Azhagi
Encyclopedia
Azhagi is a Tamil
film
directed by Thankar Bachchan. The film is critically acclaimed and stars Parthiban
, Nandita Das
and Devayani
. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja
.
), a veterinary doctor, lives in the city with his wife Valarmati(Devayani
) and their two children. In school, Shanmugam was in love with his classmate Dhanalakshmi but fate had forced them to go their separate ways, with Dhanalakshmi (Nandita Das
) being forced to wed her brother-in-law. One day, Shanmugam spots Dhanalakshmi, who, having lost her husband, now lives a life of poverty on the platforms with her son, Balu. After an unsuccessful attempt to find her a job in a friend's house, he hires her as their servant-maid. However, memories of the past starts to create a tension between Shanmugam and Dhanam, despite their attempts to maintain a distance.
One day, Valarmati finds out from Shanmugam's old classmates how they both were in love when they were young and she starts fearing that Shanmugam will leave her and her children for Dhanam. Valarmati becomes so distraught that she even humiliates Dhanam at a party organized by one of their friends. When they return home, Valarmati confronts Shanmugam and an argument ensues. Unfortunately, Dhanam overhears their argument and silently goes to bed. The next morning, Dhanam and Balu are nowhere to be found. When Shanmugam searches the house, he finds a letter written by Dhanam saying that she wants Valarmati and Shanmugam to be happy and that she doesn't want to interfere. Soon, Valarmati realises the truth and wants to bring Dhanam back home and ask her for her forgiveness.
Shanmugam searches high and low for them and at last finds Balu in an orphanage. The matron informs them that his mother had left instructions that her son should remain at the orphanage till her return. However, when the matron questions Balu, he replies that he wants to go with Shanmugam and stay in their house and to tell his mother that she is there when she returns. The matron agrees and lets him go. At the beginning of the movie, it is mentioned that Balu has been adopted by Shanmugam but still continues to call him "Sir" and never "Father or "Dad". As Parthiban leaves for home from the orphanage, he mentions that he is still searching for the whereabouts of Dhanalakshmi to this day.
, with lyrics by Pazhanibarathy
Sadhana Sargam
awarded for best female playback singer in 2002 Indian National Award for the song "Pattu Solli" composed by Ilayaraja.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Thankar Bachchan. The film is critically acclaimed and stars Parthiban
Parthiban
Parthiepan is a Tamil film actor, director, film producer and writer. Parthiepan is known for having directed critically acclaimed films like Pudhiya Paadhai and Housefull and for his performances in films like Bharathi Kannamma, Vetri Kodi Kattu, Azhagi and Aayirathil Oruvan.-Career:He came from a...
, Nandita Das
Nandita Das
Nandita Das is an award-winning Indian film actress and director. As an actress, she is known for her performances in Fire , Earth , Bawandar , Kannathil Muthamittal and Aamaar Bhuvan . As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq , which has won a number of national and...
and Devayani
Devayani
Devayani is an Indian film actress. She starred in numerous Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, along with a few Hindi films and one Bengali film. She received the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for her performances in the films Kadhal Kottai and Surya Vamsam...
. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
.
Plot
Shanmugam (ParthibanParthiban
Parthiepan is a Tamil film actor, director, film producer and writer. Parthiepan is known for having directed critically acclaimed films like Pudhiya Paadhai and Housefull and for his performances in films like Bharathi Kannamma, Vetri Kodi Kattu, Azhagi and Aayirathil Oruvan.-Career:He came from a...
), a veterinary doctor, lives in the city with his wife Valarmati(Devayani
Devayani
Devayani is an Indian film actress. She starred in numerous Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, along with a few Hindi films and one Bengali film. She received the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for her performances in the films Kadhal Kottai and Surya Vamsam...
) and their two children. In school, Shanmugam was in love with his classmate Dhanalakshmi but fate had forced them to go their separate ways, with Dhanalakshmi (Nandita Das
Nandita Das
Nandita Das is an award-winning Indian film actress and director. As an actress, she is known for her performances in Fire , Earth , Bawandar , Kannathil Muthamittal and Aamaar Bhuvan . As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq , which has won a number of national and...
) being forced to wed her brother-in-law. One day, Shanmugam spots Dhanalakshmi, who, having lost her husband, now lives a life of poverty on the platforms with her son, Balu. After an unsuccessful attempt to find her a job in a friend's house, he hires her as their servant-maid. However, memories of the past starts to create a tension between Shanmugam and Dhanam, despite their attempts to maintain a distance.
One day, Valarmati finds out from Shanmugam's old classmates how they both were in love when they were young and she starts fearing that Shanmugam will leave her and her children for Dhanam. Valarmati becomes so distraught that she even humiliates Dhanam at a party organized by one of their friends. When they return home, Valarmati confronts Shanmugam and an argument ensues. Unfortunately, Dhanam overhears their argument and silently goes to bed. The next morning, Dhanam and Balu are nowhere to be found. When Shanmugam searches the house, he finds a letter written by Dhanam saying that she wants Valarmati and Shanmugam to be happy and that she doesn't want to interfere. Soon, Valarmati realises the truth and wants to bring Dhanam back home and ask her for her forgiveness.
Shanmugam searches high and low for them and at last finds Balu in an orphanage. The matron informs them that his mother had left instructions that her son should remain at the orphanage till her return. However, when the matron questions Balu, he replies that he wants to go with Shanmugam and stay in their house and to tell his mother that she is there when she returns. The matron agrees and lets him go. At the beginning of the movie, it is mentioned that Balu has been adopted by Shanmugam but still continues to call him "Sir" and never "Father or "Dad". As Parthiban leaves for home from the orphanage, he mentions that he is still searching for the whereabouts of Dhanalakshmi to this day.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Parthiban Parthiban Parthiepan is a Tamil film actor, director, film producer and writer. Parthiepan is known for having directed critically acclaimed films like Pudhiya Paadhai and Housefull and for his performances in films like Bharathi Kannamma, Vetri Kodi Kattu, Azhagi and Aayirathil Oruvan.-Career:He came from a... |
Shanmugam (Veterinary Doctor) |
| Devayani Devayani Devayani is an Indian film actress. She starred in numerous Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, along with a few Hindi films and one Bengali film. She received the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for her performances in the films Kadhal Kottai and Surya Vamsam... |
Valarmati |
| Nandita Das Nandita Das Nandita Das is an award-winning Indian film actress and director. As an actress, she is known for her performances in Fire , Earth , Bawandar , Kannathil Muthamittal and Aamaar Bhuvan . As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq , which has won a number of national and... |
Dhanalakshmi aka Dhanam |
| Vivek | Veterinary Doctor Desigan |
| Pandu | Assistant to veterinary doctor, Minister |
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features songs composed by IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
, with lyrics by Pazhanibarathy
- Paattu Solli Paada Solli - Sadhana SargamSadhana SargamSadhana Sargam is an acclaimed Indian playback singer. She is a recipient of the prestigious National Film Award and Filmfare Awards.Sargam has sung in many Indian languages for films, television serials and music albums. She is well known for her 90s Hindi songs and recent South Indian songs. She...
- Damakku Damakku Dum - BhavatharaniBhavathariniBhavatharani is an Indian Tamil singer and music director. She is the daughter of film composer Ilaiyaraaja and her brothers are the noted film composers Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja and has mostly sung songs under her father and her brothers' direction...
, Chorus
- Un Kuthama En Kuthama - IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
- Oru Sundari Vandhalam - P. Unni KrishnanP. Unni KrishnanP. Unnikrishnan is a Carnatic vocalist and a national award winning playback singer.-Early life and background:Unnikrishnan was born to K.Radhakrishnan and Dr.Harini Radhakrishnan, in Palakkad, Kerala....
, Sadhana SargamSadhana SargamSadhana Sargam is an acclaimed Indian playback singer. She is a recipient of the prestigious National Film Award and Filmfare Awards.Sargam has sung in many Indian languages for films, television serials and music albums. She is well known for her 90s Hindi songs and recent South Indian songs. She...
, Malgudi SubhaMalgudi SubhaMalgudi Subha is an Indian playback singer. She has recorded songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. In a career spanning for two decades, she sang more than 2500 songs....
- Oliyile Therivadhu Devadhaya - KarthikKarthik (singer)Karthik is an Indian playback singer.Karthik started his professional singing career as a backing vocalist and has since been a playback singer in Tamil cinema while also single in other Indian languages for various composers...
, BhavatharaniBhavathariniBhavatharani is an Indian Tamil singer and music director. She is the daughter of film composer Ilaiyaraaja and her brothers are the noted film composers Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja and has mostly sung songs under her father and her brothers' direction...
- Kuruvi Kodanja - Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, SwarnalathaSwarnalathaSwarnalatha was a Indian playback singer. From 1987 onward, she rendered nearly 7000 songs in many languages including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi and Badaga....
Sadhana Sargam
Sadhana Sargam
Sadhana Sargam is an acclaimed Indian playback singer. She is a recipient of the prestigious National Film Award and Filmfare Awards.Sargam has sung in many Indian languages for films, television serials and music albums. She is well known for her 90s Hindi songs and recent South Indian songs. She...
awarded for best female playback singer in 2002 Indian National Award for the song "Pattu Solli" composed by Ilayaraja.