5 stalwarts we miss while celebrating 15 years of Rajinikanth's Sivaji

With Superstar Rajinikanth's Sivaji: The Boss turning 15 today, fans have been celebrating the film directed by Shankar. Even as we celebrate the trendsetting blockbuster, here are five key members from the team who we miss on this day...

Playing a role that was almost a constant presence throughout the film, Vivekh was in great comic form in Sivaji. His character, as Sivaji's 'mama', gave him the leeway to not only pull Rajinikanth's legs but also hype up the Superstar. The actor had often remarked that sharing screening space with Rajinikanth in this film was one of the most memorable experiences in his career.

Sivaji was KV Anand's second collaboration with Shankar after the blockbuster Mudhalvan. And in Sivaji, the cinematographer took the idea of grandness to another level, bringing in opulence and beauty hitherto unseen until then in Tamil cinema. Be it capturing the grand sets in the Vaaji Vaaji song, the rousing Adhiradikaaran song, the colourful Ballelaika song, or the power-packed stunt sequences, KV Anand ensured that every frame remained etched in the viewers' minds for long. And not only that, he played a crucial role in ensuring that the film, which he shot in Super 35mm format, was the first Indian film to be mastered in 4K resolution.

Ever since he wrote the dialogues for Shankar's Indian, writer Sujatha became a key figure in Shankar's films. His sharp dialogues added sparkle to the filmmaker's fantasies. In Sivaji, as the dialogue writer, he came up with many memorable punchlines for the Superstar, from 'Pera ketaale chumma adhurudhilla' to 'Panninga dhaan kootama varum.. Singam singlea dhaan varum'.

While lyricist Vaali had written songs in quite a few of Shankar's films, he delivered a cracker of a song in the lone one — Adhiradikaaran — that he penned for Sivaji. Legend has it that Rajinikanth, producers AVM Productions and Shankar wanted the ace lyricist to be part of their first collaboration and they even paid him the highest amount he had ever been paid to pen a song.

Actor and director Cochin Haneefa used to be a constant presence in Shankar's films, right from Mudhalvan. Even if he came in just a scene or two, he ensured that his role remained unforgettable. In Sivaji, he played a corrupt minister, who initially asks bribe from Rajini's character. Later, when the hero offers a bribe, he refuses, citing the now iconic "professional ethics" line, which Rajini uses against him towards the end of the scene.