Manamagan Thevai

{{more plot|date=August 2021}}

Bhanumathi, the daughter of a wealthy man, desires to marry a shy professor named Vijayakumar instead of the wealthy suitor her father chose. To escape from trouble, she creates the fake identity of a twin sister, and in the hodgepodge that ensues, ends up in bigger trouble.

{{Cast listing|

• Sivaji Ganesan as Vijayakumar
• Bhanumathi as Bhanumathi
• T. R. Ramachandran as K. Dhandapani (K. D.)
• Chandrababu as Chandrababu
• Karunanidhi as Manohar
• Javar Seetharaman as College Principal
• Ragini as the dancer
• Devika (credited as Premila) as Chandramathi

}}

The uncredited cast includes T. N Sivathanu as Karadipatti Zamindar Ananda Rangam and K. D. Santhanam as Ponnambalam.

{{Cast listing|

• Jaggayya
• Bhanumathi as Bhanumathi
• Ramana Reddy
• Ragini as the dancer
• Devika

}}

Manamagan Thevai was based on the American film The Fabulous Senorita (1952).{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=2 October 2009 |title=A voice that mesmerised |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/A-voice-that-mesmerised/article15939998.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813133720/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/A-voice-that-mesmerised/article15939998.ece |archive-date=13 August 2021 |access-date=6 May 2020 |work=The Hindu}} It was produced by P. S. Ramakrishna Rao and his wife Bhanumathi under their company Bharani Pictures. Rao also served as director, while Bhanumathi played the female lead. The film was produced as a Tamil-Telugu bilingual (the Telugu version titled as Varudu Kaavaali), with Sivaji Ganesan playing the male lead in Tamil, and Jaggayya replacing him in Telugu.{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=30 March 2017 |title=Manamagan Thevai (1957) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/manamagan-thevai-1957/article17741536.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170523110431/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/manamagan-thevai-1957/article17741536.ece |archive-date=23 May 2017 |access-date=23 May 2017 |work=The Hindu}} Devika was cast on Bhanumathi's recommendation,{{Cite web |last=மாதவன் |first=பிரதீப் |date=12 September 2014 |title=அன்று வந்ததும் அதே நிலா: தேவிகா - நடிப்புச் சுமைதாங்கி |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/17078-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824073017/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/17078-.html |archive-date=24 August 2022 |access-date=24 August 2022 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} and was credited as Premila.

The music was composed by G. Ramanathan.{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 |date=December 2014 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=131–132 |language=Tamil}} A carnatic Kriti composed by Ghanam Krishna Iyer in the raga Bhairavi was used in the film, sung by Bhanumathi.{{Cite web |title=Song: vElavarE umai tEDi |url=https://www.karnatik.com/c1155.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501162025/https://www.karnatik.com/c1155.shtml |archive-date=1 May 2018 |access-date=19 November 2022 |website=karnatik.com}} The song "Pambara Kannale" belongs to Baila, a Sri Lankan musical genre.{{Cite news |last=Vamanan |author-link=Vamanan |date=6 February 2018 |title=His Surangani ferried Baila tunes from Lankan shores |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/his-surangani-ferried-baila-tunes-from-lankan-shores/articleshow/62795609.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180210071340/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/his-surangani-ferried-baila-tunes-from-lankan-shores/articleshow/62795609.cms |archive-date=10 February 2018 |access-date=16 October 2021 |work=The Times of India}} It was later sampled in the song "En Peru Meenakumari", composed by Devi Sri Prasad for Kanthaswamy (2009).{{Cite news |date=15 December 2008 |title=Item girl turns heroine! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Item-girl-turns-heroine/articleshow/3835723.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317053556/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Item-girl-turns-heroine/articleshow/3835723.cms |archive-date=17 March 2017 |access-date=23 May 2017 |work=The Times of India}}{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Pavithra |date=3 June 2009 |title=Kanthaswamy's music is not Devi Sri Prasad's best |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/jun/03kanthaswamy-music-review.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306234939/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/jun/03kanthaswamy-music-review.htm |archive-date=6 March 2019 |access-date=26 September 2020 |website=Rediff.com}}

Kanthan of Kalki criticised the film for its screenplay and felt the characters were unenjoyable.{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=9 June 1957 |title=மனமகன் தேவை |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1957/jun/09-06-1957/p49.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220824065626/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1957/jun/09-06-1957/p49.jpg |archive-date=24 August 2022 |access-date=16 October 2021 |magazine=Kalki |page=49 |language=ta}} Despite this, Manamagan Thevai was a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres.

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title}}

Category:1950s Indian films

Category:1957 multilingual films

Category:1950s Tamil-language films

Category:1950s Telugu-language films

Category:1957 films

Category:1957 romantic comedy films

Category:Films directed by P. S. Ramakrishna Rao

Category:Films scored by G. Ramanathan

Category:Indian multilingual films

Category:Indian remakes of American films

Category:Indian romantic comedy films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films

Category:Tamil-language romantic comedy films