''Deivam'' () is a 1972 Indian Tamil-language devotional anthology film, starring

Gemini Ganesan Ramasamy Ganesan (17 November 1920 – 22 March 2005), better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred to as the ''Kaadhal Mannan'' (King of Romance) for his romantic roles ...

, R. Muthuraman, A. V. M. Rajan, Srikanth, K. R. Vijaya,

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 ...

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 Cine ...

and

Thengai Srinivasan Thengai Srinivasan (21 October 1937 – 9 November 1987) was an Indian actor who appeared in Tamil-language films and plays from the 1960s to the 1980s. He was given the prefix ''Thengai'' (coconut) after his role as a coconut-seller in t ...

. The film was edited and directed by

M. A. Thirumugam M. A. Thirumugam (died 2004) was an Indian film director and editor. He was the younger brother of the film producer Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar. Career He started his film career as an editor and then worked as director for more than 35 fi ...

and written by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar. It was released on 4 November 1972.

Plot

The film serves as an anthology of stories that highlight the miracles performed by Lord Muruga in the lives of his devotees on a day-to-day basis in the present times which are narrated by Thirumuruga Kripananda Variyar. First story A thief ( Major Sundarajan) who comes to steal Lord Muruga's jewels from the Arulmigu Thirumurugan Thirukovil, Marudhamalai. He loses the ability to use his leg while he attempts to steal the lord's jewels and later he reforms and he repents for his mistakes and he becomes a devotee and serves the temple. Later, a different thief comes to steal the temple collections. While fighting him, he regains the use of his leg. Turns out that the thief was none other than the god himself who came to make him run and thereby regain his mobility. Second story vellammal (

) is a lone wife whose husband has abandoned her who came to Swamimalai there she gets the contact of a banana vendor

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 Cine ...

and he gives her a job. Circumstances leads her to get into a fire accident where her husband swaminathan ( Srikanth), now a fire fighter, comes and saves her and their child thereby reuniting the family. Turns out that the husband got a prank call saying that the temple of Swamimalai is on fire where she ends up coming and there happens to be a fire accident in the slum she is residing. The Lord saves their child by hiding the baby behind a huge swamimalai Muruga photo through which all three are united. Third story kathirvelu (

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 bache ...

) and vadivelu ( V. Gopalakrishan) are friends. vadivelu wants to start a business and needs fund. Both being staunch devotees of Muruga, kathirvelu proceeds to give out the any without any promissory note with only shanmugam ( Thengai Sreenivasan) a camphor seller as a coincidental witness. The agreement goes like a 50-50 partnership with kathirvelu's 50 going to the services of temple. After a few years, vadivelu becomes immensely successful as well as greedy. He refuses to give the share meant for God. kathirvelu, angry that vadivelu has cheated god, applies a case on him. Without a note and shanmugam dead in an accident, vadivelu gloats. However, shanmugam comes at the right time to the court, gives witness and helps to recover the money. It turns out that the lord came in the form of shanmugam and helped kathirvelu. Fourth story Arumugam (

) and valliyammal ( K.R. Vijaya) are a merchant couple. Arumugam goes to join an investment scheme of his friend taking what is left of his family jewels which gets stolen by a gang. Arumugam disowns and just teases the god until his wife points out that his life was safe and the god saved his life. Unable to go to a wedding due to the abject and huge poverty they are now facing, neighbours give valliyammal their jewels for safe keeping and approve using it for going to the wedding. The same gang of thieves attack valliyammal but get caught by police this time due to a power cut, thanks to minor miracles performed by lord and all the jewels are restored to the family. The friend who Arumugam was going to join turns out to be scammers who planned to dupe Arumugam. Thus, Muruga saved the family. Fifth story Mani ( R. Muthuraman) and his best friend kumaresan ( Senthamarai) are polar opposites when it comes to faith in God. Senthamarai is a staunch devotee of thiruparankundaram murugan who visits the god's marriage every year, who tells him that background where he needed some money to save his wife's life. He found a cigarette pack with the exact amount he needs and that is how he became a devotee of the lord and visits every year on the marriage day of the lord. Circumstantially, Mani gets into a spot where he owes money failing which he would lose his respect which he values above his life. He prays to Muruga as a last resort. He too finds a cigarette pack but it is empty. He gives up saying though his prayer was sincere, his faith probably wasn't. A vehicle pushes him off-road and he falls down a slope. He scolds Muruga. At the same time, another vehicle in the accident scene drops off a suitcase due to the minor skirmish on the road. The suitcase contains Rs.25000. He takes it to the police station to find the owner. The owner is there and thanks him profusely for returning such a huge amount. He offers him a reward but Mani insists on taking a loan of the required amount to save his respect and thanks the God understanding that only after being tested and put through trouble, both times at which he called the God even if it was for scolding/complaining, God gave him what he wanted. Sixth story subramaniyam (

Sivakumar Palaniswamy, better known by his stage name Sivakumar (born 27 October 1941), is an Indian visual artist and former actor who has portrayed a wide range of leading and supporting roles onscreen in Tamil cinema and television. He made his actin ...

) and deivanai ( Jaya) are a couple who are devoted to the lord. At a visit to the temple, A rogue (

S. A. Ashokan S. A. Ashokan, born as Antony and often spelled Asokan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema and theatre. He was popular mainly for playing negative roles but was also a successful character actor. Early life Ashokan was b ...

) first harasses deivanai and tries to molest her after hurting subramaniyam. However, Muruga comes in the form of his vahanas and saves them.

Cast

Lead actors *

as Subramaniyam * Jaya as Devanai, Subramaniyam's wife *

as Arumugam * K. R. Vijaya as Valliyammai, Arumugan's wife *

S. V. Ramadoss S. V. Ramadas (1921-2004) was an Indian actor who appeared in Tamil-language films, most often as a villain. He acted in more than 700 films in a career spanning over four decades. Film career Among popular movies, he acted in Aayirathil Or ...

as Robber's head *

as a Rogue *

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 ...

as Kanthappan, a thief * R. S. Manohar as Kanthappan's partner * A. V. M. Rajan as Kadhirvelu * V. Gopalakrishan as Vadivelu *

as Shanmugam * R. Muthuraman as Mani * Senthamarai as Kumaresan * Srikanth as Swaminathan *

as Velammai, Swaminathan's wife *

as banana vendor special appearance (actors) * V. S. Raghavan as businessman * S. N. Lakshmi as Valliyammai's neighbour *

K. Kannan Kuniuraman Kannan (sometimes spelt Kunjuraman Kannan), more popularly known as K. Kannan, is a Singaporean football forward who played for Singapore. He was in the Singapore squad in the 1984 Asian Cup. He also played for Jurong Town. He w ...

as guest Special appearances (singer) * T. M. Soundararajan as a devotional singer *

Sirkazhi Govindarajan Sirkazhi Govindarajan (19 January 1933 – 24 March 1988) was an Indian Tamil Carnatic vocalist and a leading playback singer of Indian cinema. Early life Govindarajan, was born on 19 January 1933 at Sirkazhi (a small town in present day May ...

as a devotional singer * Madurai Somu as an opera singer *

Pithukuli Murugadas Pithukuli Murugadas (25 January 1920 – 17 November 2015) was a religious singer from Tamil Nadu, India. He was best known for his compositions on the Hindu deity Murugan. Life Pithukuli Murugadas was born as Balasubramanian in Coimba ...

as a devotional singer *

Radha Jayalakshmi Radha (born 1932) and Jayalakshmi (1932 - 2014), popularly known as Radha Jayalakshmi ( ta, ராதா ஜெயலட்சுமி), were an Indian Carnatic music vocalist duo as well as playback singers in films in the 1940s and 1950s. Th ...

as an opera singer * Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi as an opera singer *

M. R. Vijaya ( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of respec ...

as an opera singer * Bangalore A. R. Ramani ammal as an opera singer

Production

K. R. Vijaya initially refused to act in the film since she did not want to continue her acting career after giving birth, but accepted after her husband advised her against quitting. The song "Thiruchendooril Poar Purindhu" was shot at Thiruchendur, in three hours time.

Soundtrack

Music was by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and lyrics were 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 ...

Reception

Kanthan of ''

Kalki Kalki ( sa, कल्कि), also called Kalkin or Karki, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is described to appear in order to end the Kali Yuga, one of the four periods in the endless cycle of exis ...

'' praised Thirumugam's direction and editing, along with Vaidyanathan's music.

References

External links

* {{Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar 1970s Tamil-language films 1972 films Films about Hinduism Films about royalty Films directed by M. A. Thirumugam Films scored by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan Hindu devotional films Indian anthology films Indian films based on actual events