Viduthalai (1954 film)

Viduthalai
Theatrical release poster
Directed byK. Ramnoth
Screenplay byVelavan (dialogues)
Based onThe First and the Last
by John Galsworthy
Produced byK. Ramnoth
StarringV. Nagayya
Manohar
CinematographyBabulnath Walke
Edited byPaul G. Yadav
Music byLakshman Raghunath
Production
company
New Era Productions
Distributed bySubbu & Co.
Release date
  • 12 February 1954 (1954-02-12)
Running time
170 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Viduthalai (transl. Liberation) is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language crime drama film directed and produced by K. Ramnoth. It was adapted from the play The First and the Last by John Galsworthy. The film stars V. Nagayya and Manohar. It was released on 12 February 1954 and failed at the box office.

Plot

Periaswamy, a crooked lawyer, tries to get his brother Chellaiah off a murder charge by framing Murugan, a horse carriage driver. Overcome with guilt, Chellaiah donates the money he wins in a lottery to Murugan and confesses to his crime in a letter before committing suicide. Periaswamy burns the letter, believing it will affect his chances of being promoted to judge, but the police arrest him, thinking he committed double murder.[1][2]

Cast

Production

Viduthalai was adapted from the play The First and the Last by John Galsworthy,[2] and was the inaugural production of New Era Productions.[3] Cinematography was handled by Babulnath Walke, and the editing by Paul G. Yadav. K. Ramnoth directed the film, which was produced by G. Ramakrishnan.[1][4]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Lakshman Raghunath.[5]

Song Singer Lyrics Length
Anbodu Inbamagaa P. B. Srinivas Subbu Arumugam 02:58
Inithaana Thendral Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi 03:58
Iraivaa Iraiva V. Nagayya
Abalai Naan Thayanithiye N. Lalitha Velavan
Paathai Veguthooram Bayanthidalamo Aayaloor Krishnan, Sathiyavathi
Boologame Pugazhum T. V. Rathnam Angamangalam Kuppu

Release and reception

Viduthalai was released on 12 February 1954,[4] and was distributed by Subbu & Co.[3] The film failed commercially,[6] jeopardising Ramnoth in the process.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 339.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Guy, Randor (9 October 2010). "Viduthalai 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Viduthalai". The Indian Express. 12 February 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 29 April 2018 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ a b "1954 – விடுதலை – நியூஈரா புரொடக்சன்ஸ் இருளும் ஒளியும் (நாடகம்)" [1954 – Viduthalai – New Era Productions Irulum Oliyum (play)]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  5. ^ Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam – Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 82.
  6. ^ Guy, Randor (31 May 2014). "Kathanayaki (1955)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  7. ^ Baskaran 1996, p. 197.

Bibliography