Sathi Leelavathi (1936 film)

This article is about the 1936 film. For the 1995 film, see Sathi Leelavathi (1995 film).

Sathi Leelavathi
Landscape black-and-white poster with the film's title in English Theatrical poster
Directed by	Ellis R. Dungan
Screenplay by	Madras​ Kandaswamy​ Mudaliar
Produced by	A.​ N. Marudachalam​ Chettiar
Starring	M. K. Radha M. R. Gnanambal
Cinematography	D. T. Telang V. J. Shave
Edited by	Sircar Ellis R. Dungan
Production company	Manorama Films
Release date	28 March 1936 (1936-03-28)
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Sathi Leelavathi (transl. Leelavathi, the Chaste Wife) is a 1936 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed and co-edited by Ellis R. Dungan, written by Madras Kandaswamy Mudaliar and produced by A. N. Marudachalam Chettiar. It is based on S. S. Vasan's novel of the same name, which was serialised in the magazine Ananda Vikatan. The film has an ensemble cast, including M. K. Radha, T. S. Balaiah, M. G. Ramachandran, M. V. Mani, M. K. Mani, P. Nammalvar, T. N. Lakshmana Rao, M. R. Gnanambal, Santhakumari, M. S. Murugesan and N. S. Krishnan. In Sathi Leelavathi, Krishnamurthy (Radha), a wealthy Madras-based man is lured into drinking by his friend (Balaiah) and brings misery on himself. Believing that he murdered his other friend (Nammalvar) in a drunken stupor, Krishnamurthy flees to Ceylon to live as an anonymous labourer; his wife (Gnanambal) and daughter (M. K. Mani) are reduced to poverty.

Although Chettiar initially wanted to produce a film version of the Madurai Original Boy's Company (MOBC) theatre troupe play Pathi Bhakthi, another film version was already being made without him. Mudaliar, who wrote the MOBC play, later told him about Vasan's novel, which had the same storyline. Both men approached Vasan, who gave them the rights to make a film version of his novel. Mudaliar then began writing the screenplay. It was Dungan's directorial debut and the film-acting debuts of Radha, Balaiah, Ramachandran and K. A. Thangavelu; all except Thangavelu were theatre actors associated with the MOBC. Sathi Leelavathi was the first film on which Krishnan worked, and his second release. The film was shot primarily in Madras at Vel Pictures Studio.

Sathi Leelavathi was one of the earliest Tamil films which was the subject of a court case involving copyright violation; the MOBC accused its filmmakers of plagiarising the Pathi Bhakthi play. The case was resolved when Vasan testified that both the play and the novel were based on Ellen Wood's 1860 novel Danesbury House, therefore neither party could claim originality. Sathi Leelavathi was released on 28 March 1936. The film was a commercial success, and made Dungan a sought-after director; several features he introduced in Sathi Leelavathi became staples of Tamil cinema. No complete print of the film is known to survive, making it a partially lost film, but what remains is preserved in the West Virginia State Archives.

Plot

Krishnamurthy is a wealthy man who lives with his wife, Leelavathi, and daughter, Lakshmi, in Madras. He is lured into drinking, gambling and other vices by a friend, Ramanathan, at a mock tea party arranged for this purpose; Ramanathan's collaborator is Rangaiah Naidu, a corrupt police inspector. Krishnamurthy is captivated by Mohanangi, a promiscuous woman. Infatuated, he promises to pay her ₹50,000 (about US$18,700 in 1936).

Parasuraman, Krishnamurthy's true friend, tries unsuccessfully to reform him. A Marwari moneylender who lent a large sum to Krishnamurthy to support his lavish lifestyle obtains a repayment warrant, sinking Krishnamurthy deeper in debt. Drunk, he accuses his wife of having an affair with Parasuraman. When Parasuraman visits Krishnamurthy to warn him about the warrant, Leelavathi tells him that Krishnamurthy is not home. Parasuram leaves, forgetting his umbrella. Krishnamurthy comes home drunk, and sees Parasuraman's umbrella. He beats Leelavathi and goes out with a revolver to shoot Parasuraman. Meanwhile, Ramanathan sends his servant (disguised as Parasuraman) to steal the jewels in the Ekambareswarar Temple.

Krishnamurthy chases the man he thinks is Parasuraman; a shot is heard, and a man lies dead. Krishnamurthy comes to his senses, thinks he has murdered Parasuraman and decides to escape, leaving Leelavathi and Lakshmi in the custody of his faithful servant Govindan. He flees to Ceylon, where he leads a wretched life as a nameless labourer on a tea estate. Ramanathan makes advances to Leelavathi, who spurns him. Penniless, she goes with Govindan and Lakshmi and leads an honourable life as a charkha spinner. Krishnamurthy finds a treasure and gives it to his master, who is pleased and adopts him as his son.

Krishnamurthy returns to Madras to be with his family, but is arrested for Parasuraman's murder. Detective Sreenivasan's investigation reveals the malicious wiles of Ramanathan and Rangaiah, and he produces the real Parasuraman (disguised as an old man) in court. Parasuram reveals himself, proving Krishnamurthy's innocence. Ramanathan had been secretly following the drunken Krishnamurthy, who passed out and dropped his gun. When the servant came out Ramanathan picked up the gun, shot him and placed the gun back in Krishnamurthy's hand, making it look as if Krishnamurthy murdered Parasuraman. Krishnamurthy is acquitted, and rejoins his family. Ramanathan is sentenced to death, and Rangaiah receives seven years' imprisonment. Lakshmi and Chandrakanthan (Parasuraman's son) eventually marry.

Cast

M. G. Ramachandran as Rangaiah Naidu

Male cast

• M. K. Radha as Krishnamurthy
• T. S. Balaiah as Ramanathan
• M. G. Ramachandran as Rangaiah Naidu
• M. V. Mani as Sreenivasan
• M. K. Mani as Lakshmi
• P. Nammalvar as Parasuraman
• T. N. Lakshmana Rao as Govindan
• P. N. Ramakrishnan as the devotee

Female cast

• M. R. Gnanambal as Leelavathi
• Dhanalakshmi as Bama
• Santhakumari as Mohanangi
• M. Chanthraboi as Shanbagavalli

Comedians

• M. S. Murugesan as the Marwari
• N. S. Krishnan as Balu
• S. Sundaram as Sesha Iyengar

Additionally, J. Susheela Devi plays an uncredited cabaret dancer, and K. A. Thangavelu plays a minor role, also uncredited.

Production

Development

Pathi Bhakthi was a Tamil play, written by Te. Po. Krishnaswamy Pavalar during the 1930s, which dealt with the problem of alcohol and its impact on family life. The play was staged successfully throughout the Madras Presidency. Pavalar's play was re-written for the Madurai Original Boy's Company (MOBC) theatre troupe by playwright Madras Kandaswamy Mudaliar, and was staged over 150 times. A. N. Marudachalam Chettiar of Manorama Films wanted to produce Pathi Bhakthi as a film, but another film version was already being made without him. Still determined, Chettiar approached Mudaliar, who said that a novel, Sathi Leelavathi (serialised since 1934 in the weekly Ananda Vikatan magazine), had the same storyline as Pathi Bhakthi. Both approached the novel's author, S. S. Vasan, who gave them its film rights for ₹200 (about $75 in 1936). Mudaliar soon began developing the screenplay. Vasan was credited in Sathi Leelavathi's opening titles for the original story in his film debut.

Chettiar wanted Manik Lal Tandon to direct the film, but he declined. Tandon introduced Chettiar to his American friend, Ellis R. Dungan, and suggested that Dungan direct it instead. Chettiar was hesitant because Dungan was new to India and did not know Tamil (or much about Indian culture), but the fact that Dungan had worked in Hollywood convinced Chettiar. The film was Dungan's directorial debut. Sathi Leelavathi was later listed in the Limca Book of Records as the first Indian film "directed by a foreigner". Because Dungan did not know Tamil, Chettiar hired C. K. Sathasivan as associate director. S. Panju, later known as half of the Krishnan–Panju directorial duo, was an assistant director.

Sathi Leelavathi was one of the earliest Tamil films which was the subject of a court case involving copyright violation. When it was still in the pre-production stage, MOBC sued Chettiar and Mudaliar for plagiarising the Pathi Bhakthi play. Many similarities were noted between the two stories, including the same name of the female leads (Leelavathi). The case was resolved when Vasan testified that both the Pathi Bhakthi play and the Sathi Leelavathi novel were based on the British writer Ellen Wood's 1860 novel, Danesbury House; therefore, neither party could claim originality.

Casting

Leelavathi (M. R. Gnanambal), Krishnamurthy (M. K. Radha) and Lakshmi (M. K. Mani)

Mudaliar wanted to launch his son M. K. Radha, a theatre actor, in film with Pathi Bhakthi, but could not because another theatre actor, K. P. Kesavan, had been finalised for the lead role. This allowed Radha to be cast in Sathi Leelavathi as Krishnamurthy, the male lead, in his cinematic acting debut. Three other MOBC actors also made their film debuts in Sathi Leelavathi: N. S. Krishnan, T. S. Balaiah, and M. G. Ramachandran. Balaiah played the antagonist Ramanathan, and Krishnan played the comic character Balu. Although Sathi Leelavathi was Krishnan's first film project, Menaka (1935) which he signed later, was his first release; Sathi Leelavathi was his second because of production delays caused by the lawsuit.

Ramachandran appeared in Pathi Bhakthi as the antagonist's henchman, Veeramuthu, but MOBC owner Sachidanandam Pillai did not offer him an opportunity to appear in the film adaptation. He later approached Mudaliar for a better role in Sathi Leelavathi, since he felt that his role in Pathi Bhakthi had "no room to shine". According to Ramachandran, he was told that he would play the detective and (later) Krishnamurthy's friend Parasuraman, but he was cast as Inspector Rangaiah Naidu – a role he disliked. He was paid an advance of ₹100 (about $37.50 in 1936) for acting in the film, and his total fee was ₹300 (about $112.40). It was the first time Ramachandran had seen a 100-rupee note. Chettiar gave the role of the detective, Sreenivasan, to M. V. Mani without Mudaliar's knowledge. Despite Ramachandran's reluctance to play Rangaiah, his mother was happy that he got a "respectable" role and advised him to perform it responsibly.

The casting of Krishnamurthy's wife, Leelavathi, was difficult; no actress was willing to play the character, since the script required her to be physically abused and mistreated by her inebriated husband. In desperation, the exhausted producer asked Mudaliar and Radha to cast M. R. Gnanambal (Radha's wife) in the role. Gnanambal, who had retired from acting after her marriage to Radha, was initially reluctant to accept the role and came out of retirement to play it because no other actress would do so. Leelavathi's daughter, Lakshmi, was played by M. K. Mani (a boy). P. Nammalvar was cast as Parasuraman, T. N. Lakshmana Rao as the family servant Govindan, and P. N. Ramakrishnan as a devotee of the Hindu god Shiva. Dhanalakshmi played Bama; Santhakumari played Mohanangi, a promiscuous woman; and M. Chanthraboi played Shanbagavalli.

Krishnan appeared in the comic subplot, and wrote the screenplay for his scenes. He put on weight in preparation for the role. Other comic actors were M. S. Murugesan as a Marwari moneylender and S. Sundaram as Sesha Iyengar. K. A. Thangavelu, a theatre artist associated with the Rajambal Company troupe, also made his film-acting debut in a minor, uncredited role. J. Susheela Devi played an uncredited cabaret dancer. Ramachandran's brother, M. G. Chakrapani (also an MOBC actor), approached Mudaliar for a role but was not cast; however, he watched the filming and absorbed "the new art form that was cinema". Parasuraman's son Chandrakanthan, Ramanathan's servant and Krishnamurthy's master in Ceylon were played by actors not credited in the film's opening titles or its official pressbook.

Filming

Sathi Leelavathi was launched in 1935. Although Manorama Films was in Coimbatore, the film was shot primarily at Vel Pictures Studio on Eldams Road in Madras. In a 1994 interview with Ananda Vikatan, Dungan said that during the first few days of shooting Ramachandran did not understand the nuances of film acting; he was delivering the dialogues aggressively, as if on stage, and was overacting. Dungan said that he corrected this and advised Ramachandran to deliver the dialogues naturally, with natural acting. He wrote in A Guide to Adventure, his 2001 autobiography, that most of the cast were theatre actors and he was tasked with "subduing [their] voices and facial expressions". According to Dungan, when the actors faced the camera they often froze and did not speak because it "frightened" them. One scene required Ramachandran to ride a bicycle, and Dungan was nonplused when he realised that the actor did not know how to ride one. Eventually, Ramachandran sat on the bicycle (with two people balancing it) and was given a push as the camera rolled.

Film historian Film News Anandan wrote in Saadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru that shooting was also done in Ceylon; historian Randor Guy, however, wrote in the fortnightly Madras Musings that a large plot of land behind Vel Pictures Studio stood in for the Ceylon tea plantation seen onscreen. With this film, Dungan introduced many features to Tamil cinema, such as a lack of on-screen stage influences and the "cabaret dance" (also known as the "club dance"). Since there was no facility to pre-record songs in Madras at the time, performers had to sing on set. The accompanying musicians sat on a trolley outside the camera range and played the background musical score; this often restricted camera movement. In one scene, the orchestra sat under a nearby tree playing the harmonium, tabla and other instruments while Radha's character sang at a tea plantation. The film's cinematography was by D. T. Telang and V. J. Shave, and Sircar and Dungan were the editors. Ramamurthi, manager of Vel Pictures Studio, cleaned all the exposed negatives by hand. The completed film was 18,000 feet (5,500 m) in length.

Themes

Sathi Leelavathi explores the themes of temperance, social reform, the Gandhian concept of selfless service, and labour – in particular, the plight of Tamil Nadu labourers on Ceylon's tea estates. The film also highlights the problems caused by alcoholism. According to Ramachandran, the film had a theme "after [his] own heart". It depicts chastity as the noblest ideal of Indian women.

Music

The music director of Sathi Leelavathi is not credited in the film's song book. G. Sundhara Bhagavathar (also known as Sundhara Vadhiyar) was the lyricist in his cinematic debut. The melody of "Theyila Thottathle" (also spelt "Theyilai Thottatile") is based on Subramania Bharati's poem, "Karumbu Thottathile", with modified lyrics. The original poem dealt with the plight of bonded Indian labourers in Fiji, and the song explored the problems of tea-plantation workers in Ceylon. The song, which was composed in the carnatic raga known as Chenchurutti, became popular and was frequently performed in concerts by Carnatic musicians. It was re-used in the Malayalam film, Balan (1938), as "Jaathaka Doshathale". The other songs featured in the film were "Manidha Nee Seivinai", "Thaayadhu Vayatrile Maayamai", "Hello Yennudaiya Dear", "Adhigha Sinamaen", "Thallaadi Naanae", "Ini Yenna Seighuvaen Dhaeviyae", "Sadhikaaramaaranovubaanam", "Kaami Satthiyamaa Kannatthaik", "Pudhunilaamughap Poomaan Punniya", "Kallae Kadavuladaa Thambi", "Vaazhvinilae Maghaa Thaazvadaindhaenaiyo", "Undheepara Adhi Unnadha Thakkaliyae", "Raattinamae Kadhar Poottinamae Kai" and "Maadhae Un Meedhu Naanae Mighu".

Release and reception

Sathi Leelavathi was released on 28 March 1936, and emerged a major commercial success. According to film historian Aranthai Narayanan, this was due to Radha, Balaiah and Krishnan's performances, Vasan's publicity, and support by independence-era politicians of the anti-alcohol movement. The film ran for over 100 days in theatres.

In its January 1937 issue, the art magazine Aadal Paadal praised the film's social setting and acting. Politician C. Rajagopalachari, a critic of cinema in general, watched Sathi Leelavathi and appreciated its Gandhian ideals and pro-prohibition stance. Although a day's box-office revenue was donated to him for public causes, he said caustically that "the main artiste in a [charkha]-spinning sequence did not know how to handle it". Playwright and retired sub-judge Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar praised Radha for performing a "difficult part very creditably", and noted that the music was appropriate.

The Hindu praised Radha's performance for its "naturalness and ease", Balaiah's villainy and Gnanambal's performance in the "difficult role" of Leelavathi in a 14 February 1936 review. The reviewer also praised Sathi Leelavathi's sound quality, photography and direction. The Illustrated Weekly of India called the film more "interesting, natural and convincing" than the source novel that day, praising the plot's continuity and climax. A Cine Art Review writer appreciated the film's settings and sound, the cross-gender acting of M. K. Mani as Lakshmi, and the opening scene in which Lakshmi hums a tune while going downstairs. A reviewer from The Indian Review wrote that the film "appeals to all classes and masses of the Tamil province."

Several new filmmaking techniques introduced by Dungan were unappreciated at the time. In Silver Screen magazine on 1 August 1936, Pe. Ko. Sundararajan (journalist and writer for Manikodi) said that the new methods of depicting emotions were not understood by the audience; in one scene Dungan showed the dancing girl as seen by the inebriated protagonist, and in another Dungan indicated his fear with his twitching fingers and feet. According to Sundararajan, the techniques helped the actors to emote and showcased Dungan's talent; however, an unsophisticated audience thought that the lighting was poor in the first scene and the film was stuck in the second.

Legacy

Sathi Leelavathi attained cult status in Tamil cinema, and made Dungan an in-demand director. It was the first successful Tamil film in overseas markets. A number of features introduced by Dungan in the film, including cabaret dances and less-theatrical acting, became staples of Tamil cinema. Despite Vasan's initial aversion to films, film historian Swarnavel Eswaran Pillai noted that Sathi Leelavathi's success encouraged him to enter the industry as a distributor. Ramachandran avoided playing roles similar to Rangaiah Naidu in his later films, preferring to play a "good Samaritan" in films such as Marmayogi (1951), Malaikkallan (1954), Nadodi Mannan (1958) and Enga Veettu Pillai (1965). According to Randor Guy, the film "rightly earned its place in the history of Tamil cinema". No complete print of Sathi Leelavathi is known to survive, however, making it a partially lost film. What remains of the film is preserved in the West Virginia State Archives. Footage about the making of Sathi Leelavathi was included in An American in Madras, a documentary directed by Karan Bali about Dungan's career in India.

Bibliography

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• Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The Eye of the Serpent: An introduction to Tamil cinema. East West Books. OCLC 243920437. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Baskaran, S. Theodore (2004). Chithiram Pesuthadi [The Picture Speaks, Dear] (in Tamil). Chennai: Kalachuvadu. ISBN 81-87477-75-X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Dungan, Ellis R.; Smik, Barbara (2001). A Guide to Adventure: An Autobiography. Pittsburgh: Dorrance Publishing Company. OCLC 50318101. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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• Guy, Randor (2016). Gopal, T. S. (ed.). Memories of Madras: Its Movies, Musicians & Men of Letters. Chennai: Creative Workshop. ISBN 978-81-928961-7-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Kannan, R. (2010). Anna: The Life and Times of C. N. Annadurai. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-670-08328-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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• Pillai, Swarnavel Eswaran (2015). Madras Studios: Narrative, Genre, and Ideology in Tamil Cinema. New Delhi: SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-93-5150-212-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul, eds. (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-563579-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• Sathi Leelavathi at IMDb
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