Noteworthy old Indian Films

K S Sivakumaran

Revisiting old Indian films will show how the world has changed during the past half a century as far as the lifestyles of Indians in both South and North go.

Let’s take a film called ‘Iruvar Ullam’ (Hearts of the Two) shown in 1964. I was happy I saw this film then because it attempted to drift towards unexplored fields, not in its theme, but in its craftsmanship. There was economy of presentation.

I think the story of the film should be narrated briefly for us to understand the changing patterns in life.

Selvam is an extravagant ‘playboy’. Shanthi is a contrast in character. Shanthi is married to him against her wish. She refuses to give him her heart until she was convinced of Selvam’s integrity and sincerity towards her. Selvam on the other hand is realistic on matters of love and awaits the day when Shanthi will yield to him. Meanwhile event after event increases Shanthi’s suspicion towards her husband. And it was only on her sick bed she finally discovers her own love for her husband and reciprocates his affection. Human behavior in relation to conjugal matters is what the film occupies itself for the most part. The story is adapted from a popular Indian Tamil novel called “Penn Manam” (The Mind of a Woman) by Lakshmi (Dr. Thiripura Sundari).

I would say that the film could have achieved its purpose had it confined itself to the main theme of the story. But knowing what the tastes of the average cinegoers in India, the director, Prasad, a reputed film director in Tamilnadu decided otherwise.

The picture drags on even after the main effect had been conveyed to the audience.The first half of the film runs smoothly free from sentimentalism. The audience is cleverly led to become involved in the emotions of the married couple in the story and to participate in the right atmosphere.

The restrained acting by Sivaji Ganeshan and Saroja Devi, the leading players, also help to build up the exact effect.

But the main story gets side-tracked when a former girl friend of Selvam attempts to blackmail him. This girl, played by Padmini Priyadharshani, is murdered by her husband, played by T.R. Ramachandran, because he has found her unfaithful and insincere towards him. Selvam is accused of the murder and is brought to the courts.The trial scene follows, and this is one of the most unbearable ones of its kind. The father is the public prosecutor, while his son is the accused. A second son acts as the defence counsel. They are the main participants in the court scene and family dramas with all its oratory, incongruous happenings which are not allowed in any court of law legally, take place.

The details are hardly worth gong into it.

There are many uneven and awkward sequences which seem to have been left unnoticed by the director. The focus in this film mainly falls on Saroja Devi and in certain scenes; she shows a marked ability to convey feeling without much apparent effort.

Her poise and charm ad colour to her acting.

M R Radha appears in an unusual role as a defense counsel deviating from his normal parts as a villain.

The cinematography is good and one could see improvements in technique. The songs in the film composed by veteran K V Mahadevan were really captivating. And the lyrics were by Kannadasan who wrote many meaningful songs for the films.

Kanoon – a Hindi film

The producer and director of the film was B. R.Chopra. He was a fine craftsman. In an earlier film called “Gumrah” he portrayed a certain phase in the lives of three leisured-class individuals. In “Kanoon” too he presents a delicate theme in the lives of a judge, his prospective son-in-law, who is also an advocate and an accused charged for murder.

A family drama unfolds- at least in the exchange of witticisms- between the judge and the lawyer occupy the major part of the film. Surprisingly the overdrawn court scene does not irritate or disturb the picture-goers.

The director achieves this by competent editing. One thing noticeable in the film was the absence of songs. However, there was judicious use of orchestral music in the background.

Sabari Malai Iyappan

This was a Malayalam language film dubbed into Tamil.

The story is from Hindu mythology and it dealt with Gods and Goddesses. Puranic though it was, it was refreshing to see such an escapist film which was not pretense.

The colour was pleasing to the eye.

There were quite a selection of Indian dances, especially Kathakali rendered by Padmini and Ragini, songs tuned to classical notes, nature in its bloom, and camera tricks were all pleasing. Acting by Ambika and others were moderately good. Comic scenes were silly.

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