is kollywood still from kodambakkam ??

It is a well known fact that the name kollywood came up when someone felt that the tamil film industry was a combination of hollywood and kodambakkam. Of course, with regard to technology, we are moving closer to hollywood, but is the heritage of kodambakkam still retained??

Right from olden times, we have seen people being brought in from other regions, into tamil movies. But earlier, it used to be producers and to a minimum level, artistes too. At that point of time, society in tamil nadu was pretty conservative. Women were still restricted to households. It was indeed difficult to find heroines and so the import of heroines from other places was kind of justified.

In the past couple of decades, there have been several such imports. Simran, Jyotika, Nagma... Of course who can forget Kushboo, who literally ruled the industry during her peak. Most people do not even know their real names. How many of us know that the real name of Simran is Rishibala?? But here, i am not criticising them. They had the talent and got the opportunity to express it. There was a spot vacant in the tamil fiml industry.. the top notch heroine's, and these people got their chances.

But look at the scene today. Its difficult to even name a few heroines who can speak tamil, leave alone being of tamil origin. There are the few who can speak tamil, if not fluently, but more often their voice is dubbed by someone else. Like for example Trisha, in Aayitha Ezhuthu. The hi-society accent (konjam suzhichu suzhichu pesina) she had suited her role, but then this may not be ok for other movies.

No doubt, the number of new directors has increased a lot. But is there such a dearth of talent in our own state that each of these directors have to introduce a new face in their movies?? Scores of such 'heroines' have sprung up, especially in the last four or five years. Most of these females are models, who are picked up straight from the ramp. Some of them don't even know to portray basic emotions and have absolutely no idea of what dialogue they are 'enacting' for. As a result, there is very little, if not null, sync with the dubbing.

One reason that i attribute to this situation, is the fact that a new director has funding as a limitation during his first attempt at the big screen. With a new script in hand, he would not dare to approach an established heroine because she will demand a huge sum. So, he resorts to introducing a new face, but sadly as in most cases, it seems to be a big letdown. So to fill in this gap, some glam dolls are inserted into the movie in item numbers. Again these females are also scooped off the north simply because they are cheap, and are ready for some skin show. Whether item songs are necessary is not my argument presently, but they have become a standard ingredient in almost every movie.

Not only heroines, but over the past few years we have witnessed several popular singers from the north singing for tamil albums. Some of the good names are Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan. At least the former has learnt to pronounce lyrics properly over the years. Udit seriously has a long way to go. Mispronunciation spoils the beauty of a song even if it is sung by an enchanting voice (like the song from yaaradi nee mohini).

Seri.. ithayum mannichu vidalaam nu paathaa... now even music directors are being brought from elsewhere. Again, i am not criticising them, but i am very sure that we have enough musical geniuses in and around kollywood itself. Particularly, i was vexed by the arrival of Himesh to tamil music through Dasavatharam. With his hi-pitch, nasal tone, Himesh may be a sensation up in the north, but i feel his arrival may do more harm to the tamil industry than good. Indeed some of the songs are good in the album, but it is really important for a music director to feel the audience and to compose according to their liking. It is in that expanse that AR Rahman excels, and Himesh fails miserably.

Summing it up, if such a trend continues, then soon kollywood will lose its originality completely. The name will become an oxymoron one day. Sad.. isnt it?? A day will come, when the only thing tamil in the movie is the title, that too only for the rebate in tax..