''Dambachary'' () is a

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

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 directed by Manik Lal Tandon. The film stars M. R. Krishnamuthi, P. S. Rathna Bai and P. S. Saraswathi Bai. P. S. Rathna Bai and P. S. Saraswathi Bai are well known as ''

Palayamkottai Palayamkottai (also Palayankottai) is a neighbourhood in Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli City, incorporated within the Tirunelveli Municipal Corporation, Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation. It is situated on the east bank of the Thamirabarani rive ...

sisters''.

Plot

The story is of a man who spends the wealth of his father on his mistress while neglecting his wife. Later he realizes his folly and returns to a happy life with his wife.

Cast

;Male cast * C. S. Shamanna (in seven roles) * M. R. Krishnamurthi as Dumbachary * M. S. Raghavan as Clown * M. S. Murugesan as Clown * Rangasami Naicker on

Harmonium The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ (which employs a va ...

* K. V. Naidu on

Tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

;Female cast * P. S. Rathna Bai as Gunabhushani * P. S. Saraswathi Bai as Madanasundari ;Dance * Ragini Devi

Production

After

Talkie A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed befo ...

s were introduced in Tamil cinema, almost all the films produced were based on mythological stories. This is the first film based on contemporary life of the time. The film was produced in Pioneer Film Studios in Calcutta (now

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

) by Chellam Talkies as there were no studios located in

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

during those early years of Tamil cinema. The writer, Thiruvetriyur Kasiviswanatha Mudaliar was a well-known

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

and he was also a member of the

Brahmo Samaj Brahmo Samaj ( ) is the societal component of Brahmoism, which began as a monotheistic reformist movement during the Bengal Renaissance. It was one of the most influential religious movements in India and made a significant contribution to ...

movement. He also wrote on female education, widow marriage etc. He died in October 1871 aged 66. His play ''Dambachary Vilasam'' was staged several times repeatedly. The film had an alternate title ''Uthama Manaivi'' which means ''Ideal Wife''. It was commonplace those days to give an alternate title to a film.

Soundtrack

Though the theme of the story was 'social', the film had as many as 38 songs like any other mythological story films of that time. Most of the artistes were Carnatic singers and the audience expected them to sing more rather than 'talk'. However, none of the songs in this film became popular.

Reception

The film is remembered for the story line and the remarkable performance by M. R. Krishnamurthi and the Palayamkottai sisters.

References

{{reflist 1935 films Indian drama films Indian films based on plays 1935 drama films Indian black-and-white films 1930s Tamil-language films 1930s Indian films Tamil-language drama films