Sankarlal is a 1981 Indian Tamil-language action film, written, directed and produced by T. N. Balu. It stars Kamal Haasan in dual lead roles as father and son. Balu died half-way during production, and the film was eventually completed with N. K. Viswanathan as director. The film was simultaneously shot in Telugu-language as Andagaadu (transl. Handsome) with Allu Rama Lingaiah and Rao Gopal Rao.

Sankarlal
Tamil poster
Directed byT. N. Balu
N. K. Viswanathan
Written byT. N. Balu
Produced byT. N. Balu
Starring
CinematographyN. K. Viswanathan
Edited byV. Rajagopal
Music byIlaiyaraaja
Gangai Amaran
Production
company
Balu Cine Arts
Release dates
  • 15 August 1981 (1981-08-15) (Tamil)
  • 6 February 1982 (1982-02-06) (Telugu)[1]
CountryIndia
LanguagesTamil
Telugu

Plot

edit

The film begins with an ordinary man Dharmalingam vacationing in Ooty with his family where he is framed for murder by a criminal Chelladurai. Dharmalingam is jailed while his wife, son Mohan and daughter Seetha all end up split from each other. After several years, the vengeful Dharmalingam returns to confront Chelladurai as the secretive Sankarlal and also desperately is on the lookout for his lost family. Chelladurai has meanwhile kidnapped a girl named Hema for ransom and Mohan is deputed by Hema's father to rescue her. This results in Dharmalingam and Mohan locking horns in their fight against their common enemy Chelladurai.

Cast

edit
Cast (Tamil) Cast (Telugu) Role (Tamil) Role (Telugu) Ref.
Kamal Haasan Dharmalingam (Sankarlal) Damodaram
Mohan
Sridevi Hema
Seema Seetha/Baabi
P. R. Varalakshmi Dhanalakshmi [2]
Suruli Rajan Allu Rama Lingaiah Hema's father
R. S. Manohar Rao Gopal Rao Selladurai Bhujangam
S. A. Ashokan Rallapalli Guest appearance
Hema
Baby Babeetha
Baby Vanthana

Tamil version

edit

Production

edit

Balu died half-way during production, and the film was eventually completed with Viswanathan as director.[3] Sripriya was considered for the leading female role, before Sridevi was finalised.[4]

Soundtrack

edit

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja (only Elankiliyae) and Gangai Amaran.

Tamil version[5][6]
Song Singers Lyrics Length
"Elankiliyae innum Vilangaliye" Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam Pulamaipithan 04:33
"Ada Vaada Kannu" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam Pulamaipithan 04:24
"Kasturi Maan ondru" Janaki, Malaysia Vasudevan Pulamaipithan 04:36
"Thedinen" Malaysia Vasudevan Gangai Amaran 04:24
"Unmai yendrum vellum" Vani Jairam Panchu Arunachalam 04:13
"Paathikkallil"(This song not in movie) Janaki, Malaysia Vasudevan, Kamal Haasan Pulamaipithan 04:27

Reception

edit

Nalini Sastry of Kalki praised the acting of Sridevi and Seema, Viswanathan's cinematography but felt the film lacks pace and Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaran's music offers nothing new and concluded Kamal who is stepping up in recent times has taken rest in this film.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Andagaadu" (PDF). Andhra Patrika. 6 February 1982. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  2. ^ Ashok Kumar, S. R. (13 November 2010). "Grill Mill: P. R. Varalakshmi". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Grillmill". The Hindu. 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  4. ^ "அவன் அவள் அது - படத்தில் வாடகைத்தாய் வேடத்தில் ஸ்ரீபிரியா". Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 2 October 2018. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Shankarlal (1978) [sic]". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Shankarlal ( Mini LP 33 RPM )". AVDigital. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  7. ^ சாஸ்திரி, நளினி (3 September 1981). "சங்கர்லால்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 12. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Internet Archive.
edit