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Thillana Mohanambal is a film of genre Drama with Sivaji Ganesan
Thillana Mohanambal (1968)
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Add to a movie listThillana Mohanambal (English: The Dance Queen Mohanambal) is a 1968 Indian Tamil musical-drama film written, directed, distributed and produced by A. P. Nagarajan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and T. S. Balaiah in the lead roles, with A. V. M. Rajan, Nagesh and Manorama in supporting roles. It tells the story of about Shanmugasundaram, a Nadaswaram player who falls in love with Mohanambal, a Bharatanatyam dancer who reciprocates his feelings, but unfortunate circumstances and their egoistic nature prevents them from confessing their love for one another. How they overcome their self-created obstacles and those created by the people around them forms the rest of the story.
The film was adapted from Kothamangalam Subbu's novel of the same name, which was published as a series of weekly chapters in the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan in 1956. The film was mostly shot in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Madurai. Its original soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, and songs like "Nalandhana", "Maraindhirundhu" and "Pandian Naanirukka" remain popular today among the Tamil diaspora.
Thillana Mohanambal was released on 27 July 1968. The film's release prints were 4,825 m (15,830 ft) long and were contained on 19 reels. Critically acclaimed for subtly portraying the socio-cultural environment and the Thanjavur culture of dance and music prevailing at that time, it was also a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres. The film won two National Film Awards — Best Feature Film in Tamil (President's Silver Medal) and Best Cinematography — and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Thillana Mohanambal has since acquired cult status in Tamil cinema, and inspired several later films with similar themes of music and dance. It was dubbed and released in Telugu as Raja Narthaki on 12 July 1985.
Synopsis
"Sikkal" Shanmugasundaram (Sundaram) (Sivaji Ganesan) is a devoted Nadaswaram player, but is short-tempered and sensitive. He meets Mohanambal (Mohana) (Padmini), a Bharatnatyam dancer, and they fall in love with each other. Sundaram's ego prevents him from developing his relationship with Mohanambal, who asks him to play a Thillana on his Nadaswaram while she dances. Mohanambal's mother Vadivambal (C. K. Saraswathi), an influential and mercenary woman, wants her daughter to marry a wealthy man so that she can settle down in life properly. Blinded by love, she disobeys her mother, creating a rift between them. Unaware of her feelings, Sundaram decides to leave the country along with Karuppayi (Manorama), a folk dancer whom he considers to be his sister. Mohana calls him a coward and challenges him to stay, which he readily accepts. In a temple, Sundaram plays the Thillana and Mohana dances. Sundaram, impressed with Mohana's performance, crowns her the title "Thillana Mohanambal". Suddenly Nagalingam (E. R. Sahadevan), a landlord who wanted to marry Mohana, turns up to stab Sundaram with a poisoned knife out of jealousy. He came to the temple to kill Mohana.Actors
Sivaji Ganesan
(Nadaswara Chakravarthi "Sikkal" Shanmugasundaram)
Padmini Ramachandran
(Mohanambal)
Chittor V. Nagaiah
(Sundaram's Nadaswaram teacher)
S. Balaiah
(Muthurakku)
Aachi Manorama
("Jil Jil" Ramamani)
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