''Yajaman'' () is a 1993 Indian

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nati ...

-language

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

R. V. Udayakumar R. V. Udayakumar is an Indian film director and lyricist who worked predominantly in the Tamil film industry throughout the 1990s, making films including ''Yejaman'' and '' Chinna Gounder''. He has also directed some Telugu films. Early life ...

. It stars

Rajinikanth Shivaji Rao Gaikwad (born 12 December 1950), known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has done 160 films that includes films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannad ...

and

Meena Meena () is a sub-group of Bhils. They speak Meena language. They started adopting the Brahmin worship system. Its name is also transliterated as ''Meenanda'' or ''Mina''. Historians claim that they belong to the Matsya tribe. They got the sta ...

,. The film was produced by M. Saravanan,

M. S. Guhan M. S. Guhan is an Indian film producer. He has been involved in hits such as '' Sivaji: The Boss'', '' Thirupathi'', ''Minsara Kanavu'', ''Leader (2010 film)'', and recently Ayan. He is the son of noted producer M. Saravanan, who owns the AVM ...

and M. Subrahmaniam of

AVM Productions AVM Productions is an Indian film production studio founded by A. V. Meiyappan. It is the final oldest survived studio in India. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai. It has produced over 300 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, ...

. It was released on 18 February 1993. The film was commercially successful and had a 175-day theatrical run.

Plot

Kandhavelu Vaanavarayan is a feudal chieftain, adored and respected by the people of his village near

Pollachi Pollachi is a town and a taluk headquarters in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu state, India. Located about to the south of Coimbatore, it is the second largest town in the district after Coimbatore. Pollachi is a popular Marketplace for ja ...

. He lives with his grandparents. Following his advice, they abstain from voting in the elections and instead, pool the money given by the candidates to get themselves some basic amenities. Vallavaraayan is his archenemy. Their enmity is further sharpened when Vaanavarayan wins the hand of Vaitheeswari, whom Vallavaraayan had also wished to wed. Vallavaraayan then convinces the priest of the village temple to mix poison in the holy water that Vaitheeswari drinks. As a result, she becomes incapable of conceiving a baby. But surprisingly, Vaitheeswari soon becomes pregnant, though she has pretended with the help of the mid-wife, to do so to uphold her husband's honour. However, she takes poison and kills herself during the

Seemantham ''Seemantham/Seemantha'' or ''Pumsavana Seemantham'', is a Hindu tradition, carried out during the 7th or 9th month of a pregnancy. Although in ancient times ''Seemantham'' was performed on the birth of each child, today it may be limited to the ...

celebration, unable to bear the grief of being incapable of giving her husband a child and on her deathbed makes Vaanavarayan swear to take Ponni as his wife. Vaanavarayan however refuses until Ponni agrees to marry Sembattai- Vallavarayan's henchman-who abandons her to Vallavarayan's vice. Infuriated, Vaanavarayan attacks Vallavarayan, but spares his life after giving him a sermon on how to win the hearts of people.

Cast

as Kanthavel Vaanavarayan *

as Vaitheswari *

Aishwarya Aishwarya (Devanagari : ''ऐश्वर्य'') is a Hindu Indian or Nepalese male or feminine given name, which means "prosperity" and "wealth". Notable people named Aishwarya * Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran (born 1971), Indian actress * Aishwar ...

as Ponni *

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

as Vallavarayan *

M. N. Nambiar Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar (7 March 1919 – 19 November 2008) was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Tamil cinema, known mostly for his villain roles in an eight decade long career. He has also appeared in a few Malayalam films. ...

as Vaanavarayan's grandfather * Manorama as Akilandeswari, Vaanavarayan's grandmother *

Goundamani Subramaniyan Karuppaiya (born 25 May 1939), known by his stage name Goundamani, is an Indian actor and comedian who works in Tamil cinema. He is known for his comic duo partnership in Tamil films with fellow actor Senthil. The pair dominated t ...

as Vellaiyangiri, a worker in Vaanavarayan's house *

Senthil Senthil (born 23 March 1951) is an Indian comedy actor who works in Tamil cinema. He is famous for his comedian roles along with fellow actor Goundamani. The pair dominated the Tamil industry as comedians in the 1980s and 90s.Vijayakumar as Vaitheswari's father *

S. N. Lakshmi Sennalkudi Narayana Lakshmi (1927 – 20 February 2012) was an Indian actress, who appeared in supporting roles, often playing roles of a mother or grandmother in films. A recipient of the state government's Kalaimamani and Kalaiselvam awards, ...

as the village nurse *

Thalapathy Dinesh Thalapathy Dinesh (also spelled Thalapathi Dinesh) is an Indian action choreographer who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He started his career in the cinema as an extra fighter in '' Naan Sigappu Manithan'' and later he became as a stunt master and ...

as Sembattai *Rajesh Babu as Vallavarayan's younger brother *Sandhya as Vallavarayan's wife *

M. Varalakshmi M. Varalakshmi (born 16 April 1974) is an Indian politician and member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. She was elected as the representative of the Chengalpattu constituency in the 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election as a memb ...

as Vaitheswari's mother *

Peeli Sivam P.L. Sivanappan known by his stage name credited as Peeli Sivam (5 July 1938 – 25 September 2017) was an Indian actor who featured around 400 Tamil-language films and plays from 1958–2017. He has featured in several films such as ''Muhamma ...

as Ponni's father

Production

After the success of ''

Chinna Gounder ''Chinna Gounder'' () is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by R. V. Udayakumar, starring Vijayakanth, Sukanya, Manorama, Salim Ghouse, Sathyapriya, Goundamani, Senthil and Vadivelu. It was released on 14 January 1992, during P ...

'' (1992), director

was approached by various producers but he was unsure as to who should play the part of the hero for his next film. Subsequently, he decided to cast

as the hero for his next film. Rajinikanth agreed to act under the direction of Udayakumar. The director expressed his interest to make this film for

. Initially, a different script titled ''Jilla Collector'' was narrated, but Udaykumar subsequently opted to film a different script altogether, since M. Saravanan of AVM felt that the original script might go over budget.

was selected as the heroine. Rajinikanth was initially reluctant to have her as the heroine because she had appeared as a child artist for his film ''

Anbulla Rajinikanth ''Anbulla Rajinikanth'' () is a 1984 Indian Tamil-language children's drama film directed by K. Natraj in his debut. The film stars Rajinikanth as himself, Meena, and Ambika. It was released on 2 August 1984, and received positive reviews, with ...

'' and he felt that his fans might not readily accept this pairing. But he eventually agreed to have Meena play the part. ''Yajaman'' was Rajinikanth's 141st film and his 8th collaboration with AVM Productions.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by

Ilaiyaraaja Ilaiyaraaja (born R. Gnanathesikan, 3 June 1943) is an Indian musician, composer, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, instrumentalist, lyricist and singer, popular for his works in Indian Cinema, prominently in Tamil films. Reputed to be one of ...

. Except for the song "Adi Raakumuthu" which was penned by Vaali, all other songs were penned by Udayakumar himself. Many of the songs are set in

Carnatic raga Carnatic raga refers to ''ragas'' used in Carnatic music. A Carnatic raga has several components - primordial sound (''nāda''), tonal system (''swara''), pitch (''śruti''), scale, ornaments ('' gamaka'') and important tones. Origins and histo ...

s; "Aalappol Velappol" is set in Sankarabharanam, "Yajaman Kaladi" is in

Madhyamavati Madhyamavati (madhyamāvati) is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale), as it does not have all the seven musical notes (''swaras'') ...

, "Nilave Mugam Kaattu" and "Oru Naalum" are set in Sindhubhairavi.

Release and reception

''Yajaman'' was released on 18 February 1993. Malini Mannath of ''

The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...

'' wrote, "''Yajaman'' is a well meant film from AVM and from director Udayakumar". K. Vijiyan of ''

New Straits Times The ''New Straits Times'' is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print (though not the first), having been founded as ''The Straits Times'' on 15 July 1845. It was relaunched as the ' ...

'' wrote, "The film begins well but gets bogged down after the interval and the large number of songs do not help matters". C. R. K. of ''

Kalki Kalki ( sa, कल्कि), also called Kalkin or Karki, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is described to appear in order to end the Kali Yuga, one of the four periods in the endless cycle of exist ...

'' praised the performances of artistes. At the

14th Cinema Express Awards The 14th Cinema Express Awards Cinema Express Awards are presented annually by Indian Express Group on behalf of Cinema Express film magazine to honour artistic excellence of professionals in the south Indian film industry which comprises Tam ...

, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam won the Best Playback Singer award.

Legacy

''Chinna Gounder'' and ''Yajaman'' started the trend of portrayals of village chieftain in Tamil films. Director Rajmohan directed a film titled ''

Vanavarayan Vallavarayan ''Vanavarayan Vallavarayan'' is a 2014 Indian Tamil romantic comedy film written and directed by Rajmohan. It stars Krishna, Monal Gajjar, Ma Ka Pa Anand and Niharika Kareer. The film is set in the backdrop of rural Coimbatore. The film, features ...

'' (2014) named after Rajinikanth and Napoleon's characters. Dhanapal Padmanabhan who directed ''

Krishnaveni Panjaalai ''Krishnaveni Panjaalai'' is an Indian Tamil-language romance film written and directed by debutant Dhanapal Padmanabhan, the film has Hemachandran, Nandana, M. S. Bhaskar, Rajiv Krishna and Bala Singh among others in lead roles. The film is s ...

'' (2012), rated ''Yajaman'' "as the film that best captured the village flavour and beauty of Pollachi".

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* {{AVM Productions 1990s Tamil-language films 1993 drama films 1993 films AVM Productions films Films directed by R. V. Udayakumar Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja Indian drama films