Sathi Leelavathi (1936 film): Difference between revisions
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Radhakrishnan (Radha) is a wealthy man who is married to Leelavathi (Gnanambal). He is led astray by his friend Ramanathan (Balaiah). Drink and women lead to degradation and ignoble living. Poor gentle, loving Leelavathi bears the brunt of his drunken cruelty. In an |
Radhakrishnan (Radha) is a wealthy man who is married to Leelavathi (Gnanambal). He is led astray by his friend Ramanathan (Balaiah). Drink and women lead to degradation and ignoble living. Poor gentle, loving Leelavathi bears the brunt of his drunken cruelty. In an inebriated condition, he fires his pistol at his friend Parasuraman and runs away from the police. He comes across a corpse and, after exchanging clothes with it, he flees to Ceylon where he obtains work at a tea estate. He finds a treasure and returns to India a wealthy man, but forced to remain in disguise. He is soon discovered, arrested, tried for murder, and sentenced to death. When the hangman is about to pull the lever, police inspector Rangaiah Naidu (Ramachandran) shows up with Parasuraman. The murdered man was someone else, not Parasuraman, and the killer was Ramanathan. Radhakrishnan is acquitted; he and Leelavathi re-unite.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s4ZlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sJ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1511%2C1703991 |title=''Sathi Leelavathi'', made after a legal battle |last=Guy |first=Randor |date=2 February 1991 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |page=19 |author-link=Randor Guy}}</ref> |
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<!-- Krishnamurthy, a rich man living with his wife Leelavathi and a daughter in [[Chennai|Madras]], is lured into drinking, gambling and other vices by his friend Ramanathan at a mock tea party arranged for this purpose; Ramanathan's collaborator is Rangaiah Naidu, a corrupt police inspector. Krishnamurthy is lured by the wiles of Mohanangi, a woman with loose morals. Infatuated by her, he promises to pay her {{INR}}50,000. |
<!-- Krishnamurthy, a rich man living with his wife Leelavathi and a daughter in [[Chennai|Madras]], is lured into drinking, gambling and other vices by his friend Ramanathan at a mock tea party arranged for this purpose; Ramanathan's collaborator is Rangaiah Naidu, a corrupt police inspector. Krishnamurthy is lured by the wiles of Mohanangi, a woman with loose morals. Infatuated by her, he promises to pay her {{INR}}50,000. |
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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A Tamil play named ''Pathi Bhakthi'', written by A. Krishnaswami Pavalar and starring K. P. Kesavan, was staged by the Madurai Original Boys Company. M. Kandasamy Mudaliar wanted to make a film based on the play. Production started but soon stalled due to differences and K. P. Kesavan cancelled his contract. Mudaliar walked out of the production and started a new film titled ''Sathi Leelavathi'' based on a novel written by [[S. S. Vasan]] and serialised in ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]''. Mudaliar's son M. K. Radha was cast as hero and an unknown (then) 19-year-old [[M. G. Ramachandran]] was cast as Police Inspector Rangayya Naidu. The film was produced by Marudachalam Chettiar of Coimbatore. Chettiar wanted Manik Lal Tandon to direct the film and went to [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] to hire him. Tandon who was busy directing ''[[Bhakta Nandanar]]'', introduced Chettiar to [[Ellis R. Dungan|Dungan]] and recommended Dungan be given the chance instead. Dungan was hired as director and the film was made. Some scenes were shot in location at [[Ceylon]]. The completed film was 18,000 feet in length.<ref name="guy1"/><ref name="anandan">{{cite book | first= | last=Film News Anandan| language= Tamil| year= 2004 | title=Sadhanaigal padaitha Tamil Thiraipada Varalaaru |edition= | publisher=Sivagami Publications| location= Chennai| id=| pages=28:7| url=}}</ref><ref name="guy2">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090600190300.htm|title=Americans in Tamil cinema|last=Muthiah|first=S.|date=6 September 2004|work=The Hindu|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205171837/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090600190300.htm|archive-date=5 December 2012|dead-url=yes|access-date=|df=dmy-all}}</ref>{{sfn|Ramachandran|Rukmini|1985|p=165}}{{sfn|Narayanan|2008|p=40}}<ref name="guy3">{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/06/27/stories/2008062750790300.htm |title=Strong national flavour |work=The Hindu |date=27 June 2008 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007030709/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/06/27/stories/2008062750790300.htm |archivedate=7 October 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><!-- MGR was paid {{INR}} for acting in the film.<ref>https://www.vikatan.com/news/coverstory/81626-do-you-know-mgrs-salary-for-his-first-film-sathi-leelavathi-life-history-of-mgr--episode--13.html</ref> --> |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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===Controversy=== |
===Controversy=== |
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''Sathi Leelavathi'' was released on 28 March 1936. Its release was delayed as it became the subject of a court case. Another film - ''Pathi Bhakthi'' - had been released in the same year based on the play of same name and starring K. P. Kesavan. The makers of ''Pathi Bhakthi'' sued Marudachalam Chettiar and Kandasamy Mudaliar for plagiarising their story. The case was resolved when S. S. Vasan, admitted in court that both ''Pathi Bhakthi'' (written by Krishnasamy Paavalar) and ''Sathi Leelavathi'' had been plagiarised from [[Ellen Wood (author)|Ellen Wood]]'s story ''Danesbury House''.<ref name="guy1"/><ref name="guy2"/> |
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===Critical reception=== |
===Critical reception=== |
||
Several new techniques introduced by Dungan were not understood by the audience and went unappreciated. Writing in the ''Silver Screen'' magazine on 1 August 1936, Pe. Ko. Sundararajan (journalist and writer of ''Manikodi'' movement) complained:{{sfn|Baskaran|2004|p=39}} |
The art magazine ''Aadal Paadal'' in its January 1937 issue appreciated the film for its social setting and praised it for its acting.{{sfn|Baskaran|2004|p=47}} Politician [[C. Rajagopalachari]], who was a critic of cinema in general and did not think much about films, watched Sathi Leelavathi and sarcastically commented that "the main artiste in a ''[[Charka wheel|charka]]''-spinning sequence did not know how to handle it".<ref name="RandorGuy">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/sampoorna-ramayanam-1956/article3588925.ece|title=Sampoorna Ramayanam 1956|last=Guy|first=Randor|date=30 June 2012|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=4 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123083806/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/sampoorna-ramayanam-1956/article3588925.ece|archive-date=23 November 2017|dead-url=no|author-link=Randor Guy}}</ref> Several new techniques introduced by Dungan were not understood by the audience and went unappreciated. Writing in the ''Silver Screen'' magazine on 1 August 1936, Pe. Ko. Sundararajan (journalist and writer of ''Manikodi'' movement) complained:{{sfn|Baskaran|2004|p=39}} |
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{{Cquote|The new methods of depicting emotions are not understood by our people. In ''Sathi Leelavathi'' Dungan showed the dancing girl as viewed by the inebriated hero. (In another scene), he showed the hero's fright by his twitching fingers and feet. These techniques not only helped the actors but showcased his (Dungan) talent as well. But as a lot of people know, our audience shouted that the lighting was not clear in the first case and the film was stuck in the second case. This shows the ignorance of our audience.}} |
{{Cquote|The new methods of depicting emotions are not understood by our people. In ''Sathi Leelavathi'' Dungan showed the dancing girl as viewed by the inebriated hero. (In another scene), he showed the hero's fright by his twitching fingers and feet. These techniques not only helped the actors but showcased his (Dungan) talent as well. But as a lot of people know, our audience shouted that the lighting was not clear in the first case and the film was stuck in the second case. This shows the ignorance of our audience.}} |
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==Availability== |
==Availability== |
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No print of ''Sathi Leelavathi'' is known to survive, making it a [[lost film]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-7/|title=MGR Remembered – Part 7|last=Kantha|first=Sachi Sri|authorlink=Sachi Sri Kantha|date=2 April 2013|publisher=[[Ilankai Tamil Sangam]]|accessdate=25 April 2017|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426063242/http://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-7/|archivedate=26 April 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> But some scenes of this film is uploaded in [[YouTube]] which has young 19 year old |
No print of ''Sathi Leelavathi'' is known to survive, making it a [[lost film]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-7/|title=MGR Remembered – Part 7|last=Kantha|first=Sachi Sri|authorlink=Sachi Sri Kantha|date=2 April 2013|publisher=[[Ilankai Tamil Sangam]]|accessdate=25 April 2017|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426063242/http://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-7/|archivedate=26 April 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> But some scenes of this film is uploaded in [[YouTube]] which has young 19 year old Ramachandran in constable getup in a court scene.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrKVQKN3zRk|title=Sathi Leelavathi MGR}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 09:21, 4 October 2018
| Sathi Leelavathi | |
|---|---|
| File:Sathi Leelavathi 1936.jpg Poster | |
| Directed by | Ellis R. Dungan |
| Produced by | Marudachalam Chettiar |
| Starring | M. K. Radha M. S. Gnanambal M. G. Ramachandran T. S. Balaiah |
| Music by | Sundara Vadhyaar |
Production company | Manorama Films |
Release date | 28 March 1936 |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Sathi Leelavathi is a 1936 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Ellis R. Dungan (in his directorial debut) and produced by the Coimbatore based Manorama Films.[1] This was the first film for M. K. Radha, T. S. Balaiah and M. G. Ramachandran as actors.[2] This was one of the first Tamil films to become the subject of a court case involving copyright violations.[3][4][5][6][7] No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film. But some scenes of this film is uploaded in YouTube which has Ramachandran in constable getup in a court scene.
Plot
Radhakrishnan (Radha) is a wealthy man who is married to Leelavathi (Gnanambal). He is led astray by his friend Ramanathan (Balaiah). Drink and women lead to degradation and ignoble living. Poor gentle, loving Leelavathi bears the brunt of his drunken cruelty. In an inebriated condition, he fires his pistol at his friend Parasuraman and runs away from the police. He comes across a corpse and, after exchanging clothes with it, he flees to Ceylon where he obtains work at a tea estate. He finds a treasure and returns to India a wealthy man, but forced to remain in disguise. He is soon discovered, arrested, tried for murder, and sentenced to death. When the hangman is about to pull the lever, police inspector Rangaiah Naidu (Ramachandran) shows up with Parasuraman. The murdered man was someone else, not Parasuraman, and the killer was Ramanathan. Radhakrishnan is acquitted; he and Leelavathi re-unite.[8]
Cast
.jpg)
- M. K. Radha as Radhakrishnan
- M. S. Gnanambal as Leelavathi
- M. G. Ramachandran as Rangaiah Naidu
- T. S. Balaiah as Ramanathan
Crew
- Ellis R. Dungan - Director
- M. Kandasamy Mudaliar — Dialogue
- S. S. Vasan - Story
- Sundara Vadhyar — Lyrics[9]
Production
A Tamil play named Pathi Bhakthi, written by A. Krishnaswami Pavalar and starring K. P. Kesavan, was staged by the Madurai Original Boys Company. M. Kandasamy Mudaliar wanted to make a film based on the play. Production started but soon stalled due to differences and K. P. Kesavan cancelled his contract. Mudaliar walked out of the production and started a new film titled Sathi Leelavathi based on a novel written by S. S. Vasan and serialised in Ananda Vikatan. Mudaliar's son M. K. Radha was cast as hero and an unknown (then) 19-year-old M. G. Ramachandran was cast as Police Inspector Rangayya Naidu. The film was produced by Marudachalam Chettiar of Coimbatore. Chettiar wanted Manik Lal Tandon to direct the film and went to Calcutta to hire him. Tandon who was busy directing Bhakta Nandanar, introduced Chettiar to Dungan and recommended Dungan be given the chance instead. Dungan was hired as director and the film was made. Some scenes were shot in location at Ceylon. The completed film was 18,000 feet in length.[3][9][10][11][12][13]
Release
Controversy
Sathi Leelavathi was released on 28 March 1936. Its release was delayed as it became the subject of a court case. Another film - Pathi Bhakthi - had been released in the same year based on the play of same name and starring K. P. Kesavan. The makers of Pathi Bhakthi sued Marudachalam Chettiar and Kandasamy Mudaliar for plagiarising their story. The case was resolved when S. S. Vasan, admitted in court that both Pathi Bhakthi (written by Krishnasamy Paavalar) and Sathi Leelavathi had been plagiarised from Ellen Wood's story Danesbury House.[3][10]
Critical reception
The art magazine Aadal Paadal in its January 1937 issue appreciated the film for its social setting and praised it for its acting.[14] Politician C. Rajagopalachari, who was a critic of cinema in general and did not think much about films, watched Sathi Leelavathi and sarcastically commented that "the main artiste in a charka-spinning sequence did not know how to handle it".[15] Several new techniques introduced by Dungan were not understood by the audience and went unappreciated. Writing in the Silver Screen magazine on 1 August 1936, Pe. Ko. Sundararajan (journalist and writer of Manikodi movement) complained:[16]
The new methods of depicting emotions are not understood by our people. In Sathi Leelavathi Dungan showed the dancing girl as viewed by the inebriated hero. (In another scene), he showed the hero's fright by his twitching fingers and feet. These techniques not only helped the actors but showcased his (Dungan) talent as well. But as a lot of people know, our audience shouted that the lighting was not clear in the first case and the film was stuck in the second case. This shows the ignorance of our audience.
Availability
No print of Sathi Leelavathi is known to survive, making it a lost film.[17] But some scenes of this film is uploaded in YouTube which has young 19 year old Ramachandran in constable getup in a court scene.[18]
References
- ^ Jeshi, K (7 December 2004). "Tunes and trivia". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "MGR's first film steps". The Hindu. 25 April 2011. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Pheroze L. Vincent (25 November 2009). "Romancing the reel". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1994, p. 175.
- ^ Baskaran 1996, p. 180.
- ^ Baskaran 1981, p. 109.
- ^ Muthiah 2004, p. 404. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFMuthiah2004 (help)
- ^ Guy, Randor (2 February 1991). "Sathi Leelavathi, made after a legal battle". The Indian Express. p. 19.
- ^ a b Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal padaitha Tamil Thiraipada Varalaaru (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publications. pp. 28:7.
- ^ a b Muthiah, S. (6 September 2004). "Americans in Tamil cinema". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Ramachandran & Rukmini 1985, p. 165.
- ^ Narayanan 2008, p. 40.
- ^ "Strong national flavour". The Hindu. 27 June 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Baskaran 2004, p. 47.
- ^ Guy, Randor (30 June 2012). "Sampoorna Ramayanam 1956". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Baskaran 2004, p. 39.
- ^ Kantha, Sachi Sri (2 April 2013). "MGR Remembered – Part 7". Ilankai Tamil Sangam. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Sathi Leelavathi MGR".
Bibliography
- Baskaran, S. Theodore (1981). The message bearers: the nationalist politics and the entertainment media in South India, 1880-1945. Chennai: Cre-A.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema. Chennai: East West Books.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Baskaran, S. Theodore (2004). Chithiram Pesuthadi (in Tamil). Chennai: Kalachuvadu. ISBN 81-87477-75-X.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Muthiah, S. (2004). Madras rediscovered. Chennai: East West Books (Madras) Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 81-88661-24-4, ISBN 978-81-88661-24-4.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Narayanan, Arandhai (2008). Arambakala Tamil Cinema (1931-41) (in Tamil). Chennai: Vijaya Publications.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. ISBN 0-85170-455-7, ISBN 978-0-85170-455-5.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Ramachandran, T. M.; Rukmini, S. (1985). 70 years of Indian cinema, 1913-1983. Chennai: CINEMA India-International. ISBN 0-86132-090-5, ISBN 978-0-86132-090-5.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
