En-titled ?

I'm not going to ask the now infamous question. Some where in the 1600's the Bard asked it and since then, 'what's in a name' has been asked countless times. Apart from giving me an intro para, it's quite irrelevant too. :)

What I am intrigued by is the uniquely Kollywood phenomenon of giving titles (patta-peyar) to its heroes and heroines. Some of them, I have no quarrel with and they are well deserved. For instance, I don't know of any one who is willing to contest "Nadigar Thilagam" for Sivaji, or "Superstar" for Thalaivar Rajinikanth. Even the fact that the latter has consented to his daughter marrying a man, nay, boy who seems just about half a 'balpam' (local chalk), doesn't take away from his Superstar status. O.k. that WAS personal bias!

Or "Kadal Mannan' Gemini - who would grudge him that? In his time and age, he truly was a charmer, I've heard older women say. 'Nagaichuvai Mannan' Nagesh too has an uncontestable title. Why "Aachi" Manorama never got anything grander will remain a mystery; Perhaps she should have been called 'Jil Jil' after that memorable role in Thillana Mohanambal. "Punnagai Arasi" K.R.Vijaya had other substantial assets, but she did have a smile that could have launched a 1000 ships! As for Isai Gnani, if someone else had'nt given Ilayaraja the title, I would have.

Now, I think it is time to move to the more contestable titles that we have endowed our somewhat undeserving heros and heroines. Father-appointed "Little Superstar" tops the list. UGH! "Ultimate Star" Ajit comes a close second. He probably could have been called the "Ultimate Cry Baby" of Tamil cinema. I havent seen a single Ajit movie so far, where he has not attempted to cry. I'm not a Deva fan and apologies to anyone who is, but pray, what is so "thendral"-like about his "thennisai"? Vijay is popular and all that, but to anoint him successor to a thespian and call him "Illaya Thalapathi", one must admit it is overstepping the limits of reason.

But of course, to be a Kollywood fan is to be bereft of reason. To loose wisdom, analytical skills, judgement, reason and preserve only the rhyme. Otherwise, why would any one call Srikanth "Illaya Tamilan"??

Not to offend S, but what the hell does that mean?!

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Titular heads
(This list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to contribute what you think is missing...)

Captain 'Puratchi Kalaignan'- Vijayakanth
Kadal Mannan Gemini
Nadigar Thilagam - Sivaji
Superstar Rajnikanth
Little Superstar Chimbu
Nadigavel MRRadha
Natiya Peroli Padmini
Punnagai Arasi -Kr.Vijaya
Supreme Star Sarath
Navarasa Thilagam Muthuraman
Navarasa Nayagan Karthik
Ilaya Thilagam Prabhu
Ilaya thalapathy Vijay
Ilaya Tamizhan Srikanth
Makkal Kalaignar Jaishanker
Nagaichuvai Mannan Nagesh
Aachi Manorama
Mike Mohan
Isai Gnani Ilayaraja
Melisai Mannan M.s.Viswanathan
Isai Puyal A.R.Rahman
Thenisai Thendral Deva
Isai vasantham S.A.Rajkumar
Oliyin Oli Thankar Bachan
Ultimate Star Ajit