Mullaivanam (1965) REVIEW

Mullaivanam (1965)

Mullaivanam was one of the many productions of V. Krishnan, who owned Aravind Pictures in Coimbatore. The film featured Sriram and Kumari Rukmini in the lead, supported by an impressive cast that included P.S. Veerappa, P.S. Gnanam, A. Karunanidhi and S.A. Natarajan.

The story was written by K. Ramachandran, and the dialogue by scholar-turned-screenwriter A.K. Velan, who later became a successful producer and studio-owner. T. Vijayarangam was in charge of editing. The film was produced at Central Studios, Coimbatore, an active centre of production in the bygone era. The handsome Sriram (Madurai Sriramulu Naidu) played the hero in quite a few films like Navajeevanam and Madanamala. He began his career as a junior artiste in Gemini Studios’ blockbuster Chandralekha (1948) — he was one of the men on horseback following the villain (Ranjan).

Kumari Rukmini started her career as Baby Rukmini playing Lohidasa, son of Harishchandra, in a Tamil movie made in Calcutta. Rukmini, who enjoyed a fairly successful career, married the multilingual moviemaker and actor Y.V. Rao with whom she played the lead in Lavangi. Her daughter is the actress Lakshmi.


K.V. Mahadevan composed the music, while the lyrics were by Ku. Sa. Krishnamurthi, Thanjai Ramaiah Das, Ka. Mu. Sheriff and Ko. Ku. The songs were sung by M.K. Vijaya, Guruvayur Ponnamma, A.P. Komala, Radha-Jayalakshmi, Jayasakthivel, Gajalakshmi, and T.M. Soundararajan. The film narrates the story of Bhavani who travels in a postal delivery van of bygone decades. One of the passengers narrates a story to her — a complicated tale of a young woman in love who is being forced to marry the crooked brother of her vicious aunt. The marriage is halted when the thaali goes missing! How true love wins the day forms the rest of the movie.

Sriram and Kumari Rukmini made an attractive pair. The dances by Rajeswari and Lalitha Rao were choreographed by well-known natuvanaar Vazhuvoor B. Ramaiah Pillai.

Despite an impressive cast, pleasing music and dances, the film did not do well.

Remembered for: the performances of the leads and the dance numbers.