AVM Studio was full of DMK flags. You wouldn't even have managed to enter the studios that day. The place made you wonder if you have stepped into the DMK head office, Anna Arivaalayalam. Everywhere, you could see posters of Mu Karunanidhi and the latest film 'Kannamma'. All these activities were for welcoming the DMK head.

He arrived at exactly 9.15. He was taken to the podium by K Balachander, SA Chandrashekar, lyricist Vaali and the director of the film, SS Baba Vikraman.

Nobody knew exactly what frame of mind Keyar was in because he began describing the cine industry as a gamble parlour in which gamblers usually ended up losing everything.

Director SS Baba Vikraman said, "When I asked Mu Karunanidhi to write the screenplay and dialogues, he asked me to wait for a while. It took him four years."

Each time the word Kalaignar was mentioned the hall reverberated with applause. K Balachander kept his speech very short. He said, "I have not yet directed any film with Kalaignar. I'm afraid time is running out fast for me."

When Kalaignar began speaking, he said, "I'll see to it that Balachander never finds himself in such a position. If he is ready to keep his side of the promise, I'm willing to work with him in a film for no fee at all!"

This is the first time in 52 years that Kalaignar is stepping into the AVM studios. His words reflected the emotion. "52 years ago, my very best friend Shivaji had acted in this same studios in the film 'Parashakti'. Krishnan Panju had directed it. He and Perumal from National Pictures had got together and produced it. I can only recollect the last day of the film's shooting now."

In his trademark sarcastic style he commented about the fee hike, "I know you aren't exactly in a very jubilant state of mind right now. I have an on and off relationship with the cine industry. I was in the cine industry. I'm still in the industry and I intend to be in it for a long time in future. On that basis, I request the present government to reduce the fee that is imposed for shooting." The crowd received this with loud applause.

Kalaignar too is aware of producers who invested crores in film and have ended up on the streets now. He mentioned this in his speech and added, "I don't know what the present budget is for producing a film, but I have this to say. If you invest Rs 50 Lakhs and make a movie then the loss wouldn't be more than 10 Lakhs. If it makes profit, that wouldn't be too much either. Nobody stands to lose anything big. Let 'Kannamma' be an example of this."

He placed flower bouquets to the Shivaji memorial in the studio.

When someone next to him mentioned that the spot was exactly where Shivaji stood and acted the last scene of 'Parashakti', he said that he remembers everything. There was a slight tremor in his voice.

A function that started as a happy occasion, ended with heartwarming memories.