''Navarathri'' () is a 1964 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, nativ ...
-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 ...
written, produced and directed by
A. P. Nagarajan. The film stars
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
and
Savithri. It was the 100th film of Ganesan and is well known for his nine distinct roles.
It was remade in
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
in 1966 as ''
Navaratri
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is o ...
'' and in
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
in 1974 as ''
Naya Din Nai Raat''. The film become a blockbuster at the box-office, running for over 100 days in all over Tamilnadu.
Plot
The film opens with the narrator explaining that there are nine types of human behaviours (Navarasam) known as Wonder (அற்புதம்), Fear (பயம்), Compassion (கருணை), Anger (கோபம்), Equanimity (சாந்தம்), Disgust (அருவருப்பு), Elegance (சிங்காரம்), Bravery (வீரம்) and Brightness (ஆனந்தம்) and that Sivaji Ganesan's nine roles represents one character per role. The story traces Nalina's (
Savitri) experience of these nine emotions on nine consecutive nights.
Nalina (
Savitri) is the only daughter of a rich man. When she happily celebrates
Navaratri
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is o ...
festival at her home with her friends, her father informs about the visit of a groom and his parents for her wedding. Nalina is reluctant to the proposal as she wants to marry her college mate Anand. After arguments with her father, she leaves home without her father's knowledge at the first Navaratri night.
''First Night (Wonder)'': She searches for her lover in the college hostel, but finds that he has gone to get married. Nalina feels cheated by Anand and attempts suicide, where she is stopped by a widower, Arputharaj (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
). He takes her to his house and introduces her to his daughter. He urges her to tell her address to drop her safely. Unwilling to return home, she leaves the place the next early morning.
''Second Night (Fear)'': The next day she damages the vegetables of a vendor. When the vendor fights with her, she is rescued by a homely looking woman. The woman takes Nalina to her home. Nalina meets several women in her house. But the house is a brothel house. She is trapped to a drunkard, (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
). The drunkard justifies it, that he cannot seduce his own wife as she is a TB patient. Though he does not want to betray his wife, he is not able to resist his feelings. Nalina advises and warns him in order to escape from him, but he does not want to hear it. After much struggle, the drunkard falls onto the floor and faints. Nalina escapes from the place.
''Third Night (Compassion)'': After escaping from the brothel house, Nalina is caught by a patrol policeman for wandering into the road at unusual time. At the police station, she pretends to be a mentally ill woman. The police admit her at a mental hospital. The old aged lonely doctor Karunaagaran (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
) understands that Nalina is fine, but pretends to escape from cops and so he helps her. She stays in the hospital the whole night. The Doctor finds a newspaper with the photograph of hers the next morning. But Nalina escapes, while the doctor is still looking at the newspaper.
''Fourth Night (Anger)'': Nalina misunderstands that the police jeep is coming for her. She dashes with a man with a gun (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
) and faints. The man takes her to his place. Nalina understands that the police are not looking for her, but looking for the man as he is a killer who killed a rich businessman as a revenge for his brother's death. The gunman insists that Nalina leave. But she doesn't as she feels he is a good person and convinces him to surrender to police. In an attack, the gunman is killed by the businessman's henchmen. Nalina escapes from the place.
''Fifth Night (Equanimity)'': Fed up with life, Nalina runs onto a track to attempt suicide. An innocent villager (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
), looks at her and rushes to the track to save her and succeeds. He takes her to his house and introduces her to his elder sister. A local priest (
Nagesh
Nagesh (born Cheyur Krishnarao Nageshwaran; (27 September 1933 – 31 January 2009) was an Indian actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian in Tamil films during the 1960s. Nagesh was born in Dharapuram. He acted in over 1,000 fil ...
) visits their home and tells them that Nalina is possessed by a spirit in order to cheat them of money by performing some fake rituals. Nalina gets irritated by their acts and escapes away that night.
''Sixth Night (Disgust)'': Nalina meets an old aged leper (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
), who once upon a time was a rich man. The man lost all his money in the treatment and charity (hoping that will help him from disease). He is disgusted by everyone, including his own son, who abandoned him when his money ran out. Nalina helps him by taking him to a hospital. The doctor is surprised as he is one who benefited by a medicine degree by the charity of the rich man. The doctor decides to stay with him until he is cured. Nalina leaves the hospital.
''Seventh Night (Elegance)'': Nalina feels very tired and asks for water from one of the houses. People offer water to her. One of the men "Sathyavaan Singaaram" (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
), is a director and actor of stage plays and road side plays. They have been committed for nine stage plays in the village on the account of the Navaratri celebration. But the heroine falls sick and his whole troop are in critical position, in search of a replacement for the seventh day play, failing on which will make them to lose their money and reputation in the village. He asks Nalina to help by acting with him for the day's play. Nalina agrees on a condition that she should be let go after the play is over. The play is successful that night. The agent tries to misbehave with Nalina and the actor pulls him off and warns him. But he finds Nalina has left.
''Eight Night (Bravery)'': Nalina disguises as a man and visits a house of a hunter Veerapan (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
). The hunter has been there for hunting a man-eater and for another purpose. Nalina introduces herself as Nathan, a secret agent in search of a criminal. The hunter seems to believe her and gives her an earnest welcome, feast and hospitality. Nalina finds that the hunter is a commissioner of police stayed in search of a criminal, which faked by Nalina. She tries to escape from the place, but she is caught by the hunter.
The hunter introduces himself as the paternal uncle of the groom whom her father proposed for her and the groom is none other than her lover – Anand. Nalina has left her home before her father knew that she is in love with a person and the lover is the same man he has arranged for his daughter. Also Nalina misunderstands that Anand is going to marry another girl, but she ''is'' the girl. Nalina leaves for the Anand's place the ninth day.
''Ninth Day (Bliss)'': Anand (
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
), looks pale and dull after Nalina left her home. He is neither interested in living normally, nor in continuing with his studies. His parents are worried and scold him for wasting his life for a girl after all. Angered by this, he shuts himself into a room. Nalina reaches his home that time. Anand's parents and Nalina fear that he is attempting suicide. But suddenly the room opens and Nalina runs inside.
Anand wanted to surprise Nalina about their marriage and that is why he did not inform her about the engagement. Due to miscommunication, Nalina had left home on the first Navatri night and has come back on the ninth Navaratri night.
Anand and Nalina happily marry. Except the dead gunman, her marriage is attended by all the people she met during those eight days.
Cast
Main Cast
*
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy, better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001) was an Indian actor and producer. He was active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th century. Sivaji Ga ...
in nine roles as:
:* The Bridegroom "Anand" (Bliss)
:* The Widower "Arputharaj" (Wonder)
:* The Drunkard (Fear)
:* The Doctor "Karunakaran" (Compassion)
:* The Gunman (Anger)
:* The Villager (Equanimity)
:* The Leper (Disgust)
:* The Actor "Sathyavan Singaram" (Elegance)
:* The Hunter/The Commissioner of police "Veerappan" (Bravery)
*
Savithri as Nalina
*
Nagesh
Nagesh (born Cheyur Krishnarao Nageshwaran; (27 September 1933 – 31 January 2009) was an Indian actor, mostly remembered for his roles as a comedian in Tamil films during the 1960s. Nagesh was born in Dharapuram. He acted in over 1,000 fil ...
as Village Poosari
*
Manorama as Mentally ill woman (Nalina's Friend)
*
Kutty Padmini
Kutty Padmini is an Indian actress who mainly works in Tamil cinema. She was a child star in her debut movie ''Ambala Anjulam'' (1959). She has also acted in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi movies. She made her debut in Tamil cinema at ...
as Lalitha (Arputharaj's Daughter)
Supporting cast
;Male cast
*
K. Sarangapani as Manickam Pillai (Nalina's Father)
*
V. K. Ramasamy as Sundaram (Anand's Father)
*
E. R. Sahadevan
E. R. Sahadevan was a Tamil veteran villain actor. He acted as the villain along with M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He made his debut film Rajasekaran Emantha Sonagiri, rele ...
*
P. D. Sambandam
P. D. Sambandam was a comic actor who has performed many supporting and minor roles in Tamil films.
Filmography
References
Male actors in Tamil cinema
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Li ...
as (Drama stage Music Player)
*
V. Gopalakrishnan as (Doctor)
*Karikol raj
*
Karuppu Subbiah
*S. V. Rajagopal
*''Gundu'' Karupaiah
*Gemini Balu
*M. Karupaiah
;Male cast (Contd.)
*Krishnamoorthy
*Balu
*Chandranbabu
*S. R. Gopal
*Balasundaram
*Pasupathy
*Ramanathan
*Ganesan
*Gundumani
*Shanmugam
*Ratnam Brothers
;Female cast
*
T. P. Muthulakshmi as Mental Hospital Patient
*
C. K. Saraswathi as Mental Hospital Patient
*
C. T. Rajakantham
C. T. Rajakantham (1917–2002) was a Tamil stage and film actress. She was the mother-in-law of playback singer Tiruchi Loganathan and grandmother of playback singers and popular music show judges T. L. Maharajan and Deepan Chakkravarthy
...
as Mental Hospital Patient
*
Kumari Rukmani
Kumari Rukmani (19 April 1929 – 4 September 2007), also known as Kumari Rukmini, was an Indian actress and dancer. She has acted in about 100 films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi languages.
Childhood
She is the daughter of Nungambakkam Janaki, a ...
as Visalakshi (Anand's Mother)
*''Thilakam'' Rajakumari
*M. S. S. Bhagyam
*Radhabai as Villager
*Devaki
*''Spider'' Sundari
*S R Sivakami as Nalina's friend
*Seethalakshmi
*Kamakshi
Production
''Navarathri'' is Sivaji Ganesan's 100th film as an actor.
At the time of release, it held the record for the most number of characters played by a single actor in an Indian film. Cinematography was handled by W. R. Subba Rao, art direction by Ch. E. Prasad Rao and editing by Rajan.
Soundtrack
The music was composed by
K. V. Mahadevan and the lyrics were penned by
Sankaradas Swamigal
Sankaradas Swamigal (7 September 1867 – 13 November 1922) was a Tamil writer, actor, playwright, songwriter and drama producer whose boys company is known for launching the careers of Tamil artists such as S. G. Kittappa, K. B. Sundarambal, M. R. ...
and
Kannadasan
Kannadasan (; 24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981) was an Indian philosopher, poet, film song lyricist, producer, actor, script-writer, editor, philanthropist, and is heralded as one of the greatest and most important lyricists in India. Freq ...
. The song "Iravinil Aattam" was remixed by
G. V. Prakash Kumar in ''
Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru
''Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru'' () is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film written and directed by M. Rajesh and produced by N. Ramasamy. The film stars G. V. Prakash Kumar, Nikki Galrani and Anandhi, while Prakash Raj and RJ Balaji p ...
'' (2016).
Reception
''
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 be ...
'' wrote on 14 November 1964, "Director APN, with deft, imaginative touches that alternate with crudity and mere melodrama makes what might have been an outstanding picture just a good entertainer". Writing for ''
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 ...
'', P. Kannan said the film could be watched multiple times of the performances of Ganesan and Savitri.
Legacy
Following Sivaji's death in 2001,
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
named ''Navarathri'' as one of his best films. Malathi Rangarajan of ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'' wrote in 2007, " At a time when playing even three roles in a film was a wonder, you saw an actor handling nine with élan! And each was so different from the other that you almost forgot it was the same man playing all the parts".
References
External links
*
{{A. P. Nagarajan
1960s Tamil-language films
1964 films
Films directed by A. P. Nagarajan
Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan
Films with screenplays by A. P. Nagarajan
Indian drama films
Tamil films remade in other languages