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There are several visual and verbal cues in the upcoming Rajinikanth film Kaala that open up several avenues for discussion. The most obvious of them all is the colour the lead character is swathed in. Rajinikanth, the hero, is painted in black – a colour that is generally associated with sorrow, dirt and grime. But here, the colour gets a makeover as well. It is being referred to as the colour of revolt and protest and is pitted against ‘politically correct’ white. The antagonist, Nana Patekar, is placed in the universe of white. Another reference that raises an analytical note is Rajini being referred to as ‘Otha Thala Ravanan (single-headed Ravanan)’. While it might be a bit too far-fetched to expect a character that has negative shades in Kaala, here are a few times when Rajinikanth essayed characters so gloriously dark.
Avargal:
As a sadistic husband whose main objective is to harass his wife, Rajini makes you hate him in this K Balachander film. There are multiple shades to Ramanathan – first act as a ‘supportive’ colleague, the transformation to the horrifying husband and the third act as ‘reformed’ husband. Rajini is brilliant – traversing through the different shades with competence.
Moondru Mudichu:
There isn’t a cinephile who can forget the iconic row boat sequence from Moondru Mudichu. Starring the iconic trio, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Sridevi – the film is remembered for its remarkable performances. As Kamal falls into the river, Rajini rows away with composed villainy that leaves a mark even today.
16 Vayathinile:
Another gem from the golden trio of Tamil cinema – Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Sridevi. 16 Vayathinile transformed how a villain could react and was one of the earliest films that showed how stylish Rajini could be. Whether it’s how he brandishes his beedi or the casually sweeps his hair to the side, Rajini was flamboyantly mean in the film. And of course, how can you forget ‘Pathavechutiye Paratta’.
Aval Appadithan:
The cult classic from Rudhraiyya has Rajinikanth playing the ‘Male Chauvinist’ even before we could find a name for it. While the film truly belongs to Sripriya, Rajini’s role as the philandering, opportunistic and annoyingly judgemental boss can’t be ignored. That’s the beauty of a well-written, well-performed negative role, you hate his guts no holds barred. And you will definitely forget Rajini, the Superstar.
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