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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Naanal
| image = Naanal film poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[K. Balachander]]
| writer = K. Balachander
| based_on = {{based on|''Naanal''|K. Balachander}}
| producer = G. V. Saravanan
| starring = [[R. Muthuraman]] [[K. R. Vijaya]] [[Major Sundarrajan]] [[Sowcar Janaki]] [[Srikanth (actor, born 1940)|Srikanth]] [[Nagesh]]
| cinematography = P. N. Sundaram
| editing = N. R. Kittu S. Muthu
| music = [[V. Kumar]]
| studio = Saravana Pictures
| released = {{film date|1965|12|24|df=y}}
| runtime = 135 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Naanal''''' ({{translation|[[Reed (plant)|Reed]]}} cane) is a 1965 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[crime comedy film]], written and directed by [[K. Balachander]]. It is based on his play of the same name. The film stars [[R. Muthuraman]], [[Major Sundarrajan]], [[Srikanth (actor, born 1940)|Srikanth]], [[Sowcar Janaki]], [[K. R. Vijaya]] and [[Nagesh]]. It was released on 24 December 1965 and failed at the box office.

== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=May 2021}}
Four jailbirds escape from prison to take revenge on the judge who sentenced them. They take over his house, and the film builds around the judge and his family escaping from them.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[R. Muthuraman]] as Inspector Baskaran
* [[Major Sundarrajan]] as Prisoner Arasu
* [[Sowcar Janaki]] as Savitri
* [[K. R. Vijaya]] as Jaya, Raghunathan's sister
* [[Srikanth (actor, born 1940)|Srikanth]] as Murali
* [[Nagesh]] as Pattabi Raman
* [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Lakshmi
* [[Shoba]]
* [[K. Vijayan]] as Judge Raghunathan
* Gemini Mali as Prisoner David
* Hari Krishnan as Prisoner Bairavan
* I. S. R. as Kesavan
* [[Typist Gopu]] as Milk Man
}}

== Production ==
''Naanal'' was a play written by [[K. Balachander]] and inspired by the film ''[[The Desperate Hours (1955 film)|The Desperate Hours]]'' (1955).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gopalie |first=S. |year=1969 |title=Tamil {{!}} (In)significant |url=http://theatreforum.in/static/upload/docs/Enact_69.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043807/http://theatreforum.in/static/upload/docs/Enact_69.pdf |archive-date=6 March 2019 |access-date=6 November 2021 |magazine=Enact |pages=13–15 |issue=25}}</ref> After the release of ''[[Neerkumizhi]]'' (1965), Balachander decided to adapt ''The Desperate Hours'' as the story for his next play after being impressed by the plot.<ref name="kalki">{{Cite magazine |last=பாலசந்தர் |first=கே. |author-link=K. Balachander |date=12 February 1995 |title=நினைவலைகள் – 28 |trans-title=Reminiscences – 28 |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1995-02-12/kalki1995-02-12.pdf |access-date=25 June 2024 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=49–51 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> ''Naanal'' was later adapted by him into a film with the same name after the producer Velumani felt it had potential.<ref name="kalki" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1965 – நாணல் – சரவணா பிக். (மேடை நாடகம்) |trans-title=1965 – Naanal – Saravana Pic. (stage play) |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1965-cinedetails26.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190304051519/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1965-cinedetails26.asp |archive-date=4 March 2019 |access-date=4 March 2019 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=ta}}</ref> ''Naanal'' marked the feature film debut of [[Typist Gopu]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 March 2019 |title=Veteran Tamil actor 'typist' Gopu passes away in Chennai |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/veteran-tamil-actor-typist-gopu-passes-away-chennai-97885 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303213640/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/veteran-tamil-actor-typist-gopu-passes-away-chennai-97885 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |access-date=6 November 2021 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

When the film was submitted to the [[Central Board of Film Certification|censor board]] for certification, an official raised objection against the film's concept, believing it may influence criminals in real life to take revenge in a similar manner and instructed Balachander to change the story and film it again. Balachander, who was shocked by this decision as the film was nearing its release, made changes to the film like redubbing lines of "Judge" and replacing it with "Durai" while also shooting a flashback scene to show the reason for the criminals' anger against the film's protagonist in one day and added it in the film. After making these changes, the certification was given.<ref name="kalki" />

== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[V. Kumar]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 December 1965 |title=Naanal |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/naanal/qkserKZxmZY_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043435/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/naanal/qkserKZxmZY_ |archive-date=6 March 2019 |access-date=4 March 2019 |website=[[JioSaavn]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 2 |date=November 2016 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=205–206 |language=ta}}</ref> Historian [[A. R. Venkatachalapathy]] wrote, "[<nowiki/>[[Suratha]]] had a knack for compiling data, making lists and turning them into poetry", citing "Vinnukku Melaadai" in ''Naanal'' as an example.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Venkatachalapathy |first=A.R. |author-link=A. R. Venkatachalapathy |date=17 June 2021 |title=Suradha: The poet of similes |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/suradha-the-poet-of-similes/article34841499.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629010038/https://www.thehindu.com/books/suradha-the-poet-of-similes/article34841499.ece |archive-date=29 June 2021 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Songs !! Singers !! Lyricists!! Length
|-
| "Ennathaan Paaduvathu" || [[P. Susheela]] || rowspan="3" |[[Alangudi Somu]]|| 03:59
|-
| "Kuyil Koovi Thuyil Ezhuppa" || [[Soolamangalam Sisters|Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi]] || 02:52
|-
| "Kuyil Koovi Thuyil Ezhuppa" – Sad || Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi & [[Major Sundarrajan]] (dialogues) || 03:26
|-
| "Vinnukku Melaadai" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]] & P. Susheela || [[Suratha]]|| 05:39
|}

== Release and reception ==
''Naanal'' was released on 24 December 1965.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 December 1965 |title=Naanal |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19651224&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=18 December 2017 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=10 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> T. M. Ramachandran of ''[[Sport and Pastime]]'' positively reviewed the film, praising Sundarrajan's performance more than the other cast members.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=T. M. |date=12 February 1966 |title=Naanal |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.20950/page/n339/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230209055015/https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.20950/page/n339/mode/2up |archive-date=9 February 2023 |access-date=9 February 2023 |magazine=[[Sport and Pastime]] |page=42 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |volume=20}}</ref> ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' gave the film a less positive review, comparing it unfavourably to the source play.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=9 January 1966 |title=நாணல் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1966-01-09/page/n10/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230209055843/https://archive.org/details/kalki1966-01-09/page/n10/mode/2up |archive-date=9 February 2023 |access-date=9 February 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=9 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The film did not do well at the box-office.<ref name="kalki" />

== Legacy ==
The storyline of [[Crazy Mohan]]'s play ''Crazy Thieves in Palavakkam'' was inspired by ''Naanal''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramakrishnan |first=Deepa H. |date=1 September 2016 |title='Crazy Thieves' all set to return |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/%E2%80%98Crazy-Thieves%E2%80%99-all-set-to-return/article14617837.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218074737/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/%E2%80%98Crazy-Thieves%E2%80%99-all-set-to-return/article14617837.ece |archive-date=18 December 2017 |access-date=18 December 2017 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{K. Balachander}}
[[Category:1960s crime comedy films]]
[[Category:1965 Indian films]]
[[Category:1965 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1965 films]]
[[Category:Censored films]]
[[Category:Film censorship in India]]
[[Category:Films about home invasion]]
[[Category:Films about hostage takings]]
[[Category:Films based on adaptations]]
[[Category:Films directed by K. Balachander]]
[[Category:Films scored by V. Kumar]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by K. Balachander]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian crime comedy films]]
[[Category:Indian films about revenge]]
[[Category:Indian films based on plays]]
[[Category:Tamil-language crime comedy films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Works subject to expurgation]]

Naanal (film) - Revision history

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