Sri Aandal Explained

Sri Aandal
Director:S. Velsamy Kavi
Starring:U. R. Jeevarathnam
P. S. Govindan
Music:G. Ramanathan
Cinematography:J. G. Vijayam
Editing:G. Srihari
Studio:Salem Surya Movies
Country:India
Language:Tamil

Sri Aandal is a 1948 Indian Tamil-language Hindu mythological film directed by Velsamy Kavi. Based on Andal, it stars U. R. Jeevarathnam as the title character and P. S. Govindan. The film was reasonably successful, but no print of it is known to survive, making it a lost film.

Cast

Production

Sri Aandal was directed by Velsamy Kavi and produced by Salem Surya Movies, a subsidiary of Modern Theatres. It was the first film for J. G. Vijayam as an independent cinematographer,[1] while G. Srihari was the editor and Madhivannan wrote the dialogues. Sri Aandal was to have been the debut film for S. S. Rajendran as an actor. He received an offer to act in a negative role, and an advance as well. However, T. R. Sundaram, who oversaw the production, overruled Rajendran's selection because he "appeared like a boy with curly hair and was unsuitable for the villain role."

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by G. Ramanathan and the lyrics were penned by Shuddhananda Bharati. After Rajendran was unsuccessful in securing a role in the film, he pleaded with Sundaram that he could sing well. Thus Ramanathan offered him an opportunity to sing a song, which was "Inba Ulaginile Manmadha Poonganai".[2] Sri Aandal thus marked Rajendran's singing debut.[3]

Song Singer Length
"Anbu Kadalinile Vennilaave" 03:36
"Un Arulil Anbu Vaitthen Kannaa" U. R. Jeevarathnam 02:55
"Karpooran Maarumo" U. R. Jeevarathnam 03:14
"Inba Ulagile Manmadhan Poonganai" S. S. Rajendran & U. R. Jeevarathnam 02:35
"Maargazhi Thirunaal" U. R. Jeevarathnam 03:02
"Mana Mohana" P. S. Govindan & U. R. Jeevarathnam 03:15
"Jebmamellaam Undhan" U. R. Jeevarathnam 03:01
"Vaaraadho Karunai Kannaa" U. R. Jeevarathnam 02:54
"Solaiyile Oru Naal Ennaiye" U. R. Jeevarathnam 03:15
"Ithanai Naal Varaikkum Ennai Thaniye Vittu" Kali N. Rathnam & P. S. Gnanam 02:34
"Valaiyal Nalla Valaiyal " P. S. Govindan 02:59

Reception

The film was reasonably successful, but no print of it is known to survive, making it a lost film.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pillai, Swarnavel Eswaran . Madras Studios: Narrative, Genre, and Ideology in Tamil Cinema . . 2015 . 978-93-5150-212-8 . 79.
  2. Web site: இயலிசை நாடகச் செல்வர், இலட்சிய நடிகர் இராசேந்திரன் . திருவள்ளுவன் . இலக்குவனார் . Webdunia . ta . live . https://archive.today/20191025164640/https://tamil.webdunia.com/article/ilakkuvanar-thiruvalluvan-articles/the-life-and-works-of-s-s-rajendran-114102500030_2.html . 25 October 2019 . 25 October 2019.
  3. News: Ammaiyappan (1954) . Guy . Randor . 17 January 2015 . . 25 October 2019 . live . https://archive.today/20191014091203/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-ammaiyappan-1954/article6796876.ece . 14 October 2019.