Thalapathi is an incredibly special film for me because it was my first introduction to the genius and masterful craftsmanship of Mani Ratnam. I first saw it as a kid in the 90s, on television. Despite my unfamiliarity with the Tamil language and lack of subtitles to assist me, this film made a profound impact on me at the time because, for someone who was used to consuming a certain kind of film language and grammar in Malayalam cinema, Thalapathi looked and sounded much different from them even though I recognised the faces of actors like Mammootty, Manoj K. Jayan and Srividya. It looked like... something made in another part of the world.
It showed me that films don't necessarily have to be made in one particular way. It showed me that you could play around with light, atmosphere, music, and, most importantly, actors, to create a one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen experience. It showed me that it's possible to combine the sensibilities of mainstream cinema and arthouse cinema in an extraordinarily coherent, tonally consistent manner. It showed me that when you cast the right people, you don't have to stuff your screenplay with plenty of information or resort to an overdose of melodrama.
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Now, this was before I had heard of Nayagan or Roja or Iruvar; after Thalapathi, though, I made sure that I found every Mani Ratnam film wherever I could find it. So you can imagine my excitement when news broke out that this maverick filmmaker was working on a 4k restoration of not only Thalapathi but also my dearest Mani Ratnam film, Iruvar. But whether it was in 4k or not didn't matter; it was the thought of revisiting it on the big screen that generated excitement.
As for the quality of the remaster, you are bound to feel a little disappointed if you expect the near-flawless quality of the recently restored Manichithrathazhu or Valyettan. There are scenes where the images look slightly blurry or their colours washed out. This is understandable because you have to remember that Thalapathi came out in 1991, and the fact that they managed to salvage most of the important and pivotal scenes in the film is worthy of applause. But at the same time, you also feel slightly disheartened when you think how difficult it is to find many classics, especially from South Indian/Malayalam cinema, from the 90s or before, in pristine condition.
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I believe that Mani Ratnam and Santosh Sivan originally intended the film to have a sepia colour tone, and if that's indeed true, I'm happy to report that it has been retained through most of the film. This tone is exquisitely complemented by the colours of the actors' costumes and the detail-heavy production design. And, of course, it goes without saying that Santosh Sivan's magnificent frames with their immaculate composition and remarkable interplay of light and shadow look great on the big screen. (By the way, this was Santhosh Sivan's first Tamil film and his first Mani Ratnam film.
There are, however, a couple of areas where the sound is either muffled or completely absent. However, I was glad that this did not affect Ilaiyaraaja's songs. Listening to them, especially 'Sundari Kannal...' in the theatre, got me so emotional. But I was a bit upset that some pieces of the background score got corrupted in this release. If this is something you might find bothersome, I'd suggest sticking with whatever old copies of the film you have or watching it on YouTube or any of the OTT platforms.
Back when I saw Thalapathi as a kid, what appealed to me the most was the gangster drama elements and the presence of two titans named Mammootty and Rajinikanth. Also unfamiliar to me was the idea of actors from one language crossing over to the other. I think it was good that social media existed back then. Audiences didn't have to deal with story or character leaks, fan fights, "pan-Indian" marketing, or unnecessary "decoding". Watching the film as a grown-up, I began to think of certain aspects and themes that I hadn't thought about before, like the nature of violence and how it brings together people as much as it divides them. Take Rajinikanth's Surya, a child born out of violence, who is eventually reunited with his mother on account of a chain of events kickstarted by a violent act he committed elsewhere. Or the idea of violence making a man gain one brother and lose another. Or violence making a woman lose one husband and gain another.
I was also thinking about how, this time around, the stories of sons, brothers, and mothers felt more pronounced to me than they did back then. My favorite scene is the one where Srividya and Rajnikanth are at a temple, and they both turn at the sound of a passing train, with Jaishankar positioned in the frame in such a way that the screen is split into two halves.
Of course, some of the melodrama might look dated today, but to me, it doesn't look awkward because these are actors great at selling the emotions well, no matter how high-pitched they are. Thalapathi is a perfect example of a well-cast film. Unlike in some of today's "pan-Indian" films, none of the actors seem unnecessary. They all have been cast for a reason, not for their large social media following. They all have distinct personalities. They all contribute to the story in a meaningful way. Mani Ratnam has weaved such a rich, complex tapestry of themes and emotions. He had set such a high bar that even his recent films haven't been able to attain. As they say, they don't make films like this anymore!
