Simbu and his misadventures

Decades ago T. Rajendhar was known to be a jack of all trades. An accomplished director, he also excelled at story, screenplay and dialogue writing, composing music, lyric writing, cinematography, movie production and distribution besides performing in front of the camera. T. Rajendhar seemed to have excelled at all this because the general masses accepted him in almost all these capacities.

Looks like it is the turn of son Simbu to make a ‘daddy-act’. Unlike T. Rajendhar who was credited with all these facets of filmmaking, grapevine has it that Simbu ‘interferes’ with technicians and settles for no less than his ‘suggestion’ being executed thereby making directors and other technicians of his films mute spectators.

The biggest hit for Simbu so far has been the film ‘Manmadhan’. Directed by A. J. Murugan the film was so successful that it transcended a hitherto struggling Simbu to a stable position. Though Simbu succeeded with the film, its director was de-promoted and found himself as an associate of director Simbu in the next film ‘Vallavan’. Though the director of a successful film, no other film offer seems to have come his way.

Latest reports reveal that director Saravanan and cinematographer Madhi of ‘Silambattam’ have been going through torrid times as Simbu has been ‘interfering’ quite a lot. First, the storyline reportedly was altered. And then Simbu reportedly has been asking Madhi to change certain camera angles and went to the extent of checking every shot keeping Madhi as a bemused spectator next to the camera.

Though expressing one’s ideas as suggestions is part and parcel of a creative team at work, making sure ‘suggestions’ are executed no matter what comes across as being tyrannical.

Is Simbu really like this on the sets or are his actions overtly exaggerated? Only time will reveal the truth.

However, if Simbu can credit himself for all of the technicalities involved in filmmaking, there sure would be no one complaining.