Viduthalai (1954 film)
| Viduthalai | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | K. Ramnoth |
| Screenplay by | Velavan (dialogues) |
| Based on | The First and the Last by John Galsworthy |
| Produced by | K. Ramnoth |
| Starring | V. Nagayya Manohar |
| Cinematography | Babulnath Walke |
| Edited by | Paul G. Yadav |
| Music by | Lakshman Raghunath |
Production company | New Era Productions |
| Distributed by | Subbu & Co. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 170 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Viduthalai (transl. Liberation) is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language crime drama film directed and produced by K. Ramnoth. It was adapted from the play The First and the Last by John Galsworthy. The film stars V. Nagayya and Manohar. It was released on 12 February 1954 and failed at the box office.
Plot
[edit]Periaswamy, a crooked lawyer, tries to get his brother Chellaiah off a murder charge by framing Murugan, a horse carriage driver. Overcome with guilt, Chellaiah donates the money he wins in a lottery to Murugan and confesses to his crime in a letter before committing suicide. Periaswamy burns the letter, believing it will affect his chances of being promoted to judge, but the police arrest him, thinking he committed double murder.[1][2]
Cast
[edit]- V. Nagayya as Periaswamy[1][2]
- Manohar as Chellaiah[1][2]
- T. V. Kumudhini as Chellaiah's wife[2]
- Peer Mohammed as Murugan[1][2]
- Nott Annaji Rao as the judge[2]
Production
[edit]Viduthalai was adapted from the play The First and the Last by John Galsworthy,[2] and was the inaugural production of New Era Productions.[3] Cinematography was handled by Babulnath Walke, and the editing by Paul G. Yadav. K. Ramnoth directed the film, which was produced by G. Ramakrishnan.[1][4]
Soundtrack
[edit]The music was composed by Lakshman Raghunath.[5]
| Song | Singer | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anbodu Inbamagaa | P. B. Srinivas | Subbu Arumugam | 02:58 |
| Inithaana Thendral | Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi | 03:58 | |
| Iraivaa Iraiva | V. Nagayya | ||
| Abalai Naan Thayanithiye | N. Lalitha | Velavan | |
| Paathai Veguthooram Bayanthidalamo | Aayaloor Krishnan, Sathiyavathi | ||
| Boologame Pugazhum | T. V. Rathnam | Angamangalam Kuppu |
Release and reception
[edit]Viduthalai was released on 12 February 1954,[4] and was distributed by Subbu & Co.[3] The film failed commercially,[6] jeopardising Ramnoth in the process.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 339.
- ^ a b c d e f g Guy, Randor (9 October 2010). "Viduthalai 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Viduthalai". The Indian Express. 12 February 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 29 April 2018 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ a b "1954 – விடுதலை – நியூஈரா புரொடக்சன்ஸ் இருளும் ஒளியும் (நாடகம்)" [1954 – Viduthalai – New Era Productions Irulum Oliyum (play)]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam – Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 82.
- ^ Guy, Randor (31 May 2014). "Kathanayaki (1955)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
- ^ Baskaran 1996, p. 197.
Bibliography
[edit]- Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The Eye of the Serpent: An introduction to Tamil cinema. East West Books. OCLC 243920437.
- Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-563579-5.
External links
[edit]- Viduthalai at IMDb
- 1954 films
- 1950s Indian films
- 1950s Tamil-language films
- 1954 crime drama films
- Fictional portrayals of the Tamil Nadu Police
- Films about organised crime in India
- Films directed by K. Ramnoth
- Films set in Chennai
- Indian black-and-white films
- Indian crime drama films
- Indian films based on plays
- Tamil-language Indian films