NS Krishnan – The man who revolutionized the South Indians through comedy

Born as Nagarkoil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan, or affectionately known as NS Krishnan (NSK) in the Tamil film circle, he was a comedy icon in the Tamil (South India) film industry from 1935 to 1955. He had the privilege of being known as the ‘Charlie Chaplin of India’ as he was a contemporary of the world famous Hollywood comedian.

NSK, born in 1908 into a poverty stricken family, created a niche for himself, using laughter to expose the inequalities of life in India, especially in Tamil Nadu (the state for people of Tamil origin) in that moment. His lack of formal education was never an excuse for exemplary living, offset by his curiosity, native genius, and enthusiasm. Stuck in extreme superstition tangled within the ancient traditional traditions of the Tamils, interwoven with Hindu belief and the dominance of caste-based socio-politics, NSK’s entry into the world of cinema was more than a blessing in disguise as All the characters he undertook not only reflected his wit and tickling in the ribs, but also worked to his benefit, as he considered it suitable to educate and spray didacticism through the use of films as a means of communication for the school and revolutionized the thoughts of the masses. Many film critics to this day view NSK’s comedy scenes with TA Mathuram, his real-life wife and screen partner as well, as a treasure that must be kept dust-free to be seen whenever one is in trouble. personal and when addressed to the -Constant frequency of social and political descent in India.

Critics and connoisseurs hail NSK as a genius, a social reformer, and perhaps many still cling to the solid movement that there will never be another like him. He unleashed common sense among moviegoers by using simple sequences of everyday situational comedy to awaken the mindset of most Tamils ​​and Indians in general, poking fun at their desolate state of affairs due to setbacks stemming from living in a self-wrapped cocoon of caste. and religion. dogmatism. Political reform, women’s liberation, education, and the abandonment of caste-based social policy were his main focus. He translated these ideas on screen brilliantly neglecting the antics genre, instead relying on his perfect gift of delivering timely dialogue from his intended messages; He did it very effectively. This not only made him a revolutionary comedian, but also a cult figure in South India. Its popularity soared to the point where the producers were negotiating for a separate comedy track even in the absence of the lead.

One of his most famous revolutionary movie scenes was where a postman delivered a letter plus a money order to his home, supposedly from his son, who stayed and worked in town, only to be accepted by his wife (played by his wife in real life). ) at the entrance. NSK was shown sitting inside in the background, oblivious to the scene taking place in the foreground. The illiterate wife insisted that the postman do her a favor by reading the contents of the letter. This was a common practice in India, where a large part of agrarian society was illiterate, even more so among women.

The postman, succumbing to the request, read the contents of the letter. He began by deciphering the enthusiasm of the son in “the investigation of the health of his parents” and “transmitting their greetings” to all the acquaintances in the town. The postman also conveyed the request in the letter of “for what purpose and to whom will the money order be delivered accordingly.” At a last point in the letter, the son “transmitted his dearest kisses” to his mother. Being a touchy subject, the postman cleverly said that there was one more ‘thing’ his son could give the mother, but that ‘he would neither read nor give it. Sensing that the postman was hiding something from her, the lady made a fuss with the postman at the entrance. Hearing the commotion, NSK will rush to the front and investigate the cause. After a clarification from the postman, who innocently pleaded that he could not comply with the son’s request, NSK’s sarcasm was the climax of the final scene. Mockingly, I would say that this shock could have been avoided in all circumstances if women could read and write. Instead, a simple scene of a postman delivering a message became didactic, exposing the plight of women deprived of education.

The above was just one of many scenes from the movies that she had appeared in. There are many more to discuss and glorify about this wonderful personality who was not only a brilliant comedian, playwright, lyricist, director, singer, but also a well-known philanthropist.

NSK, a clever and satirical comedian, although his ardent followers were limited to the Tamil-speaking area of ​​South India, the intensity of his devotion seems to have matched anything in the annals of comedy, in which his comedies They carried a universal message for everything to cherish. When he died in 1957, the crowd at his funeral procession is said to have been comparable to the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian independence.