On Priyadarshan’s birthday, let's pick his best works

The super-prolific Priyadarshan, Priyan to friends, has directed nearly a hundred films in Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. But nothing compares with Kanchivaram, his 2008  masterpiece which stands heads and shoulders above the rest of his work.

It is the story of a silk weaver played brilliantly by Prakash Raj, who dreams of weaving one saree for his daughter’s wedding. The heartbreaking story is based on a premise that is hauntingly socialistic—a silk weaver who weaves magic for everyone who can’t afford one silk saree for his own daughter– was converted by Priyan into a work of imperishable beauty.

How did Priyan do it? I have asked him many times. Every time he laughs and replies, “What do you mean, how did I do it? Kanchivaram is as much part of me as Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa or any of the others. I am proud of each and every one of my films.”

In my opinion, there are two Priyans: the one who weaves the silken magic of Kanchivaram, the lilting laughter of Muskurahat and Hera Pheri and the dark dishy suspense of Oppam. Then there is the other Priyan doing many oddball puerile comedies.

The prolific director Priyadarshan and Mohanlal have done so many films together, most of them admirable. But none as deeply satisfying as Oppam where Mohanlal plays a blind watchman (you heard the oxymoron right) who deals with a serial killer’s presence in the building. Gripping from the word go, this suspense thriller is unique because we all can see the killer, but the hero can’t. I haven’t seen any actor look so believably blind since Naseeruddin Shah in Sparsh.

Priyadarshan admits his bonding with Mohanlal is a little more special than others. In Hindi cinema, Priyan has enjoyed his films with Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn immensely, though he has not worked with either actor in recent years. Priyan has more or less shifted back to Malayalam cinema since Ranggrezz in 2013.

In his 45-year career, Priyadarshan has two abiding regrets. He has never been able to collaborate with writer MT Vasudevan Nair, and he has never been able to work with Amitabh Bachchan. Many times they came really close to working together, but somehow the projects never materialized.

Priyan reveals that he wanted to do a Hindi remake of his 2016 hit Oppam with Mr Bachchan as the blind protagonist. But Mr B has already done something similar in the past.

“I am still searching for that one script that will bring us together,” he says.

Looking back on his impressive career Priyan says, “My insecurities and my middle-class upbringing have constantly taken me ahead in life. I admit I have a huge ego. But it is a pleasant not a nasty ego. God has given me more money than I ever dreamed of. Ninety-six films is a great journey. When it comes to personal happiness no one can beat me. It’s not arrogance,it’s about being at peace with myself.”

The super-prolific filmmaker says he always looks towards Big B for inspiration. “After more than 40 years of filmmaking, I sometimes feel it is time to hang up my boots. Then I see Mr Bachchan, who at 80 continues to work for 18 hours every day in spite of doctors’ orders and my batteries get recharged.”

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out.

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