Nenjam Marappathillai
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySridhar
Screenplay bySridhar
Story byM. S. Kasi
Produced byM. S. Kasi
StarringKalyan Kumar
Devika
CinematographyA. Vincent
Edited byN. M. Shankar
Music byViswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Production
company
Manohar Pictures
Release date
  • 2 August 1963 (1963-08-02)
Running time
144 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Nenjam Marappathillai (transl. The Heart Never Forgets) is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language paranormal romance film written and directed by Sridhar. The film stars Kalyan Kumar and Devika, with M. N. Nambiar, S. V. Sahasranamam, Nagesh, Padmini Priyadarshini and Manorama in supporting roles. It focuses on a college boy who, while exploring a dilapidated villa, learns all the details about his past life.

The film was conceived by Sridhar based on numerous news reports he read about people claiming to remember their past lives. It was produced by M. S. Kasi under his banner Manohar Pictures, had music composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, cinematography by A. Vincent and editing by N. M. Shankar. The story was credited to Kasi, and Sridhar's brother C. V. Rajendran worked as the associate director.

Nenjam Marappathillai was released on 2 August 1963. The film received a number of positive reviews but did not succeed commercially, though it later attained cult status in Tamil cinema.

Plot

While on a visit to his friend's village, Anand, a college boy explores a dilapidated villa, falls unconscious and learns all the details about his past life of love and sorrow.

When he was staying in the village , Anand hears a screaming voice of girl from one of the room that was kept locked in his friends house. When he inquires with his friend he skips away from answering. But when Anand insists, his friend narrates the incident how his own sister became insane after seeing the dilapidated palace in that village. Out of curiosity he , Anand , goes to the Villa without the knowledge of his friend and realises that he was once son of a prominent Zamindar. This Zamindar's son was in love with a low caste girl and firm to marry her in spite his Father's protest. When the lovers tries to elope, the girl was shot dead by Zamindaar and his son was kept in House arrest . The Zamindar also challenge that he would not allow to marry her even if he takes seven births. Eventually the boy dies after few days.

When he was in the palace he happens to meet an elderly person aged 109 years, who is nobody but the same old Zamindaar. Without knowing that he is the Zamindar, father of his previous birth, he reveals that the girl who was shot dead by the Zamindar also born in the same village. Now being reminded by his challenge, the zamindar tries to kill that Girl but the boy comes in between. Since Anand is his own son, the Zamindar avoids him and targets the girl. When Anand approached near the Zamindar, the later fells in Quicksand. Lest with the best efforts, Zamindar sinks in the Quicksand and dies. Anand then marrys the girl.

Cast

Production

On 26 November 1935, The Hindu carried a news article about a nine-year-old Delhi-based girl named Shantha Devi who claimed that she remembered all the details about her past life in which she lived in the town of Mathura. There were similar news reports published by newspapers in Kerala and Rajasthan in 1939. Director Sridhar was attracted by these news reports and the American film Gaslight (1944), and developed a screenplay titled Nenjam Marappathillai based on the theme of reincarnation.[4] Chithralaya Gopu was hired as associate dialogue writer, and Sridhar's brother C. V. Rajendran as associate director. The film was produced by M. S. Kasi under Manohar Pictures, and Kasi claimed credit for the story.[3] It was the maiden venture of Manohar Pictures owned by Kasi, son of Somu of Jupiter Pictures.[1][5] Cinematography was handled by A. Vincent, and editing by N. M. Shankar.[3] Shooting took place prominently in Kerala.[6] The makeup for Nambiar's character of the zamindar took three hours to apply.[2][7] During the filming of a scene where the zamindar chases the hero and heroine via horse carriage, one of its wheels suddenly came off. Even though the driver panicked, Nambiar asked him to continue driving the carriage and as it overturned, jumped out, took aim and shot.[8] The final length of the film was 4,472 metres (14,672 ft).[9]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by the duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan assisted by his nephew Panchu Arunachalam.[10] The title song exists in four different versions: a male version, a female version, and two duet versions – one happy and one sad.[11] It took six months to compose the song.[4][5] That, and the song "Azhagukkum Malarukkum" attained popularity.[12][3] It took 45 days to compose all the songs for the film.[13]

SongSingersLength
"Azhagukkum Malarukkum"P. B. Sreenivas, S. Janaki03:53
"Kadu Malai Medu Kanda"T. M. Soundararajan03:20
"Mundhanai Panthada"L. R. Eswari, P. Susheela04:05
"Nenjam Marappathillai" (Duet)P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela04:04
"Nenjam Marappathillai" (Lady)P. Susheela04:21
"Nenjam Marappathillai" (Man)P. B. Sreenivas04:06
"Nenjam Marappathillai" (Sad)P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela03:36
"Thenadi Meenadi"T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela03:59

Release

Nenjam Marappathillai was released on 2 August 1963.[14] The film did not succeed commercially;[2] according to historian Randor Guy, this was because "many were sceptical about people having recollections of their previous birth."[3]

Reception

Reviewing the film for Sport and Pastime, T. M. Ramachandran said, "Nenjam Marappathillai is one of those rare films which have the makings of a box-office hit without compromising realism or sacrificing good taste."[1] A reviewer for Conservative said, "Sridhar has shaped the [film] on the lines of popular Hindi versions and has used his skill to render the [film] covering two generations extremely interesting and spectacular", and was appreciative of the cinematography and performances of Kalyan Kumar, Devika and Nambiar.[15] Kanthan of Kalki appreciated the film for Sridhar's direction and writing, and Nambiar's costumes and makeup.[16] However, the critic from The Illustrated Weekly of India said, "Ah, what a comedown from the mighty Nenjil Oor Alayam!".[17]

Legacy

Nenjam Marappathillai attained cult status in Tamil cinema.[18] Director Ameer named it one of his most favourite films and said, "Nenjam Marappadhillai not only breaks free from the formulaic screenplay, but director Sridhar does something revolutionary by introducing new faces in it."[19] Cinematographer P. C. Sreeram stated, "I still remember how terrified I was while returning home after watching Nenjam Marapathillai and Athey Kangal. Spooky themes were great entertainers".[20] M. N. Nambiar said that it was one of his favourite films he acted in.[2][21] A 2019 TV series was named after the film.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ramachandran, T. M. (24 August 1963). "An Unforgettable film". Sport and Pastime. Vol. 17. p. 50. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dipak Nambiar 2019, p. 43.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Guy, Randor (2 February 2013). "Nenjam Marapathillai 1963". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. 1 2 ஸ்ரீதர், டைரக்டர் (16 February 1992). "திலிப் குமார் அளித்த கெளரவம்" [Honour offered by Dilip Kumar]. Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 58–59. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 ஸ்ரீதர், டைரக்டர் (23 February 1992). "ஆறுமாதம் காக்க வைத்த அருமையான டியூன்!" [Waited six months for this tune!]. Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 58–59. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Narayanan 1981, p. 546.
  7. ↑ Shekar, Anjana (21 November 2019). "The villain with a heart of gold: Remembering MN Nambiar on his birth centenary". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  8. ↑ Raman, Mohan V. (16 November 2010). "Reel villain, real hero". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "1963 – நெஞ்சம் மறப்பதில்லை – மனோகர் பிக்சர்" [1963 – Nenjam Marappathillai – Manohar Pictures.]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "Nenjam Marappadhillai (1963)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  11. ↑ Mathevan, Santhosh (14 July 2018). "My favourite six by the King of Melodies MSV". Santhosh Mathevan. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  12. ↑ Muthahar, Syed (29 December 2002). "Traditional music should not be diluted". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "திரையும் இசையும்" [Screen and music]. Kalki (in Tamil). 16 April 1989. pp. 20–22. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Nenjam Marappathillai". The Indian Express. 2 August 1963. p. 3. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "Nenjam Marappathillai". Conservative. Vol. 3. 1963. p. 45. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  16. ↑ காந்தன் (18 August 1963). "நெஞ்சம் மறப்பதில்லை". Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 46–47. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Dwindling market for regional films". The Illustrated Weekly of India. Vol. 84. 1 September 1963. p. 53. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  18. ↑ Shekar, Anjana (5 July 2018). "These Tamil thrillers from before the '90s are a must-watch". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  19. ↑ Ashok Kumar, S. R. (13 July 2007). "Filmmakers' favourites". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  20. ↑ Sangeetha, P. (29 March 2009). "Indian cinema is growing". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  21. ↑ Ashok Kumar, S. R. (15 March 2007). "A legend in his own right". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  22. ↑ Vijayakumar, Sindhu (9 September 2017). "When television borrows titles from movies". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.

Bibliography

  • Dipak Nambiar, M. N. (7 March 2019). Nambiarswami: The Good, the Bad and the Holy. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-93-5302-843-5.
  • Narayanan, Aranthai (1981). தமிழ் சினிமாவின் கதை [The story of Tamil cinema] (in Tamil). New Century Book House. OCLC 425990359.
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