Menaka (1935 film)

Last updated

Menaka
Menaka 1935 poster.jpg
Poster
Directed byP. K. Rajasandow
Screenplay byKandhasamy Mudaliar
Based onMenaka
by Vaduvoor K. Duraiswamy Iyengar
StarringT. K. Shanmugam
T. K. Bhagavathi
CinematographyNemai Ghosh
Music byT. K. Muthusamy
Production
company
Sri Shanmuganandha Talkie Company
Release date
  • 6 April 1935 (1935-04-06)
[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Menaka is a 1935 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by P. K. Rajasandow and produced by Sri Shanmuganandha Talkie Company. The film stars T. K. Shanmugam and T. K. Bhagavathi with N. S. Krishnan (in his cinematic debut), S. V. Sahasranamam, K. R. Ramasamy and T. K. Muthusamy in supporting roles. The film is about two lovers who get separated because of the designs of some envious persons and their reunion after much anguish and anxiety.

Contents

Menaka was an adaptation of the stage play of the same name which itself was adapted from a novel of the same name written by Vaduvoor K. Duraiswamy Iyengar. The film's screenplay was written by Kandhasamy Mudaliar. The film was released on 6 April 1935 became successful at the box-office and created a trendsetter for social themed films in Tamil.

Plot

Cast

The list was adapted from the database of Film News Anandan [1]

Production

M. Somasundaram who earlier worked as entrepreneur in Coimbatore decided to venture into film production along with partner S. K. Mohideen. [2] For their debut film, they decided to produce a film adaptation of stage play Menaka which was staged by TKS Brothers for which Somasundaram bought the story rights for ₹16,000. [3] Male actor T. K. Muthusamy portrayed Perundhevi, a widow since no female was willing to shave her their head for the role. [4]

N. S. Krishnan who portrayed a comic negative role in the play reprised the role in the film which also marked his acting debut. [2] During the shoot, he was initially reluctant to be a part of a scene where he was supposed to be tied together with an actress. Krishnan jokingly remarked that "being a chaste man, only his wife should touch him". [3] Rajasandow who understood the humour became friends with Krishnan. The film was entirely shot at Ranjith Studios, Bombay and was completed within 3 months with the cost of ₹80,000 (worth ₹16 crore in 2021 prices). [2]

Award

The film won an award from the Government of the Madras Presidency. [2]

Remake

The film was remade in 1955 with the same title by V. C. Subbaraman. K. R. Ramasamy, who portrayed a comic role in the 1935 version played a leading role in this version. However this version failed to replicate the success of the 1935 version. [5]

Legacy

Menaka was the first Tamil film where a novel was adapted into a feature film and the success of the film also triggered a series of social themed films in Tamil cinema. The film made N. S. Krishnan popular and he went on to become a famous comedian in Tamil. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dhaasippen</i> 1943 film by Ellis R. Dungan

Dhaasippen, also Dhaasippenn is a 1943 Tamil-language film directed by Ellis R. Dungan and produced by Bhuvaneswai Pictures. The lead actors are T. R. Mahalingam and M. G. Ramachandran. The film was scored by Lalitha Venkatraman and S. Rajeswara Rao. The film has had three other titles: Jyothi Malar, Dasi Penn and Thumbai Mahatmyam, and Jothi Malar. The film is based on a folk tale about a girl becoming a devadasi and dedicating her life to worshipping Lord Shiva and refusing to follow the traditional path of marrying a man. Dhaasippen performed well and became a box office hit. But no print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thengai Srinivasan</span> Indian actor and comedian

Thengai Srinivasan 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 the play Kal Manam. Although originally a comedian, he also performed in other genres and enacted several lead and antagonistic roles.

<i>Sathi Leelavathi</i> (1936 film) 1936 film by Ellis R. Dungan

Sathi Leelavathi is a 1936 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Ellis R. Dungan and written by Madras Kandaswamy Mudaliar. It is based on S. S. Vasan's novel of the same name, which had been serialised in 1934. M. K. Radha stars as Krishnamurthy, a man from Madras, who is lured into drinking alcohol by an acquaintance. Believing he murdered his friend in a drunken stupor, Krishnamurthy flees to Ceylon while his wife and daughter, played by M. R. Gnanambal and M. K. Mani respectively, are reduced to poverty. T. S. Balaiah, M. G. Ramachandran, M. V. Mani and P. Nammalvar appear in supporting roles.

<i>Abhimanyu</i> (1948 film) 1948 Indian film

Abhimanyu is a 1948 Tamil-language film produced by Jupiter Pictures and starring S. M. Kumaresan as Abhimanyu, a character from the Mahabharatha. The screenplay was written by A. S. A. Sami, while M. Karunanidhi assisted in the script. This was the second film for Karunanidhi as scriptwriter. The film also starred M. N. Nambiar in a supporting role.

<i>Or Iravu</i> 1951 film by P. Neelakantan

Ore Iravu is a 1951 Indian Tamil-language film directed by P. Neelakantan and co-written by him and C. N. Annadurai. Produced by AVM Productions, it is based on Annadurai's play of the same name. The film stars K. R. Ramasamy, reprising his role from the play. It was released on 11 April 1951 and received well by critics, but failed commercially.

<i>Velaikari</i> 1949 film by A. S. A. Sami

Velaikari is a 1949 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. S. A. Sami and produced by M. Somasundaram under Jupiter Pictures. It was based on the play of the same name written by C. N. Annadurai, while incorporating plot details from the Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo (1844). The film stars K. R. Ramasamy, V. N. Janaki and M. V. Rajamma. It was released on 25 February 1949 and became a success. The film was remade in Telugu as Santhosham (1955), in Hindi as Naya Aadmi (1956), and in Kannada as Malli Maduve (1963).

<i>Nallathambi</i> (1949 film) 1949 Indian film

Nallathambi is a 1949 Indian Tamil-language film starring and produced by N. S. Krishnan. The film's script was written by C. N. Annadurai. This film marked Annadurai's debut in Tamil films. The movie is an adaptation of 1936 American movie Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.

<i>Valmiki</i> (1946 film) 1946 Indian film

Valmiki is a 1946 Tamil-language film starring Honnappa Bhagavathar, U. R. Jeevarathinam, N. C. Vasanthakokilam, T. R. Rajakumari and T. S. Balaiah. It was directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni.

<i>Uthama Puthiran</i> (1940 film) 1940 film

Utthama Puthiran is the 1940 Tamil language film directed by T. R. Sundaram. P. U. Chinnappa, M. V. Rajamma, T. S. Balaiah played the lead roles. It was the first Tamil film in which the leading actor P. U. Chinnappa played a double role.

<i>Panchaali</i> 1959 film by Muktha Srinivasan

Panchaali is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Muktha Srinivasan, produced by M. A. Thyagarajan, and written by Naga Shanmugam with the music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. It stars R. S. Manohar and Devika, with V. K. Ramasamy, L. Vijayalakshmi, T. P. Muthulakshmi, T. K. Ramachandran and Lakshmi Prabha in supporting roles.

<i>Bilhana</i> (film) 1948 film by B. N. Rao

Bilhana is a 1948 Indian Tamil-language historical romance film directed by B. N. Rao and produced by Mubarak Pictures. Based on the life of the Kashmiri poet of the same name, the film stars K. R. Ramasamy and A. R. Sakunthala. It was released on 1 November 1948.

<i>Ratha Paasam</i> (1954 film) 1954 film by R. S. Mani

Ratha Paasam is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by R. S. Mani, written by C. V. Sridhar and produced by T. K. Muthusamy. The film stars T. K. Shanmugam, T. K. Bhagavathi, Anjali Devi, M. S. Draupadi, T. S. Balaiah and N. R. Vidyavathi. It is based on Sridhar's play of the same name. The film was a commercial success, and was later remade in Hindi as Bhai-Bhai (1956).

Cuddalore Nagarathinam Pandurangan was a noted music director who had scored music for Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Sinhala movies. C. N. Pandurangan was an Indian music director who worked mainly in South Indian films.

<i>Vijayakumari</i> (film) 1950 Indian film

Vijayakumari is a 1950 Indian Tamil language film directed by A. S. A. Sami. The film stars K. R. Ramasamy and T. R. Rajakumari.

Naveena Sadaram is a 1935 Tamil language film directed and produced by Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam. The film featured S. D. Subbulakshmi in the lead role. The film is an adaptation of the Kannada stage play Sadarame. Papanasam Sivan was in charge of both the score and lyrics respectively.

<i>Gokuladasi</i> 1948 Indian film

Gokuladasi is a 1948 Indian Tamil language film directed and produced by K. Subrahmanyam. The film stars C. Honnappa Bhagavathar and M. V. Rajamma, with T. R. Ramachandran, N. Krishnamurthi, Lalitha and Padmini playing supporting roles.

<i>Inspector</i> (1953 film) 1953 film by R. S. Mani

Inspector is a 1953 Indian Tamil language film directed by R. S. Mani. It is an adaptation of the play of the same name. The film stars T. K. Shanmugam, S. Balachander, Anjali Devi and P. K. Saraswathi.

<i>Menaka</i> (1955 film) 1955 Indian film

Menaka is a 1955 Indian Tamil language film directed by V. C. Subburaman. It is a remake of the 1935 film of the same name, in turn based on the novel of the same name by Vaduvur Duraisami Iyengar. The film stars K. R. Ramasamy and Lalitha. The film was released on 5 January 1955, and emerged a critical and commercial failure.

Vedha was an Indian composer who started working in Sinhala films during the early 1950s when they were being produced in Madras. Then he worked mainly in Tamil films. He was active in the field for about 25 years since 1952.

<i>Kangkanam</i> 1948 Indian film

Kangkanam is a 1948 Indian Tamil language film directed by S. K. Vasagan. The film was censored in November 1947 but was released in 1948. K. R. Ramasamy, Menaka and P. G. Venkatesan featured in the lead roles.

References

  1. 1 2 Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Guy, Randor (27 August 2010). "The making of 'Menaka'". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 Guy, Randor (4 January 2008). "Menaka 1935". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  4. ↑ Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema. East West Books. p. 8.
  5. ↑ Guy, Randor (4 September 2011). "Menaka 1955". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Guy, Randor (20 November 2014). "Comedian by destiny". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.