Athey Kangal (1967 film)

A woman named Vasantha finds her husband Ranganathan dead. A masked murderer tries to kill her too, but she escapes from him. Vasantha is left in a state of shock and becomes mentally paralysed. A case is registered and the investigation takes place.

Susi, a college student, along with her friends arrives at Vasantha's for her vacation. There lives her younger paternal uncles Kamalanathan and Vimalanathan, aunt Vasantha, butler Appukutty Nair and a regular visiting Siddha doctor Vedamurthy. During her stay, a series of murders take place at the house with every time a cigar bit being left by the murderer intentionally.

Since Vasantha is the only eyewitness of her husband's murder, her life is in danger. Despite tight security, she is killed by the murderer, who later makes frequent calls to Susi and threatens that she will be his next target. Susi is frustrated by the incidents happening at the house and the threatening phone calls. She requests help from her colleague Baskar, who promises her to help.

Baskar investigates Vimalanathan, Kamalanathan and the inmates of the house. One day, Baskar follows Kamalanathan to a strange house, where he meets a woman. She is revealed to be Kamalanathan's lover Mala, who was rescued some years back by him when she attempted suicide. Kamalanathan keeps quiet as he wants Susi to get married first, only then he would marry Mala.

As a part of investigation, Baskar asks everyone in the house to stay out for a night, to lure the murderer. As expected, the murderer enters Susi's room to kill her. Baskar tries to unmask the murderer, but sees his eyes before he escapes, leaving his mask behind. Baskar finds Vimalanathan murdered at the doorstep.

Kamalanathan rushes everyone to vacate the house following the celebration of Susi's birthday party. On the day of the party, the murderer tries to attacks Susi, but Baskar saves her. Baskar chases the murderer, but loses track. On his way back, he sees Vedamurthy injured at a place. He rescues him and comes home. Everyone is unaware of the reason of the murder, where Baskar insists Kamalanathan in front of everyone to tell about his family which might help them to get a clue of the murders.

Kamalanathan reveals that his father had an extramarital affair with a woman, but the woman and her 10-year-old son died in a fire set by Kamalanathan's elder brother (Susi's father). Baskar theorises that the son may not have died and is actually the murderer killing the family members as vengeance; he also states that the murderer may be present along with them as he plans accordingly knowing the circumstances of the house. Baskar places the murderer's mask on the face of each man present to verify whose eyes match with the murderer's eyes, ultimately exposing Vedamurthy, who was disguised using prosthetics, as the murderer.

Baskar chases the murderer, who gets injured while trying to escape and is struggling to run. While the police shoot the murderer, he disappears in a tunnelway near the garden. Everyone finds a secret room beneath the garden which leads to the murderer's house and his corpse, realising this is how he escaped after committing each murder. Baskar later marries Susi and stays in the same house, while Kamalanathan marries Mala.

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;Male cast

• Ravichandran as Baskar
• S. A. Ashokan as Kamalanathan
• Nagesh as Baskar's friend
• S. V. Ramadas as Vimalanathan
• A. Karunanidhi as Appukutty Nair
• P. D. Sambandam
• Vasanthakumar as Vedamurthy{{Cite news |date=12 May 2019 |title=பத்திரிகையாளர் சுதாங்கனின் 'நெஞ்சம் மறப்பதில்லை!' – 86 |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/70679 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106063954/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/70679 |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=Dinamalar |location=Nellai |language=ta}}
• Typist Gopu
• K. Balaji as the family doctor
• Major Sundarrajan as the police officer

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;Female cast

• Kanchana as Suseela (Susi)
• Madhavi Krishnan as Julie
• Geethanjali as Mala
• G. Sakunthala as Vasantha

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AVM Productions built a huge house set for Mehrban (1967); however A. V. Meiyappan felt the richness of the set was never felt in the film so he decided not to dismantle the set. Director A. C. Tirulokchandar who visited the set felt this house would fit in for a film in the thriller genre and decided to make a film on in this set, which became Athey Kangal.{{Cite web |last=குமரன் |first=ஏவி.எம். |date=14 April 2019 |title=ஏவி.எம்., சகாப்தம் (19) |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/malarkal/vara-malar-weekly-magazine/avm-era-19/47217 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190610043305/https://www.dinamalar.com/supplementary_detail.asp?id=47217 |archive-date=10 June 2019 |access-date=10 June 2019 |website=Dinamalar |language=ta}} The script was completed in one week, and took inspiration from various Hindi horror/thrillers such as Bhoot Bungla (1965), Bees Saal Baad (1962) and Gumnaam (1965). The comedy track was written by T. N. Balu.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=196}} The film was produced by Meiyappan under Balasubramanian & Co, a subsidiary of AVM. The assistant producers were M. Murugan, M. Kumaran, M. Saravanan, M. Balasubramanian and M. S. Guhan. The dialogue was written by Balu, cinematography was handled by S. Maruti Rao, and editing by R. G. Gope.{{Cite AV media |title=Athey Kangal |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=Balasubramanian & Co. |year=1967 |time=0:00 to 3:40 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}{{sfn|Cowie|Elley|1977|p=256}} Ravichandran, who played the lead role, received a salary of {{INRConvert|10000|year=1967}}.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=197}} It was simultaneously filmed in Telugu as Ave Kallu, with Kanchana as the lead actress in both.{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=18 June 2016 |title=A director who stood tall |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/A-director-who-stood-tall/article14429883.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619080951/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/actors-share-memories-of-a-c-trilokchander/article8745794.ece |archive-date=19 June 2016 |access-date=10 June 2019 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite web |last=Sri |date=4 May 2005 |title=Ave Kallu (1967) |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/movieretrospect/avekallu1967.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304010030/http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/movieretrospect/avekallu1967.php |archive-date=4 March 2009 |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=Telugucinema.com}} The final cut of the film measured {{convert|4519|metres|feet}}.

The soundtrack was composed by Vedha and the lyrics were written by Vaali.{{Cite web |title=Athey Kangal (1967) |url=https://mio.to//album/Athey+Kangal+%281967%29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608154327/https://mio.to//album/Athey%2BKangal%2B(1967) |archive-date=8 June 2019 |access-date=8 June 2019 |website=Music India Online}}{{Cite web |title=Athey Kangal |url=https://isaishop.com/item/athey-kangal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005115740/https://isaishop.com/item/athey-kangal |archive-date=5 October 2021 |access-date=5 October 2021 |website=IsaiShop}} The song "Ethanai Azhagu" is based on "Pedal Pusher" by The Ventures,{{Cite web |last=Gopalakrishnan |first=P. V. |date=15 May 2017 |title=FIlmy Ripples- Inspired plagiarism in early music |url=https://tcrcindia.com/2017/05/15/filmy-ripples-inspired-plagiarism-in-early-music/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003173832/https://tcrcindia.com/2017/05/15/filmy-ripples-inspired-plagiarism-in-early-music/ |archive-date=3 October 2017 |access-date=17 April 2018 |website=The Cinema Resource Centre}} and was recorded using 60 instruments.{{Cite magazine |date=18 November 1979 |title=இசை அமைப்பாளருடன் சில அனுபவங்கள்! |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1979-11-18/kalki1979-11-18.pdf |access-date=17 July 2024 |magazine=Kalki |pages=24–26 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} The song "Boom Boom Maattukaran" is based on "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from Mary Poppins (1964).{{Cite web |last=S |first=Karthik |author-link=Karthik Srinivasan |title=Tamil [Other Composers] |url=https://www.itwofs.com/tamil-others.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190522113005/https://www.itwofs.com/tamil-others.html |archive-date=22 May 2019 |access-date=10 June 2019 |website=ItwoFS}} For the song "Pombale Oruthi Irundaalaam", singers A. L. Raghavan and T. M. Soundararajan came up with lines in their first language Saurashtra. The words "Sodija" and "Daakara" in the song are presented as gibberish that Nagesh's character uses to frighten Kanchana's, but they actually mean "Leave me and go" and "I am afraid" in Saurashtra.{{Cite news |last=Krishnamachari |first=Suganthy |date=23 June 2011 |title=In fine fettle |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/in-fine-fettle/article13606867.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610053259/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/in-fine-fettle/article13606867.ece |archive-date=10 June 2019 |access-date=8 June 2019 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite news |last=Rangaraj |first=R |date=23 June 2020 |title=Man who rocked Tamil pop, yodelling into hearts |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/man-who-rocked-tamil-pop-yodelling-into-hearts/articleshow/76519575.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528143258/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/man-who-rocked-tamil-pop-yodelling-into-hearts/articleshow/76519575.cms |archive-date=28 May 2021 |access-date=5 October 2021 |work=The Times of India}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Pombala Oruthi

| extra1 = T. M. Soundararajan, A. L. Raghavan

| length1 =

| title2 = Ethanai Azhagu

| extra2 = T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela

| length2 =

| title3 = Ennannamo Ninaithen

| extra3 = P. Susheela

| length3 =

| title4 = Can Can

| note4 = Instrumental

| extra4 =  —

| length4 =

| title5 = Boom Boom Maattukaran

| extra5 = P. Susheela

| length5 =

| title6 = Chinna Penn

| extra6 = T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela

| length6 =

| title7 = Va Arugil Va

| extra7 = P. Susheela

| title8 = Kannukku Theriyatha

| extra8 = T. M. Soundararajan

}}

Athey Kangal was released on 26 May 1967,{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=451}} and became a major box-office success upon release.{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=T. M. |year=1968 |title=Boom In South India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B8QnAAAAMAAJ&q=Boom+In+South+India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106063942/https://books.google.com/books?id=B8QnAAAAMAAJ&q=Boom+In+South+India |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=27 March 2021 |magazine=Film World |page=60 |volume=4}} Kalki appreciated the film for its opulence, picturisation and colour.{{Cite magazine |date=18 June 1967 |title=அதே கண்கள் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1967/jun/18-06-1967/p17.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220725102407/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1967/jun/18-06-1967/p17.jpg |archive-date=25 July 2022 |access-date=13 October 2021 |magazine=Kalki |page=17 |language=ta}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |last=Nathan |first=Archana |date=15 July 2018 |title=From 'Athey Kangal' to 'Imaikkaa Nodigal', Tamil cinema has always loved its serial killers |url=https://scroll.in/reel/885451/from-athey-kangal-to-imaikkaa-nodigal-tamil-cinema-has-always-loved-its-serial-killers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608154336/https://scroll.in/reel/885451/from-athey-kangal-to-imaikkaa-nodigal-tamil-cinema-has-always-loved-its-serial-killers |archive-date=8 June 2019 |access-date=8 June 2019 |website=Scroll.in}}

{{Cite web |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=6 August 2018 |title=அதே கண்கள் – அப்பவே அப்படி கதை! |url=https://www.kamadenu.in/news/cinema/4575-adhekangal-appave-appadi-kadhai-2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190610084225/https://www.kamadenu.in/news/cinema/4575-adhekangal-appave-appadi-kadhai-2.html |archive-date=10 June 2019 |access-date=5 October 2021 |website=Kamadenu |language=ta}}

{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=27 June 2015 |title=Athey Kangal 1967 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/athey-kangal-1967/article7361511.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101195637/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/athey-kangal-1967/article7361511.ece |archive-date=1 November 2017 |access-date=8 June 2019 |work=The Hindu}}

{{Cite magazine |last=சரவணன் |first=ஏவி.எம். |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |date=24 April 2005 |title=கமலைப் பாராட்டமாட்டேன்! |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki2005-04-24/kalki2005-04-24.pdf |access-date=17 July 2024 |magazine=Kalki |pages=44–47 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}

{{Cite web |title=1967 – அதே கண்கள் (கலர்) பாலசுப்ரமணியம் அன் கம். ஏ.வி.எம். |trans-title=1967 – Athey Kangal (Colour) Balasubramanian & Co. A.V.M. |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1967-cinedetails1.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190610051147/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1967-cinedetails1.asp |archive-date=10 June 2019 |access-date=10 June 2019 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=Tamil}}

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• {{Cite book |last1=Cowie |first1=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jp7ayTLX1D8C&pg=PA256 |title=World Filmography: 1967 |last2=Elley |first2=Derek |publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson University Press |year=1977 |isbn=978-0-498-01565-6}}
• {{Cite book |last=Saravanan |first=M. |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |title=AVM 60 Cinema |publisher=Rajarajan Pathippagam |year=2013 |edition=3rd |language=ta |oclc=1158347612 |orig-date=2005}}

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• {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

{{A. C. Tirulokchandar}}

{{AVM Productions}}

{{Improve categories|date=March 2024}}

Category:1960s Indian films

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Category:1967 films

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Category:Films directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar

Category:Films scored by Vedha (composer)

Category:Indian mystery thriller films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films