Pasamalar

Pasamalar
Theatrical release poster
Directed by A. Bhimsingh
Produced by M. R. Santhanam
K. Mohan
Screenplay by A. Bhimsingh
Story by K. P. Kottarakara
Starring Sivaji Ganesan
Gemini Ganesan
Savitri
Music by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Cinematography G. Vittal Rao
Edited by A. Bhimsingh
A. Paul Duraisingh
R. Thirumalai
Production
company
Rajamani Pictures
Distributed by Sivaji Productions
Release date
  • 27 May 1961 (1961-05-27)
Running time
 180 minutes[1]
Country India
Language Tamil

Pasamalar (lit. The Flower of Love) is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. Bhimsingh. It features Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and Savithri in lead roles, while K. A. Thangavelu, M. N. Rajam and M. N. Nambiar play supporting roles. It tells the story of Rajasekhar and his bonding with his younger sister Radha. Radha falls in love with his brother's friend. Rajasekhar eventually arranges for their marriage. Problems they face form the story. It was the film adaptation of the Malayalam writer Kottakara's story of the same name.

The film was predominantly shot in Neptune Studios. The film was produced by M. R. Santhanam and K. Mohan under the production companies, Rajamani Pictures and Mohan Arts respectively. The film's original soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan. The story for the film was written by K. P. Kottarakkara and the dialogues by Aaroor Dass. Pasamalar eventually became a trendsetter resulting in similar themes about brother sister relationship.

Pasamalar was released on 27 May 1961 and received critical acclaim with Ganesan and Savitri's performances being widely lauded. The film was also a commercial success, with a theatrical run of over 26 weeks. The film won the Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature film at the 9th National Film Awards. It was later remade in numerous languages including Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Sinhalese. A digitally restored version of Pasamalar was released on 15 August 2013 and was also well received.

Plot

Rajasekharan alias Raju becomes the guardian to his younger sister Radha after their parents' death. The brother-sister duo love, care and adore each other and are inseparable. When the factory in which Raju works is shut down due to a labour problem and he is depressed, Radha gives him ₹1000 which she had earned and saved by making toys. She advises him to use this money as seed capital and commence his own toy business. The dutiful brother follows his sister’s advice, starts a business and in a short time, becomes rich. Anand, a former colleague of Raju who earlier helped him to get a job in his old factory, is jobless and approaches Raju for work. Raju appoints him in his concern and over a period of time, Anand and Radha fall in love. Raju, who is very possessive of his sister, gets angry with Anand as he feels betrayed. However, knowing how intensely Radha loves Anand, he arranges for their wedding.

After the marriage, Anand, along with his aunt and cousin, move into Raju’s house. Raju marries Malathy, a doctor, on Radha’s suggestion. All of them continue to live under the same roof and several misunderstandings arise. Anand’s aunt uses every opportunity to widen the rift between Malathy and Radha and Radha and Anand. Unable to witness Radha’s troubles, Raju moves out of the house with his wife. Through Radha, Anand’s aunt serves a legal notice to Raju, demanding a share in the property for Radha. Malathy files a counter petition and the property is attached by the court, pending resolution. Unable to see Radha’s sufferings, Raju withdraws the case. Still the families do not unite. Radha delivers a girl and Malathy delivers a boy. After her child’s birth, Malathy goes abroad for further studies, leaving the child with Raju.

Unable to cope with the separation from his sister and to have peace of mind, Raju goes on a pilgrimage for several months. He returns on Diwali day and goes to meet Radha, but is denied entry by Anand's aunt. While going back, he saves a little girl from getting burnt by fire crackers and in the process, loses his eyesight. He is hospitalised and Radha rushes to the hospital to see her brother. Raju learns that the girl he saved is none other than his niece. Unable to cope with his inability to see them, he dies; Radha too dies holding his hand. The duo becomes an epitome of brother-sister relationship. In the shadow of their deaths, the children unite and seek their heavenly blessings.

Cast

Dance

Production

The story for Paasa Malar was written by K. P. Kottakara.[3] He went around telling the story to many, but none came forward to make it as a film. He tried to meet Bhimsingh several times, who was so busy that they could not meet.[4] Finally, Kottakara sent him a chit saying he had a new script based on "brother-sister love" and met him during the lunch break of his shooting, then became emotional after listening to the story and agreed to make it as a film.[5]

The film was produced by K. Mohan under the banner of Rajamani Pictures. Along with him, M.R.Santhanam was a co-producer.[6] Aarurdas wrote the dialogues.[7]

Few scenes were shot at Sivaji's home in T. Nagar and the location was used for other Sivaji starrers.[8] One day, the climax with the highly emotional dialogue, "Kai Veesamma Kai Veesu" was being canned, during the break, Sivaji didn’t even have lunch as he want to starve the whole day to get the perfect emotion and diction for the scene.[9][10]

It was Kannadasan who suggested to name the film as Paasamalargal. Aaroor Das suggested to keep it as Paasamalar which was liked by Sivaji and Bhimsingh.[4]

Themes

According to Soorian Kasi Pandian, author of the 1996 book India, That Is, Sidd, Pasamalar means "Flower of Love". The term "Pasa" refers to brotherly love which involves sacrifices for his loved sister.[11]

Soundtrack

Pasamalar
Soundtrack album by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Released 1961
Label EMI Records
Producer Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy

The music composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.[12] The soundtrack was released under the label Saregama.[13] "Vaarayen Thozhi Vaarayo" attained popularity, and has been played at many Tamil weddings. It was composed in Abheri, a carnatic raga.[14] The song provided major breakthrough for its playback singer LR Eeswari.[15][16] The song was originally composed for the film Manapanthal (1961). T. R. Ramanna, director of that film rejected the song however Bhimsingh decided to use the song.[17]

No.SongSingersLyricsLength (m:ss)
1Anbu MalarM. S. ViswanathanKannadasan02:25
2Engalukkum Kaalam VarumT. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela03:30
3Malargalai Pol Thangai (Sad)T. M. Soundararajan01:58
4Malargalai Pol ThangaiT. M. Soundararajan05:24
5Malarnthum MalaradhaT. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela05:10
6MayangugiraalP. Susheela04:00
7PaatondruJamuna Rani04:32
8Vaarayen ThozhiL. R. Eswari05:30
9Yaar Yaar AvalP. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela04:02

Release

Pasamalar was released on 27 May 1961.[18] The film was a commercial success, running for over 26 weeks,[6] thereby becoming a silver jubilee film.[19]

Critical reception

M. Suganth of Times of India noted: "Pasa Malar is actually not a feel-bad movie. Yes, it is melancholic but it also restores your faith in human relationships, not just the brother-sister bond which is the crux of this tale, and its unflinching pursuit of pathos only feels audacious now".[20] Sify called it the "most memorable film on sister sentiments".[21] Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan called it "a milestone movie" and mentioned that "Movies may come and go but this one will stay forever in the hearts of those who had a chance to see it".[4]

Awards

The film won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film in 1962.[22]

Home media

Pasamalar was released in DVD by Raj Video Vision in 2015.[23] It was also included alongside various Sivaji-starrers in a compilation DVD Yettavathu Ulaga Athisayam Sivaji (Sivaji Ganesan: Eighth Wonder of the World), which was released in May 2012.[24][25]

Remakes

Pasamalar has been remade in number of languages, including Sinhalese (as Suhada Sohoyuro in 1963).[26][27] The first Hindi remake, Rakhi (1962) was also directed by Bhimsingh, and won the Filmfare Award for Best Story.[27] It was again remade in Hindi in 1986 by Vijay Sadanah, as Aisa Pyaar Kahan.[28] It was remade in Telugu as Rakta Sambandham (1962) by V. Madhusudhan Rao, and in Kannada as Vathsalya (1965) by Y. R. Swamy.[29]

Legacy

The film became a trendsetter and inspired similar films of brother-sister relationships like Pachai Vilakku (1964), Mullum Malarum (1978), Bairavi (1978), Dharma Yuddham (1979), Cheran Pandiyan (1992) and Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993).[17] In July 2007, S. R. Ashok Kumar of The Hindu asked eight Tamil film directors to list their all-time favourite Tamil films; four of them – K. Balachander, Balu Mahendra, Mani Ratnam, K. S. Ravikumar – named "Pasamalar" as one of the favourite films in Tamil. K. S. Ravikumar said "As a kid I saw ‘Pasamalar’ and cried. As an adult, each time I have seen it I was moved to tears. That is the power of the script and the performance of lead players".[30] Playback singer Asha Bhosle noted that Pasamalar was the first Tamil film she had watched.[31] Samy remarked that his directorial Kangaroo (2015) was a "modern day Pasamalar".[32] Actor Sivakumar stated that "You can’t reproduce movies like Parasakthi, Pasamalar, Devadas, Veerapandiya Kattabomman or Ratha Kanneer [...] By remaking such films, you are lowering yourself, while it enhances the original artists’ image".[33]

Footage of Paasa Malar is featured in the 2011 Tamil film Velayudham.[34] Footage of the song "Malarnthu Malaratha" is featured in the opening scene of Jigarthanda (2014).[35]

Pasamalar has been parodied and referenced many times. The dialogue from this film "En Kannaye Unkitta Oppadaikaren, Adhula ennikume Anandakanneera naan pakkanum, Manjal Kungumamthoda Nee Needoozhi Vazhavendum" (I am giving my sister to you, she should always shed happy tears, you should live long with prosperity) became one of the famous dialogues in the film.[36] The dialogue appears in the song "Sakkarakattikku" from Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu (1986) in which a small boy utters imagining the marriage of Radha.[37] In a comedy scene from Magudam (1993), Senthil utters the dialogue in a lighter vein to his sister. Goundamani who has married his sister is irritated that the lady is blackish in colour and she doesn't deserve these words.[38] In Thai Porandachu (2000), Vivek sings "Malargalai Pol Thangai" in a lighter vein after hearing the sob story of his tenant.[39] In Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham (1999), Vivek sings the same song after hearing that the lady sweeper is married.[40] In Thangam (2008), Sathyaraj sings the same song to his sister just like Sivaji's character from the film.[41] In Thoranai (2009), when Paravai Muniyamma and Mayilsamy falls down unconscious reminiscent of the film's climax, Santhanam jokingly remarks that as if there are the brother-sister pair from "Pasamalar".[42] An unrelated television serial of the same name produced by Home Media Makers and directed by Azhagar was aired on Sun TV.[43]

The following year, Sivaji and Savithri acted as lead pair in a film called Ellam Unakkaga. The film became a failure as the audience couldn't digest Sivaji and Savitri as lovers after seeing them as siblings.[44]

Re-release

A digitally restored version of Pasamalar was released on 15 August 2013, during India's Independence Day.[45][46] The digital conversion was done by Prasad EFX, Chennai.[47] M. Suganth of The Times of India rated it 5 out of 5, saying "The restoration, cinemascope and audio conversion are pretty good while the trimming (by veteran editor Lenin, Bhimsingh's son) manages to retain the continuity to a large extent."[20]

References

  1. ↑ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 370.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Karan Bali. "Lost in remaking? A Bhimsingh's films found new fans in Hindi but are better viewed in Tamil". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Film producer K.P. Kottarakara dead". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 151.
  5. ↑ Dhananjayan 2011, p. 202.
  6. 1 2 Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018.
  7. ↑ SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARI. "'Star' Wordsmith". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "T.Nagar and tinsel town". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  9. ↑ Dhananjayan 2014, pp. 151-152.
  10. ↑ "Digital Pasamalar in 70 TN screens". deccanchronicle.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  11. ↑ Pandian 1996, p. 96.
  12. ↑ "Pasamalar Songs". raaga. Archived from the original on 7 January 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Paasamalar". Saregama. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  14. ↑ Mani, Charulatha. "A Raga's Journey — Aspects of Abheri". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  15. ↑ S.R. Ashok Kumar. "Role play". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  16. ↑ P. K . AJITH KUMAR. "Rocking at 74". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  17. 1 2 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 152.
  18. ↑ "Pasamalar Release". nadigarthilagam. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "MGR, man of the masses". The Hindu. 17 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  20. 1 2 "Pasa Malar Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Raksha Bandhan Special — Thangachi Pasam still works". Sify. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "9th National Film Awards". International Film Festival of India. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  23. ↑ "Pasa Malar". Amazon.in. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  24. ↑ Iyer, Aruna V. (12 May 2012). "For the love of Sivaji". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  25. ↑ "DVD on Sivaji Ganesan to be released on May 6". The Hindu. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  26. ↑ Munasinghe, Geesha (25 January 2006). "The indefatigable master film-maker". Daily News. Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  27. 1 2 Rangarajan, Malathi (3 August 2013). "A paean to sibling love". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  28. ↑ "Did You Know?". The Times of India. 17 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  29. ↑ Narasimham, M. L. (20 October 2016). "Blast from the past: Raktha Sambandham (1962)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  30. ↑ "Filmmakers' favourites". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  31. ↑ PRIYADARSHINI PAITANDY. "Aah, Aah, Aaja... Asha!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  32. ↑ "Kangaroo: A modern-day pasa malar". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  33. ↑ "Sivakumar not for old wine in new bottle". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  34. ↑ "Vijay does a Rajni". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  35. ↑ "Jigarthanda Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  36. ↑ Paasamalar (DVD): clip from 1.28.44 to 1.29.03
  37. ↑ Mella Thiranthathu Kadhavu Tamil Movie — Sakkara Kattikku Song — Mohan — Amala — Ilaiyaraaja. YouTube. 7 July 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  38. ↑ Goundamani Comedy — Magudam. YouTube. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  39. ↑ Thai Porandaachu
  40. ↑ Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham DVD
  41. ↑ Thangam DVD
  42. ↑ Thoranai DVD
  43. ↑ "SunNetwork — Program Detail". sunnetwork.in. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  44. ↑ Guy, Randor. "Ellaam Unakkaaga (1961)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  45. ↑ Bharat Kumar, M (22 July 2013). "Sivaji's epic Pasamalar to re-release in digital format". The News Today. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  46. ↑ "Old hall makes it a no show for Pasamalar fans". The Hindu. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  47. ↑ Subramanian, Karthik (7 December 2013). "Aayirathil Oruvan gets digitally enhanced". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.

Bibliography

  • Dhananjayan, G. (2011). The Best of Tamil Cinema: 1931 to 1976. Galatta Media.
  • Dhananjayan, G. (2014). Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931 to 2013. Blue Ocean Publishers.
  • Pandian, Soorian Kasi (1996). India, That is, Sidd. Allied Publishers.
  • Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. ISBN 019-563579-5.
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