Paithiyakkaran (1947 film)
Encyclopedia
Payithiyakaran is a 1947 Tamil film
produced by and starring N. S. Krishnan
. It was based on the play of the same name staged by Krishnan's drama troupe. It was the first film for Krishnan after his acquittal in the Lakshmikanthan murder case
. M. G. Ramachandran
(MGR) played a supporting role in the film.
, his wife and comedienne T. A. Mathuram started a drama troupe called N. S. K Nataka Sabha. The troupe mainly staged plays written by and starring S. V. Sahasranamam. Paithiyakaran (lit. The mad man) was one of those plays. When Krishnan was first sentenced to jail, Mathuram took a break from her acting career. Later she came out her self imposed exile to generate revenues for financing her husband's appeal to the privy council. With Mathuram in the lead, Paithiyakaran was a hit in Chennai. It was based on V. Shantaram
's 1937 film Duniya Na Mane
. Mathuram converted the troupe into a film production company and made a film based on the play. The film advocated reformist social policies like widow remarriage. It was directed by the director duo of P. Krishnan and S. Panju. While the film was in production, Krishnan was acquitted in the murder case and was released from prison. A new role was written for him in the film. Mathuram played dual roles as the heroine and as Krishnan's comedic foil. Krishnan made fun of his stint in prison through the song jailukku poi vantha in which he described in prison life, his fellow inmates and the types of prisoners he met. Music for the film was composed by C. R. Subburaman
and M. S. Gnanamani. Pattukoru pulavan bharathi - a work of the poet Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai was used in the film as lyrics for a song featuring T. A. Jayalakshmi. M. G. Ramachandran
(later Chief minister of Tamil Nadu
) played a supporting role in the film. The completed film was 16,201 feet in length.
. It was a socially themed movie which advocated for widow remarriage and against older men marrying women much younger than them.
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
produced by and starring N. S. Krishnan
N. S. Krishnan
Nagerkoyil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan , popularly known as Kalaivanar and also as 'NSK' was a leading Tamil film comedian, drama artist, playback singer and writer in the early stages of the Tamil film industry - in the 1940s and 1950s....
. It was based on the play of the same name staged by Krishnan's drama troupe. It was the first film for Krishnan after his acquittal in the Lakshmikanthan murder case
Lakshmikanthan Murder Case
The Lakshmikanthan murder case was a high-profile criminal trial which was conducted in the then Madras Presidency between November 1944 and April 1947. The cause of the trial was the murder of C. N. Lakshmikanthan, a Tamil film journalist with a hoary past. Lakshmikanthan was stabbed in Vepery,...
. M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
(MGR) played a supporting role in the film.
Production
When N. S. Krishnan was in prison for the Lakshmikanthan murder caseLakshmikanthan Murder Case
The Lakshmikanthan murder case was a high-profile criminal trial which was conducted in the then Madras Presidency between November 1944 and April 1947. The cause of the trial was the murder of C. N. Lakshmikanthan, a Tamil film journalist with a hoary past. Lakshmikanthan was stabbed in Vepery,...
, his wife and comedienne T. A. Mathuram started a drama troupe called N. S. K Nataka Sabha. The troupe mainly staged plays written by and starring S. V. Sahasranamam. Paithiyakaran (lit. The mad man) was one of those plays. When Krishnan was first sentenced to jail, Mathuram took a break from her acting career. Later she came out her self imposed exile to generate revenues for financing her husband's appeal to the privy council. With Mathuram in the lead, Paithiyakaran was a hit in Chennai. It was based on V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram is a renowned Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. He is most known for his films like Dr...
's 1937 film Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane is a 1937 Hindi social classic directed by V. Shantaram, and based on the Marathi novel, "Na Patnari Goshta” by Narayan Hari Apte, who also wrote film’s screenplay...
. Mathuram converted the troupe into a film production company and made a film based on the play. The film advocated reformist social policies like widow remarriage. It was directed by the director duo of P. Krishnan and S. Panju. While the film was in production, Krishnan was acquitted in the murder case and was released from prison. A new role was written for him in the film. Mathuram played dual roles as the heroine and as Krishnan's comedic foil. Krishnan made fun of his stint in prison through the song jailukku poi vantha in which he described in prison life, his fellow inmates and the types of prisoners he met. Music for the film was composed by C. R. Subburaman
C. R. Subburaman
C. R. Subburaman also known as C. S. Ram was a famous South Indian film music composer and producer. He was born to Ramasamy Iyer at Chintamani village in Thirunelveli, in present-day Tamil Nadu. Music director Shankar of Shankar Ganesh duo is his younger brother...
and M. S. Gnanamani. Pattukoru pulavan bharathi - a work of the poet Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai was used in the film as lyrics for a song featuring T. A. Jayalakshmi. M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
(later Chief minister of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
) played a supporting role in the film. The completed film was 16,201 feet in length.
Plot
Paithiyakaran was based on V. Shantaram's Duniya Na Mane, which in turn was based on the Marathi novel, Na Patnari Goshta by written by Narayan Hari ApteNarayan Hari Apte
Narayan Hari Apte , popularly known as Nanasaheb Apte was a Marathi popular novelist & writer of advice books and editor from Maharashtra, India...
. It was a socially themed movie which advocated for widow remarriage and against older men marrying women much younger than them.
Cast and crew
- N. S. KrishnanN. S. KrishnanNagerkoyil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan , popularly known as Kalaivanar and also as 'NSK' was a leading Tamil film comedian, drama artist, playback singer and writer in the early stages of the Tamil film industry - in the 1940s and 1950s....
- T. A. Mathuram
- M. G. RamachandranM. G. RamachandranMaruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
- D. Balasubramaniam
- S. J. Kantha
- S. R. Janaki
- T. A. Jayalakshmi
- S. V. Sahasranamam - Actor, Screenplay and Dialogue
- P. Krishnan, S. Panju - Directors
- C. R. Subbaraman - Music
- M. S. Gnanamani - Music
- Desiga Vinayagam Pillai - Lyrics
- Udumalai Narayana KaviUdumalai Narayana KaviUdumalai Narayana Kavi was an Indian poet.He was born to a poor family in Poolavadi, a small village in Udumalpet taluk, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India...
- Lyrics - K. P. Kamatchi - Lyrics
- T. A. Sammandhamoorthy - Lyrics
- Panchami - Editor
- P. S. Selvarasu - Cinematographer
- Nagore Madhavan Pillai - Art Director
- Vedhandham Ragavayya, Muthukumarasamy - Choreographers
- Nagaraja Rao - Still Photographer
Reception
The film was released on 26 September 1947 and was a box office hit. The film's success enabled Mathuram's production house to produced four more films and N. S. Krishnan began a successful stint as director.Soundtrack
Partial list of songs from Paithiyakaran :- Pattukoru pulavan bharathi
- jailukku poi vantha