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Pasamalar

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Pasamalar
Theatrical release poster
Directed byA. Bhimsingh
Screenplay byA. Bhimsingh
Story byK. P. Kottarakara
Produced byM. R. Santhanam
K. Mohan
StarringSivaji Ganesan
Gemini Ganesan
Savitri
CinematographyG. Vittal Rao
Edited byA. Bhimsingh
A. Paul Duraisingh
R. Thirumalai
Music byViswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Production
company
Rajamani Pictures
Distributed bySivaji Productions
Release date
  • 27 May 1961 (1961-05-27)
Running time
180 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Pasamalar (/pɑːsəmələr/ transl. The Flower of Love) is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. Bhimsingh. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and Savitri Ganesan, with K. A. Thangavelu M. N. Nambiar and M. N. Rajam in supporting roles. It revolves around Rajasekhar and his bonding with his younger sister Radha. Radha falls in love with her brother's friend, and Rajasekhar eventually arranges for their marriage. Problems they face form the story.

The story of Pasamalar was written by K. P. Kottakara, which Bhimsingh expanded into a screenplay, with Aaroor Dass writing the dialogues. The film was predominantly shot in Neptune Studios. The film was produced by M. R. Santhanam and K. Mohan under Rajamani Pictures. The film's original soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan.

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, thereby becoming a silver jubilee film. The film won the Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film at the 9th National Film Awards. It became a trendsetter resulting in similar themes about brother-sister relationships and was remade in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages. A digitally restored version of Pasamalar was released on 15 August 2013 and was also well received.

Plot

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Rajasekharan alias Raju becomes the guardian to his younger sister Radha after their parents' death. When the factory where Raju works is closed 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. Raju assents, and in a short time, becomes rich. Anand, a former colleague of Raju, 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 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 firecrackers 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. Anand comes after and feels bad for Raju and Radha, and on their behalf, Anand takes care of Radha's daughter and Raju's son.

Cast

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Supporting actors
Supporting actresses

Production

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K. P. Kottakara, a Malayalam film producer and story writer, wrote a story about the everlasting relationship between a brother and sister,[3] with the intention of making it a film. He approached A. Bhimsingh, a director who gained a reputation for making successful family drama films, and narrated the story to him. After listening to the story, Bhimsingh agreed to make it as the film that would become Pasamalar. Actor Sivaji Ganesan also liked the story, got to play the lead character of the brother Raju, and got his friends M. R. Santhanam and K. Mohan to produce the film on behalf of Rajamani Pictures. At the suggestion of Savitri, who was cast as the sister Radha, Aaroor Dass was hired to the dialogues.[4]

Principal photography began at Neptune Studios on Christmas Day.[4] Few scenes were shot at Ganesan's home in T. Nagar.[5][6] A dialogue in the film that Raju tells Anand (Gemini Ganesan, not related to Sivaji) which translates to "You may switch off the electric lights here. But a small oil lamp will still be burning, and in that light, one man will toil. That man is this Raju" was inspired by a line Dass earlier told Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar as a refusal to write for one of his films: "Even if it is only a small lamp, let it be exclusively mine. I will use it to light my life".[7] On the day the climax with the highly emotional dialogue, "Kai Veesamma Kai Veesu" was being filmed, during the break, Sivaji refused to have lunch as he want to starve the whole day to get the perfect emotion and diction for the scene.[8]

Themes

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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.[9]

Soundtrack

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The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, with lyrics by Kannadasan.[10][11] "Vaarayen Thozhi Vaarayo" attained popularity, and has been played at many Tamil weddings. It is set in Abheri, a Carnatic raga.[12] The song provided a major breakthrough for its playback singer L. R. Eswari.[13][14]

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Anbu Malar"M. S. Viswanathan2:25
2."Engalukkum Kaalam Varum"T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela3:30
3."Malargalai Pol Thangai" (sad)T. M. Soundararajan1:58
4."Malargalai Pol Thangai"T. M. Soundararajan5:24
5."Malarnthum Malaradha"T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela5:10
6."Mayangugiraal"P. Susheela4:00
7."Paatondru"K. Jamuna Rani4:32
8."Vaarai En Thozhi Vaarayo"L. R. Eswari5:30
9."Yaar Yaar Aval"P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela4:02
Total length:36:31

Release and reception

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Pasamalar was released on 27 May 1961. The film was a commercial success, running for over 26 weeks,[15] thereby becoming a silver jubilee film.[16] The Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan called it a milestone film and mentioned that though films may come and go, this one would stay forever in the hearts of those who had a chance to see it.[17] Kanthan of Kalki appreciated Aaroor Dass' dialogues and the songs, saying that despite certain flaws, Pasamalar (flower of love) was a vasamalar (flower of fragrance).[18] The film won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil – Certificate of Merit for the Second Best Feature Film in 1962.[19]It was 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.[20][21]

Remakes

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Pasamalar has been remade in number of languages, including Sinhala (as Suhada Sohoyuro in 1963).[22][23] The first Hindi remake, Rakhi (1962) was directed by Bhimsingh, the director of the original.[23] It was again remade in Hindi in 1986 as Aisa Pyaar Kahan.[24] It was remade in Telugu as Rakta Sambandham (1962) with Savitri reprising her role, in Kannada as Vathsalya (1965),[25] and in Malayalam as Santha Oru Devatha.[26]

Legacy

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The film became a trendsetter and inspired similar films of brother-sister relationships like Mullum Malarum (1978).[27] 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. 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".[28] Playback singer Asha Bhosle noted that Pasamalar was the first Tamil film she had watched.[29] Samy remarked that his directorial Kangaroo (2015) was a "modern day Pasamalar".[30] Actor Sivakumar stated, "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".[31]

[edit]

Footage of Pasamalar is featured in the 2011 Tamil film Velayudham.[32] Footage of the song "Malarnthu Malaratha" is featured in the opening scene of Jigarthanda (2014).[33] It is also used in the 2019 film Petta and 2022 film Saani Kaayidham.[34][35] Dialogues in Pasamalar were also used in the song "Yenga Annan" in Namma Veettu Pillai (2019).[36] In the same year (1961), Sivaji and Savithri acted as the lead pair in Ellam Unakkaga. The film failed as audiences could not digest Sivaji and Savitri as lovers after seeing them as siblings in Pasamalar.[37]

Re-release

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A digitally restored version of Pasamalar was released on 15 August 2013, during India's Independence Day.[38][39] The digital conversion was done by Prasad EFX, Chennai.[40] 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."[41]

References

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  1. ^ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 370.
  2. ^ a b c Bali, Karan (28 August 2016). "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. 21 November 2006. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b "சாவித்திரி (8)" [Savitri (8)]. Dinamalar (in Tamil). 22 May 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. ^ "T.Nagar and tinsel town". The Hindu. 18 December 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  6. ^ Raman, Mohan (26 August 2020). "#MadrasThroughTheMovies: Tracing the parallel journey of MGR and Sivaji in Madras". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  7. ^ Krishnamachari, Suganthy (23 February 2012). "'Star' Wordsmith". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  8. ^ Subramanian, Anupama (15 August 2013). "Digital Pasamalar in 70 TN screens". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  9. ^ Pandian 1996, p. 96.
  10. ^ "Paasamalar". Gaana. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Pasamalar Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by Viswanathan Ramamoorthy". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  12. ^ Mani, Charulatha (5 August 2011). "A Raga's Journey — Aspects of Abheri". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  13. ^ Ashok Kumar, S.R. (18 September 2011). "Role play". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  14. ^ Ajith Kumar, P. K . (20 February 2014). "Rocking at 74". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  15. ^ "1961 – பாசமலர் – ராஜமணி பிக்சர்ஸ்" [1961 – Pasamalar – Rajamani Pictures]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  16. ^ "MGR, man of the masses". The Hindu. 17 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  17. ^ "பாசமலர்". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 18 June 1991.
  18. ^ காந்தன் (11 June 1991). "பாசமலர்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 37. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  19. ^ "State Awards for Films". International Film Festival of India. 21 April 1962. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  20. ^ Iyer, Aruna V. (12 May 2012). "For the love of Sivaji". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  21. ^ "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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ a b Rangarajan, Malathi (3 August 2013). "A paean to sibling love". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  24. ^ "Did You Know?". The Times of India. 17 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  25. ^ 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.
  26. ^ "தமிழ் டூ மலையாளம் உண்டல்லோ?". Puthiya Thalaimurai (in Tamil). 16 July 2015. p. 12.
  27. ^ "Savitri: Five films of the late actress that are a must watch". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  28. ^ Ashok Kumar, S. R. (13 July 2007). "Filmmakers' favourites". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  29. ^ Priyadarshini Paitandy (31 October 2013). "Aah, Aah, Aaja... Asha!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  30. ^ Lakshmi, V. "Kangaroo: A modern-day pasa malar". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  31. ^ Anand, N. (3 January 2008). "Sivakumar not for old wine in new bottle". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  32. ^ "Vijay does a Rajni". The Times of India. 24 April 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  33. ^ Suganth, M (1 August 2014). "Jigarthanda Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  34. ^ Sun Pictures [@sunpictures] (11 February 2019). "#Question4 Comment your answer below and stand a chance to WIN an Autographed Poster from the #Petta crew! 10 winners will be selected for each question! #PettaContest" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022 – via Twitter.
  35. ^ Suganth, M. (6 May 2022). "Saani Kaayidham Review : A hard-hitting but indulgent tale of vengeance". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  36. ^ Aravind (25 September 2019). "YENGA ANNAN | OFFICIAL VIDEO SONG | NAMMA VEETTU PILLAI | SIVAKARTHIKEYAN | SUN PICTURES". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  37. ^ Guy, Randor (12 July 2014). "Ellaam Unakkaaga (1961)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  38. ^ Bharat Kumar, M (22 July 2013). "Sivaji's epic Pasamalar to re-release in digital format". News Today. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  39. ^ "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.
  40. ^ Subramanian, Karthik (7 December 2013). "Aayirathil Oruvan gets digitally enhanced". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  41. ^ Suganth, M. "Pasa Malar Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2015.

Bibliography

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