Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu

Tulasi is a village girl. One day, she gets a letter from her cousin Subramani. She gets excited as they were close friends in childhood, but Subramani leaves with his family to the city. Subramani visits the village for his college thesis about folk songs. Tulasi is in love with Subramani, but is unsure if Subramani also loves her. Tulasi's father dies of a heart attack. When Subramani's father arranges a marriage for Subramani with Tulasi, he refuses. As a result, Tulasi's mother dies in frustration; Tulasi moves in to her uncle's house.

Later, a flashback comes in which Subramani is in love with Noorjahan, a student in his college. Since Noorjahan used to come to the college wearing a veil, Subramani has not seen her face. On a day when they plan to meet, Noorjahan accidentally steps into quicksand and dies. Subramani feels dejected after seeing Noorjahan's death and decides not to marry; that is the reason for him to avoid marrying Tulasi.

Tulasi decides to kill herself by stepping into the same quicksand where Noorjahan died as Subramani shows no interest in marrying her, but Subramani rushes in and saves Tulasi, having understood Tulasi's true love towards him.

{{Cast listing|

• Mohan as Subramani
• Radha as Tulasi
• Amala as Noorjahan
• Visu as Manickam Gounder
• Kamala Kamesh as Meenakshi
• Senthil as Manickam Gounder's auction assistant
• M. N. Nambiar as Noorjahan's father
• Charle as Subramani's friend
• Gundu Kalyanam as Subramani's friend
• Anu Mohan as Cook
• G. K. Venkatesh as Subramani's father

}}

Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu was Mohan's first film with AVM Productions.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=425}} When AVM learned that M. S. Viswanathan was by 1986, having lesser films in hand, they decided to make this film and have him as composer along with Ilaiyaraaja. Viswanathan also agreed to compose the music alongside Ilaiyaraaja.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|pp=301–302}} Director R. Sundarrajan's usual cinematographer Raja Rajan and editor R. Bhaskaran reunited for this film too.{{Cite web |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=12 September 2022 |title='வா வெண்ணிலா' என்று அழைக்கும் 'மெல்லத்திறந்தது கதவு!' |url=https://kamadenu.hindutamil.in/cinema/36-years-of-mella-thirandhadhu-kadhavu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913045533/https://kamadenu.hindutamil.in/cinema/36-years-of-mella-thirandhadhu-kadhavu |archive-date=13 September 2022 |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=Kamadenu |language=ta}}

Except "Kuzhaloodhum Kannanukku", all the songs were composed by M. S. Viswanathan and the arrangements, orchestration and background score were done by Ilaiyaraaja.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNPUzeppFY8 |title=Mella Thiranthathu Kathavu {{!}} Full Songs {{!}} Audio Jukebox |date=14 December 2017 |last=Ilaiyaraaja Official |access-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/aNPUzeppFY8 |archive-date=10 November 2020 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=302}} The song "Vaa Vennila" is inspired from another Viswanathan composition "Vaan Meedhile" from the 1953 film Chandirani. Ilaiyaraaja later used "Kuzhaloodum Kannanukku" in Hindi as "Baatein Hawa Hain Saare" for Cheeni Kum (2007).{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=15 May 2007 |title=Music Review: Cheeni Kum |url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/music-review-cheeni-kum/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920130026/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/music-review-cheeni-kum/ |archive-date=20 September 2015 |access-date=7 April 2018 |website=Baradwaj Rangan}} That song is set in Pahadi raga.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2014 |title=தமிழ்த்திரை இசையில் ராகங்கள் : [ 19 ] : T.சௌந்தர் |url=https://inioru.com/%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%ae%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b0%e0%af%88-%e0%ae%87%e0%ae%9a%e0%af%88%e0%ae%af%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b2%e0%af%8d-%e0%ae%b0%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%95-11/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227132300/https://inioru.com/%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%ae%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b0%e0%af%88-%e0%ae%87%e0%ae%9a%e0%af%88%e0%ae%af%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b2%e0%af%8d-%e0%ae%b0%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%95-11/ |archive-date=27 February 2021 |access-date=18 April 2024 |website=Inioru |language=ta}}

{{track listing

| headline = Track listing{{Cite web |title=Mella Thiranthathu Kadhavu (1986) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0000097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311093113/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000097 |archive-date=11 March 2012 |access-date=21 March 2012 |website=Raaga.com}}

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Vaa Vennila

| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki

| lyrics1 = Vaali

| length1 = 4:39

| title2 = Thedum Kan Paarvai

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

| lyrics2 = Vaali

| length2 = 4:43

| title3 = Dil Dil Dil Manadhil

| extra3 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela

| lyrics3 = Vaali

| length3 = 4:41

| title4 = Kuzhaloodum Kannanukku

| extra4 = K. S. Chithra

| lyrics4 = Vaali

| length4 = 4:38

| title5 = Ooru Sanam Thonkidichu

| extra5 = S. Janaki

| lyrics5 = Gangai Amaran

| length5 = 4:38

| title6 = Sakkara Kattikku

| extra6 = K. S. Chithra, S. P. Sailaja, B.S Sasirekha

| lyrics6 = Gangai Amaran

| length6 = 5:18

| title7 = Vaa Vennila

| extra7 = S. Janaki

| lyrics7 = Vaali

| length7 = 2:08

| note7 = solo

| total_length = 30:45

}}

Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu was released on 12 September 1986.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=301}} Jayamanmadhan of Kalki criticised the film for feeling like two distinct stories divided by an interval.{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=12 October 1986 |title=மெல்ல திறந்தது கதவு |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1986/oct/12-10-1986/p65.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220729121807/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1986/oct/12-10-1986/p65.jpg |archive-date=29 July 2022 |access-date=16 December 2021 |magazine=Kalki |page=65 |language=ta}} The film initially opened to average response but later picked up in coming weeks.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=303}} When the film was released in Cinepriya Theatre, Madurai, a distributor released the film by reversing the two-halves of the film which enjoyed positive reception.{{Cite magazine |last=சரவணன் |first=ஏவி.எம். |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |date=31 July 2005 |title=ரஜினி கேட்ட டீ.வி! |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki2005-07-31/kalki2005-07-31.pdf |access-date=22 May 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=60–63 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}} Later all over Tamil Nadu the film was filmed by changing the two-halves of the film which shows Amala story in first half and Radha story in second half. The response prompted the producers to apply re-censorship for the film.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=304}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |last=Yamunan |first=Sruthisagar |date=20 August 2017 |title=Audio master: The combined genius of MS Viswanathan and Ilaiyaraaja in 'Mella Thiranthathu Kathavu' |url=https://scroll.in/reel/843212/audio-master-the-combined-genius-of-ms-viswanathan-and-ilaiyaraaja-in-mella-thiranthathu-kathavu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402060717/https://scroll.in/reel/843212/audio-master-the-combined-genius-of-ms-viswanathan-and-ilaiyaraaja-in-mella-thiranthathu-kathavu |archive-date=2 April 2019 |access-date=7 April 2018 |website=Scroll.in}}

{{Cite web |date=23 July 2020 |title=மறக்க முடியுமா? – மெல்லத் திறந்தது கதவு |url=https://cinema.dinamalar.com/marakka-mudiyuma/89859/old-movies/Marakka-Mudiyuma-:-Mella-Thiranthathu-Kathavu.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200913183759/https://cinema.dinamalar.com/marakka-mudiyuma/89859/old-movies/Marakka-Mudiyuma-:-Mella-Thiranthathu-Kathavu.htm |archive-date=13 September 2020 |access-date=13 September 2020 |website=Dinamalar |language=ta}}

{{Cite magazine |date=24 July 2005 |title=எம்.ஜி.ஆர். ஏமாற்றுவாரா? |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki2005-07-24/kalki2005-07-24.pdf |access-date=22 May 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=60–63 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}

}}

• {{Cite book |last=Saravanan |first=M. |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |title=AVM 60 Cinema |publisher=Rajarajan Pathippagam |year=2013 |edition=3rd |language=ta |oclc=1158347612 |orig-date=2005}}

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{{R. Sundarrajan}}

{{AVM Productions}}

Category:1980s Indian films

Category:1980s romantic musical films

Category:1980s Tamil-language films

Category:1986 films

Category:AVM Productions films

Category:Films directed by R. Sundarrajan

Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja

Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan

Category:Indian romantic musical films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films

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