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Content updated and refined

>JJMC89 bot III: Merging :Category:Tamil film scores by Ilaiyaraaja to :Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 March 13#Film scores by language

2021-04-05T07:47:07Z

Merging Category:Tamil film scores by Ilaiyaraaja to Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 March 13#Film scores by language

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{{about || the 1953 film|Azhagi (1953 film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Azhagi
| image = Azhagi 2002 poster.jpg
| director = [[Thangar Bachchan]]
| writer = [[Thangar Bachchan]]
| starring = [[Parthiban]]<br />[[Nandita Das]]<br />[[Devayani (actress)|Devayani]]<br />[[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]]
| producer = Udhaya Geetha
| cinematography = [[Thangar Bachchan]]
| editing = [[B. Lenin]]<br />[[V. T. Vijayan]]
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| studio = Uthaya Geetha Productions
| distributor = Uthaya Geetha Productions
| released = 14 January 2002
| runtime = 155 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Azhagi''''' ({{audio|Ta-அழகி.ogg|pronunciation}}) ({{trans|''Beautiful lady''}}) is a 2002 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[romantic drama film]] directed by [[Thangar Bachchan]] based on his [[short story]] titled "Kalvettugal".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dhananjayan|first=G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e07vBwAAQBAJ&q=azhagi&pg=PA411|title=PRIDE OF TAMIL CINEMA: 1931 TO 2013: Tamil Films that have earned National and International Recognition|date=2014-11-03|publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers|pages=411|language=en}}</ref> The film is critically acclaimed and stars [[Parthiban]], [[Nandita Das]] and [[Devayani (actress)|Devayani]]. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]]. The film was remade in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''Letha Manasulu'' (2004).<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/hyderabad-times/And-quiet-flows-the-dons-sidekick/articleshow/785217.cms |title=And quiet flows the don's sidekick… |last=Mohan Rao Ogirala |date=21 July 2004 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=28 November 2018}}</ref>

==Plot==
Shanmugam ([[Parthiban]]), a veterinary doctor, lives in the city with his wife Valarmati ([[Devayani (actress)|Devayani]]) and their two children. In school, Shanmugam was in love with his classmate Dhanalakshmi ([[Nandita Das]]), but fate had forced them to go their separate ways, with Dhanam being forced to wed her brother-in-law ([[Sayaji Shinde]]). One day, Shanmugam spots Dhanam, who, having lost her husband, now lives a life of poverty on the platforms with her son Balu. After an unsuccessful attempt to find her a job in a friend's house, he hires her as their servant-maid. However, memories of the past start to create a tension between Shanmugam and Dhanam, despite their attempts to maintain a distance.

One day, Valarmati finds out from Shanmugam's old classmates how they both were in love when they were young, and she starts fearing that Shanmugam will leave her and her children for Dhanam. Valarmati becomes so distraught that she even humiliates Dhanam at a party organized by one of their friends. When they return home, Valarmati confronts Shanmugam, and an argument ensues. Dhanam overhears their argument and silently goes to bed. The next morning, Dhanam and Balu are nowhere to be found. When Shanmugam searches the house, he finds a letter written by Dhanam saying that she wants Valarmati and Shanmugam to be happy and that she doesn't want to come between them. Soon, Valarmati realizes the truth and wants to bring Dhanam back home and ask her for her forgiveness.

Shanmugam searches high and low for them and at last finds Balu in an orphanage. The matron informs them that his mother had left instructions that her son should remain at the orphanage till her return. However, when the matron questions Balu, he replies that he wants to go with Shanmugam and stay in their house and to tell his mother that he is there when she returns. The matron agrees and lets him go. At the beginning of the movie, it is mentioned that Balu has been adopted by Shanmugam but still continues to call him "Sir" and never "Father or "Dad". As Shanmugam leaves for home from the orphanage, he mentions that he is still searching for Dhanam's whereabouts to that day.

==Cast==
{{Colbegin}}
* [[Parthiban]] as Shanmugam (Veterinary Doctor)
* [[Nandita Das]] as Dhanalakshmi aka Dhanam
** [[Monica (actress)|Monica]] as Young Dhanalakshmi aka Dhanam
* [[Devayani (actress)|Devayani]] as Valarmati
* [[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]] as Veterinary Doctor Desigan
* [[Pandu (actor)|Pandu]] as Shanmugam's assistant, Minister
* [[Loose Mohan]] as Pandu's father-in-law
* [[Sayaji Shinde]] as Dhanalakshmi's husband
* [[Pyramid Natarajan]]
* [[Periyar Dasan]]
* [[Elango Kumaravel]]
* [[George Maryan]]
* Ram Saravana as Shanmugam (Child artist)
{{Colend}}

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Azhagi
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 2002
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length =
| label = Roja/Mass Audios
| producer =
| prev_title = [[Usire]]
| prev_year = 2001
| year = 2002
| next_title = [[Devan (film)|Devan]]
| next_year = 2002
}}

The soundtrack features songs composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]], with lyrics by Ilaiyaraaja, Palani Bharathi and Karunanithi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0000383 |title=''Azhagi Soundtrack'' at Raaga|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232443/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000383 |date=14 October 2008 |archive-date=14 October 2008|work=Raaga}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable tracklist" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song
!Lyrics!! Singer(s)
|-
|"Paattu Solli Paada Solli"
|Ilaiyaraaja||[[Sadhana Sargam]]
|-
|"Damakku Damakku Dum"
|Palani Bharathi||[[Bhavatharini]], Chorus
|-
|"Un Kuthama En Kuthama"
|Ilaiyaraaja||Ilaiyaraaja
|-
|"Oru Sundari Vandhalam"
|Karunanithi||[[P. Unni Krishnan]], Sadhana Sargam, [[Malgudi Subha]]
|-
|"Oliyile Therivadhu Devadhaya"
|Ilaiyaraaja||[[Karthik (singer)|Karthik]], Bhavatharini
|-
|"Kuruvi Kodanja"
|Palani Bharathi||[[Pushpavanam Kuppusamy]], [[Swarnalatha]]
|}

==Awards==
[[National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer]] received by [[Sadhana Sargam]] for the song "Pattu Solli"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm49NFAAward.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224105444/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm49NFAAward.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-12-24|title=Directorate of Film Festival|date=2013-12-24|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref>

[[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://portal.bsnl.in/intranetnews.asp?url=/bsnl/asp/content%20mgmt/html%20content/entertainment/entertainment14489.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721152719/http://portal.bsnl.in/intranetnews.asp?url=%2Fbsnl%2Fasp%2Fcontent%20mgmt%2Fhtml%20content%2Fentertainment%2Fentertainment14489.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2011|date=2011-07-21|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Azhagi Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos {{!}} eTimes|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/azhagi/movieshow/61316476.cms|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref>

== Reception ==

=== Critical reception ===
Sify.com wrote "''Azhagi'' is a much talked about film, as it promises to usher in good cinema. The debutant director of the film is Thankar Bachchan,who has made a name for himself as one of the best cinematographers in Tamil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/movies/azhagi-review-tamil-pclunkhdjbbjh.html|title=Azhagi|website=Sify|language=en|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref>

G Dhananjayan in his book ''"Pride of Tamil Cinema 1931-2013"'' says " A trendsetting film shows how childhood love remains in the hearts of people even after they have grown up and settled in their adult lives. It made a deep impact among the audience and aspiring film makers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Dhananjayan|first=G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e07vBwAAQBAJ&q=azhagi&pg=PA411|title=PRIDE OF TAMIL CINEMA: 1931 TO 2013: Tamil Films that have earned National and International Recognition|date=2014-11-03|publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers|pages=410|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0459186|Azhagi}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232443/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000383 ''Azhagi Soundtrack'' at Raaga]
* [https://archive.today/20130201184828/http://www.sanidapa.com/search/Azhagi/1/mp3/all/c0 ''Azhagi Mp3 songs'' at Sanidapa]
{{Thangar Bachan}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestTamilMovie}}

[[Category:2002 films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:2000s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:2002 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Indian romantic drama films]]
[[Category:2002 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Thangar Bachan]]

Azhagi (2002 film) - Revision history

Gurupratap Rajan: Content updated and refined

>JJMC89 bot III: Merging :Category:Tamil film scores by Ilaiyaraaja to :Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 March 13#Film scores by language