Ratha Paasam (1954 film)

Ratha Paasam
	Poster
Directed by	R. S. Mani
Produced by	T. K. Muthusamy
Screenplay by	C. V. Sridhar
Based on	Ratha Paasam; by C. V. Sridhar
Starring	T. K. Shanmugam; T. S. Balaiah; Anjali Devi; M. S. Draupadhai
Music by	M. K. Athmanathan; A. V. Natarajan
Cinematography	Nemai Gosh
Edited by	K. Govindasamy
Production; company	Auvai Productions
Release date	14 August 1954;
Running time	179 minutes[1]
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Ratha Paasam (lit. Blood affection) is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by R. S. Mani, written by C. V. Sridhar and produced by T. K. Muthusamy. The film stars T. K. Shanmugam, T. K. Bhagavathi, Anjali Devi, M. S. Draupadhai and T. S. Balaiah. It is based on Sridhar's play of the same name. The film was a commercial success, and was later remade in Hindi as Bhai-Bhai (1956).

Plot

Raja (T. K. Shanmugam) is a petty thief living around the streets of Bombay, indulging in pickpocketing. In the same city lives Rani (Anjali Devi), who makes a living through dancing. The two meet and fall in love.

Raghu (T. K. Bhagavathi), the owner of a cycle company, lives luxuriously with his wife Sarala (M. S. Draupadi) and children in Madras. Madhu (T. S. Balaiah), his manager, has been misappropriating the company funds with the help of his lover Manorama (N. R. Vidyavathi) who Raghu is later attracted to. The company is soon closed due to losses, putting Sarala and her children in poverty.

Raghu leaves for Bombay to seek new avenues, leaving his family behind. Sarala goes in search of him. One day, Raja picks Raghu's pocket and finds photographs in his purse which reveal that Raghu is his brother. He goes in search of his long-lost brother who does not bother to recognise him because of his snobbery. Sarala faces many problems and after several incidents, the problems are solved and the family is reunited.^[2]

Production

Ratha Paasam was a play written by C. V. Sridhar when he was 18 years of age and staged by T. K. Shanmugam's drama troupe, T.K.S. Brothers.^[1] Sridhar initially approached AVM Productions to adapt the play as a film, but they rejected the offer.^[3] Therefore, it was picked up and produced by Shanmugam's brother T. K. Muthusamy under the banner "Auvai Productions", and directed by R. S. Mani. The screenplay was written by Sridhar.^[4]^[1] Cinematography was handled by Nemai Ghosh, and the editing by K. Govindasamy.^[4] Shanmugam and his other brother Bhagavathi, who acted in the play, reprised their roles in the film adaptation, also titled Ratha Paasam.^[1] Shooting took place at Neptune Studios, later known as Dr. MGR-Janaki College of Arts and Science for Women.^[2]

Soundtrack

Music was composed by M. K. Athmanathan and A. V. Natarajan while the lyrics were penned by M. K. Athmanathan and Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam. Playback singers are P. Leela, M. L. Vasanthakumari, Jikki, K. Rani, Kantha, (Radha) Jayalakshmi, Thiruchi Loganathan, A. M. Rajah and S. C. Krishnan.^[5] The song "Dullu… Dullu… Very Dullu…" is a satire on the economic situation and hypocrisy of Madras in the 1950s and of how people then lived their lives.^[2]

Release and reception

Ratha Paasam was released on 14 August 1954.^[4] The film was a commercial success, and film historian Randor Guy said it would be "Remembered for: the moving story, commendable performances and the song ‘Dullu… dullu… very dullu…’".^[2]

Remake

Despite refusing to produce the Ratha Paasam play as a film, AVM Productions remade it in Hindi as Bhai-Bhai in 1956.^[3]^[6]

References

1 2 3 4 Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 338. ISBN 019-563579-5.
1 2 3 4 Guy, Randor (13 April 2013). "Blast from the Past: Rattha Paasam 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
1 2 Narasimham, M. L. (23 March 2016). "Pellikanuka (1960)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
1 2 3 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 13 May 2017.
↑ Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 81.
↑ Muthuraman, S. P. (1 April 2015). "சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 2 - எடிட்டிங் அறிவு" [Try making a film, part 2 – Editing genius]. The Hindu (Tamil). Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.

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[Encyclopaedia-1] 1 2 3 4 Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 338. ISBN 019-563579-5.

[BFTP-2] 1 2 3 4 Guy, Randor (13 April 2013). "Blast from the Past: Rattha Paasam 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.

[Pellikanuka-3] 1 2 Narasimham, M. L. (23 March 2016). "Pellikanuka (1960)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2018.

[anandan-4] 1 2 3 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 13 May 2017.

[neelamegam-5] Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 81.

[6] Muthuraman, S. P. (1 April 2015). "சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 2 - எடிட்டிங் அறிவு" [Try making a film, part 2 – Editing genius]. The Hindu (Tamil). Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.