Iyarkai

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Iyarkai
File:Iyarkai poster.jpg
Poster .
Directed byS. P. Jananathan
Produced byV. R. Kumar
A. E. Gunasekaran
G. Natarajan
Written byS. P. Jananathan
Screenplay byN. Kalyanakrishnan
Based onWhite Nights
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
StarringShaam
Kutty Radhika
Music byVidyasagar
CinematographyN. K. Ekambaram
Edited byN. Ganesh Kumar
Editing supervisor:
V. T. Vijayan
Production
company
Prisam Films
Distributed byPrisam Films
Release date
  • 21 November 2003 (2003-11-21)
Running time
140 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Iyarkai (About this soundpronunciation , transl. Nature) (spelt Eiyarkai onscreen)[1] is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language romance film written and directed by S. P. Jananathan in his directorial debut and produced by V. R. Kumar, A. E. Gunasekaran, and G. Natarajan for Prisam Films. The film has Shaam and Kutty Radhika in the lead roles alongside Seema Biswas. This film marks the Tamil debuts of Radhika and Biswas. Arun Kumar appears in a cameo appearance. This film was produced under a low budget of 1 crore, and the soundtrack was composed by Vidyasagar.[2] This love story is set against the backdrop of a lost ship in the port town of Rameshwaram and revolves around a girl and the two men that love her. This movie is loosely based on Vennira Iravugal, Tamil translation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 1848 short story "White Nights". "White Nights" was also made in Hindi as Saawariya.[3]

It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil at the 51st National Film Awards in 2004. The film was moderate success upon release, but later developed a classic status over the following years and celebrated as an euphoric heartbreak movie by youths and in social media

Plot[edit]

Marudhu (Shaam), a Tamil man is an orphaned ship mechanic and sailor and works on ships. After multiple years he fulfills his desire of returning to TamilNadu as his Ship reaches Rameshwaram and halts 90 days for repair and reloading. Marudhu wants to give up his sailing life and settle down there. He develops a liking for Nancy (Kutty Radhika), who sells fruits and other items to sailors on ships that have arrived at the port, but she still holds a candle for the captain of a ship Mukundan (Arun) that docked there three years ago. Though Nancy had proposed to him three years ago, he declined stating that 17 was a very young age to marry. He told her to wait for him or marry someone else at her will. before leaving, He had promised her that he would return in a year, but three years later, Nancy has still not given up hope. Marudhu befriends and helps Nancy search for Mukundan, but when he reveals that he loves Nancy, she distances herself from him. They reconcile and become friends. All hope is lost to find Mukundan as they see the captain junior, now as the first officer of another ship. The captain junior reveals that the captain's ship was destroyed in a blast. Soon, Marudhu's ship is scheduled to leave to Africa on Christmas night. Marudhu can decide to re-join the ship or leave work by then. All of them pressurize Nancy to leave her ideas about Mukundan and marry Marudhu. After a very long thought, she agrees by the night of Christmas Eve, and arrangements are made for the wedding next day, but Mukundan returns, surprises Nancy and Marudhu, and finds him kissing her hand in the crowd. He decides that he is the best for her. She is in a dilemma whether to choose Mukundan or Marudhu, and finally selects the former, leaving mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. Marudhu leaves India in his ship, seeking more journeys and promising never to return to his home of Tamil Nadu.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In 2001, debutant S. P. Jananathan, who worked under B. Lenin, Bharathan, Vincent Selva and Keyaar, began work for his directorial debut Iyarkai.[6] Shaam was selected after Jananthan saw Shaaam's performance in 12B while working as an editor for the film under Lenin.[7] Shaam joined the film while he was filming for Girivalam.[7] Suriya was initially offered the lead role, but left the film citing that he wasn't interested in doing romantic films.[8] In an interview with Rediff, Jananathan revealed that the reason the backdrop of the sea was chosen was because he was attached to the sea as he "grew up on the sea shore". The story of the film was also influenced by his own life: his friend's uncle boat sunk in the Mediterranean Sea and his uncle was never found.[3] Jananathan told the story to Ramkumar Ganesan, whose cousin, Kumar, became the producer after liking the story.[9] Kannada actress Radhika was cast as the lead actress while Arun Kumar, who was last seen in Pandavar Bhoomi, was roped in to play a cameo as a ship captain.[5][10] The film was shot at the Tuticorin harbour and the Andaman Islands.[7][10] Art directors Sabu Cyril and Selvam erected a lighthouse set for the film.[10] Bollywood actress Seema Biswas was cast as Radhika's sister.[10]

Soundtrack[edit]

Iyarkai
Soundtrack album by
Released8 July 2003
RecordedVarsha Vallaki Studios
GenreFeature film Soundtrack
LanguageTamil
ProducerVidyasagar
Vidyasagar chronology
Thirumalai
(2003)
Iyarkai
(2003)
Joot
(2004)

The music was composed by Vidyasagar and lyrics written by Vairamuthu.[5] Sify stated that "the music of Vidyasagar is soothing and melodious".[10]

Song Title Singers Duration
"Pazhaya Kural" Sujatha Mohan 5:05
"Iyarkai Thaaye" Karthik, Srivarthini 4:41
"Kaadhal Vandhaal" Tippu, Manikka Vinayagam 5:59
"Alaiye Alaiye" Shankar Mahadevan 4:34
"Seetu Kattu" Karthik, Manikka Vinayagam 5:57

Release[edit]

"S.P. Jananathan’s Iyarkai is an important movie in my career, as it is a National Award-winning film.”

 — Shaam in an interview[11]

It enjoyed little success in the Tamil Nadu box office, but did not lose money the film was produced on a low budget.[9] Upon release, the films's cinematographer, Ekambaram, sent the film to the National Awards committee. Much to Jananathan's surprise, the film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for 2003, competing with Virumaandi and Pithamagan as that year's submissions.[3][12] The National Film Award was the first award that Jananathan had received in his career.[9][7]

Critical reception[edit]

The Hindu praised the cinematographer and the art directors stating that "Together with Sabu Cyril-Selvan's art, K. Ekambaram's lens paints a bewitching picture on screen". The Hindu also praised the performances of Shaam, Kutty Radhika, and Arun Kumar.[5]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2003 51st National Film Awards National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil Iyarkai Won [7]

Legacy[edit]

Jananathan had a script ready for a sequel, but was hesitant to make it into a film.[13] S. P. Jananathan collaborated with Shaam again for the latter's 25th film titled Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai in 2015.[11]

References[edit]

  1. Eiyarkai (motion picture). India. 21 November 2003. Event occurs at 1:40.
  2. "16 Years of Iyarkai: 16 lesser-known facts about SP Jananathan's National award-winning romantic drama". Cinema Express.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "'Peranmai is not gender specific'". Rediff. 14 October 2009.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Iyarkai (DVD): opening credits from 1.44 to 2.58
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Rangarajan, Malathi (2003). "Iyarkai". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  6. "இயக்குநர் எஸ்.பி.ஜனநாதன் பிறந்த நாள் ஸ்பெஷல்: அடித்தட்டு மக்களுக்கான அரசியலைப் பேசும் படைப்பாளி". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in தமிழ்).
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Honour well deserved". The Hindu. 27 August 2004. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  8. "'Aasai' to 'Dhruva Natchathiram': FIVE big hits that were turned down by Suriya". The Times of India. 6 September 2020.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "'MGR films are my reference point'". Rediff. 17 October 2006.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "Eyarkai". Sify. 5 November 2003. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Raghavan, Nikhil (14 February 2015). "Etcetera: Woman power". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  12. "51st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  13. "'15 வருஷ சினிமா அனுபவத்துல, இதெல்லாம் ஒரு காரணம்னு சொல்லமுடியாது!" - 'இயற்கை-2', 'பார்ட்டி' கதை சொல்லும் ஷாம்". Vikatan (in தமிழ்).

External links[edit]

Template:S. P. Jananathan

Template:White Nights