Punch Dialogue
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A punch dialogue is an expression or a sentence used most frequently in the Indian film industry, especially the Tamil and Telugu film industries and is generally a dialogue uttered by the protagonist to describe his character and his off-screen ambitions in a flamboyant and grandiose manner. These dialogues have been used by dialogue writers to bolster the screen image of the protagonist and also make sure that another meaning is implicit in it which would convey the contemporary ambitions of the hero/heroine during the release of the film.
It is very relevant to the South Indian film industry as many actors, actresses, dialogue writers have embraced politics. Most notable of them being the current chief minister M. Karunanidhi and others including J. Jayalalitha, M.G. Ramachandran and C.N. Annadurai who have all served as Chief ministers of the state of Tamil Nadu. In Andhra Pradesh, N.T. Rama Rao was another film personality to become a chief minister.
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[edit] Meaning
The term 'punch dialogue' does not have a literal English meaning as such, but has been used by the Tamil and Telugu film media for the past few years. It more likely refers to the fact that when the dialogue is uttered the 'villain' is metaphorically 'punched' by the protagonist who utters the phrase. The phrases are usually couplets used to highlight a specific character trait of the protagonist as relevant to the particular film scene. Nowadays even villains usually utter these phrases, but eventually, as per the general dogma of the India film industry, the hero would eventually use his previous (or another) punch dialogue as a comeback line.
[edit] Usage
These dialogues have been used by a number of South Indian film stars, most notably Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Vijayakanth N.T. Rama Rao, and M.G. Ramachandran. Notably, a number of them have went on to hold high government positions including that of a Chief Minister in their respective states. The use of punch dialogues has become a trend as it is increasingly employed for the dialogues of more recent and rising film stars such as Vijay, Ajith Kumar, Silambarasan and Dhanush in the Tamil film industry and actors in the Telugu industry such as Junior NTR and Mahesh Babu.
[edit] Patterns
The punch dialogues are usually sentences or monologues/dialogues uttered by the protagonist, most generally a male protagonist playing the lead role in a Indian movie and are phrases used to deify the hero character in the movie. These monologues/dialogues, generally tend to portray the hero as a lofty 'superhuman' and also as a means to garner hero worship amongst the audience, which is not uncommon in the Indian film industry.
[edit] Examples of punch dialogues
[edit] Rajinikanth
Of all contemporary film actors in South India, the film characters played by Rajinikanth,one of the most highly paid film actors in India, often use them most in films.
Rajinikanth's films are known for their punch dialogues. Tamil magazines sometimes conduct competitions to predict possible punch dialogues for his forthcoming films. These punch dialogues are repeated many times in his movies. Most of these punch dialogues have significance to the political situation at the time of release of relevant movies. Listed below are some film names and notable punch dialogues contained in these films:
- Moondru Mugam (1982)
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- Ekambaram: "Ekambaramnu sonna vayithula irukura kozhandhai kooda vaaya moodum." (ஏகாம்பரம்: "ஏகாம்பரம்னு சொன்னா, வயித்துல இருக்கிற குழந்தை கூட வாயை மூடும்") - "Say the name 'Ekambaram' and even an unborn child will shut its mouth and hush up."
- Alex Pandian: "Adhe kozhandhai kitta Alex Pandiyannu sonna, innoru kaiyale avanga amma vaayayum moodum!" ( அலெக்ஸ் பாண்டியன்: "அதே குழந்தைகிட்டே அலெக்ஸ் பாண்டியன்னு சொன்னா, இன்னொரு கையாலே அவங்க அம்மா வாயையும் சேர்த்து மூடும்") - "Well, if you say the name 'Alex Pandian' to that same unborn child, it will even close its mother's mouth with its other hand!"
- Annamalai (1992)
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- "Naan solrathaiyum seiven, sollathathiyum seiven." (நான் சொல்கிறதையும் செய்வேன், சொல்லாததையும் செய்வேன்) - "I will do what I say, I will also do what I don't say." "kuuti kalichu paaru kanaku sariya varum..."
- Basha (1995)
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- "Naan oru dhadavai sonna nooru dhadavai sonna madhiri." (நான் ஒரு தடவை சொன்னால் நூறு தடவை சொன்ன மாதிரி) - "If i say it once, I've said it a hundred times." [1]
- Muthu (1995)
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- "Naan eppa varuven, eppadi varuvennu yarukkum theriyadhu, eppa varanumo appa correct-aga varuven." (நான் எப்ப வருவேன், எப்படி வருவேன்னு யாருக்கும் தெரியாது, எப்ப வரனுமோ அப்ப கரெக்டா வருவேன்) - "When I will come, or how I will come, nobody will know, but I will come when I ought to come."
- Arunachalam (1997)
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- "Andavan solran. Arunachalam seiran." (ஆண்டவன் சொல்றான், அருணாச்சலம் செய்றான்) - "God tells, Arunachalam does."
- Padayappa (1999)
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- "Athigama asaipadara ambalaiyum, adhigama kopapadara pombalaiyum nalla vazhndhadha sarithiram illai" - "History dictates that a greedy man and an angry woman cannot lead peaceful lives."
- "En vazhi – thani vazhi." (என் வழி; தனி வழி) - "My way is a unique way."
- Baba (2002)
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- "Khatham, gatham." (க்ஹதம் கதம்) - "The past is past."
- "Asarndhal adikkiradhu unga policy. Asaraama adikkiradhu Baba policy. (அசர்ந்தா அடிக்கிறது உங்க பாலிசி அசராம அடிக்கிறது பாபா பாலிசி) - "To rise and move to beat - that's your policy. To beat without a single move - that's this Baba's policy." Or, more succinctly, "I don't need to break a sweat to break your bones."
- "Naan Sai Baba illa, yaar pakkamum saayaatha baba" - "I ain't no Sai Baba: I am a Baba who sides no one."
[edit] Vijayakanth
Vijayakanth has been using punch dialogues to bolster his screen presence ever since the time he nurtured political ambitions. Currently he is the MLA for Virudhachalam constituency of Tamil Nadu and even now he uses these punch dialogues to convey subtle messages to the audience as well as his political critics.
In the past few years he has used several punch dialogues in almost all of his films as most of them are action-politics dramas. Some of his punch dialogues include:
- Vallarasu (2000)
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- "Indha Vallarasu Gandhiyaa irukkaradhum, Subhas Chandra Bose-aa mararadhum, un kaila dhaan irukku." (இந்த வல்லரசு காந்தியா இருக்கறதும், சுபாஷ் சந்திர போஸா மாறுவதும், உன் கைல தான் இருக்கு) - "It is up to you to determine whether I'll be a Gandhi [pacifist] or turn into a Bose [a fighter]."
- Vallarasu: "Indha Vallarasu India-va Vallarasu naadaga maathuvaan." (இந்த வல்லரசு இந்தியாவை வல்லரசு நாடாக மாத்துவான்) - "This Vallarasu will make India into a Vallarasu country." ('Vallarasu' is Tamil for Superpower.)
- Narasimma (2001)
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- "Saadhaarana manishanukku currenta thotta 'sock' adikkum, aanaa naan Narasimma. Enna thotta currenttukke shock adikkum." (சாதாரண மனுஷனுக்கு கரன்ட்ட தொட்டா 'சாக்' அடிக்கும், ஆனா நான் நரசிம்மா. என்ன தொட்டா கரன்ட்டுக்கே... ஷாக் அடிக்கும்) - "If a normal human being is electrocuted, he gets a shock. But I am Narasimma. If you try to electrocute me, it is the electric current that gets a shock."
- "Simma, Narasimma." (சிம்மா... நரசிம்மா) - A copy of the way James Bond introduces himself.
- "Abdul Kalaam kandupidicha anu-shaktiya vida shakti vaayndhavar thaan Narasimma!" (அப்துல் கலாம் கண்டுபிடிச்ச அணு சக்திய விட சக்தி வாய்ந்தவர்தான் நரசிம்மா) - "Narasimma is more powerful than Abdul Kalaam's atomic energy!"
- "Narasimmava tholaikka innum thotta kandupidikkala da." (நரசிம்மாவைத் தொலைக்க இன்னும் தோட்டா கண்டுபிடிக்கலடா) - "Kill Narasimma? They haven't even invented a bullet that can do that, fool."
- "Currentukku 3 phase... enakku thirumbina pakkam ellam face!" (கரன்ட்டுக்கு மூணு ஃபேசு.. எனக்கு திரும்பின பக்கமெல்லா....ம் ஃபேசு!) - "Electricity has only three phases... I have faces all around!"
- Vanchinathan (2001)
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- "Sattathai madhikkaravan ennoda mugatha paarthu pesunga da. Madhikkadhavan ennoda 'Soo'-va paarth pesunga da." (சட்டத்தை மதிக்கறவன் என்னோட முகத்தை பார்த்து பேசுங்கடா.. மதிக்காதவன் என்னோட ஷூவ பார்த்து பேசுங்கடா)- "Those who respect the law: talk to my face; the rest of you, talk to my shoe, fools."
- "We will meet, will meet, meet." (இங்கிலீஸ் டயலாக்)- This is in most cases a punch line in English to give an intellectual image to the film character/star. The reducing words are because of echo effect.
- Ramana (2002)
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- "Mannippu, Tamizhla enakku pudikkatha ore vaarthai." (மன்னிப்பு... தமிழ்ல எனக்கு புடிக்காத ஒரே வார்த்தை)- "Forgiveness - the only word I hate in Tamil."
- Thavasi (2002)
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- "Thulasi vaasam maaralam aana Thavasi vaarthai maaramaattan." (துளசி வாசம் மாறலாம்... ஆனா தவசி வார்த்தை மாற மாட்டான்) - "The thulasi (basil leaf) might change its scent, but I, Thavasi, will never change (retract) my words."
- "Puyaladichu pozhachavan irukkaan, aana indha Boopathy adichi pozhachavan illa da!" (புயலடிச்சு பொழச்சவன் இருக்கான், ஆனா இந்த பூபதி அடிச்சு பொழச்சவன் இல்லடா! )- "There are those who survive a storm's lashing; but no one survives this Boopathy's thrashing!"
- "Naan adangi poravan illada - adakittu poravan." (நான் அடங்கி போறவன் இல்லடா... அடக்கிட்டு போறவன்)- "I cannot be controlled - I control!"
- "Idi vizhuntha kooda pozhachukkalam aana en adi vaangi pozhaikka mudiyaathu." (இடி விழுந்தா கூட பொழச்சுக்கலாம்... ஆனா என் அடி வாங்கி பொழைக்க முடியாது)- "You can be struck by a lightning bolt and live, but you can't take my strike and continue living." (A threat issued by the hero to the villains).
[edit] Vijay
Vijay is another actor who belongs to the younger crop and is also seen using a lot of these punch dialogues to deify his screen presence.
- Thirumalai (2004)
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- "Hey mass-u, uyirukku bayappadadha en munnadi nee dhoos-u." - "Hey Mass (villain), you are but a speck of dust to me who doesn't fear for his life."
- Thirupaachi (2005)
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- "Idhu kolai illai... vadham!" - "This is no murder... this is holy execution!"
- Sivakaasi (2005)
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- "Solli adicha Gilli, sollama adicha Thirupaachi, solliyum sollama adicha Sivakaasi" - "If I strike with a warning, it is Gilli (a previous film of Vijay's), if I strike without a warning, it is Thirupaachi (another Vijay film), but if I beat with a warning that comes without a warning — this is Sivakaasi."
- Pokiri (2007)
- "Nee adicha piece naan adicha mass","If you hit it is like dust but if I hit you it is 'mass'" - More like a metaphorical meaning pointing to his mass following.
- "Naan oru vatti mudivu pannitana, enn pecha naanae kekamattaen" - If I decide about something once, even I won't listen to myself again.
"yar adicha pori kelambi boomi adhiradhre udambula theriyudho avandhan da tamil ."
[edit] Ajith
Ajith Kumar is another actor who belongs to the younger crop and is also seen using a lot of these punch dialogues to deify his screen presence.
- Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen (1997)
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- "I like it. I like it very much."
- Dheena (2001)
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- "Adhu" - "That's it!"
- Thirupathi (2005)
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- "Anda Thirupathi adicha, unga Sattam mela povum. Indha Thrupathi adicha nee yei mela povum." - "If you pray at the Thirupathi Temple, your prays will be sent to heaven. If you mess with me, you will go to heaven"
- Aalwar (2007)
- "Kadavul......Naan Kadavul" - "God - I am God" (This is a direct attack at director Bala who he a fight with on the sets of the film, Naan Kadavul, he left the project then to be replaced.)"
[edit] Dhanush
Dhanush, an actor belonging to the current generation of young South Indian actors, who is also the son-in-law of Rajinikanth also uses these to improve his image amongst the masses. His 2004 film titled 'Sullaan' in which he plays a lanky college-goer, and also a feared Rowdy is widely credited with using some of the most comical punch dialogues in the past decade, as almost all of them convey no meaning and are only metaphorical.
- Sullaan (2004)
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- "Sullaaan, soodanen sulukkeduthiduven!" - "Aggravate this skinny boy and he'll unsprain you!" (Sullaan means someone who is lanky and thin. The term 'sulukkeduthiduven' figuratively means that the person to whom it is uttered will experience sprains).
- "Edu, edu... enna, padamaa?" - "Take it, take it... what now, what's with the drama huh?"
- "Paakaradhukku thaan Sullaan, soodanen surunduruva!" - "I might look like a skinny lad, but mess with me and you'll crumble!"
- "Hey...venaaam! Sullaan!" - "Hey don't (mess with me)! It is I, Sullaan!"
[edit] Silambarasan
Silambarasan, a fairly new actor known to imitate Rajinikanth on-screen, employs dialogues modelled after his screen-idol's style.
- Manmadhan (2004)
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- "Life-la yaaru first poraanga enbathu mukkiyam illa last-a yaaru first varanga enbathu thaan mukkiyam. Varen!" - "Who starts first in life is not important, but it is who finishes first that matters. Adios!"
- Vallavan (2006)
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- "Naan vettaiyaadikittey vilayaaduvean!" - "I will play and hunt, side-by-side!"
- "Naan irukama pudicha thaanga maatey, edhama pudhicha raathiriyellam thoonga maatey." - "If I embrace you tightly, you wouldn't stand it, if I embrace you loosely, you wouldn't be able to sleep all night either."
[edit] Examples of telugu punch dialogues
Maheshbabu: Pokiri. Oka sari kamithu avuthe na mathe nanee innanu .
[edit] Trivia
- Numerous competitions are held for guessing what Rajinikanth's punch dialogues are for his forthcoming projects and these have found great acceptance amongst readers. The prize for the winner is usually promises of a one-to-one meeting with Rajinikanth.
- Some of his expected punch dialogues, as proposed by his fan are as follows:
- "Phone adicha ringu, indha Sivaji adicha sangu." - "If the phone rings it sounds a bell, if this Sivaji hits it's the death knell."
- "Thanneera killa mudiyathu, Sivajiya vella mudiyathu." - "You cannot pinch water, you cannot beat Sivaji."
- "Paambai paathu padaye nadungum, indha Sivajiya paathu paambe nadungum." - "An army may be terrified of a snake, but even a snake is terrified of Sivaji."
- "Singathe konja mudiyathu, intha Sivajiya yaaralum minja mudiyathu." - "You cannot pamper a lion and neither can you win over Sivaji."
- Though the proposed dialogues are never used in any of his films, it serves to generate hype for these movies.
