In just a few hours from now, when we celebrate Friendship Day, it will serve as an apt tribute to the vital role played by our caring and loving friends in making our lives seem complete.
Over the years, southern cinema has celebrated this special bond of friendship through some well crafted and highly compelling movies. Here's a quick look at some popular films which make one realize the true meaning of pure and selfless friendship.
Friends: Released in 1999, ‘Friends’ highlighted how cracks develop in the friendship between three young men because of the actions of a manipulative old lady. Featuring Jayaram, Mukesh and Sreenivasan in lead roles, this Siddique-directed comedy was later on remade in Tamil under the same title. Incidentally, the Tamil version, which featured Suriya and Vijay in the lead, too was directed by Siddique himself.
Annamalai: Regarded as one of the all time classics of Tamil cinema, ‘Annamalai’ created waves in the industry, thanks to Rajinikanth’s captivating performance. Revolving around two childhood friends who end up becoming enemies because of a misunderstanding, the film also featured Sarath Babu and Tiger Prabhakar in pivotal roles. Interestingly, some scenes from ‘Annamalai’ have been parodied on several occasions.
Thalapathi: Based on the friendship between Karna and Duryodhana as depicted in the ‘Mahabharat’, ‘Thalapathi’ is perhaps best remembered for the crackling rapport between Rajinikanth and Mammootty. Directed by Mani Ratnam and released in 1991, the film has acquired a cult status over the years. Interestingly, ‘Thalapathi’ marked the last collaboration between Ratnam and music maestro Illaiyaraaja. It was later on dubbed into Hindi and Telugu as ‘Dalapathy’.
Katha Parayumpol: Highlighting that true friendship cannot be curbed by socio-economic boundaries, this M Mohanan-directed drama revolved around the friendship between a famous movie star and a simple villager. Featuring Sreenivasan and Mammootty in the lead, it is perhaps best remembered for its heartwarming climax. Released in 2007, ‘Katha Parayumpol’ has been remade in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. However, none of the remakes were as successful as the original version.
Sneham Kosam: Featuring Chiranjeevi in a double role, ‘Sneham Kosam’ touched upon the tender friendship between a rich man and his loyal servant. Directed by KS Ravikumar, the movie proved to be a critical and commercial success, helping the Telugu megastar bag a Filmfare award. Interestingly, it was a remake of Ravikumar’s own Telugu film ‘Natpukkaga’.
Snehaloka: Boasting of some melodious tunes from Hamsalekha, ‘Snehloka’ featured an ensemble cast toplined by Ramesh Aravind and Ramkumar. Released in 1999, it received positive reviews thanks to its sensitive depiction of the turbulent relationship between two college friends. Interestingly, it was directed by S Mahendar.
Anbe Sivam: Featuring Madhavan and Kamal Hassan in the lead, ‘Anbe Sivam’ boasted of a rich and engaging storyline which highlighted the unlikely friendship between two people people who can only be described as polar opposite. An underperformer on the commercial front, the film has become a cult classic over the years and enjoys countless re-runs on TV.
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