Well, yes. There were Chaplin dolls in the 1920s. And there was Mickey mouse – with his pocket watches and train sets in the 1930s. But merchandising really took off, as far as I know, in the Star Wars era.
Here, we don’t really have anything comparable. Oh, the shops are full of Spiderman and Ben Ten and Speed racer figurines, but I can’t really remember ANYTHING from the Tamil cinema world, apart from fan made Rajnikanth T-Shirts. And you have to order them from the US or buy them handprinted on duster material from the pavement opposite Loyola college. [Unless of course, you’re Rose Tyler – Annamalai T-Shirt ahoy at 0:51]
So I was surprised to read about a merchandising boom in Madras presidency – way back in 1939 – starring – wait for it – Papanasam Sivan. The Tamil Thyagaraja himself. And it was the first Tamil movie to be banned. Of course, it was made during a time when you could say “Congress ideals” without cracking up. The story was serialized in Ananda Vikatan – written by Kalki, it was one of the first to use movie stills instead of the customary illustrations. It dealt with progressive issues of its day – untouchability, domestic abuse – to the extent of the battered wife telling her repentant shitheel husband to fuck off when he returned on bended knee – and the Independence movement (Or is it freedom struggle?). It even starred a spinning Mahatma – via interpolated footage.
And the poster, above? The guy in the suit is the philandering husband, the girl in the suit is his mistress – obviously evil – they’re aping the Brits.
So why the FUCK haven’t I heard of this before?
Why haven’t I heard that this ran at Gaiety? Fucking Gaiety theatre which used to show Ramarajan films? The theatre I visited once – when I watched “The Perils of Gwendoline” to see Tawny Kitaen’s tits? And that the director – hearing that the Government planned to ban the movie – announced free shows (can a director do that? Was he related to the theatre owner?). And people flocked in and watched until the police came in and lathi charged everyone out of the place.
Funny. Watching a movie can be revolutionary act, after all.
Which led to a whole deal of merchandise. Thyaga Bhoomi saree falls and handbags, blouse pieces and bangles. I wonder if anyone has them still.