The significance of elephants in Tamil films started way back in 1953 when Kothamangalam Subbu decided to cast elephants in his classic hit film Avvaiyar. Infact most Kollywood stars have acted in atleast one elephant film.
Elephant films were once very common in Tamil cinema. Devar Films, one of the reputed production banners used to make many films featuring elephants. In fact, their title card would feature a video footage of roaring elephant.
Kumki and Kadamban, which are also based on elephants, are still fresh in our memories.
Even after all these years Tamil cinema’s love for the gentle giants does not seem to have faded. Several new movies have been named after the majestic animals.
Let us look into some of the other most popular Tamil films that are connected with elephants.
Yaanai:
Directed by Hari, ‘Yaanai’ has Arun Vijay playing the lead role. The movie is all set to be released on 1 July. Though there is no elephant actually involved in the movie. There are shots in the trailer where the hero is seen carrying the Elephant god’s idol. Director Hari had revealed that the hero’s character is very similar to that of an elephant and hence they had opted for the title. Priya Bhavani Shankar plays the female lead in the flick.
Vezham:
Written and directed by Sandeep Shyam. ‘Vezham’ has Ashok Selvan, Iswarya Menon and Janani Iyer as the leads of the film. The Tamil word Vezham refers to elephants. The movie which was released on 24 June has got mixed reviews. It is said that the team chose ‘Vezham’ as the title of the film as each and every character in the movie has the strength of an elephant.
Vellai Yaanai:
The term translates to White Elephant. The movie starring Samuthirakani and Athmiya Rajan in the lead role is directed by Subramaniam Siva. It may be noted that the phrase white elephant denotes ‘a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to dispose of’. The movie is based on the plight of farmers and the crew had zeroed in on the title as they felt it to be fit for the story.
Avvaiayar:
Telling the story of the great saint-poet Avvaiyar, the film combined religious appeal with Tamil revivalism that was in the air in the 1950s.
There was a scene when a helpless Avvai seeks the help of Lord Ganesa to send her help to tackle three arrogant kings. The lord sends her a herd of elephants to demolish the fort.
It is said that when the makers at Gemini Studios heard that a herd of captured elephants was being transported from Coorg to Andaman via Madras port, they almost kidnapped them and brought them to Gemini Studio where breaking the fort scene was shot over 10 days.
The elephants with their painted vibhuthi signs were taken to the port just in time to catch the ship.
Nalla Neram:
Raju (MGR) owns elephants and earns a livelihood by making them perform tricks. He falls in love with Vijaya (K. R. Vijaya) and they get married. But soon, a problem arises.
Vijaya hates elephants because of a personal tragedy in her life. She also feels that Raju spends too much time with his elephant friends.
He had to choose between the love of his wife and the friendship of his loyal and devoted pet elephants.
Thangamalai Ragasiyam:
Sivaji Ganesh (Gajendran), a Tarzan-like character of the Western Ghats comes under the care of a love-smitten princess and is civilized. There were many elephants in the movie as Tarzan moves in the jungles of Anamalai near Pollachi with a herd. And each and every elephant in the herd had a name and could understand human language. Gajendran talks to them as if they were fellow humans. There is a scene in which he saves an elephant from the jaws of a crocodile.
Annai Oru Aalayam:
The film stars Rajinikanth as an animal hunter who helps a baby elephant to reach its mother.
Rajini manages to trap a baby elephant in a pit, but the angered mother elephant pursues them, even after they transport it in a truck. She overtakes the truck, dismantles it, but is chased away by Rajini and his employees. She turns to attack Rajini, but his mother intervenes – and is instantly attacked and crushed. Vijay swears to hunt the elephant as well as all other animals and kill them one by one, but his dying mother makes him promise that he will not do so. Vijays mom tells him to instead return all cubs to their parents, as well as the baby elephant. Vijay promises to do so, and his mother passes away. Did Vijay fulfil his promise forms the rest of the story.
Ram Lakshman:
Ram (Kamal Haasan) and his pet elephant Laxman have grown up together and are very emotionally attached to one another. They share such a strong bond that Ram refuses to marry his sweetheart Meena (Sripriya) when her father refuses to sanction their marriage unless Ram leaves Laxman. Meanwhile, in a very cunningly planned plot, an employee of Meena’s father kills him and implicates Ram and Laxman for the murder. How the two friends stand by each other in the hour of need and how they prove themselves innocent forms the rest of the plot.
