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{{short description|1976 film by A. C. Tirulokchandar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Bhadrakali
| image = Bhadrakali film poster.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[A. C. Tirulokchandar]]
| screenplay = A. C. Tirulokchandar<br />[[Aaroor Dass]] (dialogues)
| based_on = {{based on|''Bhadrakali''|[[Maharishi (writer)|Maharishi]]}}
| producer = A. C. Tirulokchandar
| starring = {{unbulleted list|[[Sivakumar]]|[[Rani Chandra]]}}
| cinematography = Viswanath Rai
| editing = B. Kandaswamy
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| studio = Cine Bharath
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1976|12|10}}
| runtime = 139 minutes{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=427}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
'''''Bhadrakali''''' ({{Translation|Protector Kali}}) is a 1976 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[psychological drama]] film starring [[Sivakumar]] and [[Rani Chandra]]. Produced and directed by [[A. C. Tirulokchandar]], it is an adaptation of the 1976 novel of the same name written by [[Maharishi (writer)|Maharishi]]. The soundtrack and film score were composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]]. The film was remade in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] with the same name in 1977, in [[Malayalam]] as ''[[Pichipoo]]'' in 1978 and in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Baawri]]'' in 1982, by the same director.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arunachalam |first=Param |title=BollySwar: 1981–1990 |publisher=Mavrix Infotech |year=2020 |isbn=9788193848227 |pages=123}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Piousji |date=June 1982 |title=Khaas Baat |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.20974/page/n515/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240409095752/https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.20974/page/n515/mode/2up |archive-date=9 April 2024 |access-date=9 April 2024 |magazine=Sunday |page=57 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |volume=9}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Gayathri, a docile [[Brahmin]] girl, is married to Ganesh, a conservative Brahmin. Gayathri suffers from a fear psychosis and gets frightened of even small things. They are a happy couple with an infant daughter Alamelu. Once Gayathri attends an interview and returns home dazed. From then on, her behaviour becomes abnormal and unpredictable, which affects her family life. Slowly, she loses her mental balance and people around her, including her child, husband and mother-in-law, are afraid to come anywhere near her. Nobody is able to comprehend the basis for her erratic behaviour and all efforts to get her treated fail. She accidentally kills her child, after which Ganesh's mother advises him to divorce her and remarry, and he relents. Gayathri is taken back to her parents’ home by her father. Ganesan marries Jayanthi, the daughter of advocate Ananthu, on the persuasion of his mother.

Jayanthi learns about Ganesh's first marriage and subsequent divorce only after the wedding. Though Jayanthi is initially upset, she gets reconciled. The mentally imbalanced Gayathri keeps visiting Ganesh's house even after their divorce. One day, she barges into their bedroom and attacks Jayanthi when she is intimate with Ganesh. An upset Ganesh advises Gayathri's father to move her out of town and he complies. Jayanthi gives birth to Ganesh's daughter Rukmini. Gayathri's life takes a new turn in the new town. An unknown person attempts to kill her when she is alone; she fights him and gets injured in the process. As a result, she regains her memory and sanity, and recollects what happened to her.

Gayathri reveals to her parents that what she went through and why she behaved in an unpredictable manner. On the day she was returning from the interview, she witnessed a person murdering a girl in an isolated bungalow. Since Gayathri was the only witness, the murderer chased her and attempted to kill her. In the process, she lost her mental balance out of fear. Her parents become happy with her return to normalcy. She understands the changed scenario of her life, including the death of her child and divorce, and reconciles to live alone. She takes up a job and refuses to collect further alimony from Ganesh.

Rukmini is kidnapped by Kandappan, who previously worked as Jayanthi's driver and had fallen in love with her. Ananthu had implicated Kandappan in a false case and got him arrested to keep him away from Jayanthi. Exploiting Kandappan's absence, he got Jayanthi married to Ganesh. To take revenge, Kandappan has kidnapped Rukmini and demands that Jayanthi have sex with him for getting her child back. Jayanthi reaches his place and prays for her escape with the child. At the same time, Gayathri, who learns about the kidnapping from her mother-in-law, reaches the spot. She recognises Kandappan as the murderer. After becoming possessed by goddess [[Bhadrakali]], she fights Kandappan who ultimately dies after being impaled. Gayathri, who was also injured, succumbs in Ganesh's arms after having saved his daughter.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Sivakumar]] as Ganesh{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=272}}
* [[Rani Chandra]] as Gayathri{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=427}}
* [[Major Sundarrajan]] as Gayathri's father{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=272}}
* Rajasekaran as Kandappan{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=273}}
* [[Thengai Srinivasan]] as Ananthu{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=272}}
* [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Parameshwari
* [[Bhavani (actress)|Bhavani]] as Jayanthi{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=427}}
* [[Sukumari]] as Ganesh's mother<ref name="hindutamil" />
* S. R. Sivakami as Gayathri's mother<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=12 November 2010 |title=Emotional recall |url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2010/11/12/stories/2010111250120200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419030846/http://hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2010/11/12/stories/2010111250120200.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |access-date=19 April 2014 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
}}

== Production ==
Tirulokchandar decided to produce and direct a film based on ''Bhadrakali'', a 1976 novel by [[Maharishi (writer)|Maharishi]].<ref name="MM1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=29 September 2019 |title=Novelist Maharishi, famed for Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri, no more |url=http://cms.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/sep/29/novelist-maharishi-famed-for-bhuvana-oru-kelvi-kuri-no-more-2040622.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914072621/http://cms.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/sep/29/novelist-maharishi-famed-for-bhuvana-oru-kelvi-kuri-no-more-2040622.html |archive-date=14 September 2020 |access-date=18 September 2020 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> Tirulokchandar produced the film under his home production company Cine Bharath and wrote the screenplay, while [[Aaroor Dass]] wrote the dialogues.{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=427}}<ref name="cinemaexpress" /> Tirulokchandar chose Sivakumar as the male lead and while looking for a new face to cast as the female lead, they chose Rani Chandra, a [[Malayali]] actress, and planned to introduce her to the Tamil audience under the name "Gayathri".<ref name="MM1" /> Prior to acting in this film, Rani Chandra had acted in about 60 films in Malayalam apart from ''Porchilai'' (1969) and ''[[Then Sindhudhe Vaanam]]'' (1975) in Tamil. ''Bhadrakali'' was considered her first major role in Tamil as she played minor roles in her earlier films in the language.<ref name="MM1" />

During the final stages of filming, Rani Chandra along with her mother and sisters went to [[Dubai]] to take part in a cultural programme.<ref name="cinemaexpress" /> When they were on a return from Bombay to Madras on 11 October 1976, their plane caught fire and crashed near the airport, killing all the passengers.<ref name="hindu1" /> By then, 60% of filming was complete.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=18 June 2016 |title=A director who stood tall |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/A-director-who-stood-tall/article14429883.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619080951/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/actors-share-memories-of-a-c-trilokchander/article8745794.ece |archive-date=19 June 2016 |access-date=18 September 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> As a result of Rani Chandra's death, a few unfinished portions of her were shot using a [[look-alike]],<ref name="hindu1" /> named Pushpa, a group dancer. Apart from a few scenes involving the female lead, the climax portions were fully shot using Pushpa.<ref name="hindu1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=30 April 2012 |title=ராணி சந்திரா இறந்ததால் 'பத்ரகாளி' படத்தை முடிப்பதில் ஏற்பட்ட நெருக்கடி: இறுதிக் காட்சியை திறமையாக படமாக்கினார், திருலோகசந்தர் |trans-title=Rani Chandra's demise created problems in completing the film ''Bhadrakali'': Tirulokachander brilliantly captured the climax |url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/04/30190237/thirilogasandan-direct-pathira.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408001753/http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/04/30190237/thirilogasandan-direct-pathira.html |archive-date=8 April 2014 |access-date=6 April 2014 |work=[[Maalai Malar]] |language=Tamil}}</ref> Tirulokchandar was not fully convinced with the idea to shoot with a look-alike as Pushpa slightly resembled Rani. However, Viswanath Rai, the cinematographer encouraged him to go with the idea of look-alike and used different camera angles and long shots for scenes involving Pushpa.<ref name="hindu" /> The character's voice was dubbed by Soundaram.<ref name="hindutamil" />

== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]] and the lyrics were written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bhadrakali |url=https://gaana.com/album/bhadrakali-tamil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227165737/http://gaana.com/album/bhadrakali-tamil |archive-date=27 February 2017 |access-date=18 September 2020 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> The song "Kannan Oru Kaikuzhandhai" is set in [[Mohanam]] raga.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 June 2018 |title=இளையராஜா 75 |url=https://www.dinamani.com/weekly-supplements/dinamani-kondattam/2018/jun/17/%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BE-75-2940953.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230203055112/https://www.dinamani.com/weekly-supplements/dinamani-kondattam/2018/jun/17/%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BE-75-2940953.html |archive-date=3 February 2023 |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=[[Dinamani]] |language=ta}}</ref> The song "Kettele" was banned at [[All India Radio]] due to its alleged vulgar lyrics.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rajamani |first=Rajesh |date=7 June 2020 |title=To Appreciate Ilaiyaraaja's Anti-Caste Politics, You Have To Listen To His Music |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/to-appreciate-ilaiyaraaja-s-anti-caste-politics-you-have-to-listen-to-his-music_in_5eda5614c5b6817661649db5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406072615/https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/to-appreciate-ilaiyaraaja-s-anti-caste-politics-you-have-to-listen-to-his-music_in_5eda5614c5b6817661649db5 |archive-date=6 April 2021 |access-date=20 September 2020 |work=[[HuffPost]] |location=India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Niyappa |first=Plum |date=30 January 2018 |title=Ilaiyaraaja Is Dalit; There's No Need To Shy Away From Stating It |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/ilaiyaraaja-is-dalit-theres-no-need-to-shy-away-from-stating-it/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411181443/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/ilaiyaraaja-is-dalit-theres-no-need-to-shy-away-from-stating-it/ |archive-date=11 April 2021 |access-date=2 January 2024 |website=Silverscreen India}}</ref> It was remixed by [[Dhina]] for ''[[Guru Sishyan (2010 film)|Guru Sishyan]]'' (2010).<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2009 |title=Hit song Vaangonna remixed for Guru Sishyan |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2009/dec/10/hit-song-vaangonna-remixed-for-guru-sishyan-111833.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822134134/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2009/dec/10/hit-song-vaangonna-remixed-for-guru-sishyan-111833.html |archive-date=22 August 2023 |access-date=22 August 2023 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=27 August 2025 |title=இளையராஜா பாட்டுக்கு தடை போட்ட ஆல் இந்தியா ரேடியோ: அந்த பாடல்களை ரீமேக் செய்த சுந்தர்.சி: ரெண்டுமே ஹிட்டு தான்! |trans-title=All India Radio banned Ilaiyaraaja's songs: Sundar C remade those songs: Both were hits |url=https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/all-india-radio-banned-2-ilayaraja-tamil-songs-update-in-tamil-9760361 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828013538/https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/all-india-radio-banned-2-ilayaraja-tamil-songs-update-in-tamil-9760361 |archive-date=28 August 2025 |access-date=28 August 2025 |website=[[The Indian Express]] |language=ta}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singers !! Length
|-
| "Anandha Bhairavi" || Chorus || 03:50
|-
| "Kannan Oru" || [[K. J. Yesudas]], [[P. Susheela]] || 04:40
|-
| "Kettele" || P. Susheela || 04:40
|-
| "Odugindral" || [[Sirkazhi Govindarajan]] || 03:21
|-
| "Oththa Rooba" || [[Malaysia Vasudevan]], [[S. Janaki]] || 03:12
|}

== Release and reception ==
''Bhadrakali'' was released on 10 December 1976,<ref name="hindutamil" /> received unanimous acclaim and became a box office success.<ref name="hindu" /> Rani Chandra's portrayal as a Brahmin housewife was well received.<ref name="MM1" /> ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]'' said, "It is a daring effort to bring out the script of a Tamil writer in a high quality film format. Dialogues by [Aaroor] Das have depth and the film deserves our appreciation!"{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=273}} Kanthan of ''Kalki'' praised the performances of cast and also praised the makers for adapting the source material well on the screen, called Aaroor Das's dialogues as short and sweet and concluded by calling it as a different kind of film.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=2 January 1977 |title=பத்ரகாளி |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1977/jan/02-01-1977/p62.jpg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220728101215/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1977/jan/02-01-1977/p62.jpg |archive-date=28 July 2022 |access-date=4 March 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=62 |language=Ta}}</ref>

== References ==
<references>

<ref name="hindutamil">{{Cite web |date=26 April 2021 |title=திரைப்படச்சோலை 26: 'பத்ரகாளி' ராணி சந்திரா |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/663733-thiraipada-solai-26.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508235622/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/663733-thiraipada-solai-26.html |archive-date=8 May 2021 |access-date=12 July 2021 |website=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=ta}}</ref>
<ref name="MM1">{{Cite news |date=17 February 2012 |title='பத்ரகாளி' படத்தின் கதாநாயகி நடிகை ராணி சந்திரா விமான விபத்தில் மரணம் |trans-title=''Bhadrakali'' fame Rani Chandra died in a plane crash |url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/02/17200935/pathrakali-film-actress-dead-p.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408000247/http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2012/02/17200935/pathrakali-film-actress-dead-p.html |archive-date=8 April 2014 |access-date=6 April 2014 |work=[[Maalai Malar]] |language=Tamil}}</ref>
<ref name="hindu1">{{Cite news |last=Nair |first=Sashi |date=9 September 2003 |title=Their SHOT at fame |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2003/09/09/stories/2003090900170400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629110936/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2003/09/09/stories/2003090900170400.htm |archive-date=29 June 2013 |access-date=19 April 2014 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
<ref name="hindu">{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=25 March 2011 |title=Moorings and musings |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Moorings-and-musings/article14959853.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127113934/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/moorings-and-musings/article1567568.ece |archive-date=27 November 2014 |access-date=18 September 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
<ref name="cinemaexpress">{{Cite news |title=எம்.ஜி.ஆர் பார்முலா இல்லாத எம்.ஜி.ஆர் படம் எடுத்தேன்! – இயக்குநர் ஏ.சி. திருலோகசந்தர் |trans-title=I made an MGR film without his usual formula – Director A. C. Tirulokachander |url=http://www.cinemaexpress.com/cinemaexpress/story.aspx?Title=%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D.%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF.%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BE+%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A4+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D.%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF.%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D!+-+%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8F.%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF.+%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D&artid=109661&SectionID=128&MainSectionID=128&SectionName=News&SEO= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235526/http://www.cinemaexpress.com/cinemaexpress/story.aspx?Title=%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D.%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF.%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BE+%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A4+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D.%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF.%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D!+-+%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8F.%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF.+%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D&artid=109661&SectionID=128&MainSectionID=128&SectionName=News&SEO= |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=6 April 2014 |work=[[Cinema Express]] |language=Tamil}}</ref>

</references>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |author-link=G. Dhananjayan |title=The Best of Tamil Cinema, 1931 to 2010: 1931–1976 |publisher=Galatta Media |year=2011 |oclc=733724281}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |author-link=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |author-link2=Paul Willemen |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] and [[Oxford University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-563579-5 |orig-date=1994}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}

{{A. C. Tirulokchandar}}

[[Category:1976 Indian films]]
[[Category:1970s psychological drama films]]
[[Category:1976 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1976 films]]
[[Category:Films about mental disorders]]
[[Category:Films based on Tamil novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by A. C. Thirulokachandar]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian psychological drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]

Bhadrakali (film) - Revision history

Gretta18W5803957: Stub