Thus A. S. A. Sami came into movies to begin a spectacular career as a Tamil film writer-director. He made in all some 27 films many of which were big hits, trend-setters and milestones in Indian film. A creditable career indeed and during a certain period, Sami was a king- maker at Jupiter making and unmaking careers and a force in Tamil cinema of that period. He also wrote many scripts and during his innings at the Coimbatore period of Jupiter's, nothing happened without his knowledge and consent. As on technician put it, "not even wind can enter the studio without Sami's nod!"
By the mid-1940's, Sami, on the staff of Jupiter Pictures had written scripts, worked on sets and prepared himself to direct films independently. 'Jupiter' Somu backed him to the hilt and one bright day, he asked Sami to develop a screenplay which he could direct himself. Sami, began to work on a folklore story into which he wove many elements of popular appeal. He had always been a voracious reader and was familiar with many a literature, having studied classics of the West, Indian and East over the years. He put such knowledge to excellent use in his career as a writer-director.
Arabian Nights… the Invisible Man… other folk tales of our own land he wove them all into a screen story which he submitted to his bosses for approval. When Somu had asked him to work on the story he had made it clear to Sami that as he was raw and untried talent as a director, he would have to work only with artistes on Jupiter's monthly roles and not the big names with high price tags. But, much to Sami's surprise the Jupiter boss came out with other ideas after he had read the screenplay. He felt it was too good to be made with small fry studio staff artistes. For the hero and heroine he suggested P. U. Chinnappa and T. R. Rajakumari, big names of the day. In fact, Somu gave the name of that actress for the title of the proposed film 'Rajakumari'!
Sami, however, was not amused. He knew Chinnappa was a difficult man to handle and at times he could be even dangerous. (During the making of 'Yayati' in the late 1930's, in Calcutta, Chinnappa, no star at that time, slapped the director M. L. Tandon, a top filmmaker of that era. Well versed in martial arts and fond of the bubbly, Chinnappa took to fisticuffs and fighting even without the proverbial hat being dropped!) Rajakumari was always aloof and cold, not the type a new entrant would like to have for his debut as heroine.
After some effort Sami persuaded his boss to let him make the picture as decided earlier with small fry. To play the title role Malathi was chosen. An import from the Telugu screen Malathi, pretty and pleasant was a Vauhini product who had made her name in B. N. Reddi's classic 'Sumangali'. A protegee of K. V. Reddi, she had acted in Jupiter's 'Sri Murugan' as Parvathi. Sami had written its script and also worked on sets and so he felt at ease with her.
Who would play the hero, a swashbuckler, modelled on the likes of Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, John Barrymore and such stalwarts? Even P. U. Chinnappa would not be the right choice! For such a role, who? One man, on the studio rolls appeared to a possible choice. He was sent for and at once he came and stood, nervous and tense. He had a good physique, handsome with a cleft chin and was quite athletic in movement and carriage. His classic |
| Public Blog | 
