Velaikaari

Velaikaari

A poster for Velaikaari
Directed by A. S. A. Sami
Produced by M. Somasundaram (Jupiter Pictures)
Written by C. N. Annadurai
Starring K. R. Ramasamy
T. S. Balaiya
Janaki Ramachandran
M. N. Nambiar
S. A. Natarajan
M. V. Rajamma
Music by C. R. Subburaman
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Cinematography Masthan
Edited by D. Durairaj
Release dates
 25 February 1949[1]
Running time
 180 min. (16,744 Feet)
Language Tamil

Velaikaari (English: The Maid) is a 1949 Indian Tamil drama film produced by Jupiter Pictures. It was based on the play of the same name written by C. N. Annadurai (later chief minister of Tamil Nadu). This was the second film to be based on Annadurai's plays.

Plot

Velaikaari was a socially themed story based on class conflicts and a critique of existing social customs. The hero's (K. R. Ramasamy) father commits suicide unable to repay his debts to the local landlord. The hero swears revenge. After earning wealth, he returns to avenge his father's death. He finds a dead body which looks like him in the woods and impersonates the dead man. He marries the landlord's daughter and ill treats her. He forces the landlord to realise his mistakes and repent.

Cast

Screenshot from Velaikaari

Crew

Production

Velaikaari was a stage play written by Annadurai. It was originally written for K. R. Ramasamy's drama company by Annadurai. M. Somasundaram of Jupiter productions decided to make a film based on the successful play.[1] Annadurai wrote the script and dialogues for the film. This was second film to be made based on Annadurai's plays after Nallathambi, which was released only three weeks prior to Velaikaari. A. S. A. Sami, was chosen by Annadurai to direct the movie.[1] Also per Annadurai's recommendation, his friend K. R. Ramasamy was hired to play the hero. The play's original screenplay based on class conflicts and was partly inspired by the Bhawal case to this some plot elements of The Count of Monte Cristo were added for the film version.[3] The film's concept was inspired from a newspaper article about a devotee who broke the idols of god out of frustration.[3] Janaki Ramachandran and M. V. Rajamma played the female lead roles in the film. The supporting cast included M. N. Nambiar, T. S. Balaiya and S. A. Natarajan.

Soundtrack

The music composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu & C. R. Subburaman Lyrics were by Udumalai Narayana Kavi. Singer is K. R. Ramaswamy. Playback singers are M. M. Mariayappa, T. V. Rathinam, K. V. Janaki, A. P. Komala & P. Leela.

The song Innamum Paaraa Mugam Enamma sung by K. R. Ramasamy was remixed in the year 2012 by Manachanallur Giridharan in his devotional album titled OM NAVA SAKTHI JAYA JAYA SAKTHI, which was also sung by Giridharan himself.[4]

No. Song Singers Lyrics Length (m:ss)
1 Oridam Thanile Nilaiyillaa Ulaginile P. Leela & K. V. Janaki Udumalai Narayana Kavi 04:37
2 Innamum Paaraa Mugam Enammaa K. R. Ramaswamy 02:35
3 Aada Varuvaayaa Kannaa T. V. Rathinam 01:59
4 Neethan Allaamal Thunai Yaar K. R. Ramaswamy 01:36
5 Ulagam Palavitham A. P. Komala 02:56
6 Laali Laali Suba Laali Laali T. V. Rathinam & P. Leela 01:38
7 Singaara Pann Paaduven M. M. Mariayappa & K. V. Janaki 02:15
8 Eppadi Vaazhven Inimel K. R. Ramaswamy 03:04
9 Vaazhiya Needoozhi Paguttharivaalar T. V. Rathinam & K. V. Janaki 03:53
10 Ulagatthile Unnadhamaai Uyarndha T. V. Rathinam 01:19

Reception

The film was a commercial and critical success. Its dialogues became famous among the audience. Some of the rhetorical lines like " "Sattam Oru Iruttarai. athiley vakkilin vaathamoru vilakku. anaal athu ezhaikku ettaatha vilakku" (lit. The law is a dark room. In which the lawyer's arguments are like the lamp light, but the poor cannot get it) became famous.[5] The 1981 Tamil film Sattam Oru Iruttarai was titled after that particular piece of dialogue. The popular reception Velaikaari received was the beginning of the long association between the Dravidian Movement and Tamil Cinema. The dialogues and scenes promoting atheism led to some controversy and demands for banning the film.[3][6][7][8]

Remakes

The film was later remade in Hindi (Naya Aadmi), Telugu (Santhosham)[9] and Kannada (Malli Maduve).[3] The completed film was 16,774 feet in length.[6][2][10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 78.
  2. 1 2 Anandan 2004, pp. 28:52.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 79.
  4. ↑ Innamum Para Mugam REMIX by Giridharan
  5. ↑ Dhananjayan 2014, p. 80.
  6. 1 2 Guy, Randor (7 December 2007). "blast from the past - Velaikari 1949". The Hindu. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  7. ↑ Gangadhar, V (10 December 1998). "One for the masses!". Rediff.com. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  8. ↑ Naryanan, Aranthai. "Tamil Cinema through the eyes of a politician". tamilcinema.com (in Tamil). Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  9. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/santhosham-1955/article6401521.ece
  10. ↑ Guy, Randor (29 September 2000). "An antithesis on screen". The Hindu. Retrieved 2010-01-15.

Bibliography

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