Maruthu Pandi is a 1990 Indian Tamil language action drama film directed by Manoj Kumar. The film stars Ramki, Seetha and Nirosha, with Nassar, S. S. Chandran, Senthil, Kovai Sarala, Raghavi and Pradeep Shakthi playing supporting roles. It was released on 27 April 1990 and became a major box office success.[1][2] The film was remade in Kannada as Kollur Kala (1991) and in Hindi as Aag (1994).[3]

Maruthu Pandi
Poster
Directed byManoj Kumar
Written byR. P. Viswam (dialogues)
Screenplay byManoj Kumar
Story bySu. Thirunavukkarasar
Produced byS. Selvarethinam
Starring
CinematographyR. H. Ashok
Edited byB. Krishnakumar
Srinivas
Music byIlaiyaraaja
Production
company
Ponmanam Films
Release date
  • 27 April 1990 (1990-04-27)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

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In the village Ammapatti, Maruthu Pandi is a coracle operator in the day and the village protector at night. The villagers give him food in exchange for his work. Maruthu Pandi has a mentally ill sister Lakshmi who is pregnant and he takes care of Lakshmi like a mother. Kanagavalli is a dancer performing in a dance troupe. After performing their dance in Ammapatti, the dancers leave Kanagavalli alone. The villagers help Kanagavalli to stay in the village : they build a house for her. Kanagavalli slowly falls in love with Maruthu Pandi. Kanagavalli is, in fact, a police officer who wants to arrest Maruthu Pandi. Maruthu Pandi's real name is Manickam.

In the past, Manickam was a poor tailor, where he lived happily with his only sister. Manickam was in love with Kavitha, daughter of a rich zamindar. Her father Jagannathan refuses to let his daughter marry Manickam; instead he wants to get her married to a zamindar like him : Inspector of Police Thiagarajan. On the day of the wedding, Kavitha drinks poison and dies. That same night, Jagannathan, Thiagarajan and Thiagarajan's friend Pradeep beat up Manickam and abduct Lakshmi and she is brutally raped by Thiagarajan. Manickam manages to beat up them while Jagannathan,Kavitha's father is killed in the process and Lakshmi becomes mentally unstable. He flees the village with his sister from that village.

Thiagarajan and his police team come to Ammapatti to arrest Manickam. What transpires later forms the crux of the story.

Cast

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Production

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The film was originally offered to Sathyaraj who refused it.[4]

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.[5]

Song Singer(s) Lyricist Duration
"Adhamum Yevalum" Arunmozhi, S. Janaki Piraisoodan 4:43
"Amma Pattiyil Adicha" S. Janaki Vaali 4:23
"Paadi Paadi" Malaysia Vasudevan Pulamaipithan 4:51
"Pombala Illama" Mano, S. Janaki Gangai Amaran 4:39
"Singara Selvangale" Ilaiyaraaja Na. Kamarasan 4:16

Reception

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P. S. S. of Kalki wrote that the director managed to narrate a gripping screenplay out of an age old plot.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Marudhupandi ( 1990 )". Cinesouth. Archived from the original on 16 January 2005. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Maruthu Pandi / மருதுபாண்டி". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 24 November 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  3. ^ Arunachalam, Param (2020). BollySwar: 1981–1990. Mavrix Infotech. p. 434. ISBN 9788193848227.
  4. ^ Rasika (4 June 2004). "Ramki's gain". Chennai Online. Archived from the original on 13 August 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Maruthu pandi Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilaiyaraja". Macsendisk. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  6. ^ பி. எஸ். எஸ். (17 June 1990). "மருது பாண்டி". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 64. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
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