Actor-writer Crazy Mohan’s friends and fans on Monday paid rich tributes to the man who made Tamils all over the world laugh with his instant wit and spontaneous dialogues.
Film director K.S. Ravikumar recalled that Mohan suggested a ghost movie for actor Rajinikanth, which was politely turned down. “But he asked me: If you could do a Padayappa, why not a Peyappa?!!”
Dramatist Y.Gee Mahendra said that Mohan could entertain a 10-year-old child and also discuss spirituality with elders with the same ease.
Dancer Padma Subrahmanyam said only the day before Mohan passed away, she had taken his three grandchildren as her students. “He used to call me every year asking me to take them in. Finally, it was on that day that I did and he was so happy,” she said.
Industrialist Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti recalled his quick wit off the stage too. “On the dais at a function where we had kept small water bottles, he said “Adadada, water la kooda quarter vandhudutha? (Do we get quarter bottles (meaning alcohol) in water too?”
Actor Chams, who was with his troupe Crazy Creations for over 11 years, recalled how Mohan would lavish praise on others. “He would never be stingy with praise for other persons. When I wanted to concentrate on my film career, he blessed me saying I would go on to become like actor Nagesh,” he said.
Others who participated in the event organised by the Federation of Chennai City Sabhas and Tamil Stage Drama Producers Association include actor ‘Madhu’ Balaji, actor T. V. Varadharajen, writer Tirupur Krishnan, Isaikavi Ramanan, actors A.R.S., ‘Kathadi’Ramamurthi, Usha Ravichandran and Rathnam, son of Koothapiran, Karthik Fine Arts T.S. Rajagopal, vocalist SikkilGurucharan, Gayathri Gireesh, and mridangam vidwan Umayalpuram Sivaraman and Makkal Kural Ramji.