Before riding autorickshaw for livelihood, #VirumandiThevar's son #RamuThevar had the job of physically controlling the mob visiting a theatre named #ThangaRengal in #Madurai. From the mid 80s to the mid 2000, ThangaRegal theatre exhibited B grade erotic movies of Hollywood, Kung Fu action films of China and Hongkong especially Jackie Chan's.
In this context, people who come to the ThangaRegal theatre aren't the normal people,.but people under the influences of substance and alcohol. Hence, i termed them mob. Therefore, someone has to physically confront them to make them sit in their seats in an orderly fashion and take care of them if the misbehave, which typically happens. And, RamuThevar's job was to encounter them - he was also under influence most of the times. Now, ThangaRegal theatre is renovated and exhibiting Tamil language film. The lessee of this theatre is a fellow #PiramalaiKallan.
Then, in 1998, #JackieChan's #WhoAmI was released. Jackie was quite popular in Madurai equivalent to Bruce Lee, Arnold, Stallone and Chuck Norris. A couple of years ago, Police Story 1, 2 & 3 ran for more than 100 days in ThangaRegal. We were so insane that we actually worshipped Jackie Chan with a 60 foot garland on his cut out placed at the theatre's entrance. And threw coins on the screen when Jackie's introduction came in the movie. Apparently, the distributor of the Jackie Chan's film named Aascar Ravichandran recorded our insanity and showed it to Jackie. And, Jackie said this is incredible and he would like to visit Madurai to meet us.
A day before the release i met RamuThevar at our "Topu" (a coloquial term in Madurai that means that a place the men of Madurai sit, chat, fight, drink and waste their time) and told him "Mama, i don't know what you will do, tomorrow for the noon show, you will have to get 2 tickets for me and my elder brother!". He said "Mapla, don't worry, tomorrow i will even break the nose of someone and get the tickets!". He literally did that. Because that was the kind of mob fighting to get tickets for Who Am I.
Who Am I was a perfect blend of Jackie's action, humor and of course his death-defying stunts in the international espionage thriller backdrop. We Pandians admired it so much. And, therefore, took #OchaThevar and #MayandiThevar through this history and then made watch the movie.
Southern Railway's locomotive coach depot mechanic #VirumandiThevar had a son named #RamuThevar, who rode an autorickshaw for livelihood but actually wasted time with us roaming, fighting, drinking and watching films. He had his auto stationed at the Madurai Railway Junction. Now, he is son rides an auto from the same junction.
#BT | #MayandiThevar | #StoryTeller
http://mindofbt.blogspot.com/2023/07/ochathevars-film-repository.html
Image: ChatGpt Generated. OPENAI
With Rush Hour 1998, Jackie Chan officially became a Hollywood hero. American studios decided to directly produce Jackie Chan's films in collaboration with the second lead an, original American actor.
Rush Hour was disturbed by New Line Cinema (Warner Bros). This meant that the distribution of Jackie Chan's films changed hands from Aascar Ravichandran in India to Warner Bros, which alredy had exclusive exhibition contract with the premium and well equipped theatres - Mappillai Vinayagar , Manicka Vinayagar theatres in Madurai and Devi theatre in Madras. The relief was now even women could watch Jackie Chan's films in theatres. Earlier, women couldn't go because ThangaRegal, which exhibition Hong Kong"s KungFu and B grade erotic films of international origins.
My father took my elder brother and me to Mappillai Vinayagar theatres to watch Rush Hour 1 & 2 upon its release in 1998 and 2001 respectively. Subsequently, we had seen Rush Hour trilogy multiple times when it was broadcasted in Star Movies.
Not only Jackie but Chris Tucker became a phenomenon in Madurai. A huge fan base stil exists in Madurai since Rush Hour.
BT | Sivan | MayandiThevar
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