Dharmam Engey

{{more plot|date=August 2022}}

In a village, Rajasekaran works in the field picking and selling flowers. Maarthaandan is the tyrant ruler who exploits the villagers. Rajasekaran becomes their leader, rebels against Maarthaandan and ultimately succeeds.

{{Cast listing|

• Sivaji Ganesan as Rajasekaran
• Jayalalithaa as Roopa
• Muthuraman as Boopathy
• Kumari Padmini as Vani
• M. N. Nambiar as Marthandan
• S. V. Ramadas as Captain
• Nagesh as Kurka
• Senthamarai as Captain
• T. V. Kumuthini as Sivakami
• Aalam as Dancer
• Gemini Balu as Soldier

}}

The film was shot at Thiruchopuram in Cuddalore,{{Cite news |last=Ragunathan |first=A. V. |date=26 January 2012 |title='Thane' did not spare even sand dunes |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/%E2%80%98Thane-did-not-spare-even-sand-dunes/article13380769.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726083503/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu//article60560569.ece |archive-date=26 July 2022 |access-date=2 October 2020 |work=The Hindu}} and AVM Studios in Madras.{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=14 June 2017 |title=Dharmam Engey (1972) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-classic-films/article19047160.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111224613/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-classic-films/article19047160.ece |archive-date=11 November 2020 |access-date=2 October 2020 |work=The Hindu}} Sivaji Ganesan appeared in several costumes throughout the film,{{Cite web |last=Nārāyaṇan̲ |first=Ar̲antai |date=1 September 1981 |title=Tamil̲ cin̲imāvin̲ katai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5II0AAAAMAAJ&q=%22%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%87%22+(1972) |publisher=Niyū Ceñcuri Puk Havus |pages=688 |language=ta |via=Google Books}} as did Jayalalithaa, who designed her own costumes.{{Cite web |date=28 May 2025 |title=பிளாஷ்பேக்: ஜெயலலிதாவின் ஆசையை பூர்த்தி செய்த “தர்மம் எங்கே?” |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/129904 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250528073518/https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/129904 |archive-date=28 May 2025 |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=Dinamalar |language=Ta}} Like a previous Ganesan film, Sivandha Mann (1969), it revolved around the protagonist rebelling against a tyrant ruler.{{Cite web |last=ராஜநாயஹம் |first=R.P. |date=1 February 2017 |title="என் அப்பாவை மீண்டும் பார்த்தேன்!{{''}} |trans-title=I saw my father again! |url=https://www.andhimazhai.com/special-section/special-pages/%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831164443/https://www.andhimazhai.com/special-section/special-pages/%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D |archive-date=31 August 2024 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=Andhimazhai |language=Ta}} The film was colourised via Eastmancolor.{{Cite magazine |date=October 1972 |title=தர்மம் எங்கே |url=https://archive.org/details/EAP372-7-25-10/page/XXXIII/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240901125403/https://archive.org/details/EAP372-7-25-10/page/XXXIII/mode/2up |archive-date=1 September 2024 |access-date=1 September 2024 |magazine=Sivaji |language=ta |via=Internet Archive |volume=XXXIV}}

The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan.{{Cite web |title=Dharmam Engay Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by MS Viswanathan |url=https://mossymart.com/product/dharmam-engay-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ms-viswanathan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819042523/https://mossymart.com/product/dharmam-engay-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ms-viswanathan/ |archive-date=19 August 2022 |access-date=19 August 2022 |website=Mossymart}} An assistant director suggested the director not to use the lyric "Thangai" ({{Translation|younger sister}}) for a song in Avandhan Manidhan (1975) since "Thangaiyila Illai" ({{Translation|not in the younger sister}}) was the pallavi for a song in this film.{{Cite book |last=Vanankamudi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9_R_vEcICJAC&dq=%22%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%87%22&pg=PA116 |title=கண்ணதாசன் கதை |date=August 2008 |publisher=Kannadhasan Pathippagam |isbn=978-81-8402-028-1 |pages=116 |language=Ta |trans-title=The story of Kannadasan}} The song "Palli Araikkul Vantha" attained popularity.{{Cite web |title='கவி'க்கும், 'இசை'க்கும் இன்று பிறந்த நாள்: மறக்கமுடியுமா இரு மேதைகளை? |trans-title=Today is the birthday of 'poet' and 'music': Can we forget the two geniuses? |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/news/tamil-nadu-news/msv-kannadasan-birthday-today/2305112 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830171219/https://www.dinamalar.com/news/tamil-nadu-news/msv-kannadasan-birthday-today/2305112 |archive-date=30 August 2024 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=Dinamalar |language=ta}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=km5kAAAAMAAJ&q=%22%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%87%22+(1972) |title=Kaṇmatiyan̲ kavitaikaḷ |date=1 September 1972 |publisher=Katiravan̲ Patippakam |pages=100 |language=ta |via=Google Books}}

Dharmam Engey was released on 15 July 1972,{{Cite web |title=151-160 |url=http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp16.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023415/http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp16.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=2 September 2014 |website=nadigarthilagam.com}} delayed from April.{{Cite news |date=15 March 1972 |title=தர்மம் எங்கே |work=Dina Thanthi |language=ta}} The film was an unexpected failure.{{Cite web |date=1 September 1990 |title=Puraṭcic celvi Jeyalalitā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GiJlAAAAMAAJ&q=%22%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D+%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%87%22+(1972) |publisher=Maṇimēkalaip Piracuram |pages=166 |language=ta |via=Google Books}} The film did not run for more than two days, and as a result, it was not successful commercially.{{Cite web |date=23 April 2019 |title=தமிழர்களை ஈர்த்த மலையாளப் படங்கள் – தேவிபாரதி |trans-title=Malayalam films that attracted Tamilians: Devibharathi |url=https://minnambalam.com/public/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%88%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B3/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831032900/https://minnambalam.com/public/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%88%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B3/ |archive-date=31 August 2024 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=Minnambalam |language=ta}} The reason for the film's failure, according to historian Randor Guy, was that critics and filmgoers felt it would have better suited M. G. Ramachandran, who was known for such films. This was the only film of Ganesan that released that year that was a failure.{{Cite web |last=Raj |first=John Babu |date=8 December 2023 |title=ஒரே வருடத்தில் 2 வெள்ளிவிழா, 4 நூறு நாள் படங்கள் தந்த சிவாஜி கணேசன் |trans-title=In one week, 2 silver jubilees, 4 100-day films given by Sivaji Ganesan |url=https://tamil.news18.com/entertainment/neethi-movie-completes-51-years-yesterday-released-on-december-7th-1972-1261917.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208075808/https://tamil.news18.com/entertainment/neethi-movie-completes-51-years-yesterday-released-on-december-7th-1972-1261917.html |archive-date=8 December 2023 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=News18 |language=ta}}{{Cite web |date=8 May 2020 |title=ஒரே வருடத்தில் 6 ஹிட் கொடுத்த சிவாஜி |trans-title=In one year, Sivaji gave six hits |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/news/blogs/553470-1972-sivaji-6-hit.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603211247/https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/news/blogs/553470-1972-sivaji-6-hit.html |archive-date=3 June 2020 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} Despite the film's failure, in 2022, Laxmi Karthi of Cinemapettai said it still remains one of Ganesan's memorable films.{{Cite web |last=Karthi |first=Laxmi |date=8 December 2022 |title=70-களில் 100 நாட்களுக்கு மேல் ஓடிய சிவாஜியின் 7 படங்கள்.. வெள்ளி விழா கொண்டாடிய வசந்தமாளிகை |trans-title=7 films of Sivaji that ran for more than 100 days in the 1970s.. Vasantha Maligai celebrated its silver jubilee |url=https://www.cinemapettai.com/7-films-of-shivaji-that-ran-for-more-than-100-days-in-the-70s/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208080512/https://www.cinemapettai.com/7-films-of-shivaji-that-ran-for-more-than-100-days-in-the-70s |archive-date=8 December 2022 |access-date=31 August 2024 |website=Cinemapettai |language=ta}}

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{{A. C. Tirulokchandar}}

Category:1970s Indian films

Category:1970s Tamil-language films

Category:1972 action films

Category:1972 films

Category:Films about rebellions

Category:Films directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar

Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan

Category:Films shot in Chennai

Category:Indian action films

Category:Tamil-language action films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films