinema.

[VENKIRAJA]

There was a similar column in AV two years back.Film-makers,actors and cameramen had to list their top 10 movies,writers their top 10 books and musicians their top 10 songs.
I remember Surya's top 5:
1.16 vayathinile
2.Gladiator
3.Goodfellas
4.Nayagan
5.I am sam

Vikram had Uthiri pookal as his most fav movie.KB had almost the same line-up with Bicycle theif and Pather panchali somewhere in between.Prakashraj had parasakthi in #1.Vauely remember barath including Kadhal in his list.

[ajithfederer]

Ingayum adhae dhan :shock:.

Its a good movie. But in Top 10, hmm I have to see the movie again to comment something. But for sure most of the credit of the movie should go to Director Agathiyan :thumbsup:. Extremely my opinion alone, fellow ajith fans :).




Ajith
Kadhal Kottai

:shock: Yaaru pa intha padatha mention pannathu??? Lemme go through the list again... :P
Same here :lol:
Looks like it is in KB's list :shock:

[selvakumar]

[tscii:3ccb6a6d65]பாரதிராஜா - குமுதத்தில்
http://www.kumudam.com/magazine/Kumudam/2008-08-13/pg7.php

உங்களால் மறக்க முடியாத பழைய பத்துப் படங்கள்?

நீங்கள் எந்த மொழியில் என்று கேட்கவில்லை. ஆதலால் எனக்குப் பிடித்த பத்துப் படங்களைக் கூறுகிறேன்.

1. ரேயான்ஸ் டாட்டர்
(Rayan’s Daughter)

2. டாக்டர் ஷிவாகோ(Dr.Zhivago)

3. மதர் இந்தியா

4. பதேர் பாஞ்சாலி

5. நெஞ்சில் ஓர் ஆலயம்

6. அவள் ஒரு தொடர் கதை

7. முள்ளும் மலரும்

8. மூன்றாம் பிறை

9. நாயகன்

10. முதல் மரியாதை

ஸ்பெஷலாக `16 வயதினிலே' மற்றும் `காகஸ் கி பூல்'’(kaagaz Ke Phool).[/tscii:3ccb6a6d65]

[MADDY]

[tscii:97a342c965]
ஸ்பெஷலாக `16 வயதினிலே' மற்றும் `காகஸ் கி பூல்'’(kaagaz Ke Phool)

two of the best movies ever made in India....the technology/camera shots/angles/dialogues in kaagaz ke phool movie were clearly 30-40 yrs ahead of its times per indian standard 8-)[/tscii:97a342c965]