Madurai Veeran

1956 DramaRomance 165 minutes Directed by Yoganand D

Open in new tab

About Madurai Veeran

A baby born with an unlucky mark is left in the forest and raised by a cobbler, who names him Veeran. Grown, he saves Princess Bommi of Thottiyam from the Cauvery. Her uncle Narasappan objects to his birth. Veeran carries her off. The king of Tiruchi clears them and makes him a commander. Sent to Madurai against robbers, he falls in love with the dancer Vellaiyamma, enters the den at Azhagar Malai in disguise, and takes the loot back. Nayakar, who wants Vellaiyamma himself, orders Veeran's hand and leg cut off. Veeran kills the robber chief Sangilikaruppan, then dies. Bommi and Vellaiyamma follow him.

Cast & crew

More about Madurai Veeran

D. Yoganand directed. Kannadasan wrote the screenplay and lyrics. Lena Chettiar produced. M. A. Rehman photographed it, V. B. Natarajan edited, and Ganga did the art direction. It opened on 13 April 1956, Tamil New Year. It is the second film of the Madurai Veeran legend, after a 1939 picture of the same name. A Telugu dub was titled Sahasaveerudu.

Themes

  • A baby left in the forest
  • Two loves, Bommi and Vellaiyamma
  • The ordered mutilation
  • Veeran
  • Bommi
  • Vellaiyamma
  • Madurai
  • Azhagar Malai
  • cobbler
  • MGR

Background

The plot follows the folk story of Madurai Veeran, later worshipped as a deity.

Making

Ramachandran asked for changes in how Vellaiyamma was written before he would play Veeran.

Audiences

The theatrical run passed 200 days at Chinthamani and was counted as a silver jubilee.

Look

M. A. Rehman was the cinematographer.

Music

G. Ramanathan composed the songs. Kannadasan wrote the lyrics.

Preservation

A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.

Notes

  • M. G. Ramachandran plays Veeran, P. Bhanumathi plays Bommi, and Padmini plays Vellaiyamma.
  • T. S. Balaiah plays Narasappan. N. S. Krishnan and T. A. Mathuram play the foster parents.
  • It ran more than 200 days at Chinthamani Theatre and more than 100 days in all 36 theatres that booked it.
  • Ramachandran at first refused the part because of the myth. R. M. Veerappan talked him into it. Padmini's role opposite him was her first.
  • G. Ramanathan wrote the music.

Scenes

  • Veeran pulls Bommi from the Cauvery.
  • In disguise he enters the robbers' den at Azhagar Malai, then faces the order to lose a hand and a leg.

Influenced by

  • The Madurai Veeran legend
  • Madurai Veeran (1939 film)

Also available

  • Wikimedia Commons (Madurai Veeran)