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{{short description|1957 film by Sundar Rao Nadkarni}}
{{short description|1957 film by Sundar Rao Nadkarni}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{More plot|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name          = Mahadevi
| image          = Mahadevi film poster.jpg
| image          = Mahadevi film poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director      = [[Sundar Rao Nadkarni]]
| director      = [[Sundar Rao Nadkarni]]
| writer        =
| screenplay    = [[Kannadasan]]
| screenplay    = [[Kannadasan]]
| based_on      = {{based on|''Punya Prabhav''|R. G. Katkari}}
| based_on      = {{based on|''Punya Prabhav''|R. G. Katkari}}
| producer      = Sundar Rao Nadkarni<br />B. Radhakrishna
| starring      = [[M. G. Ramachandran]]<br />[[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]]
| starring      = [[M. G. Ramachandran]]<br />[[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]]
| producer      = Sundar Rao Nadkarni<br />B. Radhakrishna
| cinematography = G. K. Ramu
| cinematography = G. K. Ramu
| editing        = P. Venkatachalam
| editing        = P. Venkatachalam
| music          = [[Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]]
| music          = [[Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]]
| studio        = Sri Ganesh Movietone
| studio        = Sri Ganesh Movietone
| distributor    =  
| distributor    = Sri Krishna Films<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 November 1957 |title=Mahadevi |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=vzY-6mMDyDUC&dat=19571115&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=29 December 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=1 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| released      = {{film date|1957|11|22|df=y}}
| released      = {{film date|1957|11|22|df=y}}
| runtime        = 160 minutes
| runtime        = 160 minutes
| country        = India
| country        = India
| language      = Tamil
| language      = Tamil
| budget        =
| gross          =
}}
}}


'''''Mahadevi''''' is a 1957 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language film directed by [[Sundar Rao Nadkarni]] and written by [[Kannadasan]]. Starring [[M. G. Ramachandran]] and [[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]], it based on the novel ''Punya Prabhav'' by R. G. Katkari.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=2012-12-01 |title=Mahadevi {{sic|nolink=y|1955}} |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-cinema/Mahadevi-1955/article12190443.ece |access-date=2020-05-11}}</ref> The film was released on 22 November 1957.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 1957 |title=Mahadevi |page=1 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=vzY-6mMDyDUC&dat=19571122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=26 January 2021 |archive-date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201035533/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=vzY-6mMDyDUC&dat=19571122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
'''''Mahadevi''''' is a 1957 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language film directed by [[Sundar Rao Nadkarni]] and written by [[Kannadasan]]. Starring [[M. G. Ramachandran]] and [[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]], it is based on the novel ''Punya Prabhav'' by R. G. Katkari.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=1 December 2012 |title=Mahadevi {{sic|nolink=y|1955}} |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-cinema/Mahadevi-1955/article12190443.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909122704/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-cinema/Mahadevi-1955/article12190443.ece |archive-date=9 September 2021 |access-date=11 May 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> The film was released on 22 November 1957.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 1957 |title=Mahadevi |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=vzY-6mMDyDUC&dat=19571122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=26 January 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=1 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
Mahadevi (Savithri) is a princess, whose father, the king, is defeated in battle. Despite this he is invited by the rival king to stay with him as his honoured guest. The victorious king has an adopted daughter (M. N. Rajam) and a son ('Master' Murali). His senior commander, Karunakaran (P. S. Veerappa) is attracted to Mahadevi, but she rejects him. Thereby she earns his wrath. Karunakaran hatches various evil plans to get her, but in the meantime, Mahadevi falls in love with the other commander, Vallavan (MGR). Karunakaran tries to kidnap Mahadevi with the help of his sidekick (Chandrababu), but by mistake ends up kidnapping M. N. Rajam. In order to cover up his folly, Karunakaran ends up marrying her. Mahadevi and Vallavan (MGR) marry in due course. After a while, Mahadevi delivers a son, even as Karunakaran continues to lust for Mahadevi.
Mahadevi is a princess, whose father, the king, is defeated in battle. Despite this, he is invited by the rival king to stay with him as his honoured guest. The victorious king has an adopted daughter Mangamma and a son. His senior commander, Karunakaran is attracted to Mahadevi, but she rejects him. Thereby she earns his wrath. Karunakaran hatches various evil plans to get her, but in the meantime, Mahadevi falls in love with the other commander, Vallavan. Karunakaran tries to kidnap Mahadevi with the help of his sidekick Mariappan, but by mistake ends up kidnapping Mangamma. To cover up his folly, Karunakaran ends up marrying her. Mahadevi and Vallavan marry in due course. After a while, Mahadevi delivers a son, even as Karunakaran continues to lust for Mahadevi. Mangamma supports Mahadevi, and protects her from Karunakaran. When Mangamma learns of her husband's plans to kill Mahadevi's baby, she replaces her baby with Mahadevi's, causing Karunakaran to kill his own child. When Karunakaran realises the truth, he kills himself and so does his wife.
 
His wife Mangamma (M.N. Rajam), supports Mahadevi, and protects her from Karunakaran. When Mangamma learns of her husband's plans to kill Mahadevi's baby, she replaces her baby with Mahadevi's, causing Karunakaran to kill his own child. When Karunakaran realises the truth, he kills himself and so does his wife.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
 
{{cast listing|
* [[M. G. Ramachandran]] as General Vallavan
* [[M. G. Ramachandran]] as General Vallavan
* [[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]] as Mahadhevi
* [[Savitri (actress)|Savithri]] as Mahadhevi
Line 39: Line 34:
* [[M. N. Rajam]] as Princess Mangamma
* [[M. N. Rajam]] as Princess Mangamma
* [[J. P. Chandrababu]] as Mariappan
* [[J. P. Chandrababu]] as Mariappan
* [[Master Murali]] as Young Prince
* [[T. P. Muthulakshmi]] as Vasantha
* [[T. P. Muthulakshmi]] as Vasantha
* [[O. A. K. Thevar]] as Thalapathi
* [[O. A. K. Thevar]] as Thalapathi
* [[A. Karunanidhi]] as Muthupulavan
* [[A. Karunanidhi]] as Muthupulavan
* Sattampillai Venkatraman as
* Sattampillai Venkatraman
* Susheela
}}


== Soundtrack ==
== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahadevi (1957) |url=https://mio.to/album/Mahadevi+%281957%29 |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Music India Online |archive-date=17 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617193949/http://mio.to/album/Mahadevi+(1957) |url-status=live }}</ref> Lyrics were by [[Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass]], [[Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram]], [[Kannadasan]] & [[A. Maruthakasi]]. Singer is [[J. P. Chandrababu]]. [[Playback singer]]s are [[T. M. Soundararajan]], [[A. M. Rajah]], [[M. S. Rajeswari]], [[P. Suseela]], [[Raavu Balasaraswathi|R. Balasaraswathi Devi]], T. S. Bagavathi, [[K. Jamuna Rani]] & [[A. G. Rathnamala]].
The music was composed by [[Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahadevi (1957) |url=https://mio.to/album/Mahadevi+%281957%29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617193949/http://mio.to/album/Mahadevi+(1957) |archive-date=17 June 2018 |access-date=17 April 2021 |website=Music India Online}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam&nbsp;— Part 1 |date=December 2014 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=131 |language=Tamil}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! No. !! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length (m:ss)
! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length
|-
|-
| 1 || "Kaka Kaka Maikondaa" || [[M. S. Rajeswari]] || A. Maruthakasi || 03:20
| "Kaka Kaka Maikondaa" || [[M. S. Rajeswari]] || rowspan="2" | [[A. Maruthakasi]]|| 03:20
|-
|-
| 2 || "Kanmoodum Velaiyilum" || [[A. M. Rajah]] & [[P. Susheela]] || [[Kannadasan]] || 03:14
|"Kaamugar Nenjil"
|[[K. Jamuna Rani]]
|03:29
|-
|-
| 3 || "Un Thirumugatthai" || [[J. P. Chandrababu]] & [[A. G. Rathnamala]] || Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass || 03:20
| "Thaayatthu Thaayatthu" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram]]|| 03:01
|-
|-
| 4 || "Thaayatthu Thaayatthu" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]] ||[[Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram]] || 03:01
| "Kurukku Vazhiyil" || T. M. Soundararajan || 03:03
|-
|-
| 5 || "Singara Punnagai" || M. S. Rajeswari & [[Raavu Balasaraswathi|R. Balasaraswathi Devi]]
|"Un Thirumugatthai"
|Kannadhasan|| 03:33
|[[J. P. Chandrababu]] & [[A. G. Rathnamala]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass]]
|03:20
|-
|-
| 6 || "Kurukku Vazhiyil" || T. M. Soundararajan || Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram || 03:03
| "Thanthana Paattu" || J. P. Chandrababu & A. G. Rathnamala || 03:21
|-
|-
| 7 || "Kaamugar Nenjil" || [[K. Jamuna Rani]] || A. Maruthakasi || 03:29
| "Eru Poottuvom" || T. M. Soundararajan || 03:17
|-
|-
| 8 || "Thanthana Paattu" || J. P. Chandrababu & A. G. Rathnamala || rowspan=2|Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass || 03:21
|"Kanmoodum Velaiyilum"
|[[A. M. Rajah]] & [[P. Susheela]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Kannadasan]]
|03:14
|-
|-
| 9 || "Eru Poottuvom" || T. M. Soundararajan || 03:17
|"Singara Punnagai"
|M. S. Rajeswari & [[R. Balasaraswathi Devi]]
|03:33
|-
|-
| 10 || "Maanam Ondre Perithena" || T. S. Bagavathi || rowspan=2|Kannadasan || 03:29
| "Maanam Ondre Perithena" || T. S. Bagavathi || 03:29
|-
|-
| 11 || "Sevai Seivadhe Aanandham" || M. S. Rajeswari & T. M. Soundararajan || 04:08
| "Sevai Seivadhe Aanandham" || M. S. Rajeswari & T. M. Soundararajan || 04:08
|}
|}
== Reception ==
{{empty section|date=February 2025}}
<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=1957-12-15 |title=மஹாதேவி |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1957-12-15/kalki1957-12-15.pdf |access-date=2025-02-12 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=41–42 |language=Tamil |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>It is a very successful movie. Ran for 100 days in many centres mainly due to fine acting of Savitri and music of Viswanathan Ramamurthy.


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==
The dialogue "Mananthal Mahadevi Illaiyel Maranadevi" uttered by P. S. Veerappa became hugely popular.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=2014-08-02 |title=The superstar villain |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/p-s-veerappa-was-tamil-cinemas-bad-guy-personified-says-randor-guy/article6275472.ece |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=30 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130210439/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/p-s-veerappa-was-tamil-cinemas-bad-guy-personified-says-randor-guy/article6275472.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
The dialogue "Mananthal Mahadevi Illaiyel Maranadevi" uttered by Veerappa became hugely popular. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=2 August 2014 |title=The superstar villain |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/p-s-veerappa-was-tamil-cinemas-bad-guy-personified-says-randor-guy/article6275472.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130210439/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/p-s-veerappa-was-tamil-cinemas-bad-guy-personified-says-randor-guy/article6275472.ece |archive-date=30 January 2021 |access-date=26 January 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> In all likelihood Kannadasan is the first to introduce punch dialogues to Tamil cinema.
 
The song " Nanandri yaar varvar " was first written for this movie. But MGR did not like it. So Kanbadasan wrote " kann  moodum velaiyile" .
 
Later kannadsan used the song "Nanandri yaar varuvaar" in his own film Malaiyitta mangai


== References ==
== References ==
Line 80: Line 95:


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0245252/|title=Mahadevi}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}


[[Category:1950s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1957 Indian films]]
[[Category:1957 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1957 films]]
[[Category:1957 films]]
[[Category:Films based on Indian novels]]
[[Category:Films about royalty]]
[[Category:Films based on Tamil novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni]]
[[Category:Films scored by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]]
[[Category:Films scored by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]

Latest revision as of 10:29, 4 March 2026


Mahadevi
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySundar Rao Nadkarni
Produced bySundar Rao Nadkarni
B. Radhakrishna
Screenplay byKannadasan
Based onPunya Prabhav
by R. G. Katkari
StarringM. G. Ramachandran
Savithri
Music byViswanathan–Ramamoorthy
CinematographyG. K. Ramu
Edited byP. Venkatachalam
Production
company
Sri Ganesh Movietone
Distributed bySri Krishna Films[1]
Release date
  • 22 November 1957 (1957-11-22)
Running time
160 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Mahadevi is a 1957 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni and written by Kannadasan. Starring M. G. Ramachandran and Savithri, it is based on the novel Punya Prabhav by R. G. Katkari.[2] The film was released on 22 November 1957.[3]

Plot[edit | edit source]

Mahadevi is a princess, whose father, the king, is defeated in battle. Despite this, he is invited by the rival king to stay with him as his honoured guest. The victorious king has an adopted daughter Mangamma and a son. His senior commander, Karunakaran is attracted to Mahadevi, but she rejects him. Thereby she earns his wrath. Karunakaran hatches various evil plans to get her, but in the meantime, Mahadevi falls in love with the other commander, Vallavan. Karunakaran tries to kidnap Mahadevi with the help of his sidekick Mariappan, but by mistake ends up kidnapping Mangamma. To cover up his folly, Karunakaran ends up marrying her. Mahadevi and Vallavan marry in due course. After a while, Mahadevi delivers a son, even as Karunakaran continues to lust for Mahadevi. Mangamma supports Mahadevi, and protects her from Karunakaran. When Mangamma learns of her husband's plans to kill Mahadevi's baby, she replaces her baby with Mahadevi's, causing Karunakaran to kill his own child. When Karunakaran realises the truth, he kills himself and so does his wife.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Soundtrack[edit | edit source]

The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.[4][5]

Song Singers Lyrics Length
"Kaka Kaka Maikondaa" M. S. Rajeswari A. Maruthakasi 03:20
"Kaamugar Nenjil" K. Jamuna Rani 03:29
"Thaayatthu Thaayatthu" T. M. Soundararajan Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram 03:01
"Kurukku Vazhiyil" T. M. Soundararajan 03:03
"Un Thirumugatthai" J. P. Chandrababu & A. G. Rathnamala Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass 03:20
"Thanthana Paattu" J. P. Chandrababu & A. G. Rathnamala 03:21
"Eru Poottuvom" T. M. Soundararajan 03:17
"Kanmoodum Velaiyilum" A. M. Rajah & P. Susheela Kannadasan 03:14
"Singara Punnagai" M. S. Rajeswari & R. Balasaraswathi Devi 03:33
"Maanam Ondre Perithena" T. S. Bagavathi 03:29
"Sevai Seivadhe Aanandham" M. S. Rajeswari & T. M. Soundararajan 04:08

Reception[edit | edit source]

[6]It is a very successful movie. Ran for 100 days in many centres mainly due to fine acting of Savitri and music of Viswanathan Ramamurthy.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

The dialogue "Mananthal Mahadevi Illaiyel Maranadevi" uttered by Veerappa became hugely popular. [7] In all likelihood Kannadasan is the first to introduce punch dialogues to Tamil cinema.

The song " Nanandri yaar varvar " was first written for this movie. But MGR did not like it. So Kanbadasan wrote " kann moodum velaiyile" .

Later kannadsan used the song "Nanandri yaar varuvaar" in his own film Malaiyitta mangai

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Mahadevi". The Indian Express. 15 November 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 29 December 2021 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ↑ Guy, Randor (1 December 2012). "Mahadevi 1955 [sic]". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. ↑ "Mahadevi". The Indian Express. 22 November 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ↑ "Mahadevi (1957)". Music India Online. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 131.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  6. ↑ காந்தன் (15 December 1957). "மஹாதேவி" (PDF). Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 41–42. Retrieved 12 February 2025 – via Internet Archive.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  7. ↑ Guy, Randor (2 August 2014). "The superstar villain". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.

External links[edit | edit source]

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