In a country that regularly worships mothers on screen, there aren’t too many films that showcase the tribulations of a father. Tamil cinema has long shown a love for milkin the mother and sister sentiments. It’s generally a mother on her deathbed who transforms a son; sometimes, she’s a widow who raises her son to avenge his father.
Kamal Haasan trolled this concept as early as 1992 in the cult-comedy film Singaravelan, in which his widowed mother (Sumithra) would stare at a photo of her dead husband (Vijayakumar), prompting the actor to assume that his father was slayed by goons, to which she retorts with “you shouldn’t have watched so many films during childhood.”
Films on the sister sentiment are even more melodramatic. The sister has usually be shown as someone who remains unmarried despite being ‘quite old’ or one who’s been ravaged by the villain.
Eventually, these templates paved way for father-centric films. These covered more diverse topics and some even went on to represent Tamil cinema in many international film festivals. On the eve of Father’s Day, here are some notable films from Kollywood that celebrated the role of a father.
Mahanadi (1994)
A family that stays together can sail past all hurdles. That’s the premise of Kamal Haasan’s Mahanadi. A single dad bears the brunt of the breaking-up of his small and happy family in the hard-hitting and emotionally draining Mahanadi. Macroscopically, it’s a film that shows the extent a father will go to, to save his kids. Winner of three National Awards, the film also holds the honour of having Kamal’s performance listed in the ‘25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema’ list that was curated by Forbes on the eve of the centenary of Indian Cinema back in 2013.
Avvai Shanmughi (1996)
Kamal once again, but this time, in a film that makes us laugh out. Avvai Shanmughi is a film that shows the limits a father goes to, to make sure he spends time with his daughter. Beneath the veil of comedy lies the suffering of a father who only wants his family for himself, and a lesson that a family isn’t made by riches, but by the affection of the people who are a part of it.
Kireedam (2007)
What more happiness can a father enjoy than having a son who shares the same dream as he does. In Kireedam, Rajarajan (Rajkiran) is a conscientious father who tries to control the circumstances and make it in favour of his son Sakthivel (Ajith) who strives to become a cop. The film had two climaxes with one in which the lead ends up as a cop and the other in which it doesn’t happen. Nevertheless, the film ‘arrests’ the thought process of a caring father who wants nothing but a good life for his son.
Abhiyum Naanum (2008)
A feel-good film from a storyteller for whom the genre is a staple, Radha Mohan in Abhiyum Naanum captures the mindset of a father who refuses to grow along with his daughter. The emotional scenes between the father Raghuraman (Prakash Raj) and daughter, Abhi (Trisha), underline the beauty of the relationship, while also making a effective point.
Vaaranam Aayiram (2008)
It isn’t every day that a director makes a film in honour of their father. Vaaranam Aayiram from director Gautham Menon is about a father-son relationship and talks about the positive effects a dad can have on his child. The film also emphasises the love a man has for his family, and how it sustains him through the highs and lows of his life.
Santhosh Subramaniyam (2008)
This Jayam Ravi and Prakash Raj-starrer is a bit in contrast to Vaaranam Aayiram in that it is about how dads aren’t right always. Though the protective father tries his best to provide the best for his son, he realises that sometimes, it’s best to let children figure the world out for themselves. Unlike the other films in this list, Santhosh Subramaniyam is about a father who doesn’t realise that he isn’t as good a father as he believes.
Deiva Thirumagal (2011)
Love is an emotion that transcends age and Deiva Thirumagal beautifully illustrates the relationship between a young girl (Baby Sara) and her father (Vikram) who has the mental ability of a six-year old. While capturing his ordeals, the film also emphasises that emotions trump even the judiciary and that true love always triumphs.
Thanga Meengal (2013)
This coming-of-age drama showcases the story of a man who has failed in life but not as a father. Kalyani (Ram) goes to extremes to make sure he puts a smile on the face of his school-going daughter (Baby Sadhana). The film also takes a dig at the educational system, and won three National Awards apart from several regional awards.
Appa (2016)
Samuthirakani has a penchant for making films about relationships. In Appa, he plays a dotting father who takes the road less taken when it comes to bringing up his son and ends up as a model father to the rest. Despite mixed reviews, the film, a spin-off sequel to Saattai, was wildly successful.