The trailer release function of the digitally re-mastered version of Ninaithale Inikkum showed how cinema affected people in ways we cannot imagine. When this film released 34 years ago, it touched a chord with the youth catapulting Kamal Haasan to stardom.
Speaking in the presence of director K. Balachander, composer M.S. Viswanathan and lead actor Kamal Haasan, director Ameer narrated how, as a school kid, he bunked school and watched the movie. Similar stories were recounted by director K.S. Ravikumar and others.
K. Balachander recollected several anecdotes about the film — including one about how he caught Kamal Haasan discreetly telling someone that he was not sure about the film’s success. “I won that duel,” the director said.
While Rajinikanth, who also had an important role in the film, was not in attendance, Kamal Haasan spoke about how important the film turned out to be in both their careers. “The decision to not act again together was taken while shooting for this film outside Satya Studios,” he said.
Going by the audience’s response to the re-mastered visuals, it is possible that the film will touch a chord with the young audiences of today — just like it did three decades ago.
