''Vaazhkai Padagu'' () is a 1965 Indian Tamil-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 ...

, directed by C. Srinivasan and produced by

S. S. Vasan Subramaniam Srinivasan (4 January 1904 – 26 August 1969), popularly known by his screen name S. S. Vasan, was an Indian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon. He is the founder of the Tamil-language maga ...

under

Gemini Studios Gemini Studios was an Indian film studio based in Madras, Tamil Nadu. It was launched when S. S. Vasan, a businessman of many ventures (including the ownership of Ananda Vikatan) bought Motion Picture Producers' Combines from Krishnaswamy Sub ...

. The film stars

Gemini Ganesan Ramasamy Ganesan (17 November 1920 – 22 March 2005), better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred to as the ''Kaadhal Mannan'' (King of Romance) for his romantic roles ...

, Devika and R. Muthuraman, with S. V. Ranga Rao, K. Balaji

R. S. Manohar Rasipuram Subramaniyan Iyer Manohar was an Indian actor who performed roles ranging from hero to villain to comedic characters. He was born at Namakkal in 1925. He acted in over 200 films. He is known for his versatility and dominating personal ...

and M. V. Rajamma in supporting roles. A remake of the studio's own

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 ...

film '' Zindagi'' (1964), it was released on 26 March 1965.

Plot

A young, unemployed woman Seetha takes up stage acting as a career. A wealthy man Kannabiran is after her, and uses his henchman to kidnap her. During the attempt, Rajan and his dog rescue her and the two fall in love. Rajan is the son of a

zamindar A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as ...

, who has a poor opinion of Seetha. However, after many hurdles, the two marry. The director of Seetha's stage troupe Gopal too is in love with her. But, she never responds. When Kannabiran is murdered. Gopal is arrested. He has an alibi – on the night of the murder, a young woman stayed with him in his house, but then he does not disclose her identity. The woman turns out to be Seetha and she gives them the evidence. One of the members of the jury is her father-in-law and complications follow with the husband leaving her and wishing to marry again. However, the truth comes out and the family is united in the end.

Cast

; ;Male *

as Rajan * Muthuraman as Gopal * S. V. Ranga Rao as Rajan's father *

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 ...

* T. S. Balaiah * Manohar as Kannabiran's henchman * Balaji as Kannabiran * S. Rama Rao * P. D. Sambandam * Baby Farida * Master Saheeth * Honey ;Female * Devika as Seetha * M. V. Rajamma * Pushpavalli *

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, ...

* Geetanjali

Production

''Vaazhkai Padagu'' is the Tamil remake of

's own Hindi film '' Zindagi'' (1964). It was Devika's first film with the studio.

Soundtrack

Music was by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and were lyrics written by

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 ...

Release and reception

''Vaazhkai Padagu'' was released on 26 March 1965, and emerged a box office success. It was the first film to be released at the theatre Nataraj, which opened on the same day. The magazines ''

Kumudam ''Kumudam'' is a Tamil weekly magazine published in Chennai, India. It was founded in 1948 by S.A.P. Annamalai, and his close friend and confidante P.V. Parthasarathy. Now the magazine is published under the Kumudam Group, which also publishes ...

'' and ''

Ananda Vikatan ''Ananda Vikatan'' is a Tamil-language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. History and profile ''Ananda Vikatan'' was started by Late Pudhoor Vaidyanadhaiyar in February 1926 as a monthly publication. The issue for December 1927 wa ...

'' wrote positive reviews, primarily praising Devika's performance.

References

External links

* {{Gemini Studios 1960s Tamil-language films 1965 drama films 1965 films Films scored by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy Films set in Chennai Gemini Studios films Indian black-and-white films Indian drama films Tamil remakes of Hindi films