Ezhai Padum Padu

1950 film by K. Ramnoth

V. Nagayya
Lalitha
Padmini

CinematographyN. PrakashEdited bySuryaMusic byS. M. Subbaiah
V. Nagayya (supervision)

Production
company

Pakshiraja Studios

Distributed byNarayana & Co. Ltd

Release date

9 November 1950 (1950-11-09)

Running time

197 minutesCountryIndiaLanguagesTamil
Telugu

Ezhai Padum Padu (transl. Plight of the Poor) is a 1950 Indian Tamil language film directed by K. Ramnoth. It was simultaneously shot in Telugu as Beedala Patlu. It was an adaptation of Les Misérables, Victor Hugo's 1862 novel. The film was released on Diwali day. For his memorable portrayal of Javert in this film, N. Seetharaman came to be called as Javert Seetharaman. It was produced by S. M. Sriramulu Naidu of Pakshiraja Studios.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Plot

Tough and ruthless Police Inspector Javert recaptures a small-time criminal Kandhan who has escaped from prison. Kandhan turns a new leaf with the help of a Christian Bishop. When he is released from prison he starts a glass making company. He changes his identity and becomes successful. He becomes the mayor of his town. Inspector Javert finds out about his new life and threatens to expose him. On one occasion Kandhan saves Javert's life. Javert commits suicide unable to turn Kandhan in to the authorities out of his sense of gratitude.

Cast

Cast according to the opening credits of the film

Male Cast

V. Nagayya as Kandhan Dayalan Ambalavanan
T. S. Balaiah as Ramgopal
T. S. Durairaj as Masilamani Mudaliar
Serukulathur Sama as Christian Bishop (Saadhu Uthamar)
N. Seetharaman as Inspector Javar
V. Gopalakrishnan as Umakandhan
Kali N. Rathnam as Nagam
M. R. Swaminathan as Nagan's Cousin
S. Peer Mohamed as Vedhagiri Mudaliar
Nat Annaji Rao as Judge
T. K. Kalyanam as Ranga Das

Male Support Cast

K. S. Kanaiah, S. V. Shanmugam Pillai, S. V. Shanmugam, V. S. Rao, Manickam

Female Cast

Lalitha as Anjala
Padmini as Lakshmi
Kumari N. Rajam as Rajam
P. S. Gnanam as Naagi
S. R. Janaki as Kandhan's Sister
Baby Meenakshi as Baby Lakshmi
Ragini as Female Dancer
Thangam as Female Dancer
Kalyani as Female Dancer
Rita as Female Dancer
Janaki as Female Dancer
Radhamani as Female Dancer

Production

Ezhai Padum Padu was produced by S. M. Sriramulu Naidu at Pakshiraja Studios in Coimbatore. K. Ramnoth was hired as the director and V. Nagayya was cast as Kandan (based on Jean Valjean). Initially, Nagercoil K. Mahadevan, was cast as the bishop who reforms the thief. But after a few scenes were shot, Sriramulu Naidu replaced him with Serukalathur Sama. Elangovan (Thanigachalam) wrote the script for Ezhai Padum Paau based on Sudhanandha Bharathi's translation of Les Miserables.^[5] Sriramulu Naidu was known for his strict schedule. Once when director Ramnoth was absent from the set, one of the actors – V. Gopalakrishnan – left the set thinking that there would be no filming on that day. An incensed Naidu filmed the scene (a love song sequence) using an actress (Ragini) dressed up as a man instead of Gopalakrishnan.^[1]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack had ten songs composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu. The lyrics by V. A. Gopalakrishnan.

Tamil Soundtrack

No.	Song	Singers	Length
1	"Yauvanamae Aahaa Yauvanamae"	M. L. Vasanthakumari	02:19
2	"Oo Kiliye Aasai Kiliye"	P. A. Periyanayaki	01:21
3	"Vaanamudhe Ondraai"	Thiruchi Loganathan, M. L. Vasanthakumari & P. A. Periyanayaki	05:28
4	"Kannan Mananilaiyai Thangame Thangam"	M. L. Vasanthakumari	03:25
5	"Kanivudan Thirumbiye Paarum"	P. A. Periyanayaki	03:12
6	"Ennaasai Paappa"	V. Nagayya	01:54
7	"Vidhiyin Vilaivaal Anaadhi Aanaen"	Radha Jayalakshmi	03:13
8	"Vaazhvu Malarndhadhuvae"	V. Nagayya	03:08
9	"En Bhaagyame Inimel Saubhagyame"	Radha Jayalakshmi	02:31
10	""

Telugu Soundtrack

Music is by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu and G. Aswathama. Lyrics were by Aarudhra.

No.	Song	Singers	Length
1	"Yauvanamae Aahaa Yauvanamae"	M. L. Vasanthakumari	02:19
2	"Chilukaraajaa Neeku Pelli"	P. A. Periyanayaki	01:21
3	"Povudhama Sakhiya Premalokamu"		05:28
4	"Sarasaku Radelane"	M. L. Vasanthakumari	03:25
5	"Kanikaramadi Kaladeni"	P. A. Periyanayaki	03:12
6	"Chinnari Paapa"	V. Nagayya	01:54
7	"Vidhivasamaithi Anaadhanaithi"	Radha Jayalakshmi	03:13
8	"Dhanyudanaithiniga Naa Janma"	V. Nagayya	03:08
9	"Vilaasame Naakika Vikaasame Lalala"	Radha Jayalakshmi	02:31
10	"Aadavemayoori Nee Vandela"
11	"Rara Sakhudhaa Raave Sakhiyaa"
12	"Vinarandi Kanarandi Visaadamayamau"

Release and reception

Ezhai Padum Padu was released on Diwali day (9 November), 1950.^[6] It was a commercial and critical success.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Ezhai Padum Paadu 1950". The Hindu. 2 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
^ Baskaran 1996, pp. 69, 106.
^ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 147.
^ Hardy 1997, p. 180.
^ Vamanan (3 November 2018). "In Tamil cinema, copyright has meant copying left, right and center". Inmathi. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
^ "Ezhai Padum Padu". The Indian Express. 9 November 1950. p. 7. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

Bibliography

Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema. Chennai: East West Books. pp. 69, 106.
Hardy, Phil (1997). The BFI companion to crime. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21538-9.
Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-563579-5.