Veera Abhimanyu
| Veera Abhimanyu | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | V. Madhusudhan Rao |
| Produced by |
Sundarlal Nahta Dhoondeswara Rao |
| Starring |
Gemini Ganesan Balaji A. V. M. Rajan Kanchana |
| Music by | K. V. Mahadevan |
| Cinematography | Ravi |
| Edited by | N. S. Prakasam |
Production company |
Rajalakshmi Productions |
Release date | 20 August 1965 |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Veera Abhimanyu is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language Hindu mythological film directed by V. Madhusudhan Rao and produced by Sunderlal Nahta and Doondy. Based on Abhimanyu, a character from the Indian epic Mahabharata, the film stars Gemini Ganesan leading an ensemble cast, including A. V. M. Rajan portraying the title character. It was simultaneously filmed in Telugu as Veerabhimanyu, with a largely different cast. The film was released on 20 August 1965, and failed commercially.
Cast
|
|
Production
Veera Abhimanyu revolves around Abhimanyu, a character in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Directed by V. Madhusudhan Rao and produced by Sunderlal Nahta and Dhoondeswara Rao under the banner Rajalakshmi Productions, it was simultaneously produced in Tamil and Telugu languages, the latter as Veerabhimanyu which featured a largely different cast.[2] In Tamil, A. V. M. Rajan played the title role of Abhimanyu,[1] and Gemini Ganesan played Krishna.[3] Rajan and Ganesan were replaced in Telugu by Sobhan Babu and N. T. Rama Rao, respectively.[2] Kanchana played Uttara in both versions.[4][2] The dialogues were written by S. I. Peruman, cinematography was handled by Ravi, the editing by N. S. Prakasam, and the art direction by S. Krishna Rao.[1]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, and the lyrics were written by Kannadasan.[5] The song "Paarthen, Sirithen" is set in the carnatic raga known as Sahana.[6][7] While in Tiruppur, Kannadasan was relaxing after a meal. His assistant requested him to write a "sweet song"; immediately, Kannadasan broke into the verse "Paarthen sirithen pakkathil azhaithen, anru unaithen ena naan ninaithen, andha malaithen idhuvena malaithen"; each word ended with "then", meaning honey.[8] He took inspiration from a poem by Kambar, which used the same word five times.[9] Writing for The Hindu, Sudha Balachandran praised the song's setting in the Sahana raga, and wrote that Kannadasan "penned lines with unique word-play, amazing puns and punctuated the verses with beautiful rhyming."[10] Film critic Baradwaj Rangan, who defines a "list song" as one where the "structure is that of a list, a catalogue of similar-sounding (or similar-meaning) things", called it a list of "dazzling rhymes".[11]
| Tracklist[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Yugam Thorum Naan" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | |
| 2. | "Velum Vizhiyum" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | |
| 3. | "Thotta Idam" | P. Susheela | |
| 4. | "Povom Pudhu Ulagam" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | |
| 5. | "Paarthen, Sirithen" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | |
| 6. | "Kallathaname Uruvai Vantha" | S. Janaki | |
| 7. | "Koorayil Neruppinai" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | |
| 8. | "Neeyum Oru Pennanal" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | |
| 9. | "Thuvakathil" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | |
Release and reception
Veera Abhimanyu was released on 20 August 1965,[5] eight days after Veerabhimanyu (12 August).[2] Although The Indian Express lauded the film, particularly Ganesan's performance,[4] it did not succeed commercially, and distributors blamed the producers for casting Ganesan (instead of Rama Rao) as Krishna.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 வீர அபிமன்யு (songbook) (in Tamil). Rajalakshmi Productions. 1965.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Narasimham, M. L. (10 November 2017). "Veerabhimanyu (1965)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
- ↑ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (11 July 2015). ""Kaadhal Mannan" Gemini Ganesan, romantic actor king of Tamil cinema". Daily FT. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- 1 2 "Gemini Ganesh excels in Veera Abhimanyu". The Indian Express. 21 August 1965. p. 3.
- 1 2 "Veera Abhimanyu". The Indian Express. 20 August 1965. p. 12.
- ↑ Sundararaman 2007, p. 152.
- ↑ Mani, Charulatha (27 April 2012). "A Raga's Journey — Soothing Sahana". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ↑ Govindarajulu, Rajesh (1 October 2014). "Those were the leaders". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ↑ "" 'My Lord' more classical than colonial"". The Hindu. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ↑ Balachandran, Sudha (25 May 2017). "Where does beauty lie?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ↑ Rangan, Baradwaj (12 March 2016). "Lyrics from a laundry list". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2018.