Naanum Oru Thozhilali (transl. I am also a worker) is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed and produced by C. V. Sridhar. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Ambika, while Jaishankar, V. S. Raghavan and Devika play supporting roles. The film was also simultaneously shot in Telugu as Andarikante Ghanudu (transl. The toughest of all). Murali Mohan plays supporting role in Telugu version. The Tamil version was released on 1 May 1986.
| Naanum Oru Thozhilali | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | C. V. Sridhar |
| Written by | C. V. Sridhar |
| Produced by | C. V. Sridhar |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | P. Bhaskar Rao |
| Edited by | M. Umanath |
| Music by | Ilaiyaraaja |
Production company | |
Release dates |
|
| Country | India |
| Languages | Tamil Telugu |
Plot edit
This article needs an improved plot summary. (May 2022) |
Bharath returns to India from his studies abroad after his father Yoganand dies in a car accident. The family's factory is run by the father and son team of Rammohan and Sundar. They are looting from the factory and treating the workers poorly. Kumar works at the factory and often clashes with Rammohan and Sundar. The duo accused Kumar's older brother of running away with stolen company cash but Kumar does not believe this. He is also suspicious of Yoganand's death and is trying to investigate.
Bharath falls in love with factory worker Meena, soon after his arrival in India. He also quickly realises that something is amiss with the factory and his father's accident. With the help of Meena, he poses as factory worker Raju to investigate matters. He soon learns that Kumar is an ally and the two work together to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Cast edit
- Kamal Haasan as Bharath/Raju
- Ambika as Meena
- Jaishankar as Sundar
- Rajeev as Kumar
- Murali Mohan (Telugu version)
- V. S. Raghavan as Rammohan
- Veera Raghavan as Yoganand
- Vennira Aadai Moorthy as Pakkiri's assistant
- Loose Mohan as Pakkiri
- T. K. S. Chandran
- Prasad Babu
- Thara Krishnan
- C. R. Vijayakumari as Kumar's sister in law
- Devika as Bharath's mother
- Sadhana as Padma
- Vijaya
- Deepa in a special appearance for Mandaveli song
Production edit
The film was launched by C. V. Sridhar in 1980 as a Cinemascope venture and was then titled as Sakthi. Sridhar collaborated with Kamal Haasan after the success of the 1978 film Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu. The film was meant to be the first film which featured Haasan and Ambika as a lead pair and stills were released featuring Ambika in a swimsuit. The film got delayed and was put on hold, before it re-emerged in 1986 under the title of Meendum Suryodayam (transl. The sun rises again) and shooting progressed. It was planned for an April 1986 release, which got postponed to 1 May 1986. There was a local council election in March 1986 and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won seats. Sridhar felt the title Meendum Suryodayam would imply that the filmmakers were welcoming the DMK's re-emergence, whose symbol is that of a rising sun. Hence the title was changed to Naanum Oru Thozhilali. Sridhar had previously started a film with the same title in the mid-1970s, with M. G. Ramachandran in the lead; that film was shelved.[1][2][3]
Soundtrack edit
The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Vaali.[4][5]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Aayirathil Nee Oruthan" | S. Janaki | 4:14 |
| 2. | "Angel Aadum Angel" | P. Susheela | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Mandaveli" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 3:15 |
| 4. | "Naan Pooveduthu" | S. P. Balasubramanyam, S. Janaki | 4:37 |
| 5. | "Oru Nilavum Malarum" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:32 |
| 6. | "Pattu Poove" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:30 |
| 7. | "Sembaruthi Poove" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:41 |
| Total length: | 30:18 | ||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chandra Banda" | Chi. Udayashankar | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | |
| 2. | "Hammayya" | Chi. Udayashankar | S. P. Balasubramanyam | |
| 3. | "Hado Gombe" | Chi. Udayashankar | P. Susheela |
Release and reception edit
Naanum Oru Thozhilali released on 1 May 1986 alongside Sridhar's other film Yaro Ezhuthia Kavithai and it became a rare incident when two films of the same director were released simultaneously.[6] The Telugu-language version Andarikante Ghanudu released one year later on 3 July 1987.[7][8] The film was also dubbed in Kannada as Sooryodaya, but that did not have a theatrical release.[9][10] Jayamanmadhan of Kalki criticised the director for assuming that Haasan, Ambika, the stunts and songs were enough for the film's success as audiences would not feel the same.[11]
References edit
- ^ "Kamal Haasan replaced MGR". The Times of India. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Naanum Oru Thozhilli was Meendum Suryodhayam". The Times of India. 4 April 2014. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "கமல் நடிப்பில் உருவான துரோகி, டாப் டக்கர் படங்கள் என்ன ஆனது என தெரியுமா?" [Do you know what happened of Drohi and Top Tucker, in which Kamal acted?]. Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 19 September 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "Naanum Oru Thozhilaali". AVDigital. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "Naanum Oru Thozilali (1986)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ "Uzhaipalar உழைப்பாளிகளுக்கு பெருமை சேர்த்த தமிழ் சினிமா". IndiaGlitz (in Tamil). 1 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "Andarikante Ghanudu" (PDF). Andhra Patrika (in Telugu). 3 July 1987. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ "Andarikante Ghanudu". indiancine.ma. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ "Sooryodaya Kannada Film EP Vinyl Record by Ilaiyaraja". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "எம்ஜிஆரின் கோபத்துக்கு பயந்து மாற்றப்பட்ட கமல் படத்தின் பெயர்!". News18 (in Tamil). 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ ஜெயமன்மதன் (25 May 1986). "ஸ்ரீதரின் இரண்டு படங்கள்". Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 46–47. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
