Thappida Thala Explained

Thappida Thala
Thappu Thalangal
Director:K. Balachander
Producer:Tamil:
R. Venkataraman
Kannada:
B. A. Ramanujacharya Pandit
B M. Venkatesh
Chandulal Jain
Prasanna Kumar
Cinematography:B. S. Lokanath
Editing:N. R. Kittu
Music:Vijaya Bhaskar
Studio:Lalitha Lakshmi Combines (Kannada)
Premaalaya (Tamil)
Runtime:131 minutes
Country:India
Language:Kannada
Tamil

Thappida Thala is a 1978 Indian crime drama film directed by K. Balachander, starring Rajinikanth and Saritha in her film debut.[1] It was simultaneously shot in Kannada and Tamil with the latter version titled as Thappu Thalangal (in Tamil pronounced as /tappu taːɭaŋɡaɭ/).[2] The film was remade in Malayalam as Kazhukan (1979). The film was widely appreciated for the performances of Rajinikanth and Saritha.

Plot

Devu, a local thug whose weapon of choice is a bicycle chain he sports casually around the neck. Devu charges 30 to slice a finger, 300 to chop a hand, 3000 for the leg, and ten times as much to dispose off the whole body. On one of his nightly rounds, Devu is pursued by a cop and seeks refuge at a sex worker house run by a prostitute Sarasu. Despite her vehement protests, he stays put and leaves only at daybreak, but her persistent cough stays with him. At a theatre, Devu watches an advertisement for Glycodin Cough Syrup and proceeds to buy her a bottle. Devu and Sarasu bond over the cough syrup and philosophise late into the night, exchanging notes on their immoral lifestyles.

Devu's assault on a trade union leader delivering medicine to a critically ill worker leads to a mishap. Watching the wailings of the widow of the worker, Devu is traumatised and breaks down at Sarasu's place. In an inspired moment, he suggests they remap their lives and chart a moral course. Sarasu is attracted by the notion of giving up prostitution and leading a normal life as Devu's wife, though she wonders if they'll be able to pull it off. The couple go to great lengths to secure a job for Devu and lead a normal life, but there are too many skeletons in the closet. Devu is no longer feared for his might, and Sarasu's past clientele continue to haunt the joint. Sarasu gets a loan for Devu from his evil brother Soma, who continues to harass her on that pretext. In a particularly traumatic sequence of events, Sarasu is raped by Soma as a helpless Devu watches, pinned down by Soma's henchmen. The couple resolve to repay Soma's loan, and Devu undertakes a botched robbery attempt. Devu is imprisoned and in his absence, Sarasu has an abortion. The couple's plans for normality never attain fruition. The inevitable return to lives of vice is especially tragic and heartbreaking.

Devu's inherent goodness is contrasted with his "evil twin", a stepbrother Soma who thwarts his every attempt at morality and finally succumbs at Devu's hands.

Cast

Soundtrack

All songs were written by Hunsur Krishnamurthy in Kannada and Kannadasan in Tamil,[5] [6] and composed by Vijaya Bhaskar.[7]

Reception

Although Thappida Thala was a box office success,[8] [9] Thappu Thalangal was not.[10] [11] Reviewing the latter, Ananda Vikatan rated the film 52 out of 100.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1 November 2023 . Rajinikanth-starrer Thappu Thalangal Completes 45 Years Of Release . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106012626/https://www.news18.com/movies/rajinikanth-starrer-thappu-thalangal-completes-45-years-of-release-8643541.html . 6 November 2023 . 11 November 2023 . News18.
  2. Book: Ramachandran, Naman . Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography . Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography . . 2014 . 978-0-14-342111-5 . New Delhi . 83 . Naman Ramachandran . 2012.
  3. News: Narayan . Hari . 20 July 2016 . Rajini's Big B-eautiful career . . live . 1 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180401152645/http://www.thehindu.com/thread/entertainment-variety/article8876672.ece . 1 April 2018.
  4. News: Khajane . Muralidhara . 24 December 2014 . K. Balachander left a mark on Kannada cinema . . live . 7 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210507051922/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/k-balachander-left-a-mark-on-kannada-cinema/article6720093.ece . 7 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Thapputhalangal Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by Vijayabhaskar . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218132824/https://mossymart.com/product/thapputhalangal-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-vijayabhaskar/ . 18 February 2023 . 18 February 2023 . Mossymart.
  6. Web site: 1 December 1978 . Thappu Thaalangal (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Single . live . https://archive.today/20231111095641/https://music.apple.com/us/album/thappu-thaalangal-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1377695601 . 11 November 2023 . 11 November 2023 . . en-US.
  7. Web site: Thappida Thala . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218132824/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/thappida-thala/EU,ltZAJNjQ_ . 18 February 2023 . 18 February 2023 . JioSaavn.
  8. Web site: 18 October 2013 . Deepika impresses Soundarya with her dedication . . 5 April 2024 . 11 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240411102734/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/deepika-impresses-soundarya-with-her-dedication/articleshow/24341951.cms . live .
  9. Web site: 11 May 2023 . ರಜನಿಕಾಂತ್ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಭಿನಯಿಸಿದ ಕೊನೆಯ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಯಾವುದು? ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳಿಂದ ದೂರ ಉಳಿದಿದ್ದೇಕೆ ರಜನಿ? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230606203810/https://kannadanews.today/sandalwood-news/actor-rajinikanth-last-acted-kannada-movie-why-he-stay-away-from-kannada-films/ . 6 June 2023 . 5 April 2024 . kannadanews.today . kn.
  10. Web site: ராம்ஜி . வி. . 1 November 2020 . எஸ்.பி.பி.யின் 'இதுக்குப் போயி அலட்டிக்கலாமா?'; பாலசந்தரின் சரியான தாளங்கள்... 'தப்புத்தாளங்கள்'! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124130507/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/597096-42-years-of-thappputthalangal-6.html . 24 January 2023 . 9 May 2022 . . ta.
  11. Web site: 3 November 2019 . 75ல் ஆரம்பம்; 78ல் 15 படங்கள் - ரஜினி வளர்ச்சியின் முதல் பாய்ச்சல் . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220502072405/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/523287-1978-rajini-15-films.html . 2 May 2022 . 9 May 2022 . . ta.
  12. Web site: 19 November 2020 . விகடன் பொக்கிஷம்: ஒரு தீபாவளி... 11 படங்கள்! . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230815135708/https://www.vikatan.com/government-and-politics/vikatan-pokkisham-11-pictures-to-a-diwali . 15 August 2023 . 16 August 2023 . . ta.