Coming to the final take, except for two established actors, it was a level field for the new comers. Most of them made the best of it and able to turn the spot light on them. Mahesh in Angadi Theru, Arulnidhi in Vamsam, Atharva in Baana Kathaadi are few who managed a career in Kollywood. Vimal of ‘Kalavani’ and Vidharth of ‘Mynaa’ are leading the race among new comers.

In the deciding section we are leaving Kamal Haasan out because a legend is always a legend. He was delight in ‘Manmadhan Ambu’ though the film was a let down. Kamal has gone past the rituals of annual discussions on films.

That leaves us with two stars. One is like Kamal beyond comparison and the other is like them, a new flavour liked by 6 to 60 in the family.

Suriya had just one film ‘Singam’ and it was out and out his film. You may argue the screenplay was racy, the heroine was beautiful and the songs were good and so on. But, ‘Singam’ was shouldered by Suriya every bit. His penchant for the Nellai dialect dialogue delivery, his masculine body language and his convincing style of performance as a tough cop are reasons for the universal success of the film we feel. Looking back we think nobody else could have done ‘Singam’ better than Suriya. That feeling speak volumes. Then also in ‘Ratha Charithiram’ Suriya proved he is a powerful actor to claim the Scepter of his predecessors.

That brings us to the actor of the year, who else but Rajinikanth. ’Endhiran’ too is a film that comfortably rested on the shoulders of its hero. Here not one but three and all of them the same. ‘Endhiran’ brought back the great actor in Rajinikanth we have been missing since the early eighties.

The price we paid as fans for his super stardom is something he himself will not be convinced with. ‘Endhiran’ was three decades of Rajini in one.

If Chitti was the lovable 90s, Vaseegaran was a satisfied at the top 2000s. Oh boy! Then the Breathtaking 80s was seen in Robot. Villainous and suave, menacing and encouraging, don’t want to win and want to win. That was an amazing mixture of feelings, Rajini’s performance in ‘Endhiran’ evoked.

Here too if not for Rajinikanth, the ‘Endhiran’ would have been only a few nuts and bolts made of nickel waiting for a scrap dealer. (Also remembered is the blitzkrieg marketing)

Adieu 2010. Welcome 2011. Irrespective of all things said and done Cinema, the Art is supreme. Dot.

Actors of 2010: Rajinikanth followed by Suriya at a distance.

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