Jackie Chan Madness in Madurai 1 Documentary

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