Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri

Nagaraj and Sampath are garment salesmen and roommates in Nagercoil. While Sampath is a straightforward person who believes in honesty, Nagaraj is a womaniser, in contrast to Sampath who believes in true love. Sampath's lover Raji, while fleeing from a rogue bull, dies due to an accident. A depressed Sampath attempts suicide, but Nagaraj stops him, and Sampath decides to stop selling garments, instead confining himself to remaining Nagaraj's assistant.

Aboard a train bound for Madras, Nagaraj and Sampath encounter Muthu, a temple trust clerk who has a suitcase full of cash. But Muthu dies en route of a heart attack and Nagaraj steals his suitcase, over Sampath's objections. Muthu's sister Bhuvana visits them at Nagercoil to enquire about the lost cash (which is all black money). Nagaraj denies knowing anything, but Bhuvana remains suspicious. He pretends to love her; Bhuvana falls for his lust and has sex with him.

Nagaraj uses some of the black money to open his own garment store. To make the rest of the money legitimate, he decides to marry Manohari, the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Bhuvana, pregnant by Nagaraj, refuses to abort the baby and wants Nagaraj to marry her, but he refuses. To save Bhuvana's honour and help his friend, Sampath marries Bhuvana but they only share a platonic relationship, while Nagaraj marries Manohari and his business flourishes.

Sampath wants to have a physical relationship with Bhuvana but she rejects him, saying he is like a god to her. Sampath raises Bhuvana's son as his own. Meanwhile, Nagarajan and Manohari yearn for a child as the former has now become impotent due to his excessive libido. Nagaraj demands that his son be given to him for adoption but Bhuvana refuses.

When the child becomes ill and needs an injection, Nagaraj enters into a bargain that he would give the medicine from his pharmacy, provided it is agreed that the child is given to him in adoption. However, Sampath arrives on time to deliver the injection and the child is saved. A short while later, Sampath succumbs to cardiac arrest, the result of years of excessive smoking and drinking. Bhuvana prefers to live as his widow.

• Sivakumar as Nagaraj{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=64}}
• Rajinikanth as Sampath{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=64}}
• Sumithra as Bhuvana{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=64}}
• Jaya as Manohari{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=64}}
• Meera as Raaji{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=65}}
• Suruli Rajan as Manohari's father
• Y. G. Mahendran as Muthu{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=64}}

Writer Panchu Arunachalam and director S. P. Muthuraman initially wanted Rajinikanth to play a small role in a low-budget film.{{efn|While Muthuraman stated in 1999 that the film was Avalukku Oru Aasai, he contradicted himself in a later interview with The Hindu{{'}}s Malathi Rangarajan, stating it to be Aan Singam.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2012|p=16}} }} But after meeting him, the duo found him to have "brightness" and decided to cast him in "something bigger, better". The film was Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Maharishi.{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=63}} Produced by N. S. Mani under the banner M. A. M. Films who earlier worked as production controller for AVM Productions,{{sfn|Muthuraman|2017|page=180}} its screenplay was written by Arunachalam. The film was the first collaboration of Rajinikanth and Muthuraman,{{Cite news |last=Shoba |first=V. |date=19 December 2014 |title=The Enduring Legend of Rajini |url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/the-enduring-legend-of-rajini |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224074415/http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/the-enduring-legend-of-rajini |archive-date=24 February 2018 |access-date=24 February 2018 |work=Open}} and was conceived during the Emergency.{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=71}}

The film had a role swap as Sivakumar, then known for playing clean and positive characters, played an antihero while Rajinikanth, then an established villain, played a positive character Sampath.{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2012|p=16}}{{Cite news |last=Surendran |first=Anusha |last2=Venkatraman |first2=Janane |last3=Radhakrishnan |first3=Sruthi |date=21 July 2016 |title=Rajini: the actor before the hero |url=http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/Rajini-the-actor-before-the-hero/article14501031.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180328172234/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/Rajini-the-actor-before-the-hero/article14501031.ece |archive-date=28 March 2018 |access-date=28 March 2018 |work=The Hindu}} Muthuraman said he deliberately cast Rajinikanth against type since he wanted to "experiment with his acting skills". He also explained that his decision to shoot the film in black-and-white, rather than colour, was to save costs.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=66}} Since Rajinikanth was not fluent in Tamil at that time, he was trained by S. L. Narayanan, who was popularly known by the prefix "Vaadhyar".{{sfn|Ramachandran|2012|p=17}}

Cinematography was handled by Babu. Some scenes were filmed in Panagudi, Tirunelveli.{{Cite news |date=12 October 2023 |title=Rajinikanth gets nostalgic as he visits a place in Tirunelveli after 46 years, shoots for 'Thalaivar 170' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/rajinikanth-gets-nostalgic-as-he-visits-a-place-in-tirunelveli-after-46-years-shoots-for-thalaivar-170/articleshow/104361213.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231013120539/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/rajinikanth-gets-nostalgic-as-he-visits-a-place-in-tirunelveli-after-46-years-shoots-for-thalaivar-170/articleshow/104361213.cms |archive-date=13 October 2023 |access-date=13 October 2023 |work=The Times of India}} A group song was shot in Tada area and it was decided that the song sequence could be shot in one day but due to a technical fault in the playback equipment which occurred when the half of the song scene was over, it was not possible to continue the shooting, the crew had no other option but to stay there for the night and finish the shoot next day.{{sfn|Muthuraman|2017|pages=183-184}} The film was initially shot with the ending of Sampath and Bhuvana (Sumithra) marrying; however after watching the preview, Muthuraman felt Bhuvana's purity seemed to have been spoiled when she was allowed to live together so the team discussed together various endings and half-heartedly agreed to the conclusion of Bhuvana living a widow's life after Sampath's death which was well received by audience.{{Cite magazine |date=22 June 1980 |title=பிரச்னைகள் ஆயிரம்! |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-06-22/page/n15/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230403125835/https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-06-22/page/n15/mode/2up |archive-date=3 April 2023 |access-date=3 April 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=14–15 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}} The film was edited by R. Vittal, and its final length measured {{Convert|3976.12|metres|feet}}.

Ilaiyaraaja composed the music and Panchu Arunachalam wrote the lyrics.{{Cite web |title=Bhuvana Oru Kelvikuri (1977) |url=http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/Bhuvana-Oru-Kelvikuri-T0000033 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401232734/http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/Bhuvana-Oru-Kelvikuri-T0000033 |archive-date=1 April 2014 |access-date=26 September 2016 |website=Raaga.com}} The song "Vizhiyile" is set in the Carnatic raga known as Natabhairavi,{{sfn|Sundararaman|2007|p=168}} and "Poonthendrale" is set in Rageshree.{{sfn|Sundararaman|2007|p=154}} In June 2013, A. Muthusamy of Honey Bee Music released a 5.1 surround sound version of the soundtrack.{{Cite news |last=Jeshi |first=K. |date=15 June 2013 |title=Music to his ears |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/music-to-his-ears/article4816337.ece |url-status=live |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927154838/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/music-to-his-ears/article4816337.ece |archive-date=27 September 2016}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 15:09

| title1 = Vizhiyile

| note1 =

| writer1 =

| music1 =

| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

| length1 = 4:24

| title2 = Raja Enbar

| note2 =

| writer2 =

| music2 =

| extra2 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki

| length2 = 4:32

| title3 = Poonthendrale

| note3 =

| writer3 =

| music3 =

| extra3 = P. Jayachandran, Vani Jairam

| length3 = 4:08

| title4 = Theme

| note4 = Instrumental

| writer4 =

| music4 =

| extra4 =  —

| length4 = 2:05

}}

Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri was released on 2 September 1977.{{Cite news |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=3 September 2019 |title='புவனா ஒரு கேள்விக்குறி' – அப்பவே அப்படி கதை |language=ta |work=Hindu Tamil Thisai |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/513998-bhuvana-oru-kelvikuri-appave-appadi-kadhai.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009111014/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/513998-bhuvana-oru-kelvikuri-appave-appadi-kadhai.html |archive-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite news |date=29 April 2016 |title=மாறுபட்ட வேடங்களில் ரஜினி-சிவகுமார் இணைந்து நடித்த புவனா ஒரு கேள்விக்குறி |language=ta |trans-title=Rajini-Sivakumar acted in different roles in Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri |work=Maalai Malar |url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/Cinema/CineHistory/2016/04/29232214/1009175/Cine-history-Different-roles-Rajini-Sivakumar-%20%20acting.vpf |url-status=dead |access-date=28 March 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180328084217/https://www.maalaimalar.com/Cinema/CineHistory/2016/04/29232214/1009175/Cine-history-Different-roles-Rajini-Sivakumar-acting.vpf |archive-date=28 March 2018}} The film shocked audiences who were used to seeing Rajinikanth in negative roles, and Sivakumar in heroic roles.{{Cite news |last=Subhakeerthana |first=S. |date=12 December 2018 |title=Rajinikanth deserves all the love he gets: SP Muthuraman |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/rajinikanth-sp-muthuraman-movies-5489380/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421160329/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/rajinikanth-sp-muthuraman-movies-5489380/ |archive-date=21 April 2019}} Nevertheless, it won the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Film and Muthuraman won the Best Tamil Director award at the same ceremony. Rajinikanth's performance earned him the Thirai Kathir Award for Best Supporting Actor.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=268}} In 1978, the critic from Film World stated that although Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri dealt with social questions, it "neither had the motivation nor the justification very much essential to make a film realistic; at best [it] appeared frivolous."{{Cite magazine |date=1978 |editor-last=Ramachandran |editor-first=T. M. |title=No Social Relevance |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xXhTAAAAYAAJ&q=buvana |magazine=Film World |page=64 |volume=14}}

The success of Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri paved way for Rajinikanth the opportunity to do more hero oriented films. Although Sivakumar's fans disliked seeing him play a negative character, he received numerous offers to play negative roles following this film's success, and felt accepting to play Nagaraj was a mistake; he elaborated, "I do not wish to be typed either as a goody- goody leading man or a villain. I would like to act all types of roles."{{Cite magazine |year=1978 |editor-last=Ramachandran |editor-first=T. M. |title=Sivakumar — Actor with talent plus luck |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xXhTAAAAYAAJ&q=%22plus+luck%22 |access-date=9 April 2024 |magazine=Film World |pages=cccii |volume=14}}{{cbignore}} Muthuraman called it one of the favourite films he had directed.{{Cite magazine |date=6 May 1979 |title=வண்ணத்திரையும் வெள்ளித்திரையும் |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1979-05-06/kalki1979-05-06.pdf |access-date=9 April 2024 |magazine=Kalki |pages=60–62 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}} Film producer and writer G. Dhananjayan wrote that it is one of five films Rajinikanth considers "close to his heart"; the other four are Mullum Malarum (1978), Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979) and Enkeyo Ketta Kural (1982) and Sri Raghavendrar (1985).{{Cite news |last=Suganth |first=M. |date=26 July 2015 |title=Panchu Arunachalam is the man who invented Rajinikanth as an actor |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Panchu-Arunachalam-is-the-man-who-invented-Rajinikanth-as-an-actor/articleshow/48215004.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726155121/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Panchu-Arunachalam-is-the-man-who-invented-Rajinikanth-as-an-actor/articleshow/48215004.cms |archive-date=26 July 2015 |access-date=27 September 2016 |work=The Times of India}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |last=Muthuraman |first=S. P. |author-link=S. P. Muthuraman |date=22 December 1999 |title=Rajini acts in front of the camera, never behind it |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/dec/22muthu.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107121339/http://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/dec/22muthu.htm |archive-date=7 January 2017 |access-date=27 September 2016 |website=Rediff.com}}

{{Cite news |last=Shrikumar |first=A. |date=5 November 2015 |title=Flitting into flashbacks |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/flitting-into-flashbacks/article7846091.ece |url-status=live |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927155000/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/flitting-into-flashbacks/article7846091.ece |archive-date=27 September 2016}}

{{Cite news |last=முத்துராமன் |first=எஸ்பி. |author-link=S. P. Muthuraman |date=13 January 2016 |title=சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 41: கமலும் ரஜினியும் இணைந்து நடித்தது எந்தப் படம்? |language=ta |trans-title=Try making a film 41: Kamal and Rajini acted together in which film? |work=Hindu Tamil Thisai |url=https://tamil.thehindu.com/cinema/cinema-others/சினிமா-எடுத்துப்-பார்-41-கமலும்-ரஜினியும்-இணைந்து-நடித்தது-எந்தப்-படம்/article8100467.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=14 September 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190319063102/https://tamil.thehindu.com/cinema/cinema-others/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-41-%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D/article8100467.ece |archive-date=19 March 2019}}

{{Cite book |title=Indian Films |publisher=Allied Publishers |year=1978 |pages=124}}

{{Cite book |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015069813841;view=1up;seq=486 |title=The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who |publisher=Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd |year=1984 |pages=234}}

}}

• {{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YyFMAgAAQBAJ |title=Rajinikanth 12.12.12: A Birthday Special |publisher=Kasturi & Sons Ltd. |year=2012 |editor-last=Ramachandran |editor-first=Naman |editor-link=Naman Ramachandran}}
• {{Cite book |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |location=New Delhi |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |orig-date=2012}}
• {{Cite book |last=Sundararaman |title=Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music |publisher=Pichhamal Chintamani |year=2007 |edition=2nd |location=Chennai |oclc=295034757 |orig-date=2005}}
• {{Cite book |last=Muthuraman |first=S. P. |title=AVM Thandha SPM |publisher=Vikatan |year=2017 |edition=3rd |language=Tamil |oclc=607342391 |author-link=S. P. Muthuraman |orig-date=2005}}

• {{IMDb title|0273465}}

{{S. P. Muthuraman}}

{{Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil}}

Category:1970s Indian films

Category:1970s Tamil-language films

Category:1977 drama films

Category:1977 films

Category:Films based on Tamil novels

Category:Films directed by S. P. Muthuraman

Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja

Category:Films with screenplays by Panchu Arunachalam

Category:Indian black-and-white films

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films

Category:Tamil-language drama films

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