Motor Sundaram Pillai

Motor Sundaram Pillai is a 1966 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by S. S. Balan and written by Veppathur Kittoo. A remake of the Hindi film Grahasti (1963), itself based on the American film The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959), the film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Ravichandran, Sowcar Janaki and Jayalalithaa. It revolves around a man who leads a double life, having two sets of families.

Motor Sundaram Pillai
Theatrical release poster
Directed byS. S. Balan
Screenplay byVeppatthur Kittu
Based onGrahasti
Produced byS. S. Vasan
StarringSivaji Ganesan
Ravichandran
Sowcar Janaki
Jayalalithaa
CinematographyP. Ellappa
Edited byM. Umanath
Music byM. S. Viswanathan
Production
company
Release date
  • 26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)
Running time
160 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Motor Sundaram Pillai is the directorial debut of Balan, whose father Vasan produced the film under Gemini Studios. After Kittoo completed the screenplay, Ganesan was approached to star but declined; Vasan then produced Kittu's screenplay as Grahasti. When Ganesan saw this film, he offered to act if Kittu made a Tamil version, and was cast.

Motor Sundaram Pillai was released on 26 January 1966. The film was commercially successful, running for over 100 days in theatres.

Plot

Motor Sundaram Pillai, a man known for being virtuous, leads a double life, having two sets of families.

Cast

Production

The 1959 American film The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, adapted from a play written by Liam O'Brien, which was inspired by a real life incident, was a global success, especially in Madras (now Chennai). Veppatthur Kittu of Gemini Studios wrote a screenplay based on this film (with changes made to suit regional tastes) and approached Sivaji Ganesan to act. He refused, and Gemini Studios proprietor S. S. Vasan produced Kittu's screenplay in Hindi as Grahasti (1963). When Ganesan saw this film, he offered to act if Kittu made a Tamil version. Vasan later announced the Tamil version, titled Motor Sundaram Pillai. Like Grahasti, this too featured some changes from the American film.[4] It marked the directorial debut of Vasan's son Balan.[2][5] Cinematography was handled by P. Ellappa.[1]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack album was composed by M. S. Viswanathan. The lyrics were penned by Kothamangalam Subbu and Vaali.[6][7] In the song "Gubu Gubu Naan Engine", singer L. R. Eswari imitated engine sounds while A. L. Raghavan imitated train car sounds.[8][9] The song "Maname Muruganin" is set in the Carnatic raga known as Hindolam.[10] Subbu initially wanted it to be in Atana, but as Viswanathan wanted it to be in Hindolam, Subbu assented.[11] The song was re-used in the Telugu film Manchi Kutumbam (1968) as "Manase Andhala Brindavanam".[12]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Kathiruntha Kangale"VaaliP. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela03:58
2."Kathal Endral Enna"Kothamangalam SubbuT. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela07:38
3."Gubu Gubu Naan Engine"Kothamangalam SubbuA. L. Raghavan, L. R. Eswari03:22
4."Maname Muruganin"Kothamangalam Subbu(Radha) Jayalakshmi01:50
5."Penne Maanthartham (Penmai Endra)"Kothamangalam SubbuSirkazhi Govindarajan02:17
6."Thulli Thulli Vilaiyada"VaaliP. Susheela, L. R. Eswari, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi02:55
Total length:22:00

Release and reception

Motor Sundaram Pillai was released on 26 January 1966.[13] T. M. Ramachandran of Sport and Pastime wrote, "Though, up to the interval, it contains the usual quota of songs, dances, romantic chases of the young lovers and comedy [...] it grips the audience with a clever and logical twist in the story."[2] The film was commercially successful, running for over 100 days in theatres.[14]

References
  1. Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 389.
  2. Ramachandran, T. M. (19 February 1966). "Motor Sundaram Pillai". Sport and Pastime. Vol. 20. p. 42. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  3. Vamanan (27 October 2017). "Sachu long journey". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  4. Guy, Randor (10 July 2009). "Motor Sundaram Pillai 1966". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  5. "இயக்குநரானார் முரசொலி மாறன்!" [Murasoli Maran became a director!]. Dinakaran (in Tamil). 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  6. "Motor Sundaram Pillai (1966)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  7. Neelamegam, G. (November 2016). Thiraikalanjiyam – Part 2 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 261.
  8. Weidman, Amanda (15 June 2021). Brought to Life by the Voice: Playback Singing and Cultural Politics in South India. University of California Press. p. 108. ISBN 9780520976399.
  9. Rangaraj, R (23 June 2020). "Man who rocked Tamil pop, yodelling into hearts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  10. Saravanan, T. (20 September 2013). "Ragas hit a high". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. Krishnamachari, Suganthy (5 March 2020). "Tamil fuelled Subbu's creativity – in all forms". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  12. Mani, Charulatha (19 August 2011). "A Raga's Journey – Hindolam Highlights". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  13. "1966 – மோட்டார் சுந்தரம்பிள்ளை – ஜெமினி பிக்" [1966 – Motor Sundaram Pillai – Gemini Pic.]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. Ganesan, Sivaji; Narayana Swamy, T.S. (2007) [2002]. Autobiography of an Actor: Sivaji Ganesan, October 1928 – July 2001. Sivaji Prabhu Charities Trust. p. 241. OCLC 297212002.

Bibliography
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