The influence of Kalaivaanar over Gopalakrishnan was to a considerable extent substantial that Gopalakrishnan, when started directing films, included good comedy scenes in them which were full of well-meaning thoughts. As examples we can refer to such films like "Theivappiravi" and "Kairaasi" in which K.A.Thangavelu has played the comedy role.

                      It was one of his characteristic traits that Kalaivaanar used to crack jokes even in his day-to-day affairs outside cinema! And Gopalakrishnan on such occasions observed with great interest how Kalaivaanar was joking on what kind of situations! Gopalakrishnan also used the replica of these comical situations and the witty comments of Kalaivaanar in the films he directed.

                  Once, Kalaivaanar was travelling in his car towards Kodambakkam (Chennai) studio. In those days there was no overbridge at Kodambakkam route. At a particular point, there was train track across the road. The railway gate had been just closed as a train was about to cross then. So Kalaivaanar's car driver was parking the car near the gate saying "the gate has been closed". The English word "gate" when pronounced in Tamil sounds as "kettu" which in Tamil means "with permission". So Kalaivanar immediately made  a witty rejoinder to the driver's remark in the following way: "If it's closed with permission ("kettu") it doesn't matter" ("kettuththaane moodinaan. Athanaal paravayillai")! The driver couldn't control his laughter over this unexpected, witty remark by Kalaivaanar. This, he later related to the other members of Kalaivaanar's house. This 'pun' over the word 'gate' is used by director Gopalakrishnan in the film "Theivappiravi" in the following manner. There's a small swelling on S.S.Rajendran's forehead. He has just returned after having seen M.N.Rajam. Now Padmini asks him "What's on your forehead?" S.S.R. replies "Gate has dashed against the head". Instantly Padmini replies: "only with permission she (M.N.Rajam) has dashed against you!" ("Oh, kettuththaane idichchaa?").

                    "Iyakkunar Sigaram" K.Balachander is also a staunch fan of Kalaivaanar. He spoke at a function in the following way: "In technical matters Tamil cinefield had learned so many advanced techniques and thus has moved ahead some 30 years! At the same time when we think of Kalaivaanar N.S.Krishnan's comedy scenes we should accede that we still lag behind some 30 years from  the time of Kalaivaanar when there prevailed good quality comedy in Tamil cinema!"

                   To give room to the argument that K.Balachander has awefully enjoyed the comedy sequences of Kalaivaanar, we could refer to Balachander's film "Vaaname Ellai" as a telling example!

                   In a particular film, T.A.Madhuram asks Kalaivaanar "What's your native place?". To this Kalaivaanar answers: "Podi". (In Tamil, one of the shades of meaning of the word 'podi' is the scornful derision heaped upon somebody). Madhuram gets hurt by this remark and with some anger she drills him with the question: "What! I only asked you 'what's your native place?'. Kalaivaanar again replies: "Podi". Madhuram gets still hotter and starts to bounce upon him saying: "What you mean by repeatedly (insulting me) telling me 'podi', 'podi'?" To this Kalaivaanar replies rather in a cool manner: "Only 'Podi' is my native place!"

                  In the same style, in K.Balachander's "Vaaname Ellai", some girls in a arrogant style ask the watchman of a bangalow, "What's your native place?".     The watchman replies: "Podi". The girls get infuriated. Subsequently, he explains: "My native place is 'Podi'".

                 Like that in the film "Paarijaatham", Lord Krishna becomes a friend of Kalaivaanar. The latter requests Krishna to enable him (Kalaivaanar) to play flute in such a nice way so as to make the general public believe that it's Kalaivaanar who's making out such a sweet performance on flute! Krishna agrees. One day Kalaivaanar sits on the street and starts playing the flute. All the people stand spell-bound when they hear sweet music flowing through Kalaivaanar's flute. At one point, he abruptly stops playing and tries to stand up. Even then the sound of flute continues to flow out without stopping. Then only the people come to know that it wasn't Kalaivaanar who made the performance and it was nothing but some fraudulent trick.

                In the same way, in "Vaaname Ellai"one of the four friends performs music on saxaphone. People assemble there with great interest and lend their years to the laudable music. Suddenly the friend stops playing but the sound of music doesn't stop and still fills the air. Then only the people find out that the music is from a switched-on tape-recorder.

               There's a scene in "Nalla Thambi" film. While in conversation, Kalaivaanar N.S.Krishnan inserts a cigarette into his mouth (lips) as if he's going to smoke. Instantly Madhuram tries to condemn him for his new, evil habit of smoking. At once Kalaivaanar chews the 'cigarette' and swallows it! It's merely a sweet stick, a cofectionery item and not a real cigarette at all. In "Vaaname Ellai" one of the friends threatens Banu Priya at pistol point. Banu Priya begs him to keep it away because it frightens her! Suddenly the friend eats it biting it bit by bit. For it's not a pistol but a tasty chocolate!

              Like this K.Balachander may be said to have made use of Kalaivaanar's concepts of comedy in his films.

                                                                                (To be continued).