''Deiva Thai'' () is a 1964 Indian

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

-language film, produced and co-written by

R. M. Veerappan R. M. Veerappan (9 September 1926 – 9 April 2024), also referred to as RMV or Rama Veerappan, was an Indian film producer, screenwriter and politician from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was the founder and leader of the MGR Kazhagam par ...

, directed by P. Madhavan and starring M. G. Ramachandran. It was released on 18 July 1964 and became one of the most successful Tamil films of the year.

Plot

Sivagami, a widow, brings up her only son Maran, in the worship of Karunagaran, as his father had died in tragic circumstances. She hides from him for a long time, the real version of the facts. Indeed, Karunagaran, inveterate player of

poker Poker is a family of Card game#Comparing games, comparing card games in which Card player, players betting (poker), wager over which poker hand, hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, with varying rules i ...

, killed a player accidentally during a game in which the player beats him by cheating, shocked to realise that he is the reason for his death, Karunagaran escapes from that quickly. Maran becomes a

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officer and settles in the new mission to dismantle the traffickers' network. It turns out that the man who heads this terrorist organisation is none other than his father, Karunagaran. Maran and the one who is called up now, Baba (alias Karunagaran), ignore each other, their family ties, except Sivagami, are in the centre of a cornelian dilemma. To choose between her husband or his son? To assure his role of faithful wife or that of an affectionate mother?

Cast

* M. G. Ramachandran as

Maran * B. Saroja Devi as Megala * M. N. Nambiar as Madhan * S. A. Ashokan as Karunakaran * S. V. Sahasranamam as D.I.G. Mohan *

Nagesh Nageshwaran Rao (born Cheyur Krishnarao Nageshwaran; (27 September 1933 – 31 January 2009) was an Indian actor and comedian mostly remembered for his comic roles in Tamil films during the 1960s. Nagesh was born in Dharapuram. He acted in ov ...

as Vidwan Sargunam *

Pandari Bai Pandari Bai (18 September 1928 – 29 January 2003) was an Indian actress who worked in South Indian cinema, mostly in Kannada cinema during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She is considered Kannada cinema's first successful heroine. She has acted ...

as Sivakami * S. N. Lakshmi as Megala's grandmother * Senthamarai as Doctor

Production

K. Balachander, while working in the Accountant General's office, was offered to write the dialogues for the film by its lead actor M. G. Ramachandran. Balachander was initially reluctant, as he was more theatre-oriented, but on the insistence of his friends he decided to work on the film. The producer

convinced Balachander to write the dialogues and launched him in the silver screen business. During filming, director P. Madhavan threatened to quit due to Ramachandran's interference, but ultimately due to Veerappan's persuasion, Ramachandran continued acting in the film without interfering further. The film remained the only collaboration between Madhavan and Ramachandran.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.

Release and reception

''Deiva Thai'' was released on 18 July 1964, and distributed by Emgeeyaar Pictures. '' The Sunday Standard'' wrote "Indeed, it is all a twice-told tale. And yet, the picture enthrals a section of the audience for which it is intended, thanks to the fast tempo of surroundings and director Madhavan's success in wringing the best out of the few emotional sequences despite a weak and loose script". T. M. Ramachandran wrote in ''

Sport and Pastime ''Sport and Pastime'' was a weekly sports magazine published by The Hindu Group from 1947 to 1968. Founded by S. K. Gurunathan, the magazine was eventually stopped in 1968. It was replaced with ''Sportstar'' in 1978. References

1947 establi ...

'', "The story may be ordinary but it is imaginatively treated". Kanthan of ''

Kalki Kalki (), also called Kalkin, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hinduism, Hindu god Vishnu. According to Vaishnavism, Vaishnava cosmology, Kalki is destined to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga, the last of the four ages i ...

'' praised the dialogues by Balachander. It was one of the most successful Tamil films of the year.

References

External links

* {{K. Balachander 1960s Indian films 1960s Tamil-language films 1964 films Films directed by P. Madhavan Films scored by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Films with screenplays by K. Balachander Tamil-language Indian films