Nadodi Mannan

Nadodi Mannan
Directed by	M. G. Ramachandran
Produced by	M. G. Ramachandran
Starring	M. G. Ramachandran P.Bhanumathi P. S. Veerappa M. N. Rajam B. Saroja Devi M. N. Nambiar J. P. Chandrababu M. G. Chakrapani
Music by	S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Distributed by	Emgeeyar Pictures
Release date(s)	1958
Language	Tamil
Box office	$467,000

Nadodi Mannan (Tamil: நாடோடி மன்னன்) is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released in the year 1958. The Film was re released several times and runs successfully whenever it is being re-released. Latest, in 2005 it was re-released and ran success fully for 100 days. Again the film has been re-released in 2011 in a fully digitalised form and ran successfully all over tamilnadu.

Production

The story is based on Anthony Hope’s 1894 novel The Prisoner of Zenda, Justin Huntly McCarthy’s stage play If I Were King and English movie Viva Zapata. MGR made his crew consisting of R. M. Veerappan, Vidwan V. Lakshmanan and S. K .T. Sami to watch these three English movies. He gave them his suggestions regarding the outline he had in mind and after several brainstorming sessions later, the team came up with an imaginative story tailoring it skillfully to suit the Indian context.

MGR was keen to act in a double role. Since the advertisement in the papers the making of Nadodi Mannan, MGR had faced hurdles. At the same time Bhanumathi of Bharani Pictures had announced a movie which would be based on The Prisoner of Zenda. MGR and Bhanumathi had discussed trying to convince each other to drop the project. Then MGR told Bhanumathi that she could proceed if she had been intending to fully adapt The Prisoner of Zenda as he was only planning to make a movie which loosely based on it. Bhanumathi gave in and MGR able to proceed in his project.

Commenting on the tile Nadodi Mannan, MGR is said to have confessed that if the movie did well, he would be a King (Mannan); if it flopped, he would be a homeless nomad (Nadodi). The movie was some years in the making. All dedicated members of MGR’s entourage were put to work night and day on the project. K. Ramnoth was appointed to direct this movie, but upon his suddden demise on 04 October 1956, MGR had taken up the direction responsibities. The latter portions depicting the happenings in the island were shot in colour.

The completed movie ran for around 5 hours, and the editors had a tough job ahead of them. MGR had discussed with R. M. Veerappan and Vidwan Lakshmanan and decided which scenes that should be eliminated. Arumugam was the editor initially appointed but when he left after working for a few days. K. Perumal took over the responsibility, he too left midway. Finally it was Jambu who edited the portions shot in colour. Despite eliminating off whole sequences, the final version ran to more than 3.5 hours. Music Director N.S. Balakrishnan was apponted to compose music and made three songs. Then S. M. Subbaiah Naidu stepped in and completed the remaining songs and composed the background score as well.

In turn, MGR received help from unexpected parties. B. Nagi Reddy had supported by allowing MGR for grand sets in Vijaya Studios, which was then the Asia's biggest film studio. Till then only only studio owners could make movies with magnificent sets. Likewise, S. S. Vasan of Gemini Studios had lent his expensive equipment voluntarily so that the miniature shots scenes would come out well. It is believed that it was the only time that any equipment of Gemini Studious was ever permitted to be taken out of the premises. Another person to was Senior Director K. Subramaniam who had been requested by MGR to oversee his work. K. Subramaniam attended one shooting schedule and was so impressed with MGR’s diligent approach that felt that there was no need for anyone to supervise MGR. K. Subramaniam in turn had made all arrangements for many of the outdoor shoots, especially at Munnar and he even flew to Bombay to ensure a fresh supply of color film so that the shooting could continue uninterrupted.

Plot

Ratnapuri is a small kingdom besieged by manifold troubles. The King’s only daughter Ratna is kidnapped and the King dies without naming any successor. Marthandan, a member of the royal family is chosen by the majority of the imperial council, including the ministers and the commander-in-chief, to be the new ruler. But the Rajaguru, however, has different ideas. Unknown to anyone, he has the princess Ratna in his custody in an island. She has grown up completely unaware of her ancestry. Meanwhile the Rajaguru schemes to do away with Marthandan and put up his stooge Pingalan as the King. He then plans to marry Ratna himself, do away with Pingalan and declare himself the ruler. Meanwhile Veerabagu, the loyal bodyguard of the erstwhile King, and his gang of committed people, including his son Bhoopathi and daughter Madana are furious at an outsider ascending the throne. Elsewhere in the kingdom, people are far from happy. Shortage of food and unemployment are rampant all around.

Violent protests erupt all over the kingdom, and the protesters led by the revolutionary Veerangan a democracy campaigner march to the palace condemning the monarchy and demanding democracy. Veerangan is arrested and imprisoned. Madana is also incarcerated in the same prison on a similar charge. They are pardoned and released on the occasion of the coronation of Marthandan. They travel together from Naganathapuram to Ratnapuri. Sharing the same ideals and revolutionary thoughts, they find themselves falling in love.

In the meantime Marthandan arrives at Ratnapuri, but the Rajaguru asks him to stay in an isolated palace in the outskirts until the coronation, citing the inauspicious placement of the stars. The twist in the tale comes when we come to know that Marthandan and Veerangan are look-alikes. Veerangan is mistaken for Marthandan in a few tight situations and finally they get to meet each other. Veeran (MGR) on the run from monarchists ends up in the room of his lookalike prince Marthandam (MGR). Veerangan speaks of the pathetic state of the poor and the oppressed and the noble Marthandan agrees to set right the ills as soon as he takes charge.

However, on the eve of the coronation, the Rajaguru arranges Marthandan to be poisoned so that he could then seat Pingalan on the throne. Marthandan swoons after drinking a few sips of the poisoned beverage. The hastily summoned doctor does the needful and saves Marthandan. However, Marthandan is still unconscious and apparently would remain so for the next few days. An assassination attempt leaves the prince incapacitated, and Veeran has to take his place at the coronation. The commander and minister persuade Veerangan to take Marthandan’s place to ensure that the coronation takes place as scheduled. A reluctant Veerangan agrees to do so in the interests of the state, and arrives in the assembly just in time for the coronation. The Rajaguru is taken aback and sends his men to investigate. The villains find the unconscious Marthandan and take him to their hideout and later to the same island where the Ratna has been living all along.

With Marthandan’s sudden disappearance, Veerangan now finds himself saddled with the role of the King for much more than just the couple of days that he had initially bargained for. The replacement King starts a series of 'people oriented' reforms which cause a political upheaval among the elite. He puts the opportunity to good use, and enacts several measures for the uplift of the poor. He is however troubled by the fact that he is deceiving the Queen Manohari who believes him to be her husband Marthandan. At one stage he is forced to reveal the truth to Manohari and perceiving his noble character, she accepts him as her brother. In the meantime Madana is killed by Pingalan’s men, and a grief-stricken Veerangan vows to avenge her death. Then it comes to light that the original heir to the throne had been kidnapped and the prince has also been kidnapped to an island. Madana’s father gets to know of Marthandan’s whereabouts and passes on the information to Veerangan.

The rescuing of the real heir and the prince forms the rest of the story. Veerangan sails to the island and comes across Ratna. He identifies her by her unique birthmark and rescues her from Pingalan’s clutches. They travel to the cave atop a hill where Marthandan is held captive, and Veerangan succeeds in bringing him out. And at the end of the thrilling climax, replete with snakes, sword fights, flooding waters, collapsing rope-bridge and what not, the Rajaguru meets a watery death. All is well that ends well - Veerangan weds Ratna, and Marthandan issues a proclamation pronouncing Ratnapuri to be a democratic nation.

Cast

Actor	Role
M. G. Ramachandran	King Marthandan & Veerangan
P. Bhanumathi	Madhana
P. S. Veerappa	Rajaguru
M. N. Rajam	Queen Manohari B. Saroja Devi || Rathna
M. N. Nambiar	Pingalan
J. P. Chandrababu	Sagayam
G. Sakunthala
T. P. Muthulakshmi
M. G. Chakrapani	Karmegam
E. R. Sahadevan
K. R. Ramsingh	Veerabagu
K. S. Angamuthu

Crew

• Producer: M. G. Ramachandran
• Production Company: Emgeeyar Pictures
• Director: M. G. Ramachandran
• Music: N. S. Balakrishnan & S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
• Lyrics: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, Lakshmanadas, M. K. Atmanathan, Suradha, N. M. Muthukkoothan, Vijayanarasimha, Narayanababu & P. Bhaskaran
• Dialogue: Kannadasan & Raveendar
• Editing: Arumugam, K. Perumal & Jambu
• Choreography: T. C. Thangaraj
• Cinematography: G. K. Ramu
• Stunt: R. N. Nambiar

Soundtrack

Partial list of songs from Nadodi Mannan:

composed by N. S. Balakrishnan:

1. senthamizhE vaNakkam by T. M. Soundararajan (Lyrics: N. M. Muthukkoothan)
2. sammadhama naan ungaL kooda vara by P. Bhanumathi (Lyrics: N. M. Muthukkoothan)
3. paaduppatta thannaanlE by T. V. Rathinam (Lyrics: M. K. Atmanathan)

composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu:

1. thoongaathE thambi thoongaathE by T. M. Soundararajan (Lyrics: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram)
2. uzhaipathila uzhaippai peruvadhila inbam by Sirkazhi Govindarajan (Lyrics: Lakshmanadas)
3. thadukkadhE ennai thadukkaadhE by J. P. Chandrababu & K. Jamuna Rani (Lyrics: M. K. Atmanathan)
4. summakkidandha nilathai kuththi by T. M. Soundararajan & P. Bhanumathi (Lyrics: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram)
5. mAnai thEdi machchaan varappORAn by Jikki & Chorus (Lyrics: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram)
6. kaNNil vandhu minnalppOl by T. M. Soundararajan & Jikki (Lyrics: Suradha)
7. kaNNOdu kaNNu kalandhaachu by Jikki & Chorus (Lyrics: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram)

A multilingual chorus song:

1. namma dravidarE kulagE (Kannada: Jikki, lyrics by Vijayanarasimha), koodakkalla kimpuma (Telugu: Jikki lyrics by Narayanababu), dravidamaam (Malayalam: Shanta P. Nair lyrics by P. Bhaskaran), ending with varuga varuga vEndhE (Tamil: N. L. Ganasaraswathi & Vaidehi lyrics by Suradha)

Box office

• This film grossed $467,000 at the box office.

References