Tamil Cinema adulterates pure dance
Subhashini PATHMANATHAN
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Bharatha Natyam
Dancer Kamala |
Cinema is a medium for the common masses. Different artistes like
producers, story writers, and script writers, actors, numerous
technicians, music composers, music directors, dance directors, playback
singers and others in the background are involved in the film industry.
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In the cinema, it is essential
for the actors to maintain the body by learning the dance. This
helped them to use the facial expressions to express
different emotional feelings in the acting career. Most of the
earlier female actors were good classical dancers. Later they
turned out as attractive female cinema actresses in the Indian
cinema world, and they were also natural beauties. Learning
dance provided much more opportunity for them to become leading
actresses |
The story and music, naturally play a major role to attract the
average public. The approach and the attitude of the audience today and
the producers too have changed.
The ingredients of cinema generally include songs, music, dance, a
story and a theme. Earlier the films screened were based on puranes and
epics. Yet a social theme, �Thillana Mohanambal� contained many
classical dances, based on classical music. Most of the actors of
yesteryear became film stars.
Today most of the film stories are not realistic unbelievable themes.
They don�t remain in our memory for long. Presently people view the
teledrama series. They are more story oriented than the present cinema.
Earlier the females who wanted to enter in the Indian silver screen
should study any classical dance form. It must be a must for them to
learn the classical dances, under different outstanding Gurus.
In the cinema, it is essential for the actors to maintain the body by
learning the dance. This helped them to use the facial expressions to
express different emotional feelings in the acting career.
Most of the earlier female actors were good classical dancers. Later
they turned out as attractive female cinema actresses in the Indian
cinema world, and they were also natural beauties. Learning dance
provided much more opportunity for them to become leading actresses.
One must realize that the cinema field is not purely a classical art
field. It is a media to attract the common masses, and it is a business
based venture. We cannot expect very pure classical aspects in cinema.
Even the classical music used in cinema, is not strictly adhered to the
classical mode. But in the film the music, is often based on rhythm.
Even to attract the common masses numerous western and eastern
musical instruments are used for background music. Therefore according
to the musical rhythm the steps for the songs are adopted. Hence, pure
classical dance steps (adavus) could not be found in these dance scenes.
Unfortunately for now no puranic story based movies are made. Earlier
in the cinema various classical dance scenes were included, and
interwoven with the stories. Beautifully designed costumes, and
attractive ornaments were worn in these dance scenes. These were the
main attractive features which influenced the younger generation of that
era.
To train the dancers for the cinema, the producers, engaged the
traditional Gurus, to teach and train the actors. Among the traditional
Gurus Vazhvoor Ramiahpillai, was one of the outstanding choreographers.
Among the actresses who were successfully moulded by Vazhvoor
Ramiahpillai were Lalitha, Padmini, Rahini, Vyjayanthimala, Hemamalini,
and Kamala Lakshmanan. Even Jayalalitha was trained in classical
Bharatha Natyam by Thandauthapanipillai one of the outstanding Gurus.
Kamalakasan learnt Bharatha Natyam under Vazhvoor Ramiahpillai.
The classical dances in cinema, mainly Bharatha Natyam received
worldwide recognition and fame.
Tragically by the end of 20th century the Indian cinema introduced
razzle dazzle, dances, and fusion dances by using the classical dance
costumes to stimulate the interest of the younger generation. It affects
the classical dance forms of India generally. |
