It would have been a childhood dream for many of you. Remember the days when you always wanted to be the police in the cop-thief game you played in your younger days? Even if you ask children today what they would want to become when they grow up many would say a police officer with a flash in their eyes. Such is the liking for a profession of esteem. Wearing that stiff starched uniform seems a dream for many stars in Kollywood also. Almost all the top stars have done a film to reckon with in police uniform. Right from the legends to the few film old actors donning a police uniform is a dream.

Although all the stars of yesterday and today have worn the uniform you remember only a few for their sheer power of screen presence. Top on the list is undoubtedly Sivaji Ganesan. Even today if anybody is doing a police his research for the role starts with Sivaji. It is interesting to note an actor who set standards for a cop role actually did a commanding cop role only in the last phases of his career. Sivaji Ganesan’s first cop act in ‘Raja’ was more of an undercover cop. But ‘Thangapathakam’ released in 1974 is a film which will live for ever. SP Chaudhry is not a baddie bashing cop. He is a family man as well as an honest officer. Sivaji’s histrionics was at full flow in this film.

Scenes like him leaving the police station after he was informed about his wife’s death and again his walk when he enters his home to see his dead wife are bench marks. Even the scene when Srikanth pretends that he never made the phone call which put his father in a tight spot. ‘Thangapathakam’ was more a family film but the audience remembers it for the stiff cop.

Sivaji did do a few other films as police officers. But the one that comes a distant second in recognition is ‘Vellai Roja’. Others like En Magan, Sangili, Thiruppam, Needhiyin Nizhal Thiruppam and Pudhiya Vaanam have little to remember. Even the humourous officer in ‘Vidhuthalai’ was not a match to Amjad Khan of Qurbani.

MGR has done a cop role in most of his black and whites. All most all of Devar-MGR combo was cop stories. But what, the hero would be invariably a secret police officer or engaged in undercover operation who need not were police uniform. Even for stills you hardly find any except a few in En Kadamai or Mugarasi. ‘Pallandu Vaazhga’ is the only genuine MGR cop film in which he begins and remains a police officer until the end. Even other stars donned uniforms but as fate would have it only the big stars are remembered.

Next came the generation of Rajini and Kamal. Kamal was seen in Sattam, Kakhi Chattai, Apoorva Sagodharargal, Kuruthipunal and most recently Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu. But ‘Kakhi Chattai’ remained a fovourite cop for more than 25 years until ‘Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu’ snatched the crown. But the more romantic Kamal was always seen as a functional police officer.

Inspector Rajini was as stylish as an action Rajini. In 1979 police Rajini was seen in ‘Anbukku Naan Adimai’. He also was a cop in Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal, Kodi Parakuthu and Pandiyan. The first two were films of two iconic directors but even they could not make the roles memorable. But the very thought of Alex Pandian in ‘Moondru Mugam’ (1982) gives you goose pimples even today. Interestingly most of the films Rajinikanth did in Hindi are as police officer. Meri Adaalat, Dosti Dhushmani, Hum, Phool Bane Angaray, John Jani Janardhan, Geraftaar and Farishtay.

Even the mid-gen actors like Sathyaraj and Vijayakanth have excelled in uniforms. Vijayakanth’s re-entry after a career down turn in the 80s saw a handful of police films which made his fans think he is more apt for cop roles than others. Puthiya Theerppu, Oomai Vizhigal, Sattam Oru Vilaiyaattu, Captain Prabhakaran, Sethupathi IPS, Alexander, Ulavu Thurai and Vanchinathan are some films which made Vijayakanth a cop force among his fans. Vivek rightly puts this in a comedy saying “he has caught most terrorists from Kashmir to Kanyakumari than anybody else”. Even in his latest film ‘Virudhagiri’ the captain plays and directs safe as a cop. Sathyaraj in ‘Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupadu’ and Walter Vetrivel, Prabhu in ‘Agni Natchathiram’ some other cops who stand out.

Now the latest generation has changed the rules for a khakhi cop. They want more action, more thrills and everything in excess. In short they feel they want to be “not police but scoundrels (Police Illa Porukki)”. Of course Vikram started and it caught on… What about Suriya..? How was Ajith as a cop..?

Click here to read - Khakhi Love - 2

………………… TO CONTINUE