Idhayakkani
{{short description|1975 film by A. Jagannathan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Idhayakkani
| image = Idhayakkani.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = A. Jagannathan
| screenplay = R. M. Veerappan
| story = Poovai Krishnan
| producer = R. M. Veerappan
| starring = {{plainlist|
}}
| cinematography = N. Balakrishnan
| editing = {{plainlist|
- Krishnan
- Sundaram
}}
| music = M. S. Viswanathan
| studio = Sathya Movies
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|1975|8|22|df=y}}
| runtime = 160 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
Idhayakkani ({{translation|The Fruit of the Heart}}) is a 1975 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by A. Jagannathan and produced by R. M. Veerappan, starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role, with Pandari Bai, R. S. Manohar and Radha Saluja among others enacting supporting roles. It was released on 22 August 1975 and became a major success. Idhayakkani was notably the only Indian film to be screened at the Tashkent International Film Festival in 1978.
Plot
Mohan is a kind-hearted man whose theory of life is equality. He puts it into practice by sharing equally the income of his estate with his labourers. He has another passion – he wants to serve the country – and for that, he has joined the police force as an officer. He meets a needy, innocent, uneducated, village girl, Lakshmi, and on the advice of an elderly domestic help, he permits her to stay in his house.
Tongues start wagging, rumours spread and to remove the stigma now associated with her name, Mohan decides to marry the girl with her and his mother's consent. He joins duty. However, his happiness is short-lived. He is surprised when he discovers his wife's photo in the file of the case he is assigned to investigate which involves the murder of a leading scientist, as the main suspect. He is shocked but decides to do his duty and begins to investigate by first checking if his wife is really as innocent as she looks. He then takes the battle to other side by infiltrating the gang and in the end, finds the truth.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- M. G. Ramachandran as Mohan (Red){{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=16 April 2016 |title=Idhayakkani (1975) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mgr-and-radha-saluja-in-idhayakkani/article8483409.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210402094914/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/mgr-and-radha-saluja-in-idhayakkani/article8483409.ece |archive-date=2 April 2021 |access-date=2 April 2021 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite web |date=8 March 2021 |title=Did You Know, Ajith's popular on-screen name in 'Red' has a connection with MGR's on-screen name? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/did-you-know-ajiths-popular-on-screen-name-in-red-has-a-connection-with-mgrs-on-screen-name/articleshow/81392326.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404111803/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/did-you-know-ajiths-popular-on-screen-name-in-red-has-a-connection-with-mgrs-on-screen-name/articleshow/81392326.cms |archive-date=4 April 2021 |access-date=4 April 2021 |website=The Times of India}}
- Radha Saluja as Lakshmi, alias Mala
- Manohar as Albert
- Thengai Srinivasan as Rangarajan (Julie)
- C. R. Parthiban as Inspector
- K. Kannan as Kannan
- V. Gopalakrishnan as Madhavarao
- S. V. Ramdas as Dass, a hired man
- Isari Velan as Isari, Mohan's personal secretary
- Vennira Aadai Nirmala as a female singer in Hello lover', Thotta idam
- Pandari Bai as Mohan's mother
- Rajasulochana as Lily
- Shanmugasundari as Mohan's relative
- Shamugasundaram as Nattamai's son
- Karikol Raju as Panchayat leader
- Peeli Sivam as Hotel manager
- Usilai Mani as Astrologer
- Ennathe Kannaiah as Tour guide
- T. K. S. Natarajan as Iyer
- Trichy Soundararajan as C.I.D officer
}}
;Guest appearances
- S. V. Subbaiah as Ponnuswamy
- P. S. Veerappa as Uncle John
- V. S. Raghavan as The judge
- Shakti Prasad as Dharma Prakash, an atomic power scientist
- Rathna as Kamala, a picker from Mohan's Sathiya Coffee Estate Mohan, Neega Nallairukkanu
Production
Idhayakkani is the debut of Bollywood actress Radha Saluja in Tamil.{{Cite web |last=Sri Kantha |first=Sachi |author-link=Sachi Sri Kantha |date=27 December 2019 |title=MGR Remembered – Part 54 {{!}} An Overview of the Final 31 movies of 1970s |url=https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-54/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031005730/https://sangam.org/mgr-remembered-part-54/ |archive-date=31 October 2020 |access-date=5 April 2021 |website=Ilankai Tamil Sangam}}
Soundtrack
The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan.{{Cite web |title=Idhaykkani (1975) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0000758 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509061304/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000758 |archive-date=9 May 2014 |access-date=29 July 2014 |website=Raaga.com}} The songs "Inbame Undhan Per" and "Neenga Nalla Irukkanum" became chartbusters. Vijay Antony remixed the former song for the film Mariyadhai (2009).{{Cite web |date=6 March 2009 |title=Vijayakanth grooves for MGR song! |url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/vijayakanth-grooves-for-mgr-song-tamil-news-45446 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130202134/https://www.indiaglitz.com/vijayakanth-grooves-for-mgr-song-tamil-news-45446 |archive-date=30 November 2018 |access-date=30 November 2018 |website=IndiaGlitz}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Neenga Nalla Irukkanam (Thenagamam Inbath thirunattil)
| extra1 = Seerkazhi Govindarajan, T. M. Soundararajan & S. Janaki
| lyrics1 = Pulamaipithan
| length1 = 06:21
| title2 = Inbame Undhan Per
| extra2 = T. M. Soundararajan & P. Susheela
| lyrics2 = Pulamaipithan
| length2 = 04:56
| title3 = Ondrum Ariyatha (Punnaigaiyl Kodi)
| extra3 = T. M. Soundararajan
| lyrics3 = Vaali
| length3 = 04:39
| title4 = Hello Lover Mister Right
| extra4 = Usha Uthup
| lyrics4 = Randor Guy
| length4 = 04:42
| title5 = Ithazhe Ithazhe
| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & Ramola
| lyrics5 = Vaali
| length5 = 04:31
| title6 = Thotta Idam Ellam (Azhagai Vallarpom)
| extra6 = T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela & Sai Baba
| lyrics6 = Na. Kamarasan{{Cite web |date=1 September 2013 |title=கவியரசு நா. காமராசன் நேர்காணல் |url=http://www.nakkheeran.in/users/frmArticles.aspx?A=17591 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114608/http://www.nakkheeran.in/users/frmArticles.aspx?A=17591 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=4 September 2015 |website=Nakkheeran |language=ta}}
| length6 = 04:42
| total_length = 29:51
}}
Release and reception
Idhayakkani was released on 22 August 1975.{{Cite web |date=2 April 2011 |title=எம்.ஜி.ஆர். நடித்த படங்களின் பட்டியல் |url=http://www.ithayakkani.com/jsp/Content/MGR_Cinema.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181114041813/http://www.ithayakkani.com/jsp/Content/MGR_Cinema.jsp |archive-date=14 November 2018 |access-date=2 April 2021 |website=Ithayakkani |language=ta}} Ananda Vikatan praised the film for depicting Mercara's greenery and the horror of the Pichavaram backwaters, along with the music and colour cinematography.{{Cite magazine |date=September 1975 |title=இதயக்கனி – விகடன் விமர்சனம் |magazine=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}} Kanthan of Kalki praised the writing by Veerappan, and the direction of Jagannathan.{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=21 September 1975 |title=இதயக்கனி |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1975/sep/21-09-1975/p41.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220727124902/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1975/sep/21-09-1975/p41.jpg |archive-date=27 July 2022 |access-date=28 July 2022 |magazine=Kalki |page=41 |language=ta}} The film became a major success, and a breakthrough for Jagannathan.{{Cite news |date=8 October 2012 |title=Man who shored up MGR's film career is no more |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Man-who-shored-up-MGRs-film-career-is-no-more/articleshow/16716784.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416154233/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Man-who-shored-up-MGRs-film-career-is-no-more/articleshow/16716784.cms |archive-date=16 April 2017 |access-date=30 November 2018 |work=The Times of India}}{{Cite news |date=8 October 2012 |title=Veteran film director passes away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/veteran-film-director-passes-away/article12549719.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402100123/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/veteran-film-director-passes-away/article12549719.ece |archive-date=2 April 2021 |access-date=30 November 2018 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite news |date=8 May 2008 |title='Audience taste keeps changing' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/lsquoAudience-taste-keeps-changingrsquo/article15218648.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402100149/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/lsquoAudience-taste-keeps-changingrsquo/article15218648.ece |archive-date=2 April 2021 |access-date=30 November 2018 |work=The Hindu}}
References
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