Mathar Kula Manickam

Mathar Kula Manickam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Tatineni Prakash Rao
Produced by	A. Shankar Reddy
Written by	C. V. Sridhar (dialogues)
Screenplay by	Vempati Sadasivabrahmam
Story by	Vempati Sadasivabrahmam
Based on	The Wreck (Noukadubi) by Rabindranath Tagore
Starring	Gemini Ganesan Anjali Devi A. Nageswara Rao Savitri
Music by	S. Rajeswara Rao
Cinematography	P. L. Roy
Edited by	N. M. Shankar
Production company	Lalitha Films[1]
Distributed by	Vahini Studios
Release date	20 December 1956 (1956-12-20)
Running time	197 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Mathar Kula Manickam is a 1956 Tamil drama film, produced by A. Sankar Reddy on Lalitha Films banner and directed by Tatineni Prakash Rao. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, A. Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi, Savitri in the lead roles and music composed by S. Rajeswara Rao. The screenplay and dialogue were written by V. Sadha Sivabrahmmam and C. V. Sridhar, respectively. The film was simultaneously made in Telugu under the title Charana Daasi, both versions were critical and commercial successes.

Plot

The film is based on two couples – where the first couple Dr. Chandra Shekar (Gemini Ganesan) & Parvathi (Anjali Devi) and the second couple is Ravi (A. Nageswara Rao) & Lakshmi (Savitri). Ravi & Lakshmi are happy lovers. Ravi is summoned and asked to marry another girl forcibly. Since his father's life & honor are at stake, Ravi agrees to the marriage. Simultaneously another marriage takes place in the same village Dr. Chandra Shekar visits his best friend's sister marriage but the marriage cancels in the last moment due to dowry problems to keep up his friend's prestige Shekar marriage's his sister called Parvathi. Due to sudden marriage, the couple doesn't see each other. Thereby because marriage is happening without his wish Ravi also not seen the bride's face. Both the bridal parties traveling on the same train which run into a disastrous accident. In the accident Ravi's parents and wife are dead. Parvathi was lying unconscious in bridal dress and Ravi mistakes her as his wife and takes her to home. Shekar thinks that both his friend & wife are dead. Before it is too late Ravi realizes his terrible mistake. He keeps it secret from Parvathi and engaged himself in the relentless task of finding Parvathi's husband and restoring them. Before he could succeed there arises clashes between him & Lakshmi because she mistakes Parvathi as Ravi's wife. Parvathi also comes to know the truth and fled from Ravi's house with shame & agony, She fells into a river and fate again intervened to save by her own mother-in-law and lands in her husband Shekar's house. Living in her in-law's she is not able to reveal her identity because of a hesitation that Shekar may doubt her virginity. Parallelly, fate again snatched Lakshmi gets mentally sick because of the cheating made by Ravi and she is admitted in Shekar's hospital only during the time of treatment Lakshmi, Shekar, and their families come closer. Their parents want to make the marriage. Parvathi also happily agrees to make remarriage to her husband. During the time engagement, Ravi arrives and reveals entire truth. Shekar also accepts Parvathi holy heartedly and both of them thanks, Ravi. Lakshmi also says sorry to him. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with the marriage of Ravi & Lakshmi.

Cast

• Gemini Ganesan as Dr. Chandra Shekar
• A. Nageswara Rao as Ravi
• Anjali Devi as Parvathi
• Savitri as Lakshmi
• S. V. Ranga Rao
• K. A. Thangavelu
• M. N. Rajam
• D. Balasubramaniam
• K. Sarangapani
• Kaka Radhakrishnan
• Pasupuleti Kannamba
• S. D. Subbulakshmi
• "Friends" Ramasamy
• K. R. Chellam
• Kumari Kamala (Dance)

Crew

• Stills = R. N. Nagaraja Rao
• Processing = A. Thyagarajan by Vijaya Laboratory
• Publicity = Studio Sharma
• Audiography(song) = A. Krishnan
• Audiography(dialogue) = K. Viswanathan
• Choreography = Sohan lal and Vembatti Chinna Sathyam

Production

The film is based on Rabindranath Tagore's novel, The Wreck. The director Tatineni Prakasa Rao chose to replace the boat crash sequence in the novel with a train accident in the film, inspired by a real event that took place near Ariyalur.^[2] C. V. Sridhar, then an upcoming writer, was recruited as the dialogue writer.^[1] The film was shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu languages, with the Telugu version titled Charanadasi.^[2] Mathar Kula Manickam remained the only Tamil film in which Anjali Devi and Savitri co-starred.^[3]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao and lyric were written by Udumalai Narayana Kavi, Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass and A. Maruthakasi. Playback singers are Ghantasala, T. M. Soundararajan, Tiruchi Loganathan, V. N. Sundharam, P. Suseela, A. P. Komala, Jikki, T. V. Rathinam, G. Kasthoori, Vaidheki and P. Leela.^[4]

Release

Mathar Kula Manickam and Charanadasi, the Tamil and Telugu versions respectively, were released the same year and were box-office successes.^[2] The former helped Gemini Ganesan and Anjali Devi establish a career in Tamil cinema.^[3][5] It was later remade in Hindi as Ghunghat (1960), by S. S. Vasan, and was a moderate success at the box-office.^[2]

References