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{{short description|1964 film by M. A. Thirumugam}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Vettaikkaran
| image = Vettaikkaran 1964 poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[M. A. Thirumugam]]
| producer = [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]]
| screenplay =
| story = [[Aaroor Dass]]
| starring = {{plainlist|
*[[M. G. Ramachandran]]
*[[Savitri (actress)|Savitri Ganesh]]
}}
| music = [[K. V. Mahadevan]]
| cinematography = N. S. Varma
| editing = {{plainlist|
*M. A. Thirumugam
*M. G. Balu Rao
*M. A. Mariappan
}}
| studio = [[Devar Films]]
| distributor = Emgeeyar Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1964|01|14|df=y}}
| runtime = 157 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget = 
| gross = 
}}

'''''Vettaikkaran''''' ({{translation|Hunter}}) is a 1964 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[action drama film]] directed by [[M. A. Thirumugam]] and produced by [[Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]]. The film stars [[M. G. Ramachandran]] and [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri Ganesh]], with [[M. R. Radha]], [[M. N. Nambiar]], [[S. A. Ashokan]], [[Nagesh|Thai Nagesh]], [[M. V. Rajamma]], [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] and Baby Shakila in supporting roles. It revolves around an estate hunter whose penchant for hunting displeases his family, and a plunderer who lusts for his wealth.

''Vettaikkaran'' was released on 14 January 1964, [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] day. The film was a commercial success, running for 25 weeks(175 days) in theatres.

== Plot ==
Babu, a wealthy estate owner living with his widowed mother, spends much of his time hunting, a habit that often troubles the two and worries his mother. His estate manager, Mayavan, secretly operates as a plunderer and has long aimed to take over Babu’s wealth. During one of his routine trips into the forest, Babu meets Latha. Their meeting evolves into a romantic relationship and a marriage. Latha eventually gives birth to their son, Raja.

Latha is soon diagnosed with tuberculosis and must undergo treatment away from her newborn. She is heartbroken as she is unable to nurture her baby until she completely recovers. Babu assumes responsibility for both his recovering wife and their child, which results in Raja forming a deep attachment to him while remaining emotionally distant from Latha. This growing imbalance creates tension in the couple’s relationship. As Raja grows, he begins to mirror his father’s interest in hunting, something Latha quietly opposes, adding further strain to the household.

Mayavan uses the family’s fragile situation to advance his long-planned scheme. He lures Latha and Raja into the forest and threatens them, attempting to force Babu into surrendering control of the estate. Babu reaches them in time and puts an end to Mayavan’s life. The crisis finally softens the distance in their home, and the film ends with Raja expressing that he now loves both his parents equally.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[M. G. Ramachandran]] as Babu<ref name="Kalki review" />
* [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri Ganesh]] as Latha<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />
* [[M. R. Radha]] as Sundaram<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />
* [[M. N. Nambiar]] as Mayavan<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />
* [[S. A. Ashokan]]<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />
* [[Nagesh|Thai Nagesh]] as Jokkar<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />

* [[M. V. Rajamma]] as Babu's mother<ref name="Randor Guy" />
* [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Jokkar's wife<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" />
* Baby Shakila as Raja<ref name="Randor Guy" />
}}

== Production ==
''Vettaikkaran'' was directed by M. A. Thirumugam and produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar under Devar Films.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1964 – வேட்டைக்காரன் – தேவர் பிலிம்ஸ் |trans-title=1964 – Vettaikkaran – Devar Films |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1964-cinedetails30.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190208055739/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1964-cinedetails30.asp |archive-date=8 February 2019 |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=Tamil}}</ref> A real leopard was brought for filming.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2014 |title=படம் பேசும் |trans-title=The film speaks for itself |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/15576-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918062515/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/15576-.html |archive-date=18 September 2019 |access-date=24 March 2021 |website=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=ta}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack is composed by [[K. V. Mahadevan]], with lyrics by [[Kannadasan]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.Vettaikaaran_M.A.Thirumugam_1964/143.%20Vettaikaaran_M.A.Thirumugam_1964.pdf |title=வேட்டைக்காரன் |publisher=Devar Films |year=1964 |language=ta |type=[[song book]] |access-date=4 July 2022 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 1964 |title=Vettaikkaran (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/vettaikkaran-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1337342117 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230607065051/https://music.apple.com/in/album/vettaikkaran-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1337342117 |archive-date=7 June 2023 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref> According to [[Sachi Sri Kantha]], the song "Unnai Arinthaal", through its lyrics which go "''Unnai arinthaal – Nee unnai arinthaal, Ulagathil pooradalam''" (Know yourself – You, know yourself, then you can fight the world) serves as an "MGR self-praise song, equating his 'good traits' to that of a living God" and Kannadasan "incorporates the [[Socratic dialogue|Socratic]] wisdom of '[[Know thyself]]' in the beginning lines".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sri Kantha |first=Sachi |author-link=Sachi Sri Kantha |date=28 March 2019 |title=MGR Remembered – Part 50 {{!}} Teaching with Songs |url=https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-50/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805075641/https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-50/ |archive-date=5 August 2020 |access-date=24 March 2021 |website=[[Ilankai Tamil Sangam]]}}</ref>

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Manjal Mugame
| extra1 = [[T. M. Soundararajan]], [[P. Susheela]]
| length1 = 3:18
| title2 = Katha Naayagan
| extra2 = P. Susheela
| length2 = 3:04
| title3 = En Kannanukkethani
| extra3 = P. Susheela
| length3 = 3:18
| title4 = Seettu Kattu Raja
| extra4 = [[L. R. Eswari]], [[A. L. Raghavan]]
| length4 = 3:26
| title5 = Velli Nila
| extra5 = T. M. Soundararajan
| length5 = 3:18
| title6 = Methuva Methuva
| extra6 = T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
| length6 = 3:32
| title7 = Unnai Arinthaal
| extra7 = T. M. Soundararajan
| length7 = 5:13
| total_length = 25:09
}}

== Release ==
''Vettaikkaran'' was released on 14 January 1964, [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] day,{{sfn|Kannan|2017|p=122}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 January 1964 |title=Vettaikkaran |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19640114&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=8 February 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and distributed by Ramachandran's Emgeeyar Pictures.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 January 1964 |title=Vettaikkaran |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19640108&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=5 August 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> To promote the film, the Madras-based Chitra theatre had a jungle set to welcome audiences. After much deliberation, they also managed to get a caged tiger inside the theatre premises.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 August 2012 |title=Did you know? |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrintGifMSIE_PASTISSUES2&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOICH/2012/08/22&ChunkNum=0&ID=Ar02904 |url-status=dead |access-date=5 November 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161105063452/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrintGifMSIE_PASTISSUES2&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOICH/2012/08/22&ChunkNum=0&ID=Ar02904 |archive-date=5 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Viswanathan |first=Lakshmi |date=2 September 2012 |title=Growing up with the talkies |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-downtown/growing-up-with-the-talkies/article3849254.ece |url-status=live |access-date=8 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118205613/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-downtown/growing-up-with-the-talkies/article3849254.ece |archive-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> Despite facing competition from another Pongal release ''[[Karnan (1964 film)|Karnan]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dheenadhayalan |first=Pa. |date=31 July 2015 |title=சாவித்ரி-13. நூறு நூறு பெருமைகள்! |language=ta |work=[[Dinamani]] |url=https://www.dinamani.com/junction/kanavukkannigal/2015/aug/01/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF-13.-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%95-48877.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124507/https://www.dinamani.com/junction/kanavukkannigal/2015/aug/01/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF-13.-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%95-48877.html |archive-date=9 February 2019}}</ref> the film became a box office success, running for 25 weeks in theatres.<ref name="Randor Guy" /> It was dubbed [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language as ''Inti Donga'' and released on 4 September 1964.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 September 1964 |title=ఇంటి దొంగ |url=https://pressacademy.ap.gov.in/archives/NIC%20Data/STATE_CENTRAL_LIBRARY_AFZALGUNJ/ANDHRAPATRIKA/302017_ANDHRAPATRIKA_04_09_1964_Volume_No_51_Issue_No_153/00000006.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704074414/https://pressacademy.ap.gov.in/archives/NIC%20Data/STATE_CENTRAL_LIBRARY_AFZALGUNJ/ANDHRAPATRIKA/302017_ANDHRAPATRIKA_04_09_1964_Volume_No_51_Issue_No_153/00000006.pdf |archive-date=4 July 2022 |access-date=4 July 2022 |work=[[Andhra Patrika]] |pages=6 |language=te}}</ref>

== Reception ==
''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote on 17 January 1964, "Loaded with fun and frolic with a substantial sprinkling of spicy scenes and intriguing drama told in a fascinating manner, [''Vettaikkaran''] is designed to please the filmgoer."<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 January 1964 |title='Vettaikkaran' is a good action drama |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19640117&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=8 February 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> T. M. Ramachandran of ''[[Sport and Pastime]]'' wrote on 22 February, "One would presume that ''Vettaikkaran'', to justify the title, would provide all the thrills and excitement of big game hunting. But there is nothing of that sort in the film [...] The story is of course a hotchpotch of various ideas and punches freely borrowed from foreign films. The swift tempo with which the latter half of the film moves covers up a major portion of its deficiencies".<ref name="Sport and Pastime review" /> On 26 January, Kanthan of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' said the film could be watched for the leopard, the scenery and the acting of Shakila.<ref name="Kalki review" />

== References ==
<references>

<ref name="Kalki review">{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=26 January 1964 |title=வேட்டைக்காரன் |trans-title=Hunter |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1964/jan/26-01-1964/p28.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220726065132/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1964/jan/26-01-1964/p28.jpg |archive-date=26 July 2022 |access-date=26 July 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=28 |language=ta}}</ref>
<ref name="Sport and Pastime review">{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=T. M. |date=22 February 1964 |title=Another in the Thevar Tradition |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.98084/page/n443/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230607033333/https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.98084/page/n443/mode/2up |archive-date=7 June 2023 |access-date=7 June 2023 |magazine=[[Sport and Pastime]] |pages=50 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |volume=18}}</ref>
<ref name="Randor Guy">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=20 February 2016 |title=Vettaikaaran (1964) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mgr-bhanumathi-and-saroja-devi-in-vettaikaaran-1964/article8261292.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220124452/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mgr-bhanumathi-and-saroja-devi-in-vettaikaaran-1964/article8261292.ece |archive-date=20 February 2016 |access-date=5 November 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

</references>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Kannan |first=R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2mclDwAAQBAJ |title=MGR: A Life |date=28 June 2017 |publisher=[[Penguin Random House]] |isbn=978-93-86495-88-4 |location=India}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
{{M. A. Thirumugam}}
{{Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar}}
[[Category:1960s action drama films]]
[[Category:1964 Indian films]]
[[Category:1964 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1964 films]]
[[Category:Films about hunting]]
[[Category:Films directed by M. A. Thirumugam]]
[[Category:Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan]]
[[Category:Indian action drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Films produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar]]

Vettaikkaran (1964 film) - Revision history

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