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{{short description|1986 film by Manivannan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Palaivana Rojakkal.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Manivannan]]
| screenplay = [[M. Karunanidhi]]
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Vartha]]''|[[T. Damodaran]]}}
| producer = [[Murasoli Selvam]]
| starring = {{ubl|[[Sathyaraj]]|[[Lakshmi (actress)|Lakshmi]]|[[Nalini (actress)|Nalini]]|[[Prabhu (actor)|Prabhu]]}}
| cinematography = A. Sabapathy
| editing = P. Venkateswara Rao
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| studio = Poompuhar Productions
| distributor = N. M. T. Raman Agencies
| released = {{film date|df=y|1986|11|1}}
| runtime = 162 minutes{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=105}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
'''''Palaivana Rojakkal''''' ({{IPA|ta|paːlaɪʋaɳa ɾoːdʑaːkkaɭ|pron}} {{Translation|Desert roses}})<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=15 January 1988 |title=Rush of contenders for top place in Tamil films |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19880115-rush-of-contenders-for-top-place-in-tamil-films-796855-1988-01-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621144846/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19880115-rush-of-contenders-for-top-place-in-tamil-films-796855-1988-01-15 |archive-date=21 June 2018 |access-date=3 August 2018 |work=[[India Today]]}}</ref> is a 1986 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[political satire]] film written by [[M. Karunanidhi]] and directed by [[Manivannan]]. It is a remake of the [[Malayalam]] film ''[[Vartha]]'', released earlier the same year. The film stars [[Sathyaraj]], [[Lakshmi (actress)|Lakshmi]], [[Nalini (actress)|Nalini]] and [[Prabhu (actor)|Prabhu]]. It focuses on a journalist, his lover and his friend as they fight a corrupt system to expose unscrupulous politicians. ''Palaivana Rojakkal'' was released on 1 November 1986 and became a commercial success.

== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=June 2021}}
Journalist Sabarathnam, his lover and his friend fight a corrupt system to expose unscrupulous politicians.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Sathyaraj]] as Sabarathnam
* [[Lakshmi (actress)|Lakshmi]] as Surya<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 August 2018 |title='உங்கள் உப்பு என் உழைப்புக்குத்தானே தவிர என் உடலுக்கில்லை' – கருணாநிதியின் பெண் கதாபாத்திர வசனங்கள் #MissUKarunanidhi |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/pokkisham/133553-meet-some-female-characters-created-by-legendary-karunanidhi.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207111616/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/pokkisham/133553-meet-some-female-characters-created-by-legendary-karunanidhi.html |archive-date=7 February 2019 |access-date=7 February 2019 |work=[[Ananda Vikatan]] |language=ta}}</ref>
* [[Nalini (actress)|Nalini]] as Rani{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
* [[Prabhu (actor)|Prabhu]] as Babu{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
* [[Malaysia Vasudevan]] as VJV{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
*Vasanth as Sekar
*[[Vinu Chakravarthy]] as Aalavandhan{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
*[[S. S. Chandran]] as Kannayiram{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
* [[Delhi Ganesh]] as Chinnaiya
*[[Janagaraj]] as Majunu
*[[Vennira Aadai Moorthy]] as Aalavandhan's P.A.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
* [[Thyagu (actor)|Thyagu]] as Ekambaram{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
*[[Charuhasan]] as Sabarathnam's grandfather{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=105}}
*[[Madhuri (Tamil actress)|Madhuri]] as Shanthi
*[[Chinni Jayanth]] as Sekar's friend
*[[Kamala Kamesh]] as Saraswathi Ammal{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=106}}
*[[Vijayan (actor)|Vijayan]] (guest appearance)
}}

== Production ==
Politician [[M. Karunanidhi]]'s production company Poompuhar Productions, after a [[layoff]], sought to raise both political and financial capital. They chose to remake the 1986 [[Malayalam]] film ''[[Vartha]]'' in Tamil with the title ''Palaivana Rojakkal''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=24 April 1987 |title=Politics again |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19870424&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=6 February 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=12 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Karunanidhi wrote the screenplay, while [[Manivannan]] directed the film, which was produced by Murasoli Selvam.<ref name="IEreview" /><ref name="movie" /> [[Sathyaraj]] said he accepted to act in the film because it was a remake of a successful film and was guaranteed to do well.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sunil |first=K. P. |date=29 November 1987 |title=The Anti-Hero |url=https://ibb.co/426dJsW |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303083322/https://ibb.co/426dJsW |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |magazine=[[The Illustrated Weekly of India]] |pages=40–41 |volume=108}}</ref> Cinematography was handled by A. Sabapathi, and editing by P. Venkateswara Rao.<ref name="movie" /> Karunanidhi appeared as himself onscreen, giving the opening and closing monologues.<ref name="IEreview" /><ref name="filmcompanion" /> Some scenes were shot at ''[[Murasoli (India)|Murasoli]]'' office.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 June 2023 |title="கலைஞர் வசனம் எழுதிய படத்தில் வாய்ப்பு வழங்கியது பெரியார் தான்" – சத்யராஜ் பகிரும் சுவாரசியம்! |url=https://www.nakkheeran.in/special-articles/special-article/sathyaraj-speech-about-kalaignar |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240424140046/https://www.nakkheeran.in/special-articles/special-article/sathyaraj-speech-about-kalaignar |archive-date=24 April 2024 |access-date=24 April 2024 |website=[[Nakkheeran]] |language=ta}}</ref>

== Themes ==
''Palaivana Rojakkal'' is about the [[freedom of the press]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thiagarajan |first=Shantha |date=9 August 2018 |title=An idyllic setting that boosted M Karunanidhi's creativity |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/an-idyllic-setting-that-boosted-m-karunanidhis-creativity/articleshow/65334383.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190207094620/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/an-idyllic-setting-that-boosted-m-karunanidhis-creativity/articleshow/65334383.cms |archive-date=7 February 2019 |access-date=7 February 2019 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> and the "struggle between corrupt politicians and angry heroes".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Maderya |first=Kumudan |date=2010 |title=Rage against the state: historicizing the "angry young man" in Tamil cinema |url=https://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc52.2010/Tamil/text.html |url-status=live |journal=[[Jump Cut (journal)|Jump Cut]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170523083451/http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc52.2010/Tamil/text.html |archive-date=23 May 2017 |access-date=2 November 2017}}</ref> Writing in the ''[[Economic and Political Weekly]]'', historian [[Kanakalatha Mukund]] noted that, in contrast ''[[Parasakthi (1952 film)|Parasakthi]]'' (1952) and ''[[Manohara (film)|Manohara]]'' (1954) where Karunanidhi "virtually blasted the audience with extremely dramatic, alliterative dialogues", he used a "far more subdued and sophisticated style to convey his political message" in this film.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Mukund |first=Kanakalatha |author-link=Kanakalatha Mukund |date=13 July 1996 |title=Elites vs Subalterns or Ideology vs Methodology? |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.16399/page/n1231/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230303073936/https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.16399/page/n1231/mode/2up |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |magazine=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |publisher=Sameeksha Trust |page=1881 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |volume=31}}</ref> Film critic [[Baradwaj Rangan]] compared ''Palaivana Rojakkal'' to ''Parasakthi'' for the way they "took on the times".<ref name="filmcompanion" />

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]], while the lyrics were written by [[Gangai Amaran]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paalaivan Rojakkal Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraja |url=https://mossymart.com/product/paalaivan-rojakkal-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607041651/https://mossymart.com/product/paalaivan-rojakkal-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |archive-date=7 June 2021 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=Mossymart}}</ref>

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Kadhal Enbadhu
| extra1 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| length1 =
| title2 = Thoranthu
| extra2 = [[Vani Jairam]]
| length2 =
| title3 = Nenachathellam
| extra3 = Ilaiyaraaja
| length3 =
}}

== Release ==
''Palaivana Rojakkal'' was released on 1 November 1986, during [[Diwali]] day,{{sfn|Rathinagiri|2007|p=67}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 November 1986 |title=Palaivana Rojakkal |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19861101&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=2 November 2017 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=7 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and distributed by N. M. T. Raman Agencies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 1986 |title=Palaivana Rojakkal |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19861109&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=9 August 2023 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Despite facing competition from other Diwali releases such as ''[[Maaveeran (1986 film)|Maaveeran]]'', ''[[Punnagai Mannan]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 December 2017 |title=Rajinikanth turns 67: More than moondru mugam |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/dec/11/rajinikanth-turns-67-more-than-moondru-mugam-1724738.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180420112329/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/dec/11/rajinikanth-turns-67-more-than-moondru-mugam-1724738.html |archive-date=20 April 2018 |access-date=20 April 2018 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> and ''[[Aruvadai Naal]]'',{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=107}} the film emerged a commercial success, and was instrumental in establishing Sathyaraj as a "mass hero".<ref name="sify">{{Cite web |date=7 November 2004 |title=Sibiraj is all set to make it big! |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/sibiraj-is-all-set-to-make-it-big-news-tamil-kkfvEFdcfchsi.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171102181952/http://www.sify.com/movies/sibiraj-is-all-set-to-make-it-big-news-tamil-kkfvEFdcfchsi.html |archive-date=2 November 2017 |access-date=2 November 2017 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref> It also led to a slew of political films being made, mainly those which spoke against [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLAs]] and ministers, depicting them as [[Promiscuity#Male promiscuity|womanisers]], drunkards and [[wikt:wheeler-dealer|wheeler dealers]].<ref name="telegraph">{{Cite news |last=Shekhar |first=G. C. |date=22 January 1989 |title=Action! |url=https://ibb.co/ckLJYty |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303094919/https://ibb.co/ckLJYty |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |work=The Telegraph |location=India |pages=16}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
In a review dated 7 November 1986, N. Krishnaswamy of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote, "One sees [Karunanidhi's] stamp in the hyperbolic references to [[The pen is mightier than the sword|the pen being mightier than the sword]], and in certain needless allusions, but these however are not too long or too frequent to detract from the value of the film. The main strength of [''Palaivana Rojakkal''] is that it has some lively characters."<ref name="IEreview" /> ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]'', in a review dated 23 November, said the film stands out because of the right cast chosen to play the various roles. The reviewer added that the artistes had acted competitively with each other, thus enhancing the appeal for the film and being worthy of appreciation. The reviewer added that the film stood out for attacking the-then political powers, and the backbone of the film was the dialogue written by Karunanidhi who adapted himself well for the 20th century and wrote dialogues which could be liked even by contemporary audiences. The reviewer said the director needs to be appreciated for making a hard-hitting film without worrying about the political consequences and rated the film 51 out of 100.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=107}} [[Subha (writers)|Jayamanmadhan]] of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' wrote that the uneducated layman cannot be roused so much by the press; ''Palaivana Rojakkal'' should tap them.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=21 December 1986 |title=பாலைவன ரோஜாக்கள் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1986-12-21/page/n41/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230227093156/https://archive.org/details/kalki1986-12-21/page/n41/mode/2up |archive-date=27 February 2023 |access-date=19 February 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=41 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="filmcompanion">{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=8 August 2018 |title=Five Highlights From Karunanidhi's Film Career |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/five-highlights-from-karunanidhis-film-career-baradwaj-rangan/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207102232/https://www.filmcompanion.in/five-highlights-from-karunanidhis-film-career-baradwaj-rangan/ |archive-date=7 February 2019 |access-date=7 February 2019 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref>

<ref name="movie">{{Cite AV media |title=Palaivana Rojakkal |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=Poompuhar Productions |year=1986 |trans-title=Desert Roses |time=0:00 to 7:55 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}</ref>

<ref name="IEreview">{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=7 November 1986 |title=Fruits of Honesty |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19861107&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=2 November 2017 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=14 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |author-link=G. Dhananjayan |title=The Best of Tamil Cinema, 1931 to 2010: 1977–2010 |publisher=Galatta Media |year=2011 |oclc=733724281}}
* {{Cite book |last=Rathinagiri |first=R. |title=Time capsule of Kalaignar |publisher=[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] |year=2007 |oclc=680676772}}

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

{{Manivannan}}

{{Improve categories|date=April 2024}}

[[Category:1986 Indian films]]
[[Category:1980s political satire films]]
[[Category:1986 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1986 films]]
[[Category:Films about corruption in India]]
[[Category:Films about journalists]]
[[Category:Films directed by Manivannan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by M. Karunanidhi]]
[[Category:Indian political satire films]]
[[Category:Tamil remakes of Malayalam films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language political satire films]]

Palaivana Rojakkal - Revision history

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