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"MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2009
Puthiya Paravai
Saw this Tamil movie, first released in 1964, recently. It tells the story of Gopal (Sivaji Ganesan), a wealthy widower, who moves from Malaysia to India (Ooty, to be specific). On the ship to India, he meets the beautiful Latha (Saroja Devi), and her father (V. K. Ramaswamy). They meet again in Ooty, and Gopal and Latha get closer. Gopal reveals a phobia for train crossings, and explains to Latha that this is because his wife Chitra (Sowcar Janaki) - who was a nightclub singer - committed suicide after a fight with him, by lying on the tracks. Things become complex as a lady who looks exactly like Chitra shows up, with her uncle (M. R. Radha), claiming that Chitra never died. Gopal, however, is absolutely certain that she did die. The ending proves Gopal to be right, but is a totally surprising - if artificial - twist.
Sivaji has done a great job in this movie - not only in terms of acting, but the risk he took in playing what eventually turns out to be a negative character. I had expected another of those idealistic and simplistic love stories - but then I had underestimated Sivaji and perhaps confused him a bit with MGR. Sivaji's acting in the final scenes is spectacularly understated (unlike his normal tendency to be overdramatic) - and one starts doubting all aspects of his story - he becomes an unreliable narrator, as we might see in an Ishiguro novel. Saroja Devi is her gorgeous self - though I must say that both Sivaji and Saroja Devi look more aged than modern audiences will accept in a lead pair. Sowcar Janaki acts great, as usual. The comedy team consists of V. K. Ramaswamy, Nagesh, and Manorama.
Last, but not least, are the songs in this movie. Written by Kannadasan and set to music by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, these songs remain among the greatest in Tamil moviedom: Unnai Ondru Kaetpaen - Unmai Solla Vendum (P. Susheela), Paarttha Njaabagam Illaiyo (P. Susheela), Enge Nimmadhi, Enge Nimmadhi, Ange Enakkor Idam Vendum (T. M. Soundararajan) - absolute, everlasting melodies. For these alone, this movie will go down in history, but it has much more to offer than these...
Posted by Xmsr at 9:31 AM"
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