Anbe Sivam

Anbe Sivam (அன்பே சிவம்)
Promotional Still
Directed by	Sundar C
Produced by	K. Muralitharan V. Swaminathan G. Venugopal
Written by	Kamal Haasan Madhan (dialogues)
Starring	Kamal Haasan R. Madhavan Kiran Rathod Nasser Santhana Bharathi
Music by	Vidyasagar
Cinematography	Arthur A. Wilson
Editing by	P. Sai Suresh
Distributed by	Lakshmi Movie Makers
Release date(s)	January 14, 2003
Running time	160 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Anbe Sivam (Tamil: அன்பே சிவம், English: Love is God) is a 2003 Tamil drama film directed by Sundar C and written by Kamal Hassan. The film stars Kamal Hassan and R. Madhavan. The music is composed by Vidyasagar.

The film tells the story of a series of comic events that occur when Nalla Sivam (Kamal Haasan) a wise-cracking, handicapped communist and Anbarasu (R. Madhavan), an arrogant young advertisement filmmaker who favors capitalism, both happen to get stuck with each other on their problem-filled trip from Bhubaneshwar to Chennai. Themes such as globalization, financial disparity and compassion in present day India are explored around the two protagonists. The film is also shown to be based on Kamal Haasan's personal views on theism.

The plot is loosely based on the english comedy film Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The film is also one of the highest ranked tamil-language movies on IMDB with a record-breaking rating of 8.1/10.

Pre-Production

After finishing the script, Kamal Haasan approached Priyadarshan to direct the film. Pre-production work commenced, but after some differences of opinion between the director and the actor, Priyadarshan opted out of the project before the first schedule. Following this sudden setback which led to the whole crew being put off their schedules, the producers after convincing Kamal Haasan, quickly roped in Sundar.C to direct the film.

Plot

The film begins with ad film-maker Anbarasu (derived from the full Tamil name Anbarasan - literally 'King Of Love') (R. Madhavan)- who prefers being called by the much abbreviated A. Aras rather than his full name, arriving at the Bhubaneswar airport in Orissa, India. He is about to board a flight back to Chennai for his own wedding. However, he learns at the airport that his flight has been cancelled due to the bad weather in the state where heavy floods and torrential rains due to the wet season have affected air traffic. While waiting for further announcements, Aras watches the news on a television monitor about a terrorist threat at an airport in Mumbai. Remarking to himself that the country is going to the dogs he happens to look around and sees a bespectacled man with scars taking out something rolled up in a newspaper from his bag. Pictures of a pipe bomb shown among the items seized by the Mumbai police flash through his mind and he informs the authorities, only to learn that the man was simply taking out a cucumber.

The man who turns out to be physically challenged is Nallasivam a.k.a Nalla (Kamal Hassan). Nalla introduces himself to Aras and they get to know each other. However, Aras underestimates Nalla, ignoring his sage advice and friendly overtures, resulting in some comical events in the airport. Then, announcements are made that all flights have been canceled due to the inclement weather and Aras realizes he would have to book a room in a nearby hotel for the night. He is informed, much to his consternation that the five star hotel that he was staying in before is now fully booked, leaving him optionless. Nallasivam however helps him find a place in a two star hotel nearby, in which both Nalla and Aras are forced to share the same room. Aras' resentment of Nalla makes him act selfishly in trying to get rid of Nalla but at every juncture, Nalla does him a favor which leaves Aras with a guilt-ridden heart. The next morning, Aras takes a taxi without waking Nalla in order to find his own way to Chennai. However, Aras realizes that the floods have blocked most of the roads and even the train station is flooded. He gets mugged by a man at the station who offers to help him with his luggage but instead steals all his money. Nalla however comes to the station and helps Aras regain the wallet, sans the money. It is then revealed that Nalla is a trade unionist and is travelling with a cheque worth Rs. 30 lakh to be delivered to some people after fighting a court case for some union workers. The comical situations continue as the pair make it to another railway station in a bus. While awaiting their train, Nalla begins to tell Aras his story, but a tired Aras falls asleep and later walks away halfway through the story.

The film then flashes back to a few years in the past when a perfectly good-looking Nalla performs in street theatres protesting against the industrialization process which is marginalizing the labor force. He often gets into trouble due to this. Nalla is also a painter, and a very talented one at that. He is fighting mainly against the town's biggest business tycoon, the manipulative Kandasamy Padayachi (Nassar), whom he satirically imitates in many of his shows. However, an interesting turn of events sees Nalla and Kandasamy's own daughter Bala (Kiran Rathod) fall in love with each other. Realizing Kandasamy's power would be too much to bear if they want to get together, Nalla and Bala decide to elope, but while Nalla is on a bus on his way to meet Bala, the bus meets with a terrible accident on a hillside which leaves Nalla badly injured. Despite a surgery he is left partially paralyzed and badly scarred. Kandasamy informs his daughter Bala that Nalla is dead. It is also at this time that Nalla becomes a firm believer in kindness and love and, while suffering from an inferiority complex due to his scarred and paralyzed body, nevertheless engages with renewed fervour in performing community service and social work while continuing to fight for union causes.

The film then returns to the present, as Aras and Nalla prepare to board the train for which they have been waiting, but as the train arrives, they get into an argument about communism, Karl Marx, and so on. Nalla accuses Aras of being an agent for the West and of being manipulated, while Aras defends himself and criticises communism as a whole, concluding that the Soviet Union doesn't exist anymore. Nalla argues that the idea of communism wouldn't die because the Soviet Union has broken up, just as people wouldn't stop loving if the Taj Mahal got destroyed. The argument turns heated, causing a short-tempered Aras to punch Nalla. After initially looking calm, Nalla punches Aras back even harder, causing Aras to bleed. Pretending to cool down and make up the quarrel, Aras deceives Nalla into getting some bottled water for him and locks the train door, leaving Nalla stranded as the train leaves without him. On the train, Aras meets a well-dressed corporate type individual, Uthaman(Yugi Sethu), who seems to share the same interests as Aras. Uthaman asks Aras to throw away a pack of biscuits Nalla gave to Aras due to the risk of it being doctored and instead offers him whisky. When Aras wakes up the next day, he learns from the conductor that he has been conned and that his fellow passenger man was a thief, and had stolen all of his belongings. The train comes to a halt because a previous train on the same track has had an accident and it has to be cleared up first. There, Aras witnesses a slew of dead bodies and suffering people, causing him to suffer emotionally. To his surprise, he meets Nalla again at the treatment camp nearby. He apologizes to Nalla, who forgives him. Nalla proposes that he donate blood to a dying boy in need of AB- blood, while Aras mentions that he is bloodsick. Nalla manages to convince him finally, and Aras donates. Aras also retrieves his belongings as he finds that the thief is also around the camp. Nalla proposes that Aras travel with him in an ambulance which will be carrying the injured boy on its way to Chennai.

While on the journey the boy passes away causing Aras to cry. He calls God 'unjust' for giving the boy hope in the form of Aras' blood, and then taking away his life. Nalla, who is an atheist, tells Aras, that Aras himself is God, that the sadness he feels and the tears he sheds for the boy makes him God. Aras also comes to terms with using his full name Anbarasu, a name he previously despised because he apparently doesn't like 'anbu' (love). On reaching Chennai, they both go their separate ways, but Aras realizes that Nalla's union cheque is still with him and returns to the address Nalla had given him.

He realizes that Nalla had lied to him previously when he said that he had a wife and a son named 'Sangu'. The address is a place where injured labourers from Orissa camp while waiting for their legal funds (the money fought for and being brought to them by Nalla) and that 'Sangu' is the name of Nalla's dog, which incidentally had caused Nalla's accident in the first place. After giving the cheque at the office, he goes to the nearby shop to meet Nalla, and scolds him for not telling him the truth. He asks Nalla to come with him for his marriage, but Nalla says he will 'come later'. In an emotional moment, Aras recounts the story of how his brother died from a freak accident when he was young (a story he had already told Nalla before). He says that Nalla is his new-found brother and should stay with him as long as life permits. A clearly emotional Nalla accepts the invitation.

However, at the marriage, Nalla realizes that the girl Aras is about to marry is Bala. He takes this opportunity to appear in front of Kandasamy and threaten that he will stay on and make Bala realize what a cheat her father is unless Kandasamy signs all related documents for pay increment and bonuses for his company's labourers. Sacrificing himself for the workers, Nalla leaves after Kandasamy signs, leaving behind a letter for his 'brother' that he has missions to complete in this world, and that he'd rather travel as a free bird than be caged and tied to one particular place. He thanks Aras for the love and affection he has shown. Kandasamy meanwhile orders his assistant (Santhana Bharathi) to kill Nalla. As Nalla walks away, the assistant approaches him from behind. Hearing Sangu bark, Nalla turns around and sees his would-be assailant with a sickle in his hand. Requesting him not to hurt Sangu, who is barking and growling, he tells the assistant that he cannot fight like he used to, and is ready to accept death. However, the assistant drops his weapon, weeps, and apologizes to Nalla. He tells Nalla that because he did all the dirty work for his boss, God has punished him by taking away his beloved daughter from him. He tells Nalla that he has read Nalla's letter to Aras. He also states that he has sinned much and doesn't want to commit any more sins on behalf of his boss. He asks Nalla to leave and that God will protect Nalla. Nalla refutes, saying that the assistant himself is God. He says that there is no greater God than the person who comes with the intent to kill but instead apologizes to the person he aimed to kill.

The film ends with Nalla walking away in the monsoon rains with his dog, Sangu.

Cast

• Kamal Haasan - Nalla Sivam
• R. Madhavan - Anbarasu "A. Ars"
• Kiran Rathod - Bala Saraswathi
• Nasser - Kandhasamy Padaiyachi
• Santhana Bharathi - Kandhasamy's Right Hand
• Yugi Sethu - Uthaman
• Seema - Bala's Mother
• Uma Riaz - Mehrunnissa
• R.S. Shivaji - Station Master

Crew

• Director: Sundar C.
• Producer: K. Muralitharan, V. Swaminathan, G. Venugopal
• Story & Screenplay: Kamal Haasan
• Dialogues: Madhan
• Music: Vidyasagar
• Cinematography: Arthur A. Wilson
• Editor: P. Sai Suresh
• Art: M. Prabhakaran
• Lyrics: Vairamuthu, Pralayan
• Choreographer: Brindha, Dinesh
• Stunt: Vikram Dharma
• Co-Director: Raj Kannan
• Associate Directors: K. Balan, K. Senthil Arumugam
• Assistant Directors: K. Stephen, G.P. Suresh Kumar, K. Muthukumar
• Costumes: S. Rajendran, Sai
• Make-up: V.P. Rajan, Anil Bemkirikar (Kamal Haasan)
• Visual Effects: SHY Communications (P) Ltd.
• Sound Design: H. Sridhar
• Sound Effects: M.J. Raju

Theme

The film was critically praised for its themes by the critics. Some critics leveraged the film against Kamal Hassan's atheism, while some suggested that the film basically tries to make a propaganda of Communist views. Some critics suggested that Kamal too is a Communist believer. However, Kamal cleared the air by stating that the film's ultimate theme lies in its title, Anbe Sivam, which literally means Love is God. The film basically talks about the importance of love in life and projects the value of love to be even bigger than God, and that there is no greater God than the one who loves. The film also extensively criticizes industrialisation and explores the contemporary India, as to how a majority of people are being pushed out of the social spectrum as globalization concentrates exclusively on the corporate-based individuals and not the roots of the labour force. Nallasivam, the character name played Kamal, is the name of Lord Shiva in the Hindu texts. The film extols the altruist human traits as manifestations of God. Hindus are known to pray to Lord Shiva to preserve the world from destruction. The character of Nallasivam tries to preserve society from destruction by showing love towards all living things. The film also suggests that Karl Marx's ideals remains the closest idea towards achieving equality among many people, even though it may not be perfect. This is shown in one scene where Nallasivam states that, "Communism is a feeling, many had it even before Karl Marx, but it was Marx who first penned it down. And it shall not be destroyed even if there is no government to promote it".

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Vidyasagar.

Song Title	Singers
"Ele Machhi Machhi"	Udit Narayan, Tippu, Kamal Hassan
"Poovaasam Purappadum"	Sadhana Sargam, Vijay Prakash
"Mouname Paarvaiyaai"	S.P.Balasubramanyam, Chandrayee
"Naattukoru Seidhi"	Kamal Hassan, Chandran
"Anbae Sivam"	Kamal Hassan, Karthik

Box office

The film was a commercial success grossing $4 million at the box office.

Trivia

• The film was highly praised for its themes and it became yet another critically praised movie for kamal hassan.
• In Pre-production work for film, appointed Priyadarshan as director. For Unknown reason, film shooting started with Sundar C as director.
• The film's dialogue writer Madhan makes a cameo appearance as himself.
• Actress Kiran Rathod had her voice in the picture dubbed by popular playback singer Anuradha Sriram.
• A scene in the film which sees Kamal Haasan's character Nalla Sivam painting a communism-themed mural for Nassar's character Padaiyacchi's firm was inspired by a similar real-life incident involving Diego Rivera's mural Man at the Crossroads for Nelson Rockefeller's Rockefeller Center.
• Uma Riyaz Khan makes a good appearance with a somewhat important role.
• Nalla Sivam(Kamal Hasan) talks about tsunami(which was never before known to Indians) with Anbarasan(Madhavan) in the film. Incidentaly, 22 months after the film release 2004 Tsunami struck India, mainly Tamil Nadu.
• Madhavan won the '2002 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor' for this movie (his performances in Run and Kannathil Muthamittal also contributed to this award).

External links

• Anbe Sivam at the Internet Movie Database
• The Hindu's Review - by MALATHI RANGARAJAN