Moondru Pillaigal

Moondru Pillaigal
Directed by R. Nagendra Rao
Produced by S. S. Vasan
Based on The Way of All Flesh
Starring R. Nagendra Rao
P. Kannamba
M. K. Radha
Gemini Ganesan
Sriram
Suryaprabha
Vanaja
Saraswathi
M. S. Sundari Bai
J. P. Chandrababu
L. Narayana Rao
Music by P. S. Anantharaman
M. D. Parthasarathy
Cinematography M. Natarajan
Edited by N. R. Krishnaswamy
Production
company
Release date
  • 11 July 1952 (1952-07-11) (India)
[1]
Country India
Language Tamil

Moondru Pillaigal (English: Three Sons) is a 1952 Tamil-language drama film produced by S. S. Vasan. Based on Victor Fleming's 1927 American film The Way of All Flesh, it is about a couple and their three sons. The film was directed by R. Nagendra Rao and features himself alongside P. Kannamba in the lead with M. K. Radha, Gemini Ganesan and Sriram in supporting roles. It was simultaneously produced and released in Telugu under the title Mugguru Kodukulu. The film failed at the box office, which led to Vasan destroying all copies of it, thus making it a lost film.

Plot

A couple has three sons. The youngest one takes responsibility for a theft allegedly committed by their father and goes to jail. The dejected father commits suicide and the mother is abandoned by the other two sons. Later, when the youngest son is released from jail, he takes care of his mother despite being jobless. However, he receives an offer from a film company to act as the main character in a film produced by them based on the Ramayana. He succeeds in his job and manages to unite the family.[2]

Cast and crew

The lists of cast and crew were compiled from Film News Anandan's database.[1]

Cast

Crew

Production

The film was based on the 1927 American silent film The Way of All Flesh, directed by Victor Fleming. The family drama was successful in India, and was adapted into a film in Hindi titled Khazanchi (1941). The Hindi film was highly successful in Madras and ran for more than 25 weeks. R. Nagendra Rao, an established producer and director in Kannada cinema, was impressed by the film and decided to direct the Tamil adaptation. He approached the Tamil film producer S. S. Vasan who had earlier produced Apoorva Sagodharargal, in which Rao played a role. Although Vasan was initially reluctant he agreed to finance the film. It was simultaneously produced and released in Telugu under the title Mugguru Kodukulu.[3] According to writer Ashokamitran, who was then associated with Gemini, novelist R. K. Narayan wrote a treatment for this film.[4][5]

J. P. Chandrababu, who would later go on to become an established comedian in Tamil cinema, played a small role lasting a single sequence in the film.[3][6] Savitri, who would later become an established actress in the Telugu and Tamil film industries, was to make her acting debut with this film. Gemini Ganesan, who played a supporting role as one among the three sons in the film was also as a casting assistant with Gemini Studios, the production company. He recommended her for a small role in the film; however, she was not selected for the role.[7]

Reception

Moondru Pillaigal failed at the box-office,[8] which led to Vasan destroying all copies of it, thus making it a lost film.[2] Ashokamitran said there was nothing "seriously wrong" with the film, but felt that "the audience just couldn't take another film about a family torn asunder in the fourth reel and reunited in the last."[9]

Soundtrack

Music was composed by P. S. Anantharaman and M. D. Parthasarathy while the lyrics were penned by Kothamangalam Subbu and Seetharaman. Playback singers are A. M. Rajah, T. A. Mothi, M. L. Vasanthakumari, P. Leela, N. L. Ganasaraswathi, (Radha) Jayalakshmi, Jikki, A. P. Komala and M. S. Anuradha.[10][11] The song "Antha Rama Sowndharyam" is set in the carnatic raga known as Kedaragaula.[12]

S/NSongSinger/sLyricistDuration
1Vaazhvadhum Thaazhvadhum PanathaleA. M. RajahKothamangalam Subbu02:39
2Unnarul Maraven AiyaN. L. Ganasaraswathi
3Inbam Enna SolluvenJikki02:40
4Maalai Tharitha Maharaasi(Radha) Jayalakshmi & P. Leela02:43
5Kaalamenbadhu AnuhoolamaahilA. M. Rajah02:22
6Indu Desa Pugazh PaaduvomT. A. Mothi01:54
7Poorana Chandirane, Paripoorana ChandiraneP. Leela03:22
8Naan Konda KaruvinaiM. S. Anuradha03:22
9Antha Rama SowndharyamM. L. Vasanthakumari & A. P. KomalaArunasala Kavirayar (Rama Nadaga Keerthanai)03:25
10Yaaridam SolluvenP. LeelaV. Seetharaman02:45

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "தற்கொலைக் கலைஞன்" [Suicide Artiste]. Kungumam (in Tamil). 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 Guy, Randor (22 January 2011). "Moondru Pillaigal 1952". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Ashokamitran 2016, p. 42.
  5. ↑ Guy, Randor (26 July 2001). "A flood of fond memories". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  6. ↑ லெனின், கோவி. "வரலாறு படைத்த தமிழ்க் கலைஞர்கள்: கட்டுரை 12 கதாநாயகர்களுக்கு இணையான கலகலப்பு நாயகர்கள்!". Nakkeeran (in Tamil). Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "காலங்களில் அவள் வசந்தம்: செல்லுலாய்ட் பெண்கள்". Dinakaran (in Tamil). 27 February 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  8. ↑ Guy, Randor (25 March 2005). "Suave, sophisticated, romantic". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  9. ↑ Ashokamitran 2016, p. 43.
  10. ↑ G. Neelamegam. Thiraikalanjiyam - Part 1 (in Tamil). Manivasagar Publishers, Chennai 108 (Ph:044 25361039). First edition December 2014. pp. 42–43.
  11. ↑ Ramachandran, Lakshmi (September 2016). Kothamangalam Subbu Thiraiyisai Paadalgal [Kothamangalam Subbu Film Songs] (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai 108 (Ph:044 25361039): Manivasagar Publishers. pp. 30, 77, 91, 96, 104, 121, 170.
  12. ↑ Venkataraman, Shankar (28 June 2018). "M.L. Vasanthakumari's impeccable style gave us many evergreen hits". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 July 2018.

Bibliography

  • Ashokamitran (2016). Fourteen Years with Boss. India: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-342329-4.
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