Kasethan Kadavulada
{{short description|1972 film by Chitralaya Gopu}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Kasethan Kadavulada
| image = Kasethan Kadavulada.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = Chithralaya Gopu
| writer = Chithralaya Gopu
| based_on = {{based on|Kasethan Kadavulada|Chithralaya Gopu}}
| producer = {{ubl|M. Murugan|M. Kumaran|M. Saravanan|M. Balasubramanian|M. S. Guhan}}
| starring = {{ubl|Muthuraman|Lakshmi}}
| cinematography = K. S. Bhaskar
| editing = R. G. Gopu
| music = M. S. Viswanathan
| studio = AVM Productions
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|1972|5|19|df=y}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
Kasethan Kadavulada ({{Translation|Money alone is god}}) is a 1972 Indian Tamil-language heist comedy film written and directed by Chithralaya Gopu. The film stars Muthuraman and Lakshmi, with M. R. R. Vasu, Thengai Srinivasan, Srikanth, Moorthy, Manorama, Rama Prabha and Jayakumari in supporting roles. It focuses on a young man (Muthuraman) collaborating with his cousin (Srikanth) and friend (Srinivasan) to steal money from his stingy stepmother (Manorama).
Kasethan Kadavulada, based on Gopu's play of the same name is the directorial debut of Gopu, and was produced by AVM Productions. Muthuraman and Moorthy reprise their roles from the play. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, cinematography was handled by K. S. Bhaskar, and editing by R. G. Gopu.
Kasethan Kadavulada was released on 19 May 1972. The film became a commercial success, with Srinivasan's role as a fake godman becoming immensely popular. A remake with the same name was released in 2023.
Plot
Lakshmi, a domineering woman, controls all her husband Sivaswamy's money, treating him with scorn and disdain. When Ramu, Sivaswamy's son from his first wife, requires a sum of {{INRConvert|3000|year=1972}} for his sister's husband, the stingy Lakshmi instantly refuses. Ramu and his cousin Mali plot with their tea vendor friend Appaswamy, who pretends to be a godman named Badrinath Swamy Sukranada to get to her money safe and steal a sum of {{INR}}50,000. Meanwhile, Rama is an orphan whose only friend is Iruthayam, the doctor of a mental institution. When Rama wants a conduct certificate in order to obtain a job as Lakshmi's secretary, Iruthayam bungles and hands over the certificate of an insane girl also named Rama.
DSP Paramantham, who previously arrested Appaswamy, comes to see the godman. Appaswamy tells Paramantham to not handle any cases at this time. An incident occurs when Rama encounters Appaswamy without a beard, but to his surprise she does not recognise the difference. The house receives a telegram saying that the real Badrinath Swamy Sukranada is arriving in two days, meaning Appaswamy has to loot his sum within that time frame. Lakshmi's brother Mani wants to buy jewellery for his girlfriend, Latha, and needs money after being exposed by his girlfriend's brother. Mani steals Appaswamy's money {{INR}}5,001 that he received as a donation from Lakshmi (the extra {{INR}}1 came from Chettiar), but Rama catches him red-handed.
The sane Rama arrives at Lakshmi's house to work as a secretary. Lakshmi sees the certificate, but decides to keep her at her house since the certificate mentions that Rama becomes violent when somebody refuses to give her what she wants. Rama falls in love with Ramu. The insane Rama and her father also come there to work coincidentally. More complications arise (the insane Rama's father overhears Ramu and Appaswamy's heist plan and subsequently the insane Rama lets her anger out on Appaswamy, leading to a deal in which Ramu and Appaswamy will not tell anybody that the sane Rama is insane as nobody knows and that the insane Rama's father will not tell anybody about the heist plan), leading to more incidents.
Lakshmi tells Appaswamy about the cash she has stashed in her secret hideout, and shows him how to access it. Appaswamy and Ramu succeed in their heist later that night, but are exposed after they place the cash in a flower pot. The insane Rama's father, the sane Rama, and Mani all encounter the cash. Mani throws it outside to his Latha's brother. Again, Rama catches him red-handed. The cash is in Latha's brothers' coat. To prove that the other Rama is truly insane, the sane Rama tells the insane Rama that the coat will look good on her. When Latha's brother refuses to give her his coat, the insane Rama shows her insanity. As a result, all problems are solved, Lakshmi is pacified, and agrees to Ramu and the sane Rama's marriage.
Cast
{{Col-begin|width=55%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
- Muthuraman as Ramu
- M. R. R. Vasu as the insane Rama's father
- Thengai Srinivasan as Appaswamy
- Srikanth as Mali
- Moorthy as Sivaswamy
- Typist Gopu as Dr. Iruthayam{{Cite news |last=Venkataramanan |first=Geetha |date=13 April 2017 |title='I'm like a fish out of water' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/life-time-achievement-award-for-typist-gopu/article17985601.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406061105/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/life-time-achievement-award-for-typist-gopu/article17985601.ece |archive-date=6 April 2020 |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=The Hindu}}
- Sasikumar as Mani
- Senthamarai as DSP Paramantham (guest appearance)
- Suruli Rajan as Chettiar (guest appearance)
- S. Rama Rao as Iyer
- S. L. Narayanan as Dr. Iruthayam's secretary
- Sundhar as Mugilan
{{col-break|width=55%}}
- Lakshmi as the secretary Rama
- Manorama as Lakshmi{{Cite news |last=Yamunan |first=Sruthisagar |date=12 October 2015 |title=When the camera rolled, she lived the character' |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/when-the-camera-rolled-she-lived-the-character/article7751052.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029074558/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/when-the-camera-rolled-she-lived-the-character/article7751052.ece |archive-date=29 October 2016 |access-date=20 April 2018 |work=The Hindu}}
- Rama Prabha as the insane Rama
- Jayakumari as Latha
- Kumari Sachu as a popular dancer (guest appearance)
- Vijayarekha as Appaswamy's wife
- Renuka Sheshathri as Prema
{{Col-end}}
Production
Kasethan Kadavulada was a play written and directed by Chithralaya Gopu, and staged over 300 times. AVM Productions founder A. V. Meiyappan who saw the play decided to adapt it into a feature film and insisted Gopu direct; Gopu initially refused the directorial offer and wanted C. V. Rajendran to direct the film. The film adaptation marked Gopu's directorial debut.{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=9 June 2016 |title=Classic comedy revisited |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/Classic-comedy-revisited/article14412484.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406061426/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/Classic-comedy-revisited/article14412484.ece |archive-date=6 April 2020 |access-date=11 May 2018 |work=The Hindu}} While Muthuraman and Moorthy reprised their roles from the play as son and father, Manorama, who portrayed the lead actor's love interest in the play, portrayed the matriarch in the film; the lead actor's love interest in the film was instead portrayed by Lakshmi. Thengai Srinivasan portrayed the tea vendor Appaswamy masquerading as a godman, reprising the role originally played by Ramani, a mimicry artist, though many thought Nagesh would be cast in that role. In portraying Appaswamy, Srinivasan spoke in Madras Bashai.{{Cite web |last=Sampath |first=Janani |date=20 August 2014 |title=Language Found in Transition |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2014/Aug/20/language-found-in-transition-650041.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325115517/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2014/Aug/20/language-found-in-transition-650041.html |archive-date=25 March 2024 |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} Cinematography was handled by K. S. Bhaskar, and editing by R. G. Gopu.
Soundtrack
The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Vaali.{{Cite web |title=Kasethan Kadavulada (1972) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0001646 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140626035511/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0001646 |archive-date=26 June 2014 |access-date=26 June 2014 |website=Raaga.com}}{{Cite web |title=Kasethan Kadavulada Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan |url=https://mossymart.com/product/kasethan-kadavulada-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-m-s-viswanathan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120063004/https://mossymart.com/product/kasethan-kadavulada-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-m-s-viswanathan/ |archive-date=20 January 2022 |access-date=20 January 2022 |website=Mossymart}} The song "Jambulingame" became popular upon release. Elements of the song were borrowed by Thaman S and used in "Pudhu Punal" from Mouna Guru (2011).{{Cite news |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S. R. |date=3 December 2011 |title=Twin treat |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/twin-treat/article2684004.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406061242/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/twin-treat/article2684004.ece |archive-date=6 April 2020 |access-date=20 April 2018 |work=The Hindu}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Mella Pesungal
| extra1 = Kovai Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
| length1 = 4:18
| title2 = Jambulingame Jadaadaraa
| extra2 = K. Veeramani, Kovai Soundararajan, Dharapuram Sundarrajan
| length2 = 3:33
| title3 = Andavan Thodangi
| extra3 = M. S. Viswanathan, A. L. Raghavan, K. Veeramani
| length3 = 3:29
| title4 = Aval Enna Ninaithal
| extra4 = P. Susheela
| length4 = 3:24
| title5 = Indru Vantha Intha Mayakkam
| extra5 = P. Susheela
| length5 = 3:35
| total_length = 18:19
}}
Release and reception
Kasethan Kadavulada was released on 19 May 1972.{{Cite book |last=Saravanan |first=M. |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |title=AVM 60 Cinema |publisher=Rajarajan Publications |year=2013 |pages=227 |language=ta |oclc=1158347612 |orig-date=2005}} Gopu recalled that producers put up a huge cut-out for Srinivasan in the saint get-up. Srinivasan who was pleased did not want the lead actor Muthuraman to misunderstand so he and Gopu went to Muthuraman and explained that it was the role that became popular and even apologised to Muthuraman who smiled it away.{{Cite news |last=Raman |first=Mohan V. |author-link=Mohan Raman |date=20 October 2012 |title=He walked tall in tinsel town |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/he-walked-tall-in-tinsel-town/article4016391.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130005021/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/he-walked-tall-in-tinsel-town/article4016391.ece |archive-date=30 November 2016 |access-date=20 April 2018 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite news |last=கமல்குமார் |date=9 November 2018 |title=கதாநாயகனுக்கு நோ கட் அவுட், காமெடியனுக்கு 16 அடி கட் அவுட்!!! 1970 களிலேயே கலக்கிய 'தேங்காய்' சீனிவாசன் |url=https://www.nakkheeran.in/special-articles/special-article/thengai-srinivasan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181121100006/https://www.nakkheeran.in/special-articles/special-article/thengai-srinivasan |archive-date=21 November 2018 |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=Nakkheeran |language=ta}} This cut-out created controversy when a journalist wrote that Srinivasan's look from the film resembled religious singer Pithukuli Murugadas, which led Murugadas to call Gopu and express his dissatisfaction, but Gopu asked him to watch the film to learn the truth; he did so and was impressed with it. The film was a commercial success, and Gopu received more film offers to work as both director and writer. Historian Randor Guy attributed the success to "the excellent comedy sequences, humorous dialogue, fine direction of Chitralaya Gopu and excellent performances".
Other versions
In 2017, Y. G. Mahendran organised a play based on the film that was staged in Mylapore.{{Cite web |date=25 May 2017 |title=The Mint Planner, 26 May 2017 |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/wVHEBAO4zrfUqpUQGUYOWL/The-Mint-Planner-26-May-2017.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021153815/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/wVHEBAO4zrfUqpUQGUYOWL/The-Mint-Planner-26-May-2017.html |archive-date=21 October 2017 |access-date=3 September 2020 |website=Mint}} Mahendran reprised the role of Srinivasan from the film.{{Cite news |date=29 May 2017 |title=100th show of Kasethan Kadavulada next month |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/100th-show-of-kasethan-kadavulada-next-month/article18595958.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112032646/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/100th-show-of-kasethan-kadavulada-next-month/article18595958.ece |archive-date=12 November 2020 |access-date=3 September 2020 |work=The Hindu}} The play was performed 100 times.{{Cite web |date=12 June 2017 |title=100 மேடைகள் கண்ட காசேதான் கடவுளடா |trans-title=Kasethan Kadavulada drama reached 100th stage show |url=https://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-news/60061/cinema/Kollywood/Kasethan-Kadavulada-drama-reached-100th-stage-show.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116014111/http://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-news/60061/cinema/Kollywood/Kasethan-Kadavulada-drama-reached-100th-stage-show.htm |archive-date=16 November 2017 |access-date=3 September 2020 |website=Dinamalar |language=Ta}} The film was remade in Tamil under the same title by R. Kannan,{{Cite web |date=24 July 2022 |title='Kasethan Kadavulada' trailer promises a complete comedy entertainer |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/kasethan-kadavulada-trailer-promises-a-complete-comedy-entertainer/articleshow/93093048.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725043008/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/kasethan-kadavulada-trailer-promises-a-complete-comedy-entertainer/articleshow/93093048.cms |archive-date=25 July 2022 |access-date=28 July 2022 |website=The Times of India}} and released on 27 May 2023.{{Cite web |last=பூபாலன் |first=மு. |date=27 May 2023 |title=What to watch on Theatre & OTT: இந்த மே கடைசி வாரம் என்னென்ன படம் பார்க்கலாம்?! |trans-title=What films can we watch in this last week of May?! |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/kollywood/what-to-watch-on-theater-ott-list-of-films-to-watch-in-the-last-week-of-may |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230527180500/https://cinema.vikatan.com/kollywood/what-to-watch-on-theater-ott-list-of-films-to-watch-in-the-last-week-of-may |archive-date=27 May 2023 |access-date=27 May 2023 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}}
Home media
Kasethan Kadavulada was made available for viewing on Amazon Prime Video when it was launched in India in December 2016.{{Cite news |last=Poorvaja |first=S. |date=16 December 2016 |title=Tamil movie buffs welcome Amazon Prime Video |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Tamil-movie-buffs-welcome-Amazon-Prime-Video/article16842033.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227124330/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Tamil-movie-buffs-welcome-Amazon-Prime-Video/article16842033.ece |archive-date=27 December 2016 |access-date=29 December 2016 |work=The Hindu}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{Cite AV media |title=Kasethan Kadavulada |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=AVM Productions |year=1972 |time=1:55 to 4:38 |time-caption=opening credits from}}
{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=20 June 2015 |title=Blast from the Past: Kaasethan Kadavulada (1972) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/kaasethan-kadavulada-1972/article7336866.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114100116/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/kaasethan-kadavulada-1972/article7336866.ece |archive-date=14 November 2016 |access-date=20 June 2015 |work=The Hindu}}
{{Cite web |last=நரசிம்மன் |first=டி.ஏ. |date=31 August 2018 |title=சி(ரி)த்ராலயா 33: உயிரைக் குடித்த நகைச்சுவை! |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/138361-33-4.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121131819/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/138361-33.html |archive-date=21 January 2023 |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}
{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=10 July 2009 |title=Looking back with a smile |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Looking-back-with-a-smile/article15938930.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517045001/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Looking-back-with-a-smile/article15938930.ece |archive-date=17 May 2018 |access-date=20 April 2018 |work=The Hindu}}
{{Cite web |last=நரசிம்மன் |first=டி.ஏ. |date=21 September 2018 |title=சி(ரி)த்ராலயா 35: முத்துராமனுக்கு வந்த முரட்டுக் கோபம்! |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/174702-35.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121134232/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/174702-35.html |archive-date=21 January 2023 |access-date=21 January 2023 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=Ta}}
}}
External links
- {{IMDb title}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{AVM Productions}}
Category:1970s Tamil-language films
Category:1972 directorial debut films
Category:AVM Productions films
Category:Films about mental health
Category:Films adapted into plays
Category:Films directed by Chithralaya Gopu
Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan
Category:Indian films based on plays
Category:Religious controversies in film
Category:Religious controversies in India