Paar Magaley Paar
Paar Magaley Paar (transl. Look daughter, look; Tamil pronunciation: [paːɾ maɡaɭeː paːɾ]) is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language directed by A. Bhimsingh. It is based on the play Petral Thaan Pillaiya. The film features Sivaji Ganesan, M. R. Radha, Sowcar Janaki and C. R. Vijayakumari in lead roles. The film, produced by V. C. Subburaman, had musical score by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and was released on 12 July 1963. This film was dubbed into Telugu as Kavala Pillalu and released in 1964.
Paar Magaley Paar | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | A. Bhimsingh |
Produced by | V. C. Subburaman |
Screenplay by | Valampuri Somanathan |
Based on | Petral Than Pillaiya by Pattu |
Starring | Sivaji Ganesan Sowcar Janaki R. Muthuraman C. R. Vijayakumari |
Music by | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy |
Cinematography | G. Vittal Rao |
Edited by | A. Bhimsingh A. Paul Duraisingham R. Thirumalai |
Production company | Kasturi Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 152 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Tamil |
Plot
Zamindar Sivalingam (Sivaji Ganesan) is married to Lakshmiammal (Sowcar Janaki) and takes his family's prestige and heritage very seriously. Dancer Sulochana and Lakshmiammal have baby girls at the same time in the same hospital.
Sivalingam is not in town at the time of the delivery and his close friend Ramaswamy (V. K. Ramasamy) takes care of Lakshmiammal. When the babies are taken for cleaning by the nurses, there is a short circuit and both nurses die. There is no way of identifying the babies. Sulochana who was abandoned by her husband, leaves the hospital. The doctor (Thambaram Lalitha) brings both babies to Lakshmiammal and she is not able to identify her baby either.
Sivalingam arrives and seeing both babies in the room assumes he has twins. Knowing how important the family line is to him, Lakshmiammal, Ramaswamy and the doctor don't tell him the truth. Both girls, Chandra (Vijayakumari) and Kantha (Pushpalatha) grow up as the zamindar's daughters. Sulochana's brother, Nadaraj (M. R. Radha), who comes to know that his niece is growing up in Sivalingam's household and faced with the same confusion, takes up Lakshmiammal's offer and stays on there as a caretaker. Meanwhile, Lakshmiammal and Ramaswamy's wife, Parvathi (Radha Bhai), who are childhood friends promise to get their children married to each other.
Chandra has a birthmark which is said to be very lucky, but is by nature more like her Lakshmiammal. Kantha is more like Sivalingam. Chandra falls in love with her classmate Shekar (R. Muthuraman). Since he is the son of his wealthy friend, the late Mohanasundaram, Sivalingam agrees to the wedding.
Ramaswamy, who lives lavishly and who is careless in his business matters, faces severe business losses and approaches Sivalingam to back him in business matters. Sivalingam promises to give him money, but refuses to let him use his name or claim his acquaintance. He also gives a job to Sundaram (A. V. M. Rajan) in one of his factories, but refuses to have any further contacts with their family.
When Ramaswamy and Parvathi hear that Chandra's engagement is fixed, they attend the function uninvited. Sivalingam insults them and Ramaswamy is driven to reveal that one of his daughters is not his own. The doctor who was also present there needs to confide too. The engagement is stopped and the family is thrown into confusion. Due to this, Shekar's mother (Rukmani) forces him to leave the place.
Sivalingam refuses to talk to his family or the children and becomes extremely disturbed. Chandra tries to find a solution to this problem by leaving the house. She gives a lady called Maragatham her ring to act as the dancer Sulochana. Maragatham goes to Sivalingam's house and says that her daughter can be identified by means of a birthmark.
The police arrive with some jewels and a suicide note from Chandra and they realise that she is now dead. Sivalingam is very happy when he finally becomes convinced that Kantha is his real daughter and fixes her marriage with Shekar. Lakshmiammal is very disturbed because she believes that all the confusion in the house was caused because they did not keep their word to Ramaswamy and Parvathi and get one of the daughters married to Sundaram.
Kantha wants to humiliate Sivalingam, whose conceit caused Chandra's death and she made Lakshiammal practically bedridden. She refuses to marry Shekar and says that she will marry Sundaram. Meanwhile, Nadaraj who was thrown out of the house by Sivalingam traces Maragatham through the ring that she tried to pawn and the family is again thrown into confusion.
Meanwhile, Chandra, who attempts suicide by jumping into a river is saved by the students of an ashram. They persuade her to stay on as a teacher to the orphan students and she agrees. Shekar who is now an Education Inspector comes to the school and sees her. The principal (S. R. Janaki) however, convinces him that she is an orphan girl who always lived in the ashram.
Shekar then narrates the story of Chandra and also tells the principal that her sacrifice was wasted because Maragatham confessed the truth. He also tells her that both Sivalingam and Lakshmi are bedridden and that Kantha is struggling to care for both parents. Chandra wants to go back home, but makes up her mind to move away instead. She requests a transfer. Nadaraj overhears the principal and Chandra talking and is realizes that Chandra is alive. He tells Sivalingam and Lakshmiammal and they set out in search of her.
Chandra's taxi hits Sivalingam and he is admitted in the hospital. Both daughters give him blood and he understands that character is more important than family's prestige and heritage. Sivalingam who had turned over a new leaf accepts both Chandra and Kantha as his daughters. Finally, Chandra marries Shekar and Kantha marries Sundaram as both Sivalingam and Ramaswamy reunited.
Cast
- Sivaji Ganesan as Zamindar Sivalingam
- Sowcar Janaki as Lakshmi
- R. Muthuraman as Shekar
- C. R. Vijayakumari as Chandra
- A. V. M. Rajan as Sundaram
- Pushpalatha as Kaantha
- Kumari Rukmini as (Shekar mother)
- V. K. Ramasamy as Ramasamy (Sundaram Father)
- M. R. Radha as Nataraj (Dance Teacher)
- A. Karunanidhi as Manickam (Nataraj Assistant)
- Cho as Madasamy
- Manorama as Aaravalli
- N. Seethalakshmi
- Radhabhai as Parvathi (Ramasamy Wife,Sundaram Mother)
- S. R. Janaki as Principal
- Thambaram Lalitha as Doctor
Production
Paar Magaley Paar was the film adaptation of the stage play Petral Thaan Pillaiya.[1][2] The play had the concept of two sons while it was changed as daughters in the film.[3] Cho Ramaswamy, who played a character named "Mechanical Madasamy" in the play, reprised his role in the film,[4][5] which also marked his cinematic acting debut.[6][7]
Soundtrack
Paar Magaley Paar | |
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Soundtrack album by | |
Released | 1963 |
Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
Producer | Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy |
The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan and "Yogi" Suthanantha Bharathiyar.[8] There was a number of hit songs, including "Madhura Nagaril Thamizh Sangam", "Neerodum Vaigayilay", "Aval Parandhu Ponalay", "Ennai Thottu Sendrana Kangal", and "Paar Magaley Paar".[9]
No. | Song | Singers | Lyrics | Length |
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1 | "Aval Paranthu Ponale" | T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas | Kannadasan | 05:19 |
2 | "Ennai Thottu" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | 03:21 | |
3 | "Enthan Kannai" | A. L. Raghavan, L. R. Eswari | 03:27 | |
4 | "Madhura Nagaril" | P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela | 05:44 | |
5 | "Neerodum Vaikaiyile" | T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela | 04:30 | |
6 | "Paar Magaley Paar" | T. M. Soundararajan | 05:02 | |
7 | "Paar Magaley Paar" 2 | M. S. Viswanathan | 02:31 | |
8 | "Poochudum Nerathile" | P. Susheela | 03:46 | |
9 | "Thuyil Kondal" | P. Leela | 03:06 | |
10 | "Vetkamai Irukkuthu" | P. Leela, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi | 06:59 |
Release and reception
Paar Magale Paar was released on 12 July 1963,[10] and sold for ₹21 lakh (equivalent to ₹14 crore or US$2.0 million in 2019).[11] Writing for Sport and Pastime, T. M. Ramachandran derided the film, comparing it unfavourably to the original play but praised the performance of the cast, particularly Ganesan.[12]
References
- Ashok Kumar, S. R. (20 September 2004). "You and Sivaji made a great jodi". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- Santhanam, Kausalya (9 April 2001). "Doing it with joie de vivre". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- Rangarajan, Malathi (30 April 2010). "A feat so unique!". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- Ramanujam, Srinivasa; Raman, Mohan (7 December 2016). "A different brand of wit". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- "Madras Bashai and Cho -a tribute" (PDF). The Lighthouse. The Rotary Club of Madras. 20 December 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- Subramanian, Anupama (8 December 2016). "Playwright, comedian par excellence". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- Sridhar-Chaamaa (7 May 1993). "Farewell to plays". Frontline. Vol. 10 no. 1–9. Kasturi & Sons. p. 94.
- "Paar Magale Paar". JioSaavn. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- "Paar Magale Paar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- "Paar Magaley Paar". The Indian Express. 12 July 1963. p. 3.
- Kannan, R. (2017). MGR: A Life. India: Penguin Random House. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-14-342934-0.
- Ramachandran, T. M. (10 August 1963). "Acting Redeems Paar Magaley Paar". Sport and Pastime. Vol. 17. p. 42.