Pudhea Paadhai

An unnamed orphan who was abandoned in the garbage soon after his birth, grows up to be a ruffian who does anything for money. On one occasion, he rapes Seetha, a bride-to-be, on the eve of her wedding at the instruction of Annapoorani, who Seetha had earlier exposed for her malpractices in running an orphanage and got her arrested. Though the sympathetic bridegroom offers to marry Seetha, she declines his offer. Instead, she takes residence in the house of Aaya, who lives in the same slum as the ruffian. She attempts to develop the ruffian's acquaintance, much to everyone's disbelief. Their constant confrontations bring about a chemistry in their relationship. She narrates to the people in the area that he molested her and the sequences which forced her to leave her father and live in the slum. They sympathise with her and everyone feels that the ruffian has to accept her as he is responsible for her present pitiable condition. Consequently, Seetha moves into his house. Her tender love and affection eventually leads to their marriage. Seetha advises him to shed the path of violence and reform himself. He is named Seetharaman.

Seetharaman slowly changes and tries to work hard in a righteous way to run his family. Seetha later gives birth to his son. However, Seetharaman's past sins do not spare him. Thoguthi, for whom Seetharaman previously worked, kills Annapoorani when she demands her share from his illegal gains. Seetharaman is arrested as he was working for Thoguthi earlier. To get exonerated, he is forced to become an approver and report Thoguthi's activities. Thoguthi decides to kill Seetharaman to halt his appearance in court. He plants a bomb in a lunchbox (identical to the one sent by Seetha to Seetharaman) and replaces it with the original. The bomb is planted in such a way that it would explode immediately when the lunchbox is opened. Seetharaman, busy working for extra money to buy a gift for Seetha and their wedding anniversary, does not have lunch. He returns with the lunchbox and leaves to visit the temple with Seetha. When Seetha returns home to take her child's feeding bottle which she had forgotten, she opens the lunchbox out of curiosity, expecting a gift from her husband, and dies in the ensuing explosion. Enraged, Seetharaman attacks and almost kills Thoguthi, but his child's cries remind him of his responsibilities, so he spares Thoguthi's life. Thoguthi chases Seetharaman, but is struck to death by a vehicle. Seetharaman leaves with his child and brings him up.

{{Cast listing|

• R. Parthiban as Seetharaman
• Seetha as Seetha
• V. K. Ramasamy
• Manorama as Aaya
• Nassar as Thoguthi
• Sridhar as Doctor
• Kuyili as Kuyili
• Sathyapriya as Annapoorani
• Vennira Aadai Moorthy
• Idichapuli Selvaraj
• Theni Kunjarammal

}}

Parthiban, an erstwhile assistant of K. Bhagyaraj made his directorial debut with this film.{{Cite news |last=Reddy |first=T. Krithika |date=30 July 1999 |title=Stark portrayal of reality |work=The Times of India |url=http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/(docid)/5D4AFB5D5668C36665256940004D0D4C |url-status=dead |access-date=5 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322152318/http://www.cscsarchive.org:8081/MediaArchive/art.nsf/(docid)/5D4AFB5D5668C36665256940004D0D4C |archive-date=22 March 2012}} The film was initially titled as Kelvikkuri with Babji of Hemnag films producing it. However, after shooting for three days, it was stopped.{{Cite magazine |last=ஒளரங்கசீப் |date=7 March 1999 |title=ஜெயித்த கதை |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1999-03-07/kalki1999-03-07.pdf |access-date=15 May 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=60–68 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}}{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=303}} Babji advised Parthiban to tell the story to A. Sundaram, a popular distributor. Sundaram liked the script and decided to produce the film. They went to Rajinikanth, who suggested Parthiban to play the hero.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SBYgfzF7c |title=முதல் படத்திலேயே சீதாவோடு காதல் இருந்ததா? {{!}} Parthiepan Exclusive Interview {{!}} Chai With Chithra |date=22 June 2019 |last=Touring Talkies |language=ta |author-link=Chitra Lakshmanan |access-date=27 September 2019 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/e9SBYgfzF7c |archive-date=18 September 2021 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Though Parthiban was keen on choosing another actor (Arjun or Sathyaraj) for the leading role, Sundaram wanted him to play the role considering what Rajinikanth said and the budget.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=303}} Sundaram wanted a different title, he then selected Pudhea Paadhai from the 50 titles shortlisted.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=303}} The film was made on a budget of ₹38 lakh (worth ₹11 crore in 2021 prices) and filming was completed within 50 days.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=303}} Parthiban initially approached Khushbu to portray the lead actress, but the producer did not accept as she was not fluent in Tamil at the time; the role went to Seetha.{{Cite web |date=7 May 2020 |title=பல சிக்கல்களைத் தாண்டித்தான் பாதை அமைஞ்சது! |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actor-director-parthiban-exclusive-interview-in-which-he-opens-up-about-his-journey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210607050045/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actor-director-parthiban-exclusive-interview-in-which-he-opens-up-about-his-journey |archive-date=7 June 2021 |access-date=21 July 2021 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}} Cinematography was handled by A. Rajpreet, and editing by M. N. Raja.

The soundtrack was composed by Chandrabose, and all songs were penned by Vairamuthu.{{Cite web |date=31 August 2014 |title=Pudhiya Padhai (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/pudhiya-padhai-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1163505869 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210607052139/https://music.apple.com/gb/album/pudhiya-padhai-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1163505869 |archive-date=7 June 2021 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=Apple Music}}

{{track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 22:18

| title1 = Yarappathiyum

| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

| length1 = 3:36

| title2 = Appan Yaru

| extra2 = K. J. Yesudas

| length2 = 4:36

| title3 = Thalaiva

| extra3 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam

| length3 = 5:06

| title4 = Pachaippulla

| extra4 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam

| length4 = 4.26

| title5 = Kannadicha

| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja

| length5 = 4:34

}}

Pudhea Paadhai was released on 14 April 1989, Puthandu. Despite facing competition from other Puthandu releases such as Apoorva Sagodharargal, En Rathathin Rathame and Pillaikkaga, the film became a commercial success.{{Cite web |date=14 April 2020 |title="ஒரு துப்பாக்கி கையில் எடுக்காதே, எந்தத் தோட்டாவும் என்ன துளைக்காதே!" - கமல் சொல்லி அடித்த 'அபூர்வ சகோதரர்கள்' |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/special-article-about-31-years-of-aboorva-sagotharargal-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423042711/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/special-article-about-31-years-of-aboorva-sagotharargal-movie#bypass-sw |archive-date=23 April 2020 |access-date=27 April 2020 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}} P. S. S. of Kalki positively reviewed the film, particularly for Parthiban and Chandrabose.{{Cite magazine |last=பி. எஸ். எஸ். |date=23 April 1989 |title=புதிய பாதை |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1989/apr/23-04-1989/p6.jpg |url-status=dead |magazine=Kalki |language=ta |page=6 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220731050354/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1989/apr/23-04-1989/p6.jpg |archive-date=31 July 2022 |access-date=20 October 2021}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |year=1990 |title=37th National Film Festival |url=https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/80_37thNfacatalogue.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413122746/https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/80_37thNfacatalogue.pdf |archive-date=13 April 2021 |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals}}

}}

• {{Cite book |last=Arunachalam |first=Param |title=BollySwar: 1991–2000 |publisher=Mavrix Infotech |year=2019 |isbn=9788193848210}}
• {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |title=Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013 |title-link=Pride of Tamil Cinema |publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers |year=2014 |oclc=898765509 |author-link=G. Dhananjayan}}

• {{IMDb title}}

{{R. Parthiepan}}

{{NationalFilmAwardBestFeatureFilmTamil}}

{{TamilNaduStateFilmAwardBestFilm}}

Category:1980s Indian films

Category:1980s Tamil-language films

Category:1989 directorial debut films

Category:1989 drama films

Category:1989 films

Category:Best Tamil Feature Film National Film Award winners

Category:Films about orphans

Category:Films about rape in India

Category:Films directed by R. Parthiban

Category:Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress National Film Award–winning performance

Category:Films scored by Chandrabose (composer)

Category:Films set in slums

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Tamil films remade in other languages

Category:Tamil-language Indian films