Chennai  :

In popular film lore, it is said that the legend of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the Palayakarrar chieftain who was hanged by the British in 1799, has lived on due to late Tamil thespian Sivaji Ganesan’s powerful portrayal of the warrior in the 1959 biopic.

Such has been Sivaji’s screen magic that the film Veerapandiya Kattabomman continues to draw fans in droves 56 years after it first hit the screens. On Friday, when the movie was re-released, his fans distributed sweets, burst crackers and performed aarthi to a cut out of the actor at a theatre here.

At Shanthi Theatre, owned by the actor’s family, people from all walks of life turned up to watch their beloved hero in one of his eternal roles one more time. Every time Sivaji appeared on screen, loud cheers rent the air with most fans giving him a standing ovation and screaming, ‘Tamil Naatin Singame, Thalaivaa…’ Among them was Pappaiyaa, who had lost vision 12 years ago after acid spilled on his eyes. “I’ve been a fan of Sivaji since 1975. I have watched this film scores of times but I love it so much that I will keep coming to the theatres. All I have to do is listen to the dialogues as I remember the scenes vividly,” he said. In 1959, when the film was first released, it was on 35mm and had mono-sound. It has been converted to cinemascope with 5.1 surround system.

However, the film is not only restricted to the love and respect of the viewers in India. It was won hearts across the globe.

“Vijayalakshmi Pandit, the sister of then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, inaugurated its screening at the Tamil Sangam in London. This is the only Indian film to have won Afro-Asian awards in three categories—best acting, best music and best film in 1960,” said V Srinivasan, the vice president of Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Samooga Nala Peravai. The film was a silver jubilee hit in 1959 when it first released, running for over 175 days. “Interestingly, this film impressed audiences in Egypt too which had been a British colony and needless to say, it was a hit there too,” said Srinivasan.

Legendary Leader of Tamil Nadu

Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the 18th century Palayakarrar chieftain of Tamil Nadu, was one of the earliest warriors to oppose the British rule in south India. Even before the historic War of Independence could pick up its pace in the northern part of the country, Kattabomman had already sounded his war bugle against the Britishers. Although he fought valiantly, he was betrayed by a supporter and was eventually captured by the enemy. Kayatharu, the place where he was executed in 1799, has become a place of political pilgrimage. Centuries after his death, many folklores and folk songs that praise the valour of the brave man continue to be a part of Tamil Nadu’s culture.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> The Sunday Standard / by Manigandan K R / August 23rd, 2015