''Thunaivan'' () is a 1969 Indian

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, na ...

-language Hindu devotional film directed by M. A. Thirumugam and produced by

Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar "'' Sandow''" Marudur Marudachalamurthy Ayyavoo Chinnappa Thevar (28 June 1915 – 8 September 1978) was a producer of Tamil films in the mid-1950s through the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his films featuring animals, and has produced nu ...

. It was written by V. Balamurugan, while the music was composed by

K. V. Mahadevan Krishnankoil Venkadachalam Mahadevan (14 March 1918 – 21 June 2001) was an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, and musician known for his works in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films. He is best known for his contributi ...

. The film stars

Sridevi Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Fem ...

A. V. M. Rajan Shanmugasundaram, known by his stage name A.V.M. Rajan, (26 July 1935) is a former Indian actor in Tamil cinema who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Pudukottai, Shanmugasundaram was very eager to join cinema though he held a bachel ...

and

Sowcar Janaki Sankaramanchi Janaki (born T. Janaki; 12 December 1931), popularly known as Sowcar Janaki (Tamil) or Shavukaru Janaki (Telugu) or Sahukar Janaki (Kannada), is an Indian actress who has appeared in over 300, films, predominantly in Tamil, Telu ...

while

Major Sundarrajan Srinivasan Sundarrajan (17 March 1925 – 28 February 2003), popularly known as Major Sundarrajan, was an Indian actor and director who performed predominantly in Tamil language films and plays. He was well known for his sophisticated and ...

Nagesh Nagesh (born Cheyur Krishnarao Nageshwaran; (27 September 1933 – 31 January 2009) was an Indian actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian in Tamil films during the 1960s. Nagesh was born in Dharapuram. He acted in over 1,000 fi ...

, Sachu,

Vennira Aadai Nirmala Vennira Aadai Nirmala (born as A. B. Shanthi in Kumbakonam) is an Indian actress who has appeared in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She was a prominent lead actress from 1960s and 70s. She is credited as Ushakumari in Malayalam film indust ...

and

K. B. Sundarambal Kodumudi Balambal Sundarambal (1908–1980) was an Indian actress and singer from Erode district, Tamil Nadu. She performed in Tamil cinema and was referred to as the "Queen of the Indian stage."

are featured in supporting roles. The film marked Sridevi's first leading film role of her career at the age of five, playing

Muruga Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

. It was partially filmed in black and white and

Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was on ...

, and was a commercial success, running in theatres for over 100 days. The film was remade in Hindi as ''

Maalik In Islamic belief, Maalik ( ar, مالك, mālik) denotes an angel in Hell/ Purgatory ( ar, جهنم, jahannam) who administrates the Hellfire, assisted by 19 mysterious guards (Sura 74:30) known as Zabaniyya ( ar, الزبانية, az-zab ...

''.

Plot

Velayudham (

), an orphan and a devotee of

Lord Murugan Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

lives in the Murugan Temple of Pooncholai town with the support of the priest Ponnambalam (Senthamarai). The temple trustee (

Major Sundararajan Srinivasan Sundarrajan (17 March 1925 – 28 February 2003), popularly known as Major Sundarrajan, was an Indian actor and director who performed predominantly in Tamil language films and plays. He was well known for his sophisticated and ...

) cones for a special Pooja and notices the ruby stone missing in the deity's spear. He blames Velayudham and beats him and threatens to send him out of the town if it not returned by him the next day. An upset Velayudham pleads with Lord Murugan for justice and since the stone could not be traced, Ponnambalam gives his relative contact in

Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbat ...

and tells him to leave the town to avoid getting any punishment from the trustee. The next day, Ponnambalam finds the ruby inside the temple and rushes to stop him but it is too late as Velayudham has already left by train. On reaching Coimbatore, he loses his bag containing the address of Ponnambalam's relative. Lost in a new place, he finds solace in a discourse happening there by Kirupananda Variar and believes that Lord Murugan will certainly help him. While buying Lord Murugan's portrait from Paramasivam (

) shop, Velayudham gets the address chit which he had lost and realises that the person he was supposed to meet is none other than Paramasivam. Velayudham gets a job from Bhama ( Sachu), a fruit shop vendor close to paramasivam, and sells fruits on the roadside. He does very good business and saves up all the money. One day he gets help from Maragatham (

) in getting the money due from her friends, who try to cheat him. One day, Velayudham helps an old man (

V. S. Raghavan V S Raghavan (18 February 1925 – 24 January 2015) was an Indian actor, who has acted both in Tamil films as well as television. He started his career as a dramatist and stage actor and went on to act as a character actor in films, starting ...

) with epilepsy struggling at the Murugan temple. Velayudham's help and sincerity in taking care of the old man's briefcase full of money impresses him and he offers Rs.10, 000/- as a token of his appreciation. Using that money, Velayudham starts a fruit stall, which becomes successful. He later starts jewellery shop and many other businesses. He soon becomes a rich businessman in the city and helps many people with his wealth. Velayudham helps to retrieve Maragatham's stolen chain from his shop by a thief and she is very grateful. He chances upon the temple trustee on the road and invites him for lunch and the trustee comes with his daughter who to Velayudham's surprise is Maragatham. They both likes each other and the trustee notices this and proposes marriage between them. The marriage takes place and they commence a happy life. One day, Velayudham asks Maragatham to accompany him to the Murugan temple at his hometown for the annual Pooja but she refuses. She tells him that she is an atheist and Velayudham is God to her and her home is her temple. She does not believe in God and temples. Velayudham is shocked and carries on with his plan. One day Kirupananda Variar comes home and Maragatham refuses to take his blessings as she does not believe in Sadhus also. Variar leaves a letter advising him to let her be for now. Days pass by and Maragatham becomes pregnant. She delivers a very sick baby boy with birth defects. Velayudham is shattered and keeps praying to God and blames her disbelief. Velayudham requests her to come with him to the temples with the child but she refuses. A year passes by and all doctors give up on the baby and finally her that only God can save the child without going to the temple and agrees to join him. They both start visiting Lord Murugan temples across many towns with the child. One day, while Maragatham is bathing, a snake comes near the child and in desperation she calls out Lord Murugan's name and a peacock appears and takes away the snake. She realises the presence of God there and starts believing and joins Velayudham in praying for the recovery of her child. They both meet Kirupananda Variar and seek his blessings in one of the temples. Finally, they visit Tiruchendur Temple along with another Devotee (

) and pray to Lord Murugan there. They both pleads to Lord Murugan by ringing the temple bell continuously for many hours and faint. Their prayers work and Lord Murugan (

) appears as a child and rings the bell. The bell falls down, breaking the floor and water seeps out on the baby. The child recovers and becomes normal making everyone happy. Velayudham, Maragatham and others pray to Lord Murugan for his blessings.

Cast

as Lord Murugan (Cameo Appearance) *

as Velayutham *

Sowkar Janaki Sankaramanchi Janaki (born T. Janaki; 12 December 1931), popularly known as Sowcar Janaki (Tamil) or Shavukaru Janaki (Telugu) or Sahukar Janaki (Kannada), is an Indian actress who has appeared in over 300, films, predominantly in Tamil, Telu ...

as Maragatham *

as Maragatham's Father *

as Paramasivam (Fruit Shop laber) * Sachu as Bama (Fruit Shop Woner, Hip Gas trouble painer) *

as dancer (Cameo Appearance) *

as devotee of murga * Kirupanandha Variyar as himself *

as a business man (Cameo Appearance) *

as Kirupanandha Variyar's assistant * Senthamarai * K. Gurusamy * Sundhari * Jeevaa * P.S. Venkitachalam * K. A. Naacchiyappan * P. A. Velayutham * K. V. Sokkalingam * C. J. Gopalan * S. Rajendhiran * K. P. Vishwanathan * P. Narayanan * G. Sundaram * T. G. Seethaaraaman * P. Maadhavan * S. G. Krishnan * S. M. Meyyappan * Chandhra * Rajeswari * Umaa

Production

Actress

made her acting debut at the age of four with this film in the role of

. Although the makers wanted her to shave her head for the role, she ultimately did not do so. It was partially filmed in black and white and

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by

and assisted by Pugazhendhi. Lyrics were written by

Kannadasan Kannadasan (; 24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981) was an Indian philosopher, poet, film song lyricist, producer, actor, script-writer, editor, philanthropist, and is heralded as one of the greatest and most important lyricists in India. Freq ...

and

A. Maruthakasi A. Maruthakasi (13 February 1920 – 29 November 1989) was an Indian poet and film lyricist who wrote mainly in the Tamil language. He penned more than 4000 lyrics in more than 250 Tamil films. Early life Born in Melakudikadu in Tiruchirappal ...

Release and reception

''Thunaivan'' was released on 4 July 1969. ''

The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split be ...

'' wrote, "If you can ignore the cinema medium, ignore the shortcomings in acting, story, direction and the craft of film-making but are bent upon seeing only the Murugasthalas, you will not be disappointed."

Accolades

;1969

National Film Awards The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...

* Best Female Playback Singer –

;1969

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Tamil Nadu State Film Awards were given for excellence in Tamil cinema in India. They were given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The aw ...

* Best Story Writer – Balamurugan * Best Female Playback Singer – K. B. Sundarambal * Best Lyricist – A. Maruthakasi

References

External links

* {{Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar 1960s Tamil-language films 1969 films Films about Hinduism Films directed by M. A. Thirumugam Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan Hindu devotional films Indian black-and-white films Tamil films remade in other languages