Padithal Mattum Podhuma
| Padithal Mattum Podhuma | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | A. Bhimsingh |
| Screenplay by | A. Bhimsingh |
| Based on | Naa by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay |
| Produced by | P. Ramakrishnan |
| Starring | Sivaji Ganesan Savitri Rajasulochana K. Balaji |
| Cinematography | G. Vittal Rao |
| Edited by | A. Bhimsingh A. Paul Duraisingh R. Thirumalai |
| Music by | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy |
Production company | Ranganathan Pictures |
| Distributed by | Sivaji Films[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 157 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Padithal Mattum Podhuma (transl. Is education alone enough?) is a 1962 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by A. Bhimsingh. Based on the 1961 novel Naa, by the Bengali writer Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, the film stars Sivaji Ganesan, K. Balaji, Savitri, M. R. Radha and Rajasulochana. It was released on 14 April 1962[2] and became a commercial success, running for more than 100 days at all centres in Tamil Nadu.[3][4]
Plot
Raju and Gopal are close cousins raised together by the zamindar and Mangalam. Raju is educated and timid, while Gopal is uneducated and rough. A marriage broker arranges matches: Raju with the wealthy Meena and Gopal with the village girl Seetha. Due to a mix‑up, Raju meets Seetha and falls for her, while Gopal impresses Meena by accident.
Unable to express his wishes, Raju sends anonymous letters defaming himself and Gopal, causing the families to swap the matches. Raju marries Seetha happily, but Gopal’s marriage to Meena turns bitter when she discovers he is uneducated. Misunderstandings grow, and Gopal is wrongly blamed for the defamatory letters.
When the truth nearly surfaces, Gopal protects Raju, but tensions escalate. After being humiliated by Meena’s family, Gopal loses control and goes into the forest with a rifle. Raju tries to stop him, and in the struggle the gun fires, killing Raju. Before dying, Raju makes Gopal promise not to reveal his guilt about the letter.
Gopal is arrested, but Mangalam later reveals the truth. Seetha testifies that no one knows who pulled the trigger, freeing Gopal. Gopal and Meena reconcile, while Seetha returns to her village.
Cast
- Sivaji Ganesan as Gopal
- Savitri as Seetha
- Rajasulochana as Meena
- K. Balaji as Raju
- R. Muthuraman as Moorthy
- S. V. Ranga Rao as Rao Bahadur
- S. V. Sahasranamam as the zamindar
- P. Kannamba as Mangalam
- M. V. Rajamma as Rao Bahadur's wife
- M. R. Radha as Kailasam
- C. K. Saraswathi as Aandal
- A. Karunanidhi as servant of Rao Bahadur
- Manorama as Kailasam's daughter
- Radhabhai as Moorthy and Seetha's mother
- O. A. K. Thevar as a lawyer (Guest role)
- A. Veerappan (guest appearance in the song "Kaalam Seidha Komalithanatthil")
Production
One song depicting Ganesan's character riding a horse was shot at Raj Bhavan.[5] The song "Pon Ondru Kanden" was shot at YMCA Swimming pool.[6]
Themes
The underlying theme of the film is "how a deep friendship between cousins is affected due to both of them being besotted with a woman."[7]
Soundtrack
The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.[8][9] The song "Pon Ondru Kanden" is set in the Hindustani raga known as Brindavani Sarang.[10]
| Song | Singers | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Annan Kaattiya Vazhiyamma" | T. M. Soundararajan | Kannadasan | 03:32 |
| "Kaalam Seidha Komalithanatthil" | P. B. Sreenivas, A. L. Raghavan, G. K. Venkatesh | 03:32 | |
| "Naan Kavignanum Illai" | T. M. Soundararajan | 02:52 | |
| "Nallavan Enakku" | T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas | 03:20 | |
| "Ohohoho Manidhargale" | T. M. Soundararajan | 03:18 | |
| "Pon Ondru Kanden" | T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas | 03:13 | |
| "Thannilavu Theniraikka" | P. Susheela | Mayavanathan | 03:23 |
Reception
Kanthan of Kalki positively reviewed the film, saying watching it just once was not enough.[11]
References
- ^ "Padithal Mattum Pothuma". The Indian Express. 9 April 1962. p. 3. Retrieved 7 July 2021 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "71-80". nadigarthilagam.com. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "10 நாட்களில் உருவான படம்!" [The film that was made in 10 days!]. Dinakaran (in Tamil). 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Padithal Mattum Pothuma". The Hindu. 22 July 1964.
- ^ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (1 October 2015). "Five things you didn't know about Sivaji Ganesan". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ Raman, Mohan (25 August 2020). "#MadrasThroughTheMovies: Films that captured the 'sport'y Madras". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Sunder, Gautam (30 June 2019). "Friendship is what matters". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Padithaal Mattum Podhuma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Padithal Mattum Pothuma Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan". Macsendisk. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Mani, Charulatha (30 August 2013). "The power of three". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ காந்தன் (6 May 1962). "படித்தால் மட்டும் போதுமா?". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 45. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
