Suited to every sequence

IT IS not as though they form the right ambience only for song sequences - philosophical, romantic, joyous or otherwise. Trains, railway stations, their platforms and the paraphernalia have for long provided the perfect milieu for estranged lovers to unite, lost families and friends to get together, and even for villains to meet their nemesis. If the railway track is an ideal suicide spot for many a heroine in films, trains and tracks have also substituted as excellent mute messengers for lovers living far away from one another, as in the film ``Kizhakae Pogum Rail'', where the train has a clear and definite role to play.

Turning points, crucial interludes and significant twists have taken place on trains in many films. And at times they come with a poetic touch, as in Balu Mahendra's ``Moondram Pirai'' (the scene at the railway station had a sterling performance by Kamal Haasan) and Mani Ratnam's ``Mouna Ragam''. K. Balachandar's ``Avargal'' is also one such - the initial scenes take place in a compartment of a train bound for Chennai from Mumbai. The heroine's past agony, her future plans, her strength of character and her intelligence, unfold before the viewer, as the train moves on from one station to another.

More recently in ``Alaipayudhey'', the local train service is where the courtship of the lead pair begins. And the trains follow the story till the end.

``Kadhal Kottai'' that catapulted Devayani to fame, had trains puffing in and out through the film. Initially in the popular dance number ``Vellarika...'' and later when the climax itself takes place at Chennai's Central Station.

Again, the climactic sequences of ``Kushi'', a recent runaway hit, take place at both the Egmore and Central railway stations of Chennai, alternately and help enhance the suspense element .

Catastrophes also have been captured on trains, wherein the incidents are the fulcrum on which the rest of the movie revolves - Rajinikanth's ``Anbukku Naan Adimai'', to quote an example. The hero is a thief who kills a police official on a train and goes to the latter's house posing as his friend. How the affection and warmth of the family reforms him is what the rest of the film is about. Fights too, inside a train, on top of it, on a moving loco and on a slowing one and also in railway stations have found a place in the films of Vijayakanth (``Captain Prabhakaran'', ``Senthoorapoove'') Rajinikanth (``Murattu Kaalai'') and Kamal Haasan (``Mangamma Sabatham'', ``Kurudhi Punal'').

Merriment and mirth among her co artistes in a second class compartment draws the young heroine Sumathi who is sitting alone in the first class coach. As she alights from the train, it moves away and leaves her stranded. The story of ``Sumathi En Sundari'' (a hit starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalitha in the lead) takes off from this point .

Romance very often manifests itself as song and dance, not only in foreign locales but in our desi trains too. And this has been going on for eons now, from the time of ``Pachai Vilakku'' (where the hero is an engine driver), and ``Raman Ethanai Ramanadi'' (Sivaji, K.R. Vijaya) features the song ``Chithirai Madham ... Pournami Naeram'' - a melodious number composed by M.S. Viswanathan. Then there is ``Agni Nakshathiram'', ``Gentleman''... and several more.

Trains have always been a part and parcel of our films for decades now and have never failed to thrill audiences.

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

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