Adimaippenn

Adimai Penn
Directed by K. Shankar
Produced by

M. G. Ramachandran

R.M. Veerappan
Written by Swornam (dialogues)
Story by R. M. Veerappan
S. Lakshmanan
S. K. T. Samy
Starring M. G. Ramachandran
J. Jayalalitha
S. A. Ashokan
Pandari Bai
Rajasree
R. S. Manohar
J. P. Chandrababu
Cho Ramaswamy
Music by K. V. Mahadevan
Cinematography V. Ramamoorthy
Edited by K. Narayanan
Production
company
Release dates
 1 May 1969
Country India
Language Tamil
Box office ₹ 60 lacs first run

Adimaippenn (English: Slave Girl) is a 1969 Indian Tamil peplum film directed by K. Shankar.

The film features M. G. Ramachandran as the main character, with Jayalalithaa, S. A. Ashokan, Pandari Bai, Rajasree, R. S. Manohar, J. P. Chandrababu and Cho Ramaswamy in supporting roles.This film was a Silver Jubilee hit (Madurai - Chinthamani ) and it ran more than 100 days in major cities. This industrial record was beaten by Ulagam Sutrum Valiban four years later.

Plot

Abhirami Mangamma (Pandari Bai), a queen is desired by another ruler, Sengodan (S. A. Ashokan). Several years later, Sengodan sees the girl (now a queen) out hunting. He declares his love, but the queen says that she is a mother. Sengodan tries to kill her son, prince Vengaiya and the queen cuts off Sengodan's leg with an axe.

The king Vengaiyan (M. G. Ramachandran) from the Vengaiya Mount Kingdom goes to Sengodan's country (Soorukathu Kingdom) seeking justice, and Sengodan agrees to a duel. The duel takes place over a net with spears below it; whoever falls on the net will die. A dueler will lose if he loses his weapon or falls from the net, and his country will be enslaved by the winner.

Since Sengodan has only one leg, king Vengaiyan binds his own leg and they begin the duel. Although king Vengaiyan wins, Sengodan kills him with a spear. Sengodan orders his men to seize the country and summon the queen and her son. One of the king's aides escapes and saves the queen, but the prince Vengaiya is taken prisoner. All women in the country are enslaved.

The queen stays in hiding for many years. The king's aide is imprisoned and sees the prince Vengaiya, who has been forced to live in a two-foot-high cell. The prince Vengaiya has forgotten how to talk or eat with his hands, and the aide is horrified by his condition. They escape from the prison by the river. The aide dies in his granddaughter’s arms after she promises to heal the prince and help abolish slavery in their country. The granddaughter, Jeeva (Jayalalithaa), takes the prince to her hut. Although he behaves badly, Jeeva teaches him to speak, write and fight. Vengaiya begins to understand that he is a prince, but is a hunchback because of his confinement.

Vengaiya saves a girl (Jothilakshmi) from two warriors. When he is helping the girl (who has been bound between two heavy wooden planks, like a pillory), his spine straightens and he can stand normally. Jeeva tells the prince what he must do, and shows him his mother. When he sees his mother’s condition, Vengaiya vows that he will release the country from Sengodan's enslavement. The prince, with help from Jeeva and others, attacks a group of soldiers and begins freeing people from slavery. During one assault, he meets Magudhapadhy (R. S. Manohar), the leader of a neighbouring nation (Pavala Kingdom) who is related to Sengodan. The commander Magudhapadhy is astonished to see Jeeva because of her resemblance to his queen, Pavala Vaalee (Jayalalithaa). He conspires to replace the queen with Jeeva and take over the country, which separates Vengaiya and Jeeva from their followers. The commander, claiming the prince is a spy, hides Jeeva.

Pavala Vaalee (who is actually Jeeva's sister) presides over the prince's trial. She is attracted to him, and orders that he be released as her bodyguard. The commander plans to kill both the queen and the prince at a party with a poisoned drink, but it is moved by one of the prince's aides, a magician (Cho Ramaswamy).

The commander orders the arrest of the prince and the queen. Jeeva impersonates the queen so she and Vengaiya can be freed and allowed to return to their country. The queen Pavala Vaalee is dressed in Jeeva's clothes and kept in captivity, to be killed later. The commander goes to the prison and admits his plan; Vengaiya kills him and escapes with Pavala Vaalee, thinking she is Jeeva.

Vengaiya finally reaches his country, which has changed during his long absence. His house has been gutted by fire, his farms plundered and his men oppose him. Vengaiya tells them his story, coercing them to rejoin the army. Pavala Vaalee joins Sengodan's side, awaiting revenge.

Abhirami Mangamma is captured by Sengodan's men, who threaten to execute her. Vengaiya and his men sneak into the palace and fight Sengodan; he kills Sengodan, releases his mother and frees his kingdom.

Cast

Actor Role
M. G. Ramachandran as The king Vengaiyan from the Vengaiya Mount Kingdom (Vengaiya Malaiyan) and his son, the Prince Vengaiya
J. Jayalalitha as Jeeva, the right-hand of the Prince Vengaiya and the Queen Pavala Vaalee from Pavala Kingdom
S. A. Ashokan as The king Sengodan from Soorukathu Kingdom
R. S. Manohar as The royal bodyguard Magudhapadhy (from Pavala Kingdom)
J. P. Chandrababu as The doctor of campaign, the Prince Vengaiya 's friend
Cho Ramaswamy as The royal bodyguard Magudhapadhy 's magician
Jothilakshmi as Azhagu 's elder sister, the woman in the pillory (stocks)
Rajasree as The princess Muthazhagi, (the king Sengodan queen 's foster daughter)
Pandari Bai as The Queen Abhirami Mangamma, the Prince Vengaiya 's mother
Pushpamala “Ammukkutty” as Ponni, a royal bridesmaid
Baby Rani as Azhagu, the little girl
O.A.K.Devar as One of the men(people) of the Prince Vengaiya
Thirupadiswamy as A royal secretary (from Pavala Kingdom)
Justin as Marappa, the chief of Sengodan 's soldiers
Govindharaj as The chief of Sengodan 's soldiers
N.S.Nadharajan as One of the men(people) of the Prince Vengaiya

The casting is established according to the original order of the credits of opening of the movie, except those not mentioned

Awards

The Best Movie (Sirandha Padam)

By The Tamil Nadu Government Award (Tamizhaga Arasin Parisu)

The Best Tamil Movie (Sirandha Tamizh ThiraiPadam)

By The Film Fare Award (Film Fare Virudu)

Around the movie

J. P. Chandrababu's final movie with MGR.

One of the first Tamil peplum (or sword-and-sandal movie) where MGR finances (under his Emgeeyaar Pictures Ltd, the second production) and plays a character in Hercules or close to Maciste, it is as we want.

MGR re-hangs just a little the weft of Maciste of 1961 and some scenes, ATLAS AGAINST THE CYCLOPS, the original title was MACISTE NELLA TERRA DEI CICLOPI.

Filming for ADIMAI PENN began in 1968, with B. Saroja Devi initially cast as the lead actress and many of her scenes shot.

Halfway during the filming she married, and M. G. Ramachandran decided to replace her with Jayalalithaa in a dual role.[1]

Small correction:

Originally filming of this movie was planned to take place in January 1967 but because of the shooting incident it was just postponed. Initially Saroja Devi was cast as the heroine but her announcement that she wasn't going to act with MGR anymore especially after the shooting incident made MGR remove her from the project and cast Jayalalithaa for her part. Only Saroja Devi's screen still shots were taken in end of 1966. Saroja Devi was never cast in MGR's movies after 1966 ARASA KATTALAI which also was completed by removing her character at the end of the movie because of her announcement. Saroja Devi married in March 1967 not in 1968.

This was the movie that brought friction between MGR and T. M. Soundararajan which made T. M. Soundararajan increase his rate per song (from Rs. 500 to Rs.1,500 in 1969). This problem gave an opportunity to S.P.Balasubrahmanyam in the later years. Practically this particular matter made S.P.Balasubrahmanyam what he is today.

Originally S.P.Balasubramaniam did the song "Thaayillaamal Naanillai" but during the screen test MGR suggested the voice didn't match with the scene. So back in Madras MGR made T. M. Soundararajan to do the song again. The version "Thaayillaamal Naanillai" in S.P.Balasubramaniam's voice still lies in the archives but never released to the public.

Soundtrack

Tracklist[2]
No. TitleLyricsSinger(s) Length
1. "Aayiram Nilave Vaa"  PulamaipithanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela 4.56
2. "Amma Endral"  VaaliJ. Jayalalitha 4.59
3. "Kaalathai Vendravan"  Avinashi ManiP. Susheela , S. Janaki 6.14
4. "Thaai Illamal"  Alangudi SomuT. M. Soundararajan 3.36
5. "Unnai Paarthu"  VaaliT. M. Soundararajan 5.14
6. "Yemmattraathe"  VaaliT. M. Soundararajan 4.37
7. "Amma Endral (Not in the movie, not held)"  VaaliT. M. Soundararajan 2.35
8. "Thaai Illamal (Not in the movie, not held)"  Alangudi SomuS. P. Balasubrahmanyam 3.36
Total length:
 28.16

References

  1. ↑ Asokan, N. (22 February 2009). "Starring: MGR & Jayalalitha!". The Sunday Indian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "Adimai Penn Songs from http://www.raaga.com". Retrieved 20 February 2012. External link in |title= (help)

External links

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