Agraharathil Kazhutai - Revision history

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	\| music = M. B. Sreenivasan<ref name="panorama" />		\| music = M. B. Sreenivasan<ref name="panorama" />
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	'''''Agraharathil Kazhutai''''' ({{~~trans~~\|Donkey in the Brahmin ghetto}}) is a 1977 [[Tamil language]] [[~~Satire~~\|satirical film]]. Directed by [[avant-garde]] ~~film-maker~~ [[John Abraham (director)\|John Abraham]], the film had its screenplay by film critic [[Venkat Swaminathan]]. This was John's second film (his first in Tamil). Made as satire on the Brahminical bigotry and superstition, a donkey becomes the central character in the film. At the [[25th National Film Awards]], the film won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil\|Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included the film in its list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time. It was inspired by [[Robert Bresson]]'s French film ''[[Au Hasard Balthazar]]''.		'''''Agraharathil Kazhutai''''' ({{translation\|Donkey in the Brahmin ghetto}}) is a 1977 Indian Tamil-language [[satire (film and television)\|satirical film]]. Directed by [[avant-garde]] filmmaker [[John Abraham (director)\|John Abraham]], the film had its screenplay by film critic [[Venkat Swaminathan]]. This was John's second film (his first in Tamil). Made as satire on the Brahminical bigotry and superstition, a donkey becomes the central character in the film. At the [[25th National Film Awards]], the film won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil\|Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included the film in its list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time. It was inspired by [[Robert Bresson]]'s French film ''[[Au Hasard Balthazar]]''.

	== Plot ==		== Plot ==
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	== Reception ==		== Reception ==
	<!-- https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/is-it-time-for-new-wave-20-in-indian-cinema/article26746064.ece -->		<!-- https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/is-it-time-for-new-wave-20-in-indian-cinema/article26746064.ece -->
	''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' received international acclaim.{{sfn\|Rajadhyaksha\|Willemen\|1998\|p=39}} In 1978, ''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]] at the [[25th National Film Awards]]. The jury noted John's usage of the verses of Tamil poet [[Subramania Bharati]] "for creating a parable set against the orthodoxies and superstitions of a Brahmin village community".<ref>{{cite web\|title=25th National Film Festival of India\|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx\|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]\|access-date=11 January 2015\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010041511/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx\|archive-date=10 October 2014\|url-status=dead\|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was screened under the Indian panorama of the [[International Film Festival of India]] in 1978.<ref name="panorama">{{Cite web\|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf\|title=Indian Panorama 1979\|date=1979\|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]\|pages=104–105\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106110851/http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf\|archive-date=6 January 2017\|url-status=bot: unknown\|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book\|title=Film World\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o3lTAAAAYAAJ\|year=1979\|~~page~~=109\|publisher=T.M. Ramachandran}}</ref> Along with a few other films, it pioneered the "new wave" movement in [[Cinema of South India\|South Indian cinema]]. The film was banned in Tamil Nadu as it was seen as [[Historical Vedic religion\|Brahmanical]] [[Prejudice\|bigotry]] which might hurt the sentiments of Brahmins.<ref>{{Cite news \|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/our-tooeasily-offended-public/article6555455.ece \|title=Our too-easily offended public \|last=V. Raman \|first=Mohan \|date=1 November 2014 \|work=[[The Hindu]] \|access-date=11 January 2015 \|author-link=Mohan Raman}}</ref> [[Doordarshan]] was forced to cancel a scheduled telecast of the film.<ref name=sundayindian /> The film was seen as an 'under-appreciated' work but is regarded as a classic now.<ref>{{cite news\|last1=Subramanian\|first1=Karthik\|title=Fame by frame\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/fame-by-frame/article2579936.ece\|access-date=11 January 2015\|work=The Hindu\|date=29 October 2011}}</ref> The film gave a much needed breakthrough for John Abraham. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included it among the 100 greatest films of all-time in Indian cinema.<ref name=ibn />		''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' received international acclaim.{{sfn\|Rajadhyaksha\|Willemen\|1998\|p=39}} In 1978, ''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]] at the [[25th National Film Awards]]. The jury noted John's usage of the verses of Tamil poet [[Subramania Bharati]] "for creating a parable set against the orthodoxies and superstitions of a Brahmin village community".<ref>{{cite web\|title=25th National Film Festival of India\|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx\|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]\|access-date=11 January 2015\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010041511/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx\|archive-date=10 October 2014\|url-status=dead\|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was screened under the Indian panorama of the [[International Film Festival of India]] in 1978.<ref name="panorama">{{Cite web\|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf\|title=Indian Panorama 1979\|date=1979\|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]\|pages=104–105\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106110851/http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf\|archive-date=6 January 2017\|url-status=bot: unknown\|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book\|title=Film World\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o3lTAAAAYAAJ\|year=1979\|pages=109\|publisher=T.M. Ramachandran}}</ref> Along with a few other films, it pioneered the "new wave" movement in [[Cinema of South India\|South Indian cinema]]. The film was banned in Tamil Nadu as it was seen as [[Historical Vedic religion\|Brahmanical]] [[Prejudice\|bigotry]] which might hurt the sentiments of Brahmins.<ref>{{Cite news \|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/our-tooeasily-offended-public/article6555455.ece \|title=Our too-easily offended public \|last=V. Raman \|first=Mohan \|date=1 November 2014 \|work=[[The Hindu]] \|access-date=11 January 2015 \|author-link=Mohan Raman}}</ref> [[Doordarshan]] was forced to cancel a scheduled telecast of the film.<ref name=sundayindian /> The film was seen as an 'under-appreciated' work but is regarded as a classic now.<ref>{{cite news\|last1=Subramanian\|first1=Karthik\|title=Fame by frame\|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/fame-by-frame/article2579936.ece\|access-date=11 January 2015\|work=The Hindu\|date=29 October 2011}}</ref> The film gave a much needed breakthrough for John Abraham. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included it among the 100 greatest films of all-time in Indian cinema.<ref name=ibn />

	== References ==		== References ==
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	== Bibliography ==		== Bibliography ==
	* {{~~cite~~ book \| url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf \| title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema \| publisher= [[Oxford University Press]] \| ~~last1~~=~~Rajadhyaksha~~ \| ~~first1~~=~~Ashish~~ \| ~~last2~~=~~Willemen~~ \| ~~first2~~=Paul ~~\| year=1998~~ \| orig-~~year~~=1994 ~~\| isbn=0-19-563579-5~~ }}		* {{Cite book \|last1=Rajadhyaksha \|first1=Ashish \|url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf \|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema \|last2=Willemen \|first2=Paul \|publisher=[[British Film Institute]] and [[Oxford University Press]] \|year=1998 \|isbn=0-19-563579-5 \|author-link=Ashish Rajadhyaksha \|author-link2=Paul Willemen \|orig-date=1994}}

	== External links ==		== External links ==
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	[[Category:1970s avant-garde and experimental films]]		[[Category:1970s avant-garde and experimental films]]
	[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]		[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
			[[Category:Films scored by M. B. Sreenivasan]]
	[[Category:Indian avant-garde and experimental films]]		[[Category:Indian avant-garde and experimental films]]
	~~[[Category:Indian films]]~~
	[[Category:Films about animals]]		[[Category:Films about animals]]
	[[Category:Films directed by John Abraham]]		[[Category:Films directed by John Abraham]]

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{{short description|1977 film by John Abraham}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Agraharathil Kazhutai
| image = Agraharathil Kazhuthai.jpg
| caption = Poster in [[Malayalam]]
| writer = [[Venkat Swaminathan]]
| starring = [[M. B. Sreenivasan]]<br />Swathi
| director = [[John Abraham (director)|John Abraham]]
| producer = [[Charly John]]<br />John Abraham
| cinematography = [[Ramachandra Babu]]<ref name="panorama" />
| editing = [[Ravi (editor)|Ravi]]
| studio = [[Nirmithi Films]]<ref name="panorama" />
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1977||}}
| runtime = 96 minutes{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=430}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| music = M. B. Sreenivasan<ref name="panorama" />
}}
'''''Agraharathil Kazhutai''''' ({{trans|Donkey in the Brahmin ghetto}}) is a 1977 [[Tamil language]] [[Satire|satirical film]]. Directed by [[avant-garde]] film-maker [[John Abraham (director)|John Abraham]], the film had its screenplay by film critic [[Venkat Swaminathan]]. This was John's second film (his first in Tamil). Made as satire on the Brahminical bigotry and superstition, a donkey becomes the central character in the film. At the [[25th National Film Awards]], the film won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil|Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]]. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included the film in its list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time. It was inspired by [[Robert Bresson]]'s French film ''[[Au Hasard Balthazar]]''.

== Plot ==
Narayanaswami, a professor and resident of a Brahmin village, adopts a new-born donkey after an enraged crowd kills its mother. The donkey becomes the sole companion to Uma, a deaf-mute maid who works in Narayanaswami's house. There is chaos among the villagers upon the arrival of the donkey and children start playing pranks on the donkey. Thinking that having a donkey in the village will ruin them, the villagers attack and kill the donkey. Soon after its death, miracles start happening in the village. Slowly people believe all that is because of the donkey and start worshipping its dead body. They arrange for a ritual funeral for the donkey before burning it. The fire spreads around the village and kills many people; Narayanaswami and Uma are the only survivors.

== Cast ==
*[[M. B. Sreenivasan]] as Narayanaswami{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=430}}
*Swathi as Uma{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=430}}

== Production ==
A graduate of the [[Film and Television Institute of India]], [[John Abraham (director)|John Abraham]] assisted [[Mani Kaul]] in ''[[Uski Roti]]'' (1969) before getting a break as an independent director in the 1971 Malayalam film ''[[Vidhyarthikale Ithile Ithile]]''. ''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' was his second feature film and first one in Tamil.<ref name=sundayindian>{{cite news|last1=A|first1=Sreekumar|title=The legend of John|url=http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/the-legend-of-john/7/36696/|work=The Sunday Indian|access-date=11 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=ibn>{{cite web|title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-89.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425235230/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-89.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 April 2013|publisher=[[IBN Live]]|date=17 April 2013|access-date=6 May 2013}}</ref> He cited [[Robert Bresson]]'s French film ''[[Au Hasard Balthazar]]'' as an inspiration for ''Agraharathil Kazhutai''. Shooting locations included [[Loyola College, Chennai|Loyola College]] and [[Kundrathur]] near [[Chengalpattu]].{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=430}} The film took five years to complete.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/john-the-iconic-filmmaker-comes-alive-on-screen/article24125167.ece |title=John, the iconic filmmaker, comes alive on screen |last=Sudhish |first=Navamy |date=9 June 2018 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=15 June 2018}}</ref>

== Reception ==

''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' received international acclaim.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=39}} In 1978, ''Agraharathil Kazhutai'' won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil]] at the [[25th National Film Awards]]. The jury noted John's usage of the verses of Tamil poet [[Subramania Bharati]] "for creating a parable set against the orthodoxies and superstitions of a Brahmin village community".<ref>{{cite web|title=25th National Film Festival of India|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|access-date=11 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010041511/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm25thNFAAward.aspx|archive-date=10 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was screened under the Indian panorama of the [[International Film Festival of India]] in 1978.<ref name="panorama">{{Cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf|title=Indian Panorama 1979|date=1979|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]|pages=104–105|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106110851/http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1978-79.pdf|archive-date=6 January 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Film World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o3lTAAAAYAAJ|year=1979|page=109|publisher=T.M. Ramachandran}}</ref> Along with a few other films, it pioneered the "new wave" movement in [[Cinema of South India|South Indian cinema]]. The film was banned in Tamil Nadu as it was seen as [[Historical Vedic religion|Brahmanical]] [[Prejudice|bigotry]] which might hurt the sentiments of Brahmins.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/our-tooeasily-offended-public/article6555455.ece |title=Our too-easily offended public |last=V. Raman |first=Mohan |date=1 November 2014 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=11 January 2015 |author-link=Mohan Raman}}</ref> [[Doordarshan]] was forced to cancel a scheduled telecast of the film.<ref name=sundayindian /> The film was seen as an 'under-appreciated' work but is regarded as a classic now.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Subramanian|first1=Karthik|title=Fame by frame|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/fame-by-frame/article2579936.ece|access-date=11 January 2015|work=The Hindu|date=29 October 2011}}</ref> The film gave a much needed breakthrough for John Abraham. In 2013, [[IBN Live]] included it among the 100 greatest films of all-time in Indian cinema.<ref name=ibn />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book | url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf | title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema | publisher= [[Oxford University Press]] | last1=Rajadhyaksha | first1=Ashish | last2=Willemen | first2=Paul | year=1998 | orig-year=1994 | isbn=0-19-563579-5 }}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0077131|title=Agraharathil Kazhuthai}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|agraharathil_kazhuthai}}

{{John Abraham (director)}}
{{NationalFilmAwardBestFeatureFilmTamil}}

[[Category:1970s avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Films about animals]]
[[Category:Films directed by John Abraham]]
[[Category:1970s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Indian independent films]]
[[Category:Indian satirical films]]
[[Category:Best Tamil Feature Film National Film Award winners]]