''Pankajavalli'' is a 1947 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 film written, produced and directed by S. Soundararajan. The music was by

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema ...

. The film starred P. U. Chinnappa, T. R. Rajakumari and

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 ...

. The film was basically the story of Alli, who dominates men in her kingdom and treats them like slaves. The film was inspired by the popular Kerala folktale ''Malayala Pankajavalli,'' which Ayyangar adapted.

Plot

Arjuna decides to conquer Pankajavalli. However, she captures him. He prays to

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

, who turns him into a woman named Brihannala. After many incidents, the truth comes out and everything ends happily.

Cast

* P. U. Chinnappa as Arjuna * T. R. Rajakumari as Pankajavalli * Kumari Rukmaini as

Production

The role of

was played by a woman, at a time when women portray male figures was unusual.

Soundtrack

The film's music was composed and lyrics by

. His assistant and P. U. Chinnappa sat together. Chinnappa apparently felt that Papanasam Sivan favoured

M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar Mayavaram Krishnasamy Thiyagaraja Bhagavathar (1 March 1910 – 1 November 1959), also known by his initials as M. K. T., was an Indian actor, producer and Carnatic singer. He is considered to be one of the most successful actors in Tamil cine ...

. So during the session, he expressed this to Sivan, who smiled and told him that while Bhagavathar had a high pitched voice conducive for songs such as ''Manmadaleelaiyai'' (from '' Haridas'') Chinnappa had a low-pitched voice. After, this Sivan wrote the opening line of the first song of the film – a prayer song in Ragha ''Karaha Priya''. Sivan also sang the song ''Nee Illamal Anuvum Asaiyumo''.

References

{{reflist 1947 films 1940s Tamil-language films Indian black-and-white films Hindu mythological films Films scored by Papanasam Sivan Indian feminist films Films based on Indian folklore