Varusham 16 Explained

Varusham 16
Director:Fazil
Screenplay:Fazil
Story:Madhu Muttam
Producer:Ousepachan Vaalakuzhy
Fazil
Starring:Karthik
Khushbu
Cinematography:Anandakuttan
Editing:T. R. Sekar
Music:Ilaiyaraaja
Studio:Ganga Chithra Productions
Country:India
Language:Tamil

Varusham 16 (read as "Varusham Padhinaaru";) is a 1989 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by Fazil. The film stars Karthik and Khushbu, with Sukumari, V. K. Ramasamy, Janagaraj, Charle and Vadivukkarasi in supporting roles.[1] It is a remake of Fazil's own Malayalam film Ennennum Kannettante. The film was released on 18 February 1989, and Karthik won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil.

Plot

The story deals with immature teenage love story between Kannan and Radhika who are cousins (marriage within cross-cousins was common in India). The annual festival is for the village deity is conducted by the patriarch with pomp.

Kannan is the apple of the large joint family's eye and is spoiled by all. Radhika comes to join the family for the village festival and suddenly, Kannan's position is usurped. He first antagonises and humiliates her going so far as to hide in her bathroom while she goes to take bath which backfires with him becoming hated in the household and being thrown out of the house forcing him to stay with his friends.

Radhika apologises for exposing him in his bathroom stunt revealing that she is in love with him since childhood and came here explicitly to see him. Their love blossoms much to the ire of Radhika's paternal grandmother who has other plans for her, to get her married to her US based cross-cousin and settle there.

Things get ugly and culminates in the festival leading to the death of Radhika, her US based cousin, his grandfather and Kannan going to prison coming out after 16 years taking the mantle of the grandfather as the oldest surviving male.

Production

Varusham 16 is a remake of director Fazil's own Malayalam film Ennennum Kannettante.[2] [3] The role of the lead actress was offered to Nirosha; due to her clash of dates, the director choose to cast Khushbu.[4] According to Khushbu, the song "Poo Pookum" was shot at a studio in Porur, Madras.[5] The filming was primarily held at Padmanabhapuram Palace, Kanyakumari.[6] The song "Pazhamuthircholai" was shot at Mathur Aqueduct, Kanyakumari.[7]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Vaali.[8] [9] The song "Gangai Karai Mannanadi" is set in Todi, a Hindustani raga,[10] "Hey Aiyasamy" is set in Dharmavati, a Carnatic raga, "Karayatha Manamum" is set to Hema Bhushani, "Pazhamuthir Cholai" is set in Harikambhoji,[11] and "Poo Pookum Masam" is set in Keeravani. For the Telugu-dubbed version Premanjali, all lyrics were written by Rajasri.[12]

Release and reception

Varusham 16 was released on 18 February 1989.[13] N. Krishnaswamy of The Indian Express wrote that Karthik "puts much life and energy into his role", Khushbu "looks just out of school" and Viswanathan was "great as the head of the family", while also appreciating Jayabharathi, Vadivukkarasi and Charle's performances.[14] P. S. S. of Kalki said the film could be watched for the cast performances.[15] Karthik won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil,[16] and Fazil won the Cinema Express Award for Best Director.[17] Sekar was awarded the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Editor.[18]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Arvind . T. . 2 November 2017 . The numbers game: Tamil cinema's numerical titles . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171203133936/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/the-numbers-game-tamil-cinemas-numerical-titles/article19967003.ece . 3 December 2017 . 15 May 2021 . The Hindu.
  2. Web site: Menon . Neelima . 18 January 2018 . Telling the tales of lonesome souls: Fazil's filmography in retrospect . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180213110257/http://fullpicture.in/talking-detail/139/telling-the-tales-of.html . 13 February 2018 . 27 October 2021 . fullpicture.in.
  3. News: Umashanker . Sudha . 2 May 1998 . Penchant for riveting romances . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080427180437/http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/(docid)/5B14521EB99AB01765256940004C8B0E?OpenDocument . 27 April 2008 . 6 June 2022 . The Hindu.
  4. Web site: ஆனந்தராஜ் . கு. . 24 December 2019 . 80'ஸ் எவர்கிரீன் நாயகிகள் - 10 - காதல் கொடுத்த துணிச்சலால் தப்பிச்சு வந்தேன்! . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211103044914/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/1980s-evergreen-heroins-actress-nirosha#bypass-sw . 3 November 2021 . 3 November 2021 . . ta.
  5. Web site: Kushboo . Khushbu Sundar . 24 August 2015 . Bring back Madras in our movies . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240715132333/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20150824-bring-back-madras-in-our-movies-820259-2015-08-12 . 15 July 2024 . 15 July 2024 . India Today.
  6. Web site: 14 March 2018 . வருஷம் 16 அரண்மணை, ஒரு ஃபோட்டோ டூர் . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240715143227/https://tamil.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/padmanabhapuram-palace-000766-pg1.html . 15 July 2024 . 15 July 2024 . Native Planet . ta.
  7. Web site: Varusham 16 . 15 July 2024 . WhereWasItShot.
  8. Web site: Varusham 16 (1989) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140223053358/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0000192 . 23 February 2014 . 12 February 2014 . Raaga.com.
  9. Web site: Varusham 16 Tamil Film LP VInyl Record by Ilayaraaja . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211027073807/https://mossymart.com/product/varusham-16-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraaja/ . 27 October 2021 . 27 October 2021 . Mossymart.
  10. News: Mani . Charulatha . Charulatha Mani . 21 December 2012 . Towering Todi . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128143212/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/towering-todi/article4225921.ece . 28 January 2021 . 27 October 2021 . The Hindu.
  11. News: 7 December 2013 . Positively tranquil . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211027103938/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/positively-tranquil/article5431006.ece . 27 October 2021 . 27 October 2021 . The Hindu.
  12. Web site: Premanjali . https://archive.today/20230220091536/https://indiancine.ma/BJZA/info . 20 February 2023 . 16 November 2021 . Indiancine.ma.
  13. News: 18 February 1989 . வருஷம்.16 . 27 October 2021 . . 3 . Google News Archive.
  14. News: Krishnaswamy . N. . 17 March 1989 . Varusham 16 . 10 May 2019 . . 5 . Google News Archive.
  15. பி.எஸ்.எஸ். . 12 March 1989 . வருஷம்.16 . dead . https://archive.today/20220731051830/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1989/mar/12-03-1989/p17.jpg . 31 July 2022 . 28 October 2021 . . 17 . ta.
  16. News: 14 June 1990 . Double honour for Kamal . 15 May 2021 . . 3 . . Express News Service.
  17. News: 1 March 1990 . தமிழ் . . 7 . ta.
  18. Web site: 22 March 2018 . Legendary editor Sekhar passes away at 81 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230525224109/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/legendary-editor-sekar-passed-away-at-81/articleshow/63411730.cms . 25 May 2023 . 15 July 2024 . The Times of India.