Thirisoolam (transl. Trident) is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language film directed by K. Vijayan. The film has Sivaji Ganesan playing triple roles. It is a remake of the Kannada film Shankar Guru (1978).[1][2] The film was released on 27 January 1979 and turned out to be a silver jubilee hit, running for over 175 days in theatres eventually becoming the highest grossing Tamil film at the time of its release.[3]

Thirisoolam
Directed byK. Vijayan
Written byA. L. Narayanan (dialogues)
Story byM. D. Sundar
Based onShankar Guru (1978)
by V. Somashekhar
Produced bySanthi Narayansamy,
T. Manohar
Starring
CinematographyK. S. Prasad
T. S. Vinayagam
Edited byB. Kanthasamy
Music byM. S. Viswanathan
Production
company
Release date
  • 27 January 1979 (1979-01-27)
Running time
167 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot edit

Rajasekaran is an upright businessman whose associates are involved in shady deals. During an argument over such a deal, a scuffle ensues and Rajasekharan accidentally shoots one of his associates dead. Fleeing from the police, he loses contact with his pregnant wife Sumathi.

Many years later, Sumathi is now living with her son Shankar in Delhi, while Rajasekaran is a rich estate owner in Kashmir. Rajasekaran's niece Nalini encounters Shankar in Delhi and recommends him to manage her uncle's estate in Kashmir. Also arriving in Kashmir for a romantic quest with a rich girl Malathy is Guru, a look-alike of Shankar, who is later revealed as his twin brother. Through Shankar, Rajasekaran finally manages to establish contact with his long-lost wife Sumathi and is overwhelmed with joy.

However, before he can meet Sumathi, trouble arrives in the form of Rajasekaran's erstwhile crooked partners headed by M. N. Nambiar, who are after a valuable necklace stolen from a temple in Delhi, which they believe is now in Rajasekaran's possession. The partners kidnap Sumathi and imprison and torture Rajasekaran, and it is up to Shankar and Guru to rescue and re-unite their father and mother.

Cast edit

Production edit

Thirisoolam was promoted as Ganesan's 200th film in a leading role.[4] Ganesan's home, Annai Illam, features in the film.[5]

Soundtrack edit

The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan.[6][7]

Song Singers Length
"Malar Kodutthen" T. M. Soundararajan 04:10
"Kadhal Rani Katti Kidakae" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam 05:02
"En Raajathi" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam 04:27
"Irandu Kaigal" K. J. Yesudas, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam 04:07
"Thirumaalin Thirumaarbil" K. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam 05:10

Reception edit

P. S. M. of Kalki praised Ganesan's performance, but not the film itself.[8] Anna magazine called it a milestone achievement in Ganesan's career while Alibaba called triple action of Ganesan as full satisfaction for his fans and Kalkandu called a film for masses where logic should not be questioned.[9] It was a silver jubilee hit.[10]

Legacy edit

Thirisoolam is included alongside other Ganesan-starring films in the compilation DVD 8th Ulaga Adhisayam Sivaji.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "Top ten Kannada films to have been remade". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  2. ^ "191-200". nadigarthilagam.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  3. ^ "'வசந்தமாளிகை'யில் ஜெயலலிதா - சிவாஜி நினைவுநாள் இன்று!". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 21 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. ^ "'வசந்தமாளிகை'யில் ஜெயலலிதா - சிவாஜி நினைவுநாள் இன்று!". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 21 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  5. ^ Raman, Mohan (26 August 2020). "#MadrasThroughTheMovies: Tracing the parallel journey of MGR and Sivaji in Madras". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Thirisoolam (1979)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Trisoolam Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan". Macsendisk. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  8. ^ பி. எஸ். எம். (11 February 1979). "திரிசூலம்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 33. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  9. ^ "திரிசூலம்". Kalki (in Tamil). 31 May 1981. p. 10. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ "11 திரையரங்குகளில் வெள்ளி விழா கண்ட சிவாஜி படம் எது தெரியுமா?". News18 (in Tamil). 28 January 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. ^ Iyer, Aruna V. (13 May 2012). "For the love of Sivaji". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

External links edit