How Vivekh subverted comedy cliches

Today, forced comedy tracks and comedians playing hero’s side-kick have caused fatigue among the viewers. Between the 90s and 2000s, Vivek revelled in these roles in Tamil cinema. By subverting cliches in comedy, he never let himself be a stereotype.

He was a remarkably gifted comedian who brilliantly nailed satire. No doubt a good share of credit must go to the dialogue writers for those immortal lines. But you could never take your eyes off Vivek. The protagonists hardly took cheap shots at him. By carrying a hilarious swagger, he was on par with the heroes.

This made him a unique comedy actor, having solid yet exclusive value on-screen and a cult-following off it. This also forced writers not to dumb-down the content. They added meaning to the lines and Vivek grew into a comedian known for his intellectual wit.

In the 2000s, He was the heart of many blockbusters with his bag of tricks. Be it in thrillers (‘Dhool’, ‘Anniyan’, Saamy), romantic drama (‘Minnale’), or films fusing message with entertainment (‘Boys’ and ‘Sivaji’), Vivek was a great comic relief.

His performances came with great variations. In Shankar’s ‘Anniyan’ (2005), he plays Chari, a sub-inspector and the best friend of Ambi (Vikram), an innocent, straightforward advocate obsessed with rules. As he tries to help Ambi impress his love of his life, Vivek’s unpredictable antics and expressions are really funny. The train scenes are a riot.

As Mangalam in ‘Boys’ (2001), his face did minimal work but he hit it out of the park with his comic dialogue delivery in the famous scene inside a bar. In an otherwise subpar ‘Padikkathavan’ (2009), he was riotously over the top as Assault Arumugam.

Vivek’s relaxed style was extremely likeable. See how he aces the cult ‘Kaka Biriyani’ in ‘Run’ (2002). So effortlessly, he delivers one hilarious dialogue after another. He complements them with a funny body language leaving us laughing uncontrollably. That is all-round acting at its best.

Impressed by his command and control over dialogue delivery, Shankar even gave him the best punchlines in ‘Shivaji’ (2007), starring Rajinikanth. The likes of six ku appram seven da, Shivaji ku appram yevan da or chinna pasanga pakurathu Pogo, Shivajigite venda go, go, are juicy content for WhatsApp jokes even today, 14 years since the film’s release.

He even showed the ability to stand out amid the greats. In ‘Viralukketha Veekam’ (1999) and ‘Manadhai Thirudivittai’ (2001), he never felt out of place while sharing screen with his predecessor, the legendary Vadivelu. For comedy lovers, these films were akin to festivals. Throw Kovai Sarala in the mix, the party gets bigger.

“Romba Nallavan (a good person).” That’s what an emotional Vadivelu called him, while talking about his deceased friend. To see a frail Goundamani walk to pay final respects to another talented artiste was a moving scene. They are greats of Tamil cinema and they lost a special one in their team.

For the 90s movie buffs, Vivek has provided superb memories and entertainment. The entertainment will continue to live through his films and video clips on YouTube. In case of a comedian’s death, we know he is no more but while looking back at his works, there is no room for melancholy. He or she generates laughter and only laughter.

Thank you for the laughs, Vivek.