Just imagine somebody remaking ‘Sholay’ with Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasn playing Amitabh and Dharmendra? Or our own ‘Thirisoolam’ remade with Sarath Kumar as the father and Vijay and Ajith as the two sons. Wow! Isn’t it? Kollywood has many talented actors and surprisingly they are very reluctant to come together for a single film. Actors are ready to play cameos but still not ready to do a parallel role with another hero. Why is that so?

In Hollywood and Bollywood we have seen great actors coming together for one film. The great stars were and are always ready to come together for a good script irrespective of their age and experience.

From Marlon Brando, Al Pacino to Jack Nicholson, Sean Connery to Richard Gere, Tom Cruise to Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp the list is never-ending. Films like A Few Good Men, Godfather, Catch me if you can, Departed are made more memorable also because of the perfect casting possible.

Even in Hindi cinema actors from Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra to the present Abhishek, Ajay Devagan to Salman Khan, Shahruk Khan and Saif all the saleable heroes have no second thoughts in accepting multi-starrers. Film like Sholay, Shaan, Saudaagar, Mohabbatein and many more were possible only with the ego less professionals.

But in Tamil multi-starrer films are rarer than one could imagine. Not just now, but even in those days the top two in the number game have never worked together. If you ask anybody which is the first multi-starrer film in Tamil, invariably most of the people would answer ‘Koondukili’. In theory they may be right as film admirers. But technically the may not be completely right as that was the time when the concept of super stars were emerging. Even when the triumvirate dominated Tamil cinema in the sixties we could see only Gemini Ganesan and SS Rajendran share screen space with other biggies. Even here while SSR managed with both MGR and Sivaji, the other Gemini Ganesan could do just one film ‘Mugarasi’ with MGR in his entire career.

After that the notable multi-star combination in Tamil was that of Rajini and Kamal. If you look closely even this pair broke after they both achieved individual stardom. Most of the Rajini’s early films before turning a solo hero were with Kamal Haasan. Apoorvaragangal, Moontru Mudichu, Avargal, Aadu Puli Aatam, 16 Vayainiley and Ilama Oonjaladugirathu. During this period even Kamal wasn’t a super star but was ahead of Rajini.

When Kamal and Rajini decided on the sets of ‘Ilamai Oonjaladukirathu’ not to work together again and make a separate career nobody could foresee the future. This important decision had its own pros and cons. But for the film buffs cons were more. Apart from a few cameos they both last came together for their mentor K. Balachander in ‘Ninaithale Inikkum’. In the middle when Ramanaidu was planning the multi-starrer ‘Thanikattu Raja’ Kamal was approached and he politely refused reminding them the decision he and Rajini took. Kamal and Rajini later combined with actors like Karthik, Prabhu but not with the likes of Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj. In the Hindi film ‘Geraftaar’ Kamal and Rajini worked together but there was no single combination shot in the three hour long film.

After Rajini-Kamal the super stardom did not belong to any two but there were many takers. Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Karthik, Sarath Kumar all of them had their share at different time. Of these Prabhu is the one who did more multi starrer than others. He and Sathyaraj had a few successful films together like ‘China Thambi Periya Thambi’ and ‘Palaivana Rojakkal’.

Vijayakanth and Prabhu did their only film together ‘Kaalaiyum Neeye Maalayum Neeye’. ‘Guru Sishyan’ and ‘Dharmathin Thalaivan’ with Rajini, ‘Vetri Vizha’ with Kamal. Prabhu was seen here there with all the people. Others in their initial stages of their solo career didn’t mind but once they started having their own fan following they strictly preferred to go on their own.

When we talk about multi-starrer films remember we are talking about popular main stream actors sharing significant screen space with another equally popular actor. Not just guest roles or cameo appearances.

So what is stopping Kollywood actors from coming together?

Click here to read - Many Stars but one movie - II