- Moondram Pirai
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Moondram Pirai 
Official DVD Box CoverDirected by Balu Mahendra Produced by G. Thyagarajan Written by Balu Mahendra Starring Kamal Haasan
Sridevi Kapoor
Silk Smitha
Poornam VishwanathanMusic by Ilaiyaraaja [1] Cinematography Balu Mahendra Editing by D. Vasu Release date(s) February 19, 1982 Running time 139 minutes Country India Language Tamil Moondram Pirai (English translation: The Crescent Moon comes on the Third day) is a 1982 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Balu Mahendra, starring Sridevi, Kamal Haasan, Poornam Vishwanathan and Silk Smitha. Ilaiyaraaja composed the music. Kamal Haasan won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role as Srinivas. Balu Mahendra did the cinematography as well for which he won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography.
The film was dubbed in Telugu under the title Vasantha Kokila and was released on the same day (19 February 1982). The film was remade the following year as the Hindi film Sadma, with much of the cast and crew from the original reprising their roles.
Contents
Plot
Bhagyalakshmi (Sridevi) is a young, modern girl who meets with an accident that leaves her with the memory and intelligence of a seven year old. Circumstances lead her into prostitution, and in the brothel she meets Srinivas (Kamal Haasan). He realizes that she has been tricked into the trade. He rescues her and takes her to his home in Ooty and begins to take care of her like his own. He knows Bhagyalakshmi as Viji, which was the pseudonym given for her at the brothel. Viji reciprocates Srinivas's care as they spend several months together sharing an amazing and innocent relationship that treads the tender line between affection and love. The sub plot of the film follows the wife of Srinivas' boss who is attracted to Srinivas, though Srinivas doesn't reciprocate her feelings. It depicts how the outside world succumbs to human feelings of lust and desire which are totally missing between Srinivas and Viji. Srinivas takes Viji to a village medical practitioner who cures her of her mental illness and brings her back to sanity as she recovers her memory up to the point of her accident a few months back. But when Srinivas comes to meet Viji later that day, she is now not able to identify him or remember him. Despite all his efforts to make her understand that he was the one who had taken care of her for several months, she is indifferent to him and leaves Ooty to go back to her hometown, thus abandoning Srinivas and the life and relationship that she once had with him.
Cast
- Kamal Haasan - Srinivas / Seenu
- Sridevi - Bhagyalaksmi / Vijaya / Viji
- Silk Smitha - Headmaster's Wife
- Poornam Vishwanathan - Headmaster
- Y. Gee. Mahendra - Srinivas's friend
Awards and nominations
National Film Awards
Winners:
- Silver Lotus Award - Best Actor - Kamal Haasan
- Silver Lotus Award - Best Cinematography - Balu Mahendra
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
- Best Actor for Kamal Haasan
- Best Actress for Sridevi
Soundtrack
Moondram Pirai Soundtrack album by Ilaiyaraaja Released 1982 Language Tamil All music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
No. Title Singers Length 1. "Kanne Kalaimane" K. J. Yesudas 3:56 2. "Narikkathai" Kamal Hassan, Sridevi Kapoor 3. "Ponmeni" S. Janaki 4. "Poonkatru" K. J. Yesudas 5. "Vaanil Yengum" S. P. Balasubramaniam, S. Janaki References
- ^ Moondram Pirai, Oosai, http://www.oosai.com/tamilsongs/moondram_pirai_songs.cfm, retrieved 2008-11-04
External links
Categories:- 1982 films
- Indian films
- Tamil-language films
- Tamil-language films dubbed into Telugu
- Films featuring a Best Actor National Award winning performance
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