தில்லானா மோகனாம்பாள் (1968) : திரைவானில் ஒரு தீபஒளி !நடிகர்திலகம் பாரத (தேசத்தின்) ரத்ன(ம்) ஒளி !!
ஒரு புகழ்பெற்ற நாவலைப் படமாக்கும்போது அதன் சுவை குன்றாமல் கதாபாத்திரங்களுக்கு உயிர் தந்து உலவவிடும் வித்தை எல்லோருக்கும் சாத்தியமாவதில்லை.
நட்சத்திர கூட்டம் நிறைந்த திரைக்கதையமைப்பில் ஒரு சிறு துணைப்பாத்திரம்கூட சிறப்புடன் தன் பங்களிப்பை நல்கியிருக்கும் மறக்கமுடியாத காவியம்.தமிழ் திரை வரலாற்றில் இசைநடன கலாசாரத்தை நடிகர்திலகத்தின் வணக்கத்திற்குரிய முதன்மையான நடிப்புடன் நாட்டியப் பேரொளியின் உன்னதமான நடனப்பங்களிப்பில் தெளிந்த நீரோட்டமான இவ்வண்ணக்காவியம் .....கண்ணுற்ற கண்களும் செவியுற்ற காதுகளும் மகிழ்ந்திட்ட மனங்களும் நெகிழ்ந்திட்ட இதயங்களும் புண்ணியம் செய்தவையே
திரையுலகப் போட்டியாளராக இருப்பினும் வெளிநாட்டவர்க்கு தமிழிசைநடன கலாசாரத்தை மனதில் இருத்திட முன்னாள் தமிழக முதல்வர் அமரர் எம்.ஜி. இராமச்சந்திரன் அவர்கள் தன் மனதார பரிந்துரை செய்து நடிகர்திலகத்துக்கு புகழ்மகுடம் சூட்டி பெருமை கூட்டி மகிழ்ந்த ஒரே திரை ஓவியம்!
Thillana Mohanambal is a 1968 Tamil film written, directed, distributed and produced by A. P. Nagarajan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and T. S. Balaiah in the lead roles, The story is about a Nadaswaram player who falls in love with a Bharatanatyam dancer, who reciprocates his feelings, but, circumstances and their egoistic nature prevents them from confessing their love to one another. How they overcome all obstacles set by themselves and those around them form the rest of the story.
The film was adapted from Kothamangalam Subbu's novel of the same name. The novel was published in the Tamil magazineAnanda Vikatan in 1956 as weekly episodes. The film was mostly shot in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Madurai. The film's original soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan. "Nalandhana", "Maraindhirundhu" and "Pandian Naanirukka" became evergreen songs.
Thillana Mohanambal was released on 27 July 1968 to critical acclaim for its portrayal of the socio-cultural milieu prevailing at that time in a subtle manner and the Thanjavur culture of dance and music. It also acquired cult status in Tamil cinema and became a trendsetter inspiring several later films with similar themes of music and dance.
Thillana Mohanambal won two National Film Awards and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. The film was dubbed and released in Telugu as Raja Narthaki on 12 July 1985.
Briefing the story line: (Courtesy:Source : Wikipedia)
'Sikkal' Shanmugasundaram (Sivaji Ganesan) is a devoted Nadaswaram Vidwan, but is a short-tempered, sensitive character. He meets Mohanambal (Padmini), a Bharatnatyam dancer and they both fall in love with each other. However Sundaram's ego prevents him to move further with his love when she challenges him to play a Thillana on his Nadaswaram while she will dance for it. Mohana's mother, Vadivambal (C. K. Saraswathi) an influential and mercenary woman, wants her daughter to marry a rich man so that she can be richly settled. But Mohana who is in love with Sundaram does not obey her mother, and this creates a rift between them both. Sundaram does not understand that Mohana loves him, and not knowing she has a great devotion and love for him and his talent, he decides to leave the country along with Karuppayi (Manorama), a folk dancer whom he considers his sister. But Mohana provokes him, saying that he is a coward and not confident about his talent, and hence he has decided to go away. But Mohana's intention is to stop him and make him drop his decision so that she can prove her love for him and as expected Sundaram accepts the challenge and stays. In a temple, Sundaram plays the Thillana and Mohana dances for it. Since both performed at their best there was neither defeat nor success for both. Sundaram crowns Mohana "Thillana Mohanambal". Sundaram is then, suddenly stabbed with a poisonous knife by an aide of Nagalingam (E. R. Sahadevan). Nagalingam was a landlord who desired to marry Mohana earlier, but she insulted him and rejected his proposal. Angry, he had sent one of his aides to kill Mohana.
Sundaram is admitted at the hospital and is cured after treatment. As the days pass, both of them meet in a program in Thamizhisai Sangam much against Mohana's mother's wishes. Vaithi (Nagesh), a cunning man befriends the Maharaja of Madhanpur (M. N. Nambiar), who is the chief guest of the program, for his personal gains and promises to make Mohana as his mistress. Vaithi traps her by saying the Maharaja has given an opportunity for Nadhaswaram and Bharatanatyam performers in his palace and that Sundaram has accepted to come to Madhanpur. Mohana immediately accepts the offer. Both groups visit Madhanpur. Vaithi ill-treats Sundaram's group badly and Sundaram decides to leave the place. He sees Mohana visiting the Maharaja's room and mistakes her. The Maharaja compels Mohana to be his mistress but Mohana does not accept it. When he threatens her of the consequences due to her refusal, his wife, the Maharani, rescues Mohana. Sundaram decides Mohana does not love him, in spite of her repeated denial. Depressed, Mohana runs away. But the Maharaja reveals the truth to him that, although he had compelled Mohana to be his mistress, she refused as she loved Sundaram. Sundaram realises his mistake and rushes to apologize to her. But he sees her attempting suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of a locked room. He screams to her to stop and promises that he will never doubt her love again. Mohana's mother also promises her that she would wed Sundaram. Sundaram breaks open the door and saves Mohana. Sundaram and Mohana get happily married and Vaithi is arrested for his fraudulent crimes.
No heroism or songs for NT! Enjoy NT's riveting bench mark performance as the Nadhaswara vidhvaan true to life before our eyes! His style of holding the Nadhaswaram, his lip synchronisation with the music, his incomparable body language and facial expressions....NT deserved highest film honours....