The Gods of the Telugu Film Industry - Spare Me!

[Xantippe]

Five7, Saami is not getting a new makeover, it already has one - Laxminarasimha - with Balayya and his martian antics.



And this phenomenon of older men not trying to act their age is not only prevailing in Telugu industry, but in Bollywood as well. Somebody mentioned Amitabh - Amitabh did do Lal Badshah, remember? Now don't tell me he was acting his age in that, doing those things with Miss Tennis-court-size-bottom, Manisha Koirala.



For that matter, most of the actors that play the role of college students are not acting their age. Then, even young actors playing older roles are not acting their age. If everybody was playing their own age, it wouldn't be called "acting" now, would it?



There is this legendary actor in the Telugu industry, Gundepootu Gummadi. This guy was younger than most of the heroes of his time (NTR, ANR etc.), but he always played the role of their dads. Nobody ever complained that he was not acting his age!



So while acting, "acting" age is not always convinient. If an older actor can do whatever a young actor can, then he must not backdown from doing younger roles.



Okay, there is that little issue of their physical features giving away their age. But frankly, since we are talking about telugu actors, Telugu actors were never Brad Pitts even in the prime of their youth. So why complain, now????

[CtrlAltDel]

Somebody mentioned Amitabh - Amitabh did do Lal Badshah, remember? Now don't tell me he was acting his age in that, doing those things with Miss Tennis-court-size-bottom, Manisha Koirala.

god...i can remember that...it was a nightmare...an embarrassment of the highest order, and rightfully the movie was laffed out of the halls!

If everybody was playing their own age, it wouldn't be called "acting" now, would it?

ya, but they should atleast look young, at least hide their wrinkled necks and....its hopeless...they shudn't be taken in first place...disguise be damned. if the senior actors were fit n trim (like nag or venky) , they wud fit any role (except a college student ie!)

There is this legendary actor in the Telugu industry, Gundepootu Gummadi.

I think 'Gundepootu' was not his name...he got named that was coz he used to die of heartattack in every other movie!

If an older actor can do whatever a young actor can, then he must not backdown from doing younger roles.

...unless he can effectively hide his age...he shudn't....

Telugu actors were never Brad Pitts even in the prime of their youth. So why complain, now????

coz now there are better looking actually young actors around...in those days people had to tolerate midleaged pot bellied 'college students'...not any more....(except for walking n talking 'toons like NTR Jr.)



another question: in the same tolerent attitude, why cant old heroines be accepted too...why are they automatically slotted as moms or elder sisters after a certain age. if ugly old men can play young men, why not them too????

[Xantippe]

You're actually right about the mature heroines. I think older mature wrinkled women will actually serve these "evergreen" heroes right! The heroines can easily supplement these heroes with their gigantic pot-bellies, and the heroes can easily supplement the heroines with their disturbing man boobs!!



But, I'm not sure about the part where it was said that the younger heroes are better looking than the older guys. Most of them are equally repulsive.



Wonder how the movies will be with teh ripe and rotten men and women in the lead roles -



Maa Baamma Manasu Mi Taataki Telusu

Missammamma

Sorry... Naaku Munde Shastipurthy Aayindi

[CtrlAltDel]

...and the heroes can easily supplement the heroines with their disturbing man boobs!!

reminds me of a popular joke in the mid nineties: it was said that Govinda's "boobs" gave many heroines a complex and they refused to appear with him if he was topless!! (rememebr Govinda's topless song in Aankhen...the heroine actually looked flat-chested infront of him!).

...But, I'm not sure about the part where it was said that the younger heroes are better looking than the older guys. Most of them are equally repulsive.

i meant it relatively speaking...comparing them with the oldies!

Missammamma
Sorry... Naaku Munde Shastipurthy Aayindi

[Five7Jaan]

But frankly, since we are talking about telugu actors, Telugu actors were never Brad Pitts even in the prime of their youth. So why complain, now????

Sorry, didn't have a chance to watch Lal Badshah.

But that is the exact point I am trying to make here. Except it happens with every new Telugu movie!

I will make some exceptions for the oldies and decent scripts.

The problem lies with the producers/directors afflicted with if-my-movie-won't-have-a-megastar-it-will-bomb-at-the-boxoffice syndrome.

The older generation of actors have lets-take-what-i-get-at-this-stage-of-my-life syndrome. And, they are tied with new actresses that want to come up in show business and this their only ticket.



Why not leave the younger roles to the young heroes [will agree on their non-existent attractiveness etc.]? I am not asking the older gen. to give up their position as a megastar etc. but there is a fine line between young and older roles. The younger gen is more perfect for those college roles. And, the older gen can perhaps play midlife roles

I guess until the mass audience is as disgusted as me with those movies, they won't stop making them.

-Five7Jaan

[Xantippe]

The problem lies with the producers/directors afflicted with if-my-movie-won't-have-a-megastar-it-will-bomb-at-the-boxoffice syndrome. The older generation of actors have lets-take-what-i-get-at-this-stage-of-my-life syndrome.
-Five7Jaan

Don't quite agree with that. If you observe Telugu cinema, you'll find than for every 5 movies without a "megastar" there is only one with a "megastar." (5:1) If the producers/directors are of the opinion that their movies would bomb without a "megastar," then these movies would never be made.

The older generation of actors have lets-take-what-i-get-at-this-stage-of-my-life syndrome.

This is surely the case. The older actors actually are given no choice. They have to play a younger role.

I guess until the mass audience is as disgusted as me with those movies, they won't stop making them.

Yup! No other go for any of us. Just ignore a few insignificant facts that the hero is as old as the mountains, looks like them with a snowtop peak and a broad base, and moves as sluggishly as them.



Apart from these, keep on watching, people. After all, it is just plain entertainment.