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Raja Rani (1956 film)

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Raja Rani
Theatrical release poster
Directed byA. Bhimsingh
Written byMu. Karunanidhi
StarringSivaji Ganesan
Padmini
CinematographyJiten Banerji (supervisor)
G. Vittal Rao
Edited byA. Bhimsingh
Music byT. R. Pappa
Production
company
National Productions
Distributed bySubbu & Co
Release date
  • 25 February 1956 (1956-02-25)
Running time
168 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Raja Rani (transl. The King and Queen) is a 1956 Indian Tamil-language film directed by A. Bhimsingh and written by M. Karunanidhi. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini. The film was produced by National Productions . It was released on 25 February 1956.

Plot

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Rani is the only daughter of an impoverished, visually challenged man. Her hunt for a job ends when she is engaged as a box office window ticket vendor at a drama company by its owner Babu. During a play, some gangsters rob Rani of the day's collection, drug her and escape with the booty. The evil-minded Babu who turns up later tries to take advantage of Rani's condition. However, she escapes from him and jumps into a car, falling unconscious in the rear seat.

Raja is the owner of an electrical goods company with a passion for theatre and is the lead player in Babu's drama troupe. Unaware of the turn of events, Raja reaches home. He is surprised to find a girl in his car. Then he comes across a news item that a rich man's daughter named Leela has run away from home. He thinks the girl in the car is Leela. Pretending to be Leela, Rani starts acting in the drama troupe. The two fall in love. Raja then launches his own drama company and stages Socrates, playing the title character. Babu tries to wreck the love of Raja and Rani, and so adds real poison to the drink to be given to Raja in the scene that has Socrates drinking poison. How the lovers get united forms the rest of the film.

Cast

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Production

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After the success of Parasakthi (1952), many producers approached M. Karunanidhi to write scripts for them. One of the films he wrote was Raja Rani.[2] Sivaji Ganesan was cast as the lead actor, making this the first of 18 collaborations with director A. Bhimsingh.[3][4] The film was shot at the now-closed Newtone Studios in Kilpauk. Its owners were Dinshaw K. Tehrani and Jiten Banerjee, who supervised the audiography and cinematography respectively. G. Vittal Rao handled the camera. The dances were choreographed by Hiralal and Sampathkumar.[2][5] The film also features two plays: one based on Socrates,[6] and another on Cenkuttuvan.[7]

Soundtrack

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The music was composed by T. R. Pappa while the lyrics for songs were written by M. Karunanidhi, A. Maruthakasi, K. P. Kamatchi, M. K. Athmanathan, Villipuththan and Vivekan.[8] The songs were well received especially songs like Manippura Pudhu Manippuraa by M. L. Vasanthakumari and Sirippu Idhan Sirappai by N. S. Krishnan & T. A. Madhuram.[2]

Song Singers Lyrics Length (m:ss)
"Vaanga Vaanga...Indriravu Miga Nandriravu" M. L. Vasanthakumari & S. V. Ponnusamy Mu. Karunanidhi 03:30
"Sirippu Idhan Sirappai" N. S. Krishnan & T. A. Madhuram A. Maruthakasi 03:12
"Manippuraa Pudhu Manippuraa" M. L. Vasanthakumari Mu. Karunanidhi 02:52
"Kannatra...Poonai Kannai Moodikondaal" S. C. Krishnan Mu. Karunanidhi 03:28
"Kaanadha Inbamellaam Kandidalaam" Seerkazhi Govindarajan & T. V. Rathnam Villipuththan 02:44
"Sollaale Veenaanadhe" Jikki A. Maruthakasi 03:06
"Aanandha Nilai Peruvom" T. V. Rathnam & N. L. Ganasaraswathi M. K. Athmanathan 02:56
"Thirumanam Aagaadha Penne" T. V. Rathnam Vivekan 02:46
"Thirai Pottu Naame" A. M. Rajah & Jikki A. Maruthakasi 03:07
"Inba Nan Naalidhe" M. L. Vasanthakumari Mu. Karunanidhi
"Kaadhale Uyiraagi" A. M. Rajah 01:02

Release and reception

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Raja Rani was released on 25 February 1956,[9] and distributed by Subbu & Co.[10] Kanthan of Kalki stated that the film was entertaining piece by piece.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b ராஜா ராணி (PDF) (song book) (in Tamil). National Productions. 1956. Retrieved 7 July 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c Guy, Randor (11 April 2015). "Raja Rani (1956)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  3. ^ "சிவாஜி கணேசன், ஏ.பீம்சிங் இணைந்த படங்கள்" [Films featuring the collaboration of Sivaji Ganesan and A. Bhimsingh]. Screen 4 Screen (in Tamil). 12 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  4. ^ ராம்ஜி, வி. (15 October 2020). "சிவாஜியின் செல்லமான 'பீம்பாய்'... 'குடும்பக்கதை'களின் யதார்த்த இயக்குநர்; பாடல்களில் வித்தியாசம்; காட்சிகளில் எளிமை; வசனங்களில் இயல்பு; - சிவாஜியின் இயக்குநர் ஏ.பீம்சிங் 96வது பிறந்தநாள் ஸ்பெஷல்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  5. ^ "31-40". nadigarthilagam.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  6. ^ Warrier, Shobha (23 July 2001). "'He was the ultimate star'". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  7. ^ "சிவாஜியால் மட்டுமே அது முடியும்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Raja Rani (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Raja Rani". The Indian Express. 25 February 1956. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2018 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ^ "Raja Rani". The Indian Express. 23 February 1956. p. 3. Retrieved 5 May 2022 – via Google News Archive.
  11. ^ காந்தன் (18 March 1956). "ராஜா ராணி". Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 20–21. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
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