Why Tovino Thomas Is Obsessed With Kamal Haasan's 'Michael Madana Kama Rajan'
'Narivetta' filmmaker Anuraj Manohar and actor Tovino Thomas speak about the latter's fandom for Kamal Haasan
Director Anuraj Manohar, who had previously directed Ishq nearly six years ago, says his plan was to make that film with Tovino. He returns with his second film Narivetta this week, but explains that his working relationship with Tovino began more than 10 years ago on the sets of his film 7th Day (2014), back when Anuraj worked as an associate director.
Going back to that phase, Anuraj recalls some of Tovino’s quirky movie obsessions from then. He says, “I remember how he used to keep calling me 'Bheemboy, Bheemboy!' He was obsessed with Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990). If he was sitting in a corner, he’d randomly shout out ‘Bheemboy, Bheemboy’ to make us all laugh.”
“I still rewatch the movie today,” says Tovino. “It’s equally impressive both in terms of technique and Kamal sir’s performance. Right from the start, Kamal sir plays four different characters, each with their own costumes. But after a point, all of them begin to look like Madan, with clean shaven faces and glasses. And when they move into the rocking house on that cliff, isn’t it amazing that we’re able to make out which character Kamal sir is playing even though they all look the same?”
It’s one the many films that made Tovino a die-hard fan of Kamal Haasan. “I have a list of his films which I consider textbook. Movies like Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) and obviously, Nayakan (1987). Nayakan is a mood… at times I’ll sit down thinking I'll watch five minutes of it; most times, I end up watching the whole film.”
Tovino also recalls discovering Anbe Sivam (2003) too late at night when it played on KTV. “I had seen the songs before, but I had never watched the film. It started playing once at midnight, and I got up from where I was seated only a few minutes after the movie finished at 3AM. What a film and what a performance! On one side, he appears as a strong revolutionary; he then performs the other end by playing someone so weak and vulnerable. It is also so philosophical. At times, I wonder if our films can contain the full expanse of his Kamal sir's thoughts.”