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"I am not Gounda Mani but ‘Counter Mani"


When Lens Eye walked into Vahuni studios the gate man informed that Manmathan shooting was in progress. So one expected Simbhu to be dancing with some beautiful models but on reaching the floor, came the info that there was no Simbhu or any models. Instead it was a small Kutty swamiyar (a young saint) and Goundamani with junior artistes.

Kutty swamiyar was sitting under a tree. There were hundreds of junior artistes standing in queue to have the blessings of the swamiyar. Lens Eye thought that the famous Kutty swamiar of Salem was acting in the film. On close look Lens Eye realized that it was a small girl dressed up as Kutty swamiyar. For the shot comedian Goundamani walk to the junior artistes and enquires about the reason for standing in a long queue to have a glance of the swamiyar. One fellow tells him that he waits for long because, he is a childless and the blessings of the monk would make him a father. Goundamani immediately asks the person, what this small boy could do for your wife to make her a pregnant lady. `Go and see the doctor' and the man runs away. This was the first shot for the comedy of the film.

In the second shot another person tells Goundamani, that his house construction work was abruptly stopped and he wants to complete it with the blessings of swamiyar. Goundamani makes fun of him saying “Can you complete the house construction with the Thiruneeru (holy ash) given by the swamiyar. Go and get the loan from a bank to complete the construction work”. Suddenly the crowd starts running leaving the swamiyar. Goundamani asks a person why all are in a hurry. “We heard that a baby boy has been born with saffron clad holy cloth. We want to get the baby's blessings”. “Oh God, this people will not reform” laments the comedian

Goundamani told Lens Eye, that in this film he acts as uncle to Simbhu. He also told that many call him as ‘Goundar’ for he did not belong to the community, but he earned the title with the pace delivery of his dialogue with his co-artistes in films. “My original name is ‘Counter Mani’, means his dialogues would always bring comedy with his Counter arguments with others in films.