Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958 film)
| Sampoorna Ramayanam | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | K. Somu |
| Screenplay by | A. P. Nagarajan |
| Based on | Ramayana by Valmiki |
| Produced by | M. A. Venu |
| Starring | N. T. Rama Rao Sivaji Ganesan Padmini T. K. Bhagavathi P. V. Narasimha Bharathi |
| Cinematography | V. K. Gopanna |
| Edited by | T. Vijayarangam |
| Music by | K. V. Mahadevan |
Production company | M. A. V. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 204 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Sampoorna Ramayanam (transl. The Complete Ramayana) is a 1958 Tamil-language Indian historical drama film directed by K. Somu. It is based on Valmiki's Ramayana. The film features N. T. Rama Rao in lead role of Rama and Sivaji Ganesan as Bharatha. The film, produced by M. A. Venu, had musical score by K. V. Mahadevan and was released on 14 April 1958. It became a major commercial success, and ran for over 264 days in theatres, thereby becoming a silver jubilee film. It was dubbed into Hindi as Ramayan in 1960.[1]
Plot
The story is the complete Ramayana from the birth of Rama to his Pattabhisheka after completing his exile.
Cast
- N. T. Rama Rao as Rama
- Padmini as Sita[2]
- Sivaji Ganesan as Bharatha
- P. V. Narasimha Bharathi as Lakshmana[3]
- T. K. Bhagavathi as Ravana[4]
- V. Nagaiah as Dasharatha[4]
- Pushpavalli as Kausalya[3]
- G. Varalakshmi as Kaikeyi[4]
- S. D. Subbulakshmi as Sumitra
- V. K. Ramasamy as Guhan[3]
- M. N. Rajam as Shurpanakha[3]
- Sandhya as Mandodari[5]
Production
After Town Bus (1955), its producer M. A. Venu decided that his next venture would be Sampoorna Ramayanam,[6] based on the Ramayana, an Indian epic written by Valmiki.[7] It was directed by K. Somu and produced by Venu under M. A. V. Pictures, while A.P Nagarajan wrote the screenplay. Cinematography was handled by V. K. Gopanna, and the editing by T. Vijayarangam.[8][9]
K. V. Srinivasan dubbed the voice of N. T. Rama Rao,[4] who played Rama.[10] S. S. Rajendran declined the offer to play Bharata before Sivaji Ganesan was cast in that role,[11] stating that he would not act in films based on mythology.[12] This marked Ganesan's first mythological film.[13]
Soundtrack
The music composed by K. V. Mahadevan.[14][15] All lyrics were penned by A. Maruthakasi. Unlike most Tamil films of that era, the songs were composed to form a part of the narrative, as opposed to being standalone segments.[16] S. Somasundaram was originally hired to sing a few songs, including "Veenai Kodiyudaiya" which was picturised on Ravana. As Bhagavati's lip synching could not match Somasundaram's fast singing, the singer was replaced with C. S. Jayaraman. Offended, Somasundaram left the film and at his request the songs he sang were dropped.[17]
| No. | Song | Singers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Annaiyum Pithavumaagi... Yen Pirintheer" | T. M. Soundararajan, Thangappan | 02:31 |
| 2 | "Indru Poi Naalai Vaaraai" | C. S. Jayaraman | 02:52 |
| 3 | "Neethi Thavarathu" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 01:03 |
| 4 | "Pathugaiye Thunaiyaagum" | T. M. Soundararajan & Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 02:49 |
| 5 | "Sabarikku Raamanum" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 06:08 |
| 6 | "Sangeetha Sowbagyame" | C. S. Jayaraman | 04:24 |
| 7 | "Sree Raamachandhran Magudaabishega" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan & S. C. Krishnan | 00:45 |
| 8 | "Ellorum Kondaadum Raamaraajyame" | A. P. Komala, A. G. Rathnamala, K. Rani, Sarojini & Udutha |
00:49 |
| 9 | "Thennaadudaiya Sivane... Kannpaarum Enaiyaalum" | C. S. Jayaraman | 02:31 |
| 10 | "Paakraan Sumaa Paakraan" | M. S. Rajeswari | 01:02 |
| 11 | "Thavamuni Viswamithiran.... Panjanai Meedhu" | C. S. Jayaraman | 06:00 |
| 12 | "Veenai Kodiyudaiya" | Thiruchi Loganathan, C. S. Jayaraman | 01:45 |
| 13 | "Mannellaam Ponnaagum Raaman Varavaaley" | A. P. Komala, A. G. Rathnamala, S. C. Krishnan K. Rani, Sarojini & Pathma |
01:45 |
| 14 | "Vaazhiya Ulagam... Makkal Pirandhadhai Enni Enniye" | T. M. Soundararajan | 04:28 |
| 15 | "Araneri Marandha Thamayanai" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 01:40 |
| 16 | "Pogadhe Atthaan Pogadhe" | M. S. Rajeswari | 01:02 |
| 17 | "Azhagiya Ilangaa Nagarai" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 01:02 |
| 18 | "Utthaman Pogindraane... Utthaman Raaman Pogindraan" | Ghantasala | 02:30 |
| 19 | "Atthiri Munivar Raaman Latchmananai" | Sirkazhi Govindarajan | 02:37 |
Release and reception
Sampoorna Ramayanam was released on 14 April 1958, during Puthandu.[6][18] Politician C. Rajagopalachari, who wrote the Ramayana as a serialised story in Kalki which was later published as a book, watched this film and appreciated it, particularly N.T. Rama Rao's performance as Rama, and Ganesan's performance as Bharata. Usually he was a critic of cinema in general and did not think much about films.[4][19] In a review dated 27 April 1958, the magazine Ananda Vikatan lauded Ganesan's performance, felt T. K. Bhagavathi was perfect for the role of Ravana, and called the film a must-watch.[20] The film was a major commercial success and ran for over 264 days in theatres,[21] thereby becoming a silver jubilee film,[22] and also being responsible for a renewed interest in mythological films in Tamil cinema.[23]
References
- ^ Pauwels 2007, p. 51.
- ^ "The very best of Padmini". Rediff.com. 26 September 2006. slide 7. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d Vamanan (4 November 2018). "பரதனுக்கு தோதான பாடல் வரிசை!". Dinamalar (in Tamil). Nellai. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Guy, Randor (30 June 2012). "Sampoorna Ramayanam 1956". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ "ஜெ.ஜெயலலிதா என்னும் நான்... - அம்மாவின் கதை! - 6". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 21 February 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b Vamanan (3 May 2016). "தடைகளைத் தாண்டி வந்த சம்பூர்ண ராமாயணம்!". Dinamalar (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "The Best Mythological Films of Tamil Cinema". Rediff.com. 22 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ 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 4 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- ^ "Sampoorna Ramayanam Release". nadigarthilagam. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Ganesan & Narayana Swamy 2007, p. 117.
- ^ "'Latchiya Nadigar' SSR No More". The New Indian Express. 25 October 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ Kannan, R. (2017). MGR: A Life. India: Penguin Random House. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-14-342934-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ Guy, Randor (1997). Starlight, Starbright: The Early Tamil Cinema. Chennai: Amra Publishers. p. 281.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ "Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Sampoorna Ramayanam Tml". Gaana.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Baskaran 1996, p. 56.
- ^ Venkatraman, Shankar (11 July 2019). "The incomparable genius of Madurai Somu". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- ^ "Sampurna Ramayanam". The Indian Express. 14 April 1958. p. 1.
- ^ Ganesan & Narayana Swamy 2007, pp. 117–118.
- ^ "சம்பூர்ண ராமாயணம்". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 27 April 1958.
- ^ Selvaraj, N. (20 March 2017). "வெள்ளி விழா கண்ட தமிழ் திரைப்படங்கள்" [Tamil films that completed silver jubilees]. Thinnai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ Ganesan & Narayana Swamy 2007, p. 241.
- ^ Baskaran 1996, p. 185.
Bibliography
- Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema. East West Books.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Ganesan, Sivaji; Narayana Swamy, T. S. (2007) [2002]. Autobiography of an Actor: Sivaji Ganesan, October 1928 – July 2001. Sivaji Prabhu Charities Trust.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Pauwels, Heidi R.M., ed. (2007). Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics. Routledge.
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