Bommalattam (1968 film): Difference between revisions

Name: Bommalattam (1968 film)
Director: Muktha Srinivasan
Released: 2021-02-02T02:21:17Z
Duration: 2 h 45 min
Cast: Jaishankar (actor), J. Jayalalithaa

Bommalattam
Bommalattam
	Poster
Directed by	Muktha Srinivasan
Produced by	V. Ramaswamy
Screenplay by	Cho Ramaswamy
Story by	Madurai Thirumaran
Starring	Jaishankar ; Jayalalithaa
Music by	V. Kumar
Cinematography	T. M. Sundarababu B. A.
Edited by	L. Balu
Production; company	Muktha Films
Release date	31 May 1968;
Running time	165 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

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Bommalattam (transl. Puppet Show) is 1968 Indian Tamil-language comedy film, directed by Muktha Srinivasan and produced by V. Ramaswamy. The screenplay was written by Cho Ramaswamy from a story by Madurai Thirumaran. It stars Jaishankar, Jayalalithaa, Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan, Cho Ramaswamy and Manorama. V. S. Raghavan, Sachu and O. A. K. Thevar play key roles. The film was released on 31 May 1968.^[2]

Cast[edit | edit source]

Jaishankar as Sukumar^[3]
Jayalalithaa as Malathi^[3]
Nagesh as Durai
Manorama as Chinna Ponnu^[3]
Cho Ramaswamy as Jaambazaar Jaggu^[3]
Sachu as Geetha
Vennira Aadai Moorthy as Sukumar's father
Major Sundarrajan as Rathnam/Bal Raj
V. S. Raghavan as Dr. Dhamodharan
O. A. K. Thevar as Chithambaram
K. K. Soundar as Rathnam's henchman

Soundtrack[edit | edit source]

The film's music was composed by V. Kumar and lyrics were written by Vaali, Alangudi Somu, Na. Pandurangan and Avinasi Mani.^[4] For the song "Vaa Vathiyare", Srinivasan wanted the usage of Madras Bashai, but Vaali felt it was hard for him, so M. L. Govind was hired to "provide the apt words to go with it", leading to the birth of lines like "Jambajar Jakku, Na Saidapetta Kokku" in the song.^[5] That also became Tamil cinema's first gaana song.^[6] "Vaa Vathiyare", written by Vaali and sung by Manorama became popular, and in 1991 His Master's Voice released a compilation album under the same title, featuring songs sung by Manorama.^[7]

Song	Singer(s)	lyrics	Length
"Mayakkathai"	P. Susheela	Alangudi Somu	3:55
"Nee Aada Aada Azhagu"	T. M. Soundararajan	Vaali	3:20
"Nalla Naal Parkkavo"	T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela	Vaali	4:11
"Va Vathyare" (Jambajar Jakku)	Manorama	Vaali	3:51
"Poonai Kannai Kattinal"	Tharapuram Sundararajan & S. Sarala	Na.Pandurangan	3:10

Reception[edit | edit source]

Kalki appreciated the animated opening titles, but criticised the film's title for lacking relevance to the story.^[8]

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Cowie, Peter, ed. (1968). World Filmography. Tantivy Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-904208-36-8.
↑ "ஜெயலலிதா நடித்த திரைப்படங்களின் பட்டியல்". Dinamani (in தமிழ்). 6 December 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Narayanan, Sujatha (7 December 2016). "Timeless...cho". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
↑ "Bommalaattam". Gaana. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
↑ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (28 August 2016). "The vathyaar dialect". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
↑ Vijayakumar, Sindhu (15 May 2017). "Gana is the voice and language of people who are outcasts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
↑ Pradeep, K. (30 June 2008). "50 years of Manorama". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
↑ "பொம்மலாட்டம்". Kalki (in தமிழ்). 23 June 1968. p. 41. Retrieved 14 March 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

External links[edit | edit source]

Bommalattam on IMDb
Bommalattam at Rotten Tomatoes

[1] Cowie, Peter, ed. (1968). World Filmography. Tantivy Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-904208-36-8.

[2] "ஜெயலலிதா நடித்த திரைப்படங்களின் பட்டியல்". Dinamani (in தமிழ்). 6 December 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

[newindianexpress-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Narayanan, Sujatha (7 December 2016). "Timeless...cho". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.

[4] "Bommalaattam". Gaana. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

[5] Ramanujam, Srinivasa (28 August 2016). "The vathyaar dialect". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.

[6] Vijayakumar, Sindhu (15 May 2017). "Gana is the voice and language of people who are outcasts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

[7] Pradeep, K. (30 June 2008). "50 years of Manorama". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.

[8] "பொம்மலாட்டம்". Kalki (in தமிழ்). 23 June 1968. p. 41. Retrieved 14 March 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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[7]

[8]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 | name           = Bommalattam
 | image          = Bommalattam 1968 poster.jpg
-| border         = no
 | caption        = Poster
 | director       = [[Muktha Srinivasan]]
 | screenplay     = [[Cho Ramaswamy]]
 | story          = Madurai Thirumaran
-| producer       = [[Muktha Ramaswamy|V. Ramasamy]]
+| producer       = [[Muktha Ramaswamy|V. Ramaswamy]]
-| starring       = [[Jaishankar]] <br /> [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]]
+| starring       = [[Jaishankar (actor)| Jaishankar]] <br /> [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]]
 | cinematography = T. M. Sundarababu B. A.
 | editing        = L. Balu
@@ Line 17: / Line 16: @@
 | studio         = Muktha Films
 | released       = {{film date|1968|5|31|df=y}}
-| runtime        = 165 minutes<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cowie |first=Peter |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/World_Filmography/u5U3AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=bommalattam+puppetry&dq=&printsec=frontcover |title=World Filmography |publisher=Tantivy Press |year=1977 |isbn=9780904208368 |pages=266}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
+| runtime        = 165 minutes<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u5U3AAAAIAAJ&q=bommalattam+puppetry |title=World Filmography |publisher=Tantivy Press |year=1968 |isbn=978-0-904208-36-8 |editor-last=Cowie |editor-first=Peter |editor-link=Peter Cowie |pages=266}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
 | country        = India
 | language       = Tamil
 }}
-'''''Bommalattam''''' ({{translation|Puppet Show}}) is 1968 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[comedy film]], directed by [[Muktha Srinivasan]] and produced by [[V. Ramasamy]]. The script was written by [[Cho Ramaswamy]]. Music was by [[V. Kumar]]. It stars [[Jaishankar]], [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]], [[Nagesh]], [[Major Sundarrajan]], [[Cho Ramaswamy]] and [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]]. [[V. S. Raghavan]], [[Sachu]] and [[O. A. K. Thevar]] play key roles. The film was released on 31 May 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bommalattam (1968) |url=https://screen4screen.com/movies/bommalattam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918070333/https://screen4screen.com/movies/bommalattam |archive-date=18 September 2021 |access-date=18 September 2021 |website=Screen4screen}}</ref>
+'''''Bommalattam''''' ({{translation|[[Bommalattam|Puppet Show]]}}) is 1968 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[comedy film]], directed by [[Muktha Srinivasan]] and produced by [[Muktha Ramaswamy|V. Ramaswamy]]. The screenplay was written by [[Cho Ramaswamy]] from a story by Madurai Thirumaran. It stars [[Jaishankar (actor)| Jaishankar]], [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]], [[Nagesh]], [[Major Sundarrajan]], [[Cho Ramaswamy]] and [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]]. [[V. S. Raghavan]], [[Sachu]] and [[O. A. K. Thevar]] play key roles. The film was released on 31 May 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 December 2016 |title=ஜெயலலிதா நடித்த திரைப்படங்களின் பட்டியல் |url=https://www.dinamani.com/cm-jayalalitha/2016/dec/06/ஜெயலலிதா-நடித்த-திரைப்படங்களின்-பட்டியல்-2610816.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200624160449/https://www.dinamani.com/cm-jayalalitha/2016/dec/06/%E0%AE%9C%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BE-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-2610816.html |archive-date=24 June 2020 |access-date=11 July 2022 |website=[[Dinamani]] |language=ta}}</ref>
 == Plot ==
@@ Line 28: / Line 27: @@
 == Cast ==
-* [[Jaishankar]] as Sukumar
+{{Cast listing|
-* [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]] as Malathy
+* [[Jaishankar (actor)| Jaishankar]] as Sukumar<ref name="newindianexpress">{{Cite web |last=Narayanan |first=Sujatha |date=7 December 2016 |title=Timeless...cho |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/dec/07/timelesscho-1546656.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921005439/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/dec/07/timelesscho-1546656.html |archive-date=21 September 2021 |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>
+* [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]] as Malathi<ref name="newindianexpress" />
 * [[Nagesh]] as Durai
-* [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Chinna Ponnu
+* [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Chinna Ponnu<ref name="newindianexpress" />
-* [[Cho Ramaswamy]] as Jambazaar Jakku
+* [[Cho Ramaswamy]] as Jaambazaar Jaggu<ref name="newindianexpress" />
 * [[Sachu]] as Geetha
-* [[Venniradai Moorthy]] as Sukumar's father
+* [[Vennira Aadai Moorthy]] as Sukumar's father
 * [[Major Sundarrajan]] as Rathnam/Bal Raj
 * [[V. S. Raghavan]] as Dr. Dhamodharan
 * [[O. A. K. Thevar]] as Chithambaram
 * [[K. K. Soundar]] as Rathnam's henchman
+}}
 == Soundtrack ==
-Music was composed by [[V. Kumar]] and lyrics were written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]], Alangudi Somu, Na. Pandurangan and Avinasi Mani.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bommalaattam |url=https://gaana.com/album/bommalaattam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512022801/http://gaana.com/album/bommalaattam |archive-date=12 May 2015 |access-date=18 September 2021 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> For the song "Vaa Vathiyare", Srinivasan wanted the usage of [[Madras Bashai]], but Vaali felt it was hard for him, so M. L. Govind was hired to "provide the apt words to go with it", leading to the birth of lines in the song like "Jambaar Jakku, Na Saidapetta Kokku".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=Srinivasa |date=28 August 2016 |title=The vathyaar dialect |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/The-vathyaar-dialect/article14594724.ece |url-status=live |access-date=31 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031075700/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/The-vathyaar-dialect/article14594724.ece |archive-date=31 October 2017}}</ref> That also became Tamil cinema's first [[gaana]] song.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijayakumar |first=Sindhu |date=15 May 2017 |title=Gana is the voice and language of people who are outcasts |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/gana-is-the-voice-and-language-of-people-who-are-outcasts/articleshow/58670293.cms |url-status=live |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225053213/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/gana-is-the-voice-and-language-of-people-who-are-outcasts/articleshow/58670293.cms |archive-date=25 February 2018}}</ref> "Vaa Vathiyare", sung by Manorama became popular, and in 1991 [[Saregama|HMV]] released a compilation album under the same title, featuring songs sung by Manorama.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pradeep |first=K. |date=30 June 2008 |title=50 years of Manorama |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/50-years-of-Manorama/article15384181.ece |url-status=live |access-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725165612/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/50-years-of-Manorama/article15384181.ece |archive-date=25 July 2020}}</ref>
+The film's music was composed by [[V. Kumar]] and lyrics were written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]], Alangudi Somu, Na. Pandurangan and Avinasi Mani.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bommalaattam |url=https://gaana.com/album/bommalaattam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512022801/http://gaana.com/album/bommalaattam |archive-date=12 May 2015 |access-date=18 September 2021 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> For the song "Vaa Vathiyare", Srinivasan wanted the usage of [[Madras Bashai]], but Vaali felt it was hard for him, so M. L. Govind was hired to "provide the apt words to go with it", leading to the birth of lines like "Jambajar Jakku, Na Saidapetta Kokku" in the song.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=Srinivasa |date=28 August 2016 |title=The vathyaar dialect |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/The-vathyaar-dialect/article14594724.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031075700/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/The-vathyaar-dialect/article14594724.ece |archive-date=31 October 2017 |access-date=31 October 2017 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> That also became Tamil cinema's first [[gaana]] song.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijayakumar |first=Sindhu |date=15 May 2017 |title=Gana is the voice and language of people who are outcasts |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/gana-is-the-voice-and-language-of-people-who-are-outcasts/articleshow/58670293.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225053213/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/gana-is-the-voice-and-language-of-people-who-are-outcasts/articleshow/58670293.cms |archive-date=25 February 2018 |access-date=20 May 2019 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> "Vaa Vathiyare", written by Vaali and sung by Manorama became popular, and in 1991 [[Saregama|His Master's Voice]] released a compilation album under the same title, featuring songs sung by Manorama.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pradeep |first=K. |date=30 June 2008 |title=50 years of Manorama |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/50-years-of-Manorama/article15384181.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725165612/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/50-years-of-Manorama/article15384181.ece |archive-date=25 July 2020 |access-date=8 August 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
 {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
-! No. !! Song !! Singer(s) !! Length
+! Song !! Singer(s) !! lyrics || Length
 |-
-| 1 || "Mayakkathai" || [[P. Susheela]] || 3:55
+| "Mayakkathai" || [[P. Susheela]] || [[Alangudi Somu]] || 3:55
 |-
-| 2 || "Nee Aada Aada Azhagu" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]] || 3:20
+| "Nee Aada Aada Azhagu" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]] || [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]] || 3:20
 |-
-| 3 || "Nalla Naal Parkkavo" || T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela || 4:11
+| "Nalla Naal Parkkavo" || T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela || [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]] || 4:11
 |-
-| 4 || "Va Vathyare" (Jambajar Jakku) || [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] || 3:51
+| "Va Vathyare" (Jambajar Jakku) || [[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] || [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]] ||3:51
 |-
-| 5 || "Poonai Kannai Kattinal" || Tharapuram Sundararajan & S. Sarala || 3:10
+| "Poonai Kannai Kattinal" || Tharapuram Sundararajan & S. Sarala || Na.Pandurangan || 3:10
 |}
 == Reception ==
-''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the animated opening titles, but criticised the film's title for lacking relevance to the story.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=23 June 1968 |title=பொம்மலாட்டம் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1968/jun/23-06-1968/p41.jpg |url-status=live |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |language=ta |page=41 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104052825/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1968/jun/23-06-1968/p41.jpg |archive-date=4 January 2022 |access-date=14 March 2022}}</ref>
+''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the animated opening titles, but criticised the film's title for lacking relevance to the story.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=23 June 1968 |title=பொம்மலாட்டம் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1968/jun/23-06-1968/p41.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220725110544/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1968/jun/23-06-1968/p41.jpg |archive-date=25 July 2022 |access-date=14 March 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=41 |language=ta}}</ref>
 == References ==
@@ Line 64: / Line 65: @@
 == External links ==
-* {{IMDb title|0290478}}
+* {{IMDb title}}
+* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
 {{Muktha Srinivasan}}
-[[Category:1960s Tamil-language films]]
+[[Category:1968 Tamil-language films]]
 [[Category:1968 comedy films]]
 [[Category:1968 films]]
+[[Category:1968 Indian films]]
 [[Category:Films directed by Muktha Srinivasan]]
+[[Category:Films scored by V. Kumar]]
+[[Category:Films with screenplays by Cho Ramaswamy]]
 [[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
 [[Category:Indian comedy films]]
+[[Category:Tamil-language comedy films]]
+[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

v t e Muktha Srinivasan
As director	Mudhalali (1958) Panchaali (1959) Naalu Veli Nilam (1959) Thamarai Kulam (1959) Odi Vilaiyaadu Paapa (1959) Panithirai (1961) Idhayathil Nee (1963) Poojaikku Vandha Malar (1965) Maganey Kel (1965) Thenmazhai (1966) Ninaivil Nindraval (1967) Bommalattam (1968) Aayiram Poi (1969) Nirai Kudam (1969) Arunodhayam (1971) Thavapudhalavan (1972) Suryagandhi (1973) Anbai Thedi (1974) Cinema Paithiyam (1975) Andharangam (1975) Perum Pugazhum (1976) Balaparitchai (1977) Andaman Kadhali (1978) Imayam (1979) Sri Ramarajyam (1979) Avan Aval Adhu (1980) Polladhavan (1980) Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum (1981) Simla Special (1982) Paritchaikku Neramaachu (1982) Sivappu Sooriyan (1983) Thambathigal (1984) Iru Medhaigal (1984) Oru Malarin Payanam (1985) Katha Nayagan (1988) Vaai Kozhuppu (1989) Brahmachari (1992)
Produced only	Kodai Mazhai (1986) Nayakan (1987) Chinna Chinna Aasaigal (1989) Ethir Kaatru (1990) Raja Pandi (1994) Kangalin Vaarthaigal (1998) Pathayeram Kodi (2013) Sivappu (2015)
Screenplays only	Kodai Mazhai (1986) Chinna Chinna Aasaigal (1989) Ethir Kaatru (1990)