''Thiramala'' is a 1953

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...

-language film, directed by Vimal Kumar and P. R. S. Pillai, starring Sathyan,

Kumari Thankam Kumari Thankam was an Indian actress who acted in Malayalam cinema. She was a lead actress during the late 1950s and 1960s in Malayalam. She made her debut in Aathmasakhi in 1952. She acted in more than 50 movies. Personal life Kumari came fro ...

, Thomas Burleigh, Ponathil Sivadas, Prabha . The film has a significant place in the history of Malayalam cinema. Filmmaker

Ramu Kariat Ramu Kariat (1 February 1927 – 10 February 1979) was an Indian film director for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s, who directed many acclaimed films in the Malayalam cinema. His noted films include '' Neelakkuyil'' (1954), '' ...

worked as an assistant director in this film. Hindustani vocalist

Lakshmi Shankar Lakshmi Shankar (née Sastri, 16 June 1926 – 30 December 2013) was an Indian singer and a noted Hindustani classical. Born into a south Indian Brahmin family, she became an outstanding Hindustani vocalist of the Patiala Gharana and married R ...

recorded a song for this film. The film was screened in various territories of the Kerala state with a different climax, a highly unique way in those days.

Plot

The film was based on a short story ''Sholey'', written by

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 ...

, who also wrote the script and also acted in a major role in the film. Lakshmi (

), daughter of the village landlord Kurup (T. N. Gopinathan Nair) and Venu (Thomas Berleigh), son of the ferryman Panikkar ( P. Bhaskaran) are childhood sweethearts. Their love blooms much against the wishes of father Kurup. Kurup was successful in getting Lakshmi to marry Vijayan ( Sathyan). Venu leaves his village and finds a waiter's job in a city hotel. Vijayan leads an immoral life making Lakshmi's life hell. Vijayan and Lakshmi come to stay in the same hotel where Venu works. Venu had to remain a silent witness to the breakup of the marriage of Vijyan and Lakshmi. Vijayan falls into the charm of a hotel dancer Swapna Latha. He eventually loses all his wealth. A repentant Vijayan leaves the city in search of Lakshmi. Venu, who had also returned to the village, meets Lakshmi in a trying circumstance. Waiting to be taken across the swollen river during a raging storm, Lakshmi is helped by Venu. Just when he sees Lakshmi safely to the other shore, Venu is thrown into the river and is drowned. The film was screened in various territories of the

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

state with a different climax, a highly unique way in those days. In the Malabar region, the film had a happy ending with Lakshmi saved from the storm by Venu, who entrusts her to Vijayan. In the Southern region of the state, the film ends with a frame showing the dead body of Venu, which is washed ashore.

Cast

* Sathyan *

* Thomas Burleigh * Miss Chandani * Kumari Kalyani * P. Bhaskaran *Sasikumar *T. N. Gopinathan Nair *Chandni (Old) * T. N. K. J. Thomas * T. S. Muthaiah * Kumari Prabha (child artiste) *

Adoor Bhasi K. Bhaskaran Nair (1 March 1929 – 29 March 1990), known by his stage name Adoor Bhasi, was an Indian actor and film director from Kerala. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the man who stands next to the hero. His hilarious actions and role ...

* Baby

Valsala P. Valsala (born 4 April 1938) is a Malayalam novelist, short story writer, and social activist from Kerala, India. She is a recipient of Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2021, the highest literary honour by government of Kerala. She is only the fifth w ...

* Ponathil Sivadas

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0253804, Thiramala 1953 films 1950s Malayalam-language films Indian black-and-white films Films directed by Vimal Kumar