Wither is love? Has it gone with the wind?

A discerning viewer may have noticed a silent revolution that has taken place in Tamil world in recent times. The Deepavali releases and the pictures subsequently succeeded them have made their grade without relying in the least on the oft-beaten theme, love. Love is no more an essential formula for the success of a movie! At long last, Tamil Cinema can do without romance.

Thenali, Vanavil, Priyamanavale, Palayathu Amman and Puratchikkaran have all scored victories without banking on romantic overtures.

The characters in those films do not pine for their love. There is no love at first sight. There are no sleepless nights. No lover gazes at his sweetheart with pleading eyes. There are no love pangs. No wrench of separation . All the five films have satisfied the audiences to a great extent. Ennamma Kannu and Bharathi also do not lag behind. They were also run away successes. Producers, distributors and the proprietors of theatres have stood to benefit. They have all obtained rich dividends with their involvement in these seven films.

None can accuse the audiences hereafter that they are enamored after the films which have love as their bedrock. All the seven films in question held the attention of the viewers for two-and-a-half hours. Each film had swayed the audiences absorption for at least thirty long minutes.

Among those seven films, Vanavil and Priyamanavale have shades of love. But in effect, Vanavil was an action picture. 'Priyamanavale' dealt with the turbulences and turmoil's that tested the hearts of a couple, much in the same fashion as 'Mouna Raagam'.

"Ennamma Kannu" gave prominence to Sathyaraj's mockery, jovial tirades and antics. Bharathi won accolades for the powerful range of Bharati's poetry. Both films had a successful run of one hundred days.

From scene one to the eventual one, comedy reigned supreme in 'Tenali'. Though the film's story had the scope for love, there was no trace of the element of love in the actual Picturisation of the film. The viewers however got the benefit, the value for then money. They were immensely pleased with the comedy dished out by Kamal and Jayaram.

Palayaththu Amman and Puratchikkaran were poles apart. They were diametrically opposite to each other in their content and theme. The former film captured the imagination of religious minds. The latter movie served the interests of the rational people. Each movie was welcomed by a section of the populate which identified itself with the theme dearer to its heart. Small wonder that both those films could attain success.

It seems, at the present juncture, the Tamil cinema has turned the corner. It's proven beyond doubt that the audiences would receive subjects other than love also with open arms. The films we have discussed have definitely set a good example for the future to emulate.

Certain directors like Shankar and Vikraman have made certain ambitious, adventurous films in the past transcending the necessity for 'love'. They had embraced success in their ventures, with ease. The young heroes of the day, ajith, Vijay, Prashanth, Surya and the ilk have made it clear in their interviews that they are eager to act in varies characters in different kind of films. They definitely prefer other themes to that of 'love'. The theme of 'love' has definitely set a tedium among the others as well as the audiences.

Some of our young directors develop cold feet to think afresh and act differently. They are afraid that the audiences may turn down their out-of-the ordinary attempts. Hence their concentration on the life-less love subjects. It is high time they allay their unwarranted fears. They can take heart and cue from the enormous successes earned by the seven films which had hit the silver screen in the recent past. They must think a new and present the movie-lovers with stories of different dimensions. Will they extricate Tamil Cinema from the 'love' mire it remains inundated in? Let's wait and see. Let us hope for the best!