Prithivirajan
{{for|the title character|Prithviraj Chauhan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Prithivirajan
| image = Prithvirajan1942.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| director = B. Sampathkumar
| producer =
| writer = B. Sampathkumar
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on = {{based on|Prithviraj Chauhan folk legend}}
| starring = P. U. Chinnappa
A. Sakunthala
T. S. Balaiah
M. R. Santhanalakshmi
| music = G. Ramanathan
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio = Central Studios
| distributor = Haran Talkies
| released = {{film date|df=yes|1942|4|29|India}}
| runtime =
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Prithivirajan is a 1942 Indian Tamil language film directed by B. Sampathkumar. The film stars P. U. Chinnappa and A. Sakunthala.{{cite book|author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |author2=Paul Willemen |title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|publisher=Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1998|pages=631 |url=https://chasingcinema.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/text.pdf}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/prithvirajan-1942/article788556.ece|title=Prithvirajan (1942)|access-date=2014-12-05|last=Guy|first=Randor|authorlink=Randor Guy|work=The Hindu|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141205042901/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/prithvirajan-1942/article788556.ece|archive-date=5 December 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Plot
The story is based on the popular folk legend Prithviraj, the king of Kanauj, of the Chauhan dynasty. Prithivirajan falls in love with Samyuktha the princess and daughter of the King of Delhi, Jayachandran. Though Prithivirajan and Jayachandran joined hands and defeated Mohammed Ghori, something happened and they became enemies. Jayachandran places a statue of Prithivirajan in the hall where Samyuktha is to choose her life partner from among the princes who were gathered there. She puts the garland to the statue of Prithivirajan. But, lo and behold, the statue turns into real life Prithivirajan who takes the hand of Samyuktha and off they went to the utter astonishment of King Jayachandran and others.
Cast
The list is adapted from The Hindu article.
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- P. U. Chinnappa as Prithviraj Chauhan
- A. Sakunthala
- T. S. Balaiah
- T. M. Ramaswami Pillai
- M. R. Santhanalakshmi
- S. D. Subbaiah
- G. M. Basheer
- N. S. Krishnan
- T. A. Mathuram
- T. K. Sampangi
- T. R. B. Rao
- S. Velusami Kavi
- Kali N. Rathnam
- C. T. Rajakantham
- P. S. Gnanam
- K. K. Krishnaveni
{{div col end}}
Production
Though this was a historical film, Subramania Bharati's song Bharata Samudhaayam Vaazhgave, of the 1930s Indian Freedom Movement period, was included in the film and sung by the hero P. U. Chinnappa. Bharati was not credited in the titles because there was British rule in India at that time and Bharati's songs were banned.
The same story was again filmed in 1962 in Tamil with M. G. Ramachandran and Padmini in the lead roles. The title was given as Raani Samyuktha.{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/tamil-film-rani-samyuktha-1962/article7668441.ece | title=Rani Samyuktha (1962) | work=The Hindu | date=19 September 2015 | access-date=4 April 2017|last=Guy|first=Randor|authorlink=Randor Guy | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404054043/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/tamil-film-rani-samyuktha-1962/article7668441.ece| archive-date=4 April 2017}}
Soundtrack
Music was composed by G. Ramanathan while the lyrics were penned by A. Natarajan and Velusamy Kavi.