Oli Vilakku

Oli Vilakku
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Chanakya
Produced by	S. S. Vasan
Written by	Swornam
Story by	O. P. Ralhan
Starring	M. G. Ramachandran Jayalalitha Sowkar Janaki S. A. Ashokan Cho Ramaswamy R. S. Manohar Thengai Srinivasan
Music by	M.S.Viswanathan
Cinematography	U. Rajagopal
Edited by	M. Umanath
Production company	Gemini Studios
Distributed by	Gemini Studios
Release date	20 September 1968
Running time	164 mins
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Oli Vilakku (English: Light lamp), is a 1968 Indian Tamil-language crime film directed by Chanakya, starring M. G. Ramachandran (in his 100th film) in the lead role and J. Jayalalitha, Sowkar Janaki, S. A. Ashokan, R. S. Manohar and Cho Ramaswamy, among others. This film ran 20 weeks at Madurai - Meenakshi, 100 days in Trichi - Raja and Kumbakonam - Vijayalakshmi and it became super hit film in Ceylon where it ran 100 days in 7 theatres and Silver Jubilee in two theatres (Ceylon - Raison and Yal Raja). It is a remake of the Hindi film Phool Aur Patthar (1966).

Plot

Muthu is a career criminal. When plague empties a town of its inhabitants, he takes the opportunity to burgle a house. He finds nothing except Shanti, a widowed daughter-in-law who has been left to die by her cruel relatives. Muthu nurses her back to health. When her relatives return, they are not pleased to find her alive and even less pleased to discover that someone has tried to rob them. Shanti gets the blame and a beating. Muthu saves her from worse, at the hands of brother-in-law, and the pair flee. They set up home in Muthu's house, much to the displeasure of the respectable neighbours, who are all too ready to think the worst. Shanti's relatives are dismayed when a lawyer arrives to announce that Shanti has been left a legacy. They hatch a plot to get her back. Meanwhile, Muthu's rehabilitation is proceeding - much to the chagrin of his former criminal associates. Fire and redemption for some, death and handcuffs for others is what fate has in store.

Cast

The casting is established according to the original order of the credits of opening of the movie, except those not mentioned

Production

OLI VILAKKU was actor M. G. Ramachandran's 100th film and was a remake of Hindi film Phool Aur Patthar Later this movie remade in Malayalam by Sreekumaran Thampi's direction entitled as Puthiya Velicham lead role by Jayan, Jayabharathy and Sreevidya.^[1]

It was Gemini Studios' first colour film.^[2]

The movie was V. S. Raghavan's first collaboration with MGR,^[3] and the third collaboration of MGR with the director Chanakya.

He presented a musical sequence ("Dhairiyamaga Sol Nee Manithan...") where we see five of MGR in the screen at the same time.

MGR sketched this song ("Dhairiyamaga Sol Nee Manithan...") together with Jayalalidha, a small choreography on an instrumental piece from the composer M.S.Visuwanadhan, in "Whistlings, Sips and Drunkenness".

Release

This film ran 20 weeks at Madurai Meenakshi, 100 days in Trichi and Kumbakonam and ran 175 days in Ceylon.

It was not successful in Chennai since it was released in 5 theatres in Tamil Nadu.^[4] It also ran 175 days at Ceylon.^[5]

Songs

The music is composed by M. S. Viswanathhan and lyrics were written by Vaali. The song "Aandavane Un" rendered by legendary South Indian Nightingale P. Susheela is based on Sivaranjini raga.^[6]

References

External links

• Oli Vilakku on IMDb