Enga Veettu Penn (transl. The girl of our household) is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Tapi Chanakya and produced by Nagi Reddi and Chakrapani of Vijaya Combines Productions. A remake of the company's own Telugu film Shavukaru (1950), it features an ensemble cast that consists of M. R. Radha, S. V. Subbaiah, A. V. M. Rajan, Jaishankar, K. A. Thangavelu, Nagesh, V. Nagayya, O. A. K. Thevar and Nirmala, who became known as Vijaya Nirmala after its release. The film was released on 23 October 1965.
| Enga Veettu Penn | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tapi Chanakya |
| Written by | Chakrapani |
| Based on | Shavukaru by Chakrapani |
| Produced by | Nagi Reddi Chakrapani |
| Starring | M. R. Radha S. V. Subbaiah A. V. M. Rajan Nirmala |
| Cinematography | Marcus Bartley |
| Edited by | C. P. Jambulingam |
| Music by | K. V. Mahadevan |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 177 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot edit
This article needs a plot summary. (May 2021) |
Cast edit
|
|
Production edit
Enga Veetu Penn was directed by Tapi Chanakya and produced by Nagi Reddi and Chakrapani of Vijaya Combines Productions.[2] It was remade from the company's own Telugu production Shavukaru (1950), and co-producer Chakrapani doubled as screenwriter, making the film more modern than the Telugu original.[3] Cinematography was handled by Marcus Bartley, editing by C. P. Jambulingam, and art direction by S. Krishna Rao and Kaladhar.[4] S. V. Ranga Rao, originally part of the cast, criticised the casting of Nirmala as the female lead, feeling she looked "too frail" to play her character, and ordered the producers to replace her. Reddi cancelled shooting for the day. The next day, Nirmala was called back to the studio, and realised that Ranga Rao was replaced by S. V. Subbaiah.[5] The final length of the film was 4,873 metres (15,988 ft).[2]
Soundtrack edit
The soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan.[6]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Deivam Malarodu Vaitha" | Kannadasan | T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela | |
| 2. | "Kaalagale Nillungal" | Kannadasan | T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela | |
| 3. | "Sirippu Pathi Azhugai Pathi" | Kannadasan | P. B. Sreenivas | |
| 4. | "Kaalgale Nillungal Kangale" | Kannadasan | P. Susheela | |
| 5. | "Iyarkkai Annai" | Alangudi Somu | Sirkazhi Govindarajan |
Release and reception edit
Enga Veetu Penn was released on 23 October 1965, Diwali day.[4] Writing in Sport and Pastime, T. M. Ramachandran called it a "damp squib", saying that "the picture attempts to sustain the interest of the viewers with its heartwarming story but the audience cannot but see a ring of familiarity around the whole theme." He applauded the performances of the cast, particularly Jaishankar and Rajan, but criticised the abundance of songs, saying that "holds up the story many a time".[7] After the film's release, Nirmala prefixed Vijaya, the studio's name, to her screen name.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 234.
- ^ a b "1965 – எங்க வீட்டு பெண் – விஜயா கம்பைன்ஸ் புரொ" [1965 – Enga Veettu Penn – Vijaya Combines Pro.]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 384.
- ^ a b "Engaveettu Penn". The Indian Express. 23 October 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 14 February 2019 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ Narasimham, M. L. (13 August 2015). "Milestone in Vijaya Nirmala's long innings". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Enga Veettu Penn". Songs4all. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ Ramachandran, T. M. (4 December 1965). "A Basket of Mixed Fruits". Sport and Pastime. Vol. 19. p. 51. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023 – via Internet Archive.
Bibliography edit
- Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-563579-5.
