Manam Pola Mangalyam (transl. Marriage to a partner of your own choice) is a 1953 Indian Tamil language comedy film directed by P. Pullaiah. The film features Gemini Ganesan and Savithri in the lead roles.[2] No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.[3]

Manam Pola Mangalyam
Theatrical release poster
Directed byP. Pullaiah
Screenplay byUmachandran
K. V. Srinivasan
Story bySadasivabrahmam
Produced byNarayana Iyengar
StarringR. Ganesh
Savithri
K. Sarangapani
Music byAddepalli Rama Rao
Production
companies
Narayanan and Company
Distributed byNarayanan and Company
Release date
  • 5 November 1953 (1953-11-05)[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

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A comedy of mistaken identity of two look-alikes, one of whom is an inmate of a lunatic asylum who escapes. By twist of fate, Gemini Ganesan and Savithri fell in love.

Besides the situation comedy that is full of twists and turns, Sarangapani, who played an elderly man wanting to marry the heroine, topping it creates some problem and prevents them from getting married.

Meanwhile the other Gemini Ganesan who is mistakenly locked in the asylum falls in love with the nurse played by Surabhi Balasaraswathi. After Sarangapani discovers him, he uses it to his advantage to fool Savitri into thinking that Gemini Ganesan is not loyal to her and us only after her for her money.

In the end, Gemini Ganesan foils Sarangapani's plans and the movie ends with the four if them getting married

Cast

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Credits adapted from The Hindu:[2]

Production

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Manam Pola Mangalyam was directed by P. Pullaiah and produced by Narayanan and Company. The storyline was written by Telugu screenwriter Vempati Sadhasivabramham, the Tamil script by Umachandran and K. V. Srinivasan. All three men received credit onscreen for the story and screenplay. Gemini Ganesan (then known as R. Ganesh) was cast as the male lead. He appeared in a dual role, one of his characters being an asylum escapee.[2] The final length of the film was 15,535 feet (4,735 m).[4]

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack was composed by Addepalli Rama Rao, with lyrics by Kanaka Surabhi.[5] One of the soundtrack's hit numbers was "Maappillai Doi", performed by A. M. Rajah and P. Leela.[2][6]

Track listing[7]
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Maappillai Doi"P. Leela, A. M. Rajah3:13
2."Nalla Caaril Erikondu"Jikki3:06
3."Pona Macchan"P. Leela2:42
4."Ellorukkum Vaaikkiradhu"P. Leela2:05
5."Solai Naduve Odi"M. L. Vasanthakumari2:44
6."Kalaiyin Uruvam Engal"(Radha) Jayalakshmi 
7."Andru Ododi Vandhu Uyir Koduthaai"(Radha) Jayalakshmi 
8."Aavadhum Pennale"V. J. Varma & P. Susheela2:31
9."Aasa Vachen Un Mele"V. J. Varma 
10."Pollaa Siraikkoodamaa Ivvulagam"V. J. Varma 

Reception

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The film became a major commercial success, and a breakthrough in the careers of both Savitri and Ganesan. The duo would subsequently act in many films together which became successful. Film historian Randor Guy praised the fact that Ganesan "did not indulge in fisticuffs every fifth scene, nor did he deliver jaw-breaking, alliterative and seemingly endless passages of dialogue." He said the film would be "Remembered for the excellent performances of the new hero in a double role, Gemini Ganesh, Savithri and Sarangapani and the melodious tunes of Rama Rao which are still fondly remembered by old-timers."[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Manampola Mangalyam". The Indian Express. 5 November 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2017 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d e Guy, Randor (26 May 2012). "Manam Pola Mangalyam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  3. ^ Rangarajan, Malathi (31 August 2017). "Another Anandan in the making". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  4. ^ "1953 – மனம்போல் மாங்கல்யம் – நாராயணன் அன்.கம்". Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Manampol Mangalyam". Gaana. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  6. ^ Ganesh, Narayani (2011). Eternal Romantic: My Father, Gemini Ganesan. Lustre Press. p. 58. ISBN 978-81-7436-578-1.
  7. ^ Neelamegam, G. (December 2014). Thiraikalanjiyam – Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 58.
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