There is a big smile on Hariharan’s face these days. And when you move around Kozhikode, you will see him smiling from hoardings all over. The city is celebrating Hariharan’s 50 years in cinema. On Friday, there was a well-attended seminar on him, in which papers were presented on his craftsmanship and the high quality of music in his films.
On Saturday, some of his significant films were screened. On Sunday, he will be honoured at a mega show at Swapna Nagari. These are indeed the days for Hariharan to reflect on his long innings in cinema. He shared some of his thoughts with The Hindu in an interview at his residence in Kozhikode city.
How do you look back at your half century in cinema?
With happiness. I am happy because the last five decades were a celebration of cinema for me. I am happy because I have been able to entertain viewers and could make films that people are still talking about, long after they were released.
Such as Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, which was released in 1989…
Yes, it is a film that will always remain close to my heart.
Which are the other films you are particularly proud of?
Films like Pazhassi Raja, Sargam, Amruthamgamaya, Panchagni and Parinayam. When Parinayam was screened at festivals abroad, women critics stood up and applauded. It was also part of the curriculum for my son’s studies. His friends were surprised that his father had directed the film.
Parinayam had some superb songs composed by Bombay Ravi. One of your biggest contributions to Malayalam cinema, in fact, was bringing Ravi from Bollywood.
I had grown up listening to Hindi songs composed by Ravi, such as Chaudhvin ka chaand ho… I remember standing mesmerised while I listened to it for the first time, from a gramophone in front of a music store in Kozhikode, back in the 1960s.
I had met Ravi at a party in Mumbai and asked him whether he would be interested to tune songs in Malayalam.
When I decided to make Nakhakshathangal with half-a-dozen songs, I decided he should compose them.
Years before that, your decision to assign the music of Ayalathe Sundari to Shankar-Ganesh was as surprising. And they gave us one of our finest songs of all time – Laksharchana kandu madangumbol…
They were part of M.S. Viswanathan’s orchestra; they came to my house one day and said that they would want to do the music for a film of mine. I saw promise in them and decided to give them an opportunity.
Music has always been one of your strong points as a director, but in Amruthamgamaya, there were no songs.
Because there was no space for a song in that film. But I decided to include songs in Veeragatha, though there were suggestions that there was no need for it. Later, when the film was released, people like M.T. Vasudevan Nair, who wrote the film’s screenplay, and Mammootty, the hero, appreciated me.
You have formed a remarkable partnership with MT...
I was an admirer of MT’s fiction, long before we started collaborating in cinema. If we together could make some significant films, that is because we understand each other very well.
Among actors, you worked most with Prem Nazir.
He was the hero in more than 25 of my films. He was such an easy person to work with. He had no starry airs and gave the respect a director deserved. You will not find superstars like him in today’s cinema.
Any recent Malayalam film that impressed you?
Take Off. It was close to life and was well made. And I thought the lead role was played well by Parvathy.