Shooting spots: an iconic landmark that lends grandeur to the silver display screen

In the guts of Chennai, the towering stone chariot that homes the traditional Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue in Valluvar Kottam has been a silent witness to numerous public gatherings and cultural occasions and infrequently, to the magic of cinema unfolding beneath its shadow.

Just as the enduring landmark has lengthy been a well-known backdrop for political rallies and protest conferences, the monument’s sprawling premises — with its big chariot, huge carved wheels, and mirror-sheen flooring — has set the tone for soft-paced film track sequences filmed underneath the evening lights.

One of essentially the most memorable on-screen moments shot at Valluvar Kottam is the one from the timeless track Mounamana Neram within the Tamil movie Salangai Oli, starring Kamal Haasan and Jaya Prada. The sequence opens with the granite wheels and its intricate textures dominating the body and creating a peaceful atmosphere in sync with the track’s light melody. The shiny flooring, mirroring the actors’ silhouettes in just a few pictures, lends an ideal visible cue in concord with the track’s lyrics and temper. The grandeur of the Valluvar Kottam has been featured in a number of different Tamil movies since Eighties. In yet one more widespread duet Seer Kondu Vaa from the movie Naan Paadum Paadal, that includes actors Sivakumar and Ambika, the majestic granite elephants on the base of the chariot and the pillars alongside the hall draped in gray and black hues kind the regal backdrop that enhances the lead pair’s allure.

Spread over 5 acres, Valluvar Kottam was constructed between 1974 and 1976 as a memorial monument for Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar. Its spectacular structure was designed by architect V. Ganapati Stapathi. It additionally featured within the comedy scenes from Coimbatore Mappillai, that includes actors Vijay and Goundamani as unemployed characters idling away at a public place.

Jayanthi Kannappan of ALS Productions and daughter-in-law of veteran producer A.L.Srinivasan recalled reminiscences of Ponnar Shankar, a Tamil historic drama movie starring Prasanth. Many scenes within the movie, which was primarily based on the previous Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s novel, have been shot in Valluvar Kottam. “I used to go to the large set that recreated an historic city in gorgeous element, full with conventional homes and warriors carrying swords and bows. It used to move me to a bygone period and a few scenes have been filmed in the primary corridor. The set remained for 3 or 4 months. Kalaignar usually visited the capturing spot,” she mentioned.

Recently, the monument obtained a significant facelift at a price of ₹80 crore.