What do Alex Pandian, Anbuselvan, Aarusamy, Raghavan and Sathyadev have in common?
They’re powerful characters that leading Tamil actors have portrayed on screen. They are all cops.
The khaki-clad, gun-wielding cop has come a long way in Kollywood.
He’s not just an ‘honest police officer’ anymore. He is suave, stylish and genteel in some films. In others, he’s brash, loud and almost rowdy-like. Irrespective of the way he’s portrayed, the character of the cop is a huge hit among filmmakers and audiences alike.
From Rajinikanth to Sivakarthikeyan, from Kamal Haasan to Vikram, they’ve all played the cop. For most stars in tinseltown, an action makeover means playing a tough cop. Alex Pandian (in Moondru Mugam ) remains one of Rajinikanth’s memorable characters; Raghavan (in Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu ) showcased Kamal allstylish… and a few weeks back, Ajith’s outing as a cop in Yennai Arindhaal was the talk of the town.
“Crime has always interested people; as long as there’s crime, cop characters will continue to be portrayed on the big screen,” says G. Dhananjayan, film producer and author of books on Tamil cinema. Another reason, he says, is that such roles enhance hero appeal. “He can usually do no wrong; he can fight with more vigour than the common man. Any hero can seem larger-than-life when he plays a policeman.”
That’s perhaps why actor Sivakarthikeyan, mostly known for his comedy lead roles, chose to play a cop when he wanted try the action film genre. His Kakki Sattai releases this week and industry insiders are keen to see if audiences will like his new ‘action avatar’. “I did hesitate a little when I was told that I was going to play a cop,” recalls Sivakarthikeyan, “But it was a team I was comfortable with, and I knew that they’d handle it well.”
What got this TV anchor-turned-actor emotional was that his father (G. Doss) was a cop in real life. “I’ve never tried his police shirt on, but I have meddled with it as a child. I know where the stars fit. I have even taken his pistol and tried wielding it. Last year, when I wore the uniform for the first time on the sets and looked into the mirror, I felt very proud.”
Madhimaran, the Virugambakkam police station cop that he essays, is a bit different from the usual Kollywood cop. “Madhimaran cannot be a Duraisingam or an Aarusamy (the characters Suriya and Vikram played in Singam and Saamy respectively); I do not have the mass appeal of that sort of policeman. So, we have sketched his character keeping my image with the audiences in mind.” The only change he underwent was putting on some weight. “I put on seven kilos to look more fit.”
Gautham Menon is one filmmaker who can be described as a ‘cop specialist’, having taken up three such storylines. “When I have a script with action in my head, it is the cop that comes to mind immediately. There’s more danger in his line of work than anywhere else. It helps me take the story forward,” explains Gautham.
His characterisation of the protagonist — one who is fierce with criminals and respectful towards women — has drawn much appreciation, including from the force. How different are the three cops in the films ( Kaakha Kaakha , Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu and Yennai Arindhaal ) he’s made? “For me, they are an extension of the same character,” he says.
The tough cop came into Tamil cinema more than half a century ago. Lawyer-turned-actor-screenwriter N. Seetharaman rose to fame as ‘Javert’ Seetharaman because of his role as a police inspector in the 1950-flick Ezhai Padum Paadu . Yesteryear actors, including MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, have played memorable cops. “MGR’s debut film, Sathi Leelavathi (1936), had him playing a policeman. And, Sivaji Ganesan set a benchmark with Thanga Pathakkam ,” informs Dhananjayan.
So, how have members of the police fraternity taken to these films that mirror their lives? M. Ravi, IPS, Inspector-General of Police, says, “A majority of films portray the police in a bad way, which is not true. However, some movies, like Singam and the recent Yennai Arindhaal , did project us in good light.”
He adds, “Usually, the hero is a good cop, but filmmakers tend to showcase his subordinates as traitors or corrupt. They also often exaggerate our line of work, which audiences easily believe because this is mass media.”
But, why is the cop such a draw on the big screen? C. Sylendra Babu, IPS, ADGP, Coastal Security Group, says, “In many villages and towns, the local inspector is the hero for youngsters. The public holds him in high esteem. This is perhaps why films featuring stars as cops do well.”
Though Babu is not a regular film-goer, he admits to watching cop films ‘stealthily’. “I like the adrenaline rush that it gives me,” he confesses, “Films such as Thanga Pathakkam (Sivaji Ganesan) and Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupadu (Sathyaraj) have appealed to me.” There have been real-life policemen, states Babu, who have been “more heroic than even those in the films”. “In Marthandam, a town I grew up in, there was a cop called Pugazhendi who was a role model for many. Another cop, Murali, was very famous in Nagercoil town; he was handsome and a man of action.”
In films, such cop roles aren’t restricted to male leads; leading ladies have played them too. Vijayashanthi rose to fame playing cops; recently, actress Sneha took the action route in Bhavani IPS . Comedians, on the other hand, strive to play what is popularly called ‘sirippu police’ — the one that cannot solve cases or gets beaten up. Ask Vivekh, popular comedy actor, about this characterisation and he says, “Usually, humour does not sit well with the hero-cop. So, we are usually cast in constable roles to provide comic relief.” Vivekh has played cop in Bhavani IPS and Singam. “In the former, I played ‘Yaettu’ Giri, a straightforward cop who tries to convey a message humourously.” The popular Singam series also had humour — Vivekh plays a constable in part one and gets promoted to inspector in part two. His friends — some of whom are in the police department — smile when they watch him don khaki on screen. “A friend from college, who is now a DIG in Tiruchi, said that no cop can take off all of a sudden to South Africa, like we did in Singam 2 ,” he laughs, “But then, he enjoyed it. We do take some cinematic liberties on screen.” The actor also played cop ‘Revolver Richard’ in Yennai Arindhaal .
Bollywood, however, doesn’t seem to have taken to the cop craze. Major heroes, except perhaps Salman Khan ( Dabangg ) and Ajay Devgn ( Singham ), do not seem to find the need to play policemen.
But back here in K-town, the trend looks all set to continue, with several cop movies lined up. Suriya is likely to return as Duraisingam in the third instalment of Singam with director Hari; Vishal will play a policeman again in an upcoming project. Other movies, like Naalu Policesum Nalla Irundha Oorum , feature members of the police force too in vital roles. The cop, surely, is on top in Kollywood.
Top cops in K-Town
Character Hero Film
Alex Pandian Rajinikanth Moondru Mugam
Raghavan Kamal Haasan Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu
Anbuselvan Suriya Kaakha Kaakha
Duraisingam Suriya Singam
Kanagavel Vikram Dhill
Aarusaamy Vikram Saamy
Sathyadev Ajith Yennai Arindhaal
