''Padatha Painkili'' () is a 1957 Indian

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

-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 ...

based on the novel of the same name by Muttathu Varkey and directed by

P. Subramaniam P. Subramaniam (19 February 1910 – 4 October 1979) was an Indian film producer, film director, distributor, theatre owner, and mayor. He is the founder of Merryland Studio (established in 1951), the second film studio in Kerala. From mid-19 ...

from a screenplay by Varkey. The film revolves around marriage and dowry problems. It depicts the machinations of a wicked, though wealthy man, against a poverty-stricken, God-fearing school master, with the final defeat of evil in the end. It stars

Prem Nazir Prem Nazir (born Abdul Khader; 7 April 1926 – 16 January 1989) was an Indian actor known as one of Malayalam cinema's definitive leading man, leading men of his generation. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential actors in the histo ...

Miss Kumari Miss Kumari (1932–1969) was an Indian actress working in the Malayalam film industry between 1949 and 1969. In the 50's and early 60's she was the most prominent female lead in the Malayalam film industry. She briefly worked as a teacher befo ...

and Shanthi. The film released in theatres on 22 March and went on to become a major critical and commercial success. It won the

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam The National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. It is one of seve ...

Plot

Vendor Kutty, a wealthy villager, is jealous and scheming to marry his daughter Lucy to the richest bachelor of the town. He is, however, jealous of Luke, the neighbour, who is a kind-hearted village school teacher and has a daughter Chinnamma, of marriageable age. Thankachan is the rich man of the locality and the prospective groom of Lucy. When he meets with an accident, both Chinnamma and Lucy happen to be there and Lucy rushes home to get some cloth for a bandage, the simple-hearted Chinnamma tears her only upper cloth and offers first-aid to Thankachan. This simple act makes a bond between the two and Thankachan in turn offers financial help to Chinnamma when her father is taken seriously ill. Chinnamma is being engaged to the Beeri-maker, Chakkaravakkal, whose father demands a big dowry. Luke makes herculian effort to raise money but Kutty is determined to see that he is unable to secure the loan. Chinnamma's marriage is fixed for the day when Lucy is to be betrothed to Thankachan. The marriage party is at Luke's door. On the instigation of Kutty, Vakkan's father insists on the promised dowry. But the poor father is unable to produce it. The marriage stands dissolved. In the neighbourhood, Thankachan has come for his betrothal with Lucy. He discovers Luke's predicament. On the spur of the moment he decides to marry Chinnamma and the story ends on a happy note.

Cast

The film marks the debut of Shanthi. Bahadoor's role as Chakkaravakkal was his first break. *

as Thankachan *

as Chinnamma *

K. V. Shanthi K. V. Shanthi (June 25, 1937 – September 21, 2020) known by her stage name Shanthi was an Indian actress acted in Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi and Tamil movies. She was a prominent lead actress and dancer in Indian Cinema during the late 1950s, 1 ...

as Lucy *

Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair N. Sreedharan Nair (11 September 1922 – 19 October 1986), popularly known as Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair or just Kottarakkara, was an Indian actor who appeared Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala. Sree ...

as Vendor Kutty *

Bahadoor Padiyath Kochumoideen Kunjalu (1930 22 May 2000), known by his stage name Bahadoor, was an Indian actor and comedian who, along with Adoor Bhasi, redefined the way in which comedy and funny scenes were perceived in the Malayalam cinema. They ...

as Chakkaravakkal *

T. S. Muthaiah T. S. Muthaiah (1923 – 12 February 1992) was a Malayalam and Tamil film actor. He was a very popular actor in both film industries who usually played character and supporting roles in 1950s and 1960s. He acted with M. G. Ramachandran in Thayi ...

as Luke (Luka Sir) *

Aranmula Ponnamma Aranmula Ponnamma (8 April 1914 – 21 February 2011) was a National Award winning Indian actress known for her roles as mother of the protagonist in numerous films in a career spanning over five decades. She is widely described as a mother ...

as Kunjadamma * Vaanakkutti as Peeli *

S. P. Pillai S. P. Pillai (28 November 1913 – 12 June 1985) was an Indian film and stage actor, best known for his comic roles in Malayalam films. Biography S. Pankajakshan Pillai alias S. P. Pillai was born in 1913 in the temple town of Ettumanoor in ...

as Mylan *

Adoor Pankajam Adoor Pankajam (1929 – 26 June 2010) was an Indian actress, in Malayalam movies. She hailed from Adoor in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala state. Mainly, she was a supporting actress and a comedian. Her sister Adoor Bhavani was also a Mala ...

as Thevi *

Pankajavalli Pankajavalli is an Indian actress in Malayalam movies. She was known for her supporting roles during the late 1960s and 1970s in Malayalam. She made her debut in Jeevitha Nouka in 1951. She has acted in more than 50 movies. Her grand daughter ...

T. N. Gopinathan Nair T. N. Gopinathan Nair (24 April 1918 – 24 May 1999), was an Indian dramatist, novelist, poet, screenwriter and biographer of Malayalam language. One of the prolific among Malayalam playwrights, Nair published 39 plays, besides his four novels ...

* S. Menon * Latheef * Kuttiyamma

Soundtrack

The film's music has been composed by Brother Lakshmanan with lyrics penned by Thirunayinaarkurichi Madhavan Nair. #"Aaru Nee Agathiyo" —

Kamukara Kamukara Purushothaman (4 December 1930 – 26 May 1995) was an Indian singer. He was a noted playback singer in Malayalam cinema during its early years. He has recorded over 170 songs in 68 movies in various South Indian languages. Early l ...

Santha P. Nair Shantha P. Nair (6 February 1929 – 26 July 2008) was a playback singer in Malayalam cinema. She was based in Thrissur, Kerala. Early life Born into the famous Ambady family in Thrissur, as one of the five children of Vasudeva Poduval and Lak ...

#"Kaalithan Thozhuthil" —

P. Leela Porayathu Leela (19 May 1934 – 31 October 2005) was an Indian playback singer, Carnatic vocalist and a music director. She has recorded more than 5,000 songs in various Indian languages including Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, ...

, Chorus #"Kalyaanaraave (Bit)" — Santha P. Nair #"Madhumaasamayallo" — Kamukara, Santha P. Nair #"Mangalam" — Kamukara, Santha P. Nair #"Naaduchutti Odivaroo" — Mehboob #"Naayaka Poroo" — Uncategorized #"Njan Natta Thoomulla" — Santha P. Nair #"Paadedi Paadedi" — Kamukara, C. S. Radhadevi #"Poomani Kovilil" — Santha P. Nair #"Snehame Karayatta Nin Kai" — Kamukara #"Thanthoya Thenundu" — P. Gangadharan Nair, C. S. Radhadevi #"Vellaambal Poothu" — Kamukara, Santha P. Nair

Awards

National Film Awards The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th y ...

References

External links

''Padatha Painkili''
at the Malayalam Movie Database * {{National Film Award Best Feature Film Malayalam 1950s Malayalam-language films 1957 romantic drama films Films based on Indian novels Best Malayalam Feature Film National Film Award winners Films directed by P. Subramaniam 1957 films Indian romantic drama films Films scored by Br Lakshmanan Indian black-and-white films