The small screen has become an integral and inevitable part of present day life style. When it comes to drama, the role being played by the television in promoting the art is immeasurable, says ‘Vietnam Veedu' Sundaram, noted film script writer and director.
Describing television as a comfortable medium projecting all major events across the world at one's doorstep, Mr. Sundaram is enthusiastic about utilising mass media technological advancements to the best of his advantage .
He feels proud to be able to use the television as a platform to expose his talents and thereby paving way for people to enjoy his performances. This apart, many TV artistes are as popular as drama and film artistes, he says indicating the role being played by television in promoting drama. In fact, it is electronic media which had made him an actor. “I may not be so good at acting, but it provides a platform to a large number of artistes,” he says. The veteran actor recalls his relationship with Y.Gee.Mahendra, with a sense of gratitude, who had given him vital inputs on the nuances of acting and helped him become an actor in the small screen.
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Going down memory lane, Mr. Sundaram, who has been in the cinema field for over five decades, proudly recalls his association with late thespian Sivaji Ganesan, a ‘born and blessed actor'.
Even Sri Paramacharyar of Sri Kanchi Mutt had blessed the late actor for his extraordinary skill, a testimonial to the divine gift Sivaji Ganesan possessed.
Tracing the journey of Sivaji Ganesan from drama field, Mr. Sundaram praises the late actor's photographic memory in grasping and delivering dialogues, irrespective of its length.
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Citing an example, he says that he stepped into the world of drama only to emerge with flying colours with an hat trick, with three prominent dramas ‘Vietnam Veedu', ‘Gnana Oli' and ‘Gowravam'.
Although he had scripted a number of plays, it was these three dramas which proved to be a trend setter.
In fact these dramas and later the films, with Sivaji Ganesan playing the lead role, went down well with the audience.
The three films evoked overwhelming response from various sections of film-goers irrespective of economic strata. On ‘Vietnam Veedu', he says almost every individual identified with the character of ‘Padmanabha Iyer'. Sivaji Ganesan was an ideal actor who was perfect in dialogue delivery and precise in body language.