Love is bliss …! – Professor Solomon Pappiah

Q: You are involved in cinema also. Tell us your views …

A: I had participated in the functions got up to celebrate the success of Balachander’s films ‘Poovilangu’ and ‘Puthu puthu arthangkal’ and Bharathiraja’s ‘Pudhiya vaarpugal’. ‘Pyramid’ Natarajan was in charge of all the arrangements for the function in connection with the film ‘Poovilangu’. I watched the movie, made out notes and gave a sharp review. I was appreciated for my precision work that contained both appreciation and criticism even for minor points. And, I had participated in many of the functions of Kavithalaya in Chennai. Though I got closer to many veterans in the film industry, I never got the desire to enter cinema. Some young men pressured me to don the role of a freedom fighter in their production ‘Pudhu varusham’. But the movie didn’t come out well. I did the role of a judge in Shankar’s ‘Boys’. Here, I must mention about my experience in the film ‘Shivaji’. Rajini treated me with so much respect and friendliness.

When I was waiting for the shot, a young man came and wished me and I wished him back. I thought that probably the young man knew me. But when the boys in the set told me that it was Rajini I was shocked. When I apologized to Rajini, he proved magnanimous by telling me that I need not apologize as I was a great name in my own field. I told him that I couldn’t recognize him as he was fully made up. “Aah … the make-up has done the desired magic!” Rajini told with a guffaw. I was really moved at his simplicity. But my literary life couldn’t go well with cinema, this is the fact of the truth. Nowadays, I avoid appearing on the big screen.

Q: Mostly, family relationships are chosen as topics for your debates. Tell us about your family …

A: My wife Jeyabai is an asset to me. I should say that I am lucky to have her as my wife. I am a person who is simply not bothered about the happenings in the family. I don’t even sit by the side of my wife and talk to her. Normally, I spend all my time reading or writing. One day, my wife wanted me to take her to a movie. I immediately agreed. But when we were about to start, my teacher Sithsabesan entered. He was to preside over a debate but, as he couldn’t attend it for some reason he requested me to do his job. I looked at my wife hesitantly. But she didn’t show any disappointment; instead she encouraged me to go. When I reached the venue, the debate was already going on. My teacher must have told another person also to substitute him. My job was over with just giving my wife my payment for that event! One day, when I was reading a book, my wife entered the room and looked at the books around me. She jokingly said that instead of buying those books if I had bought a pure silk sari, we could have got some resale value. But seriously speaking, she is the most cooperative wife anybody could desire. My eldest daughter Vimala is a graduate. She learned Japanese language when she was in Japan during some holiday time.