Sasanam
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sasanam
| image = Sasanam.jpg
| caption = Title card
| director = Mahendran
| story = Gandharvan
| starring = Arvind Swamy
Gautami
Ranjitha
| cinematography = K. P. Nambiathiri
Murali
| editing = B. Lenin
V. T. Vijayan
| music = Balabarathi
| studio = National Film Development Corporation of India
| released = {{Film date|2006|07|28|df=yes}}
| runtime = 141 minutes
| language = Tamil
| country = India
}}
Sasanam ({{translation|The Will}}) is a 2006 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Mahendran. The film, based on the short story of the same name by Gandharvan, stars Arvind Swamy, Gautami and Ranjitha, while Balabharathi composed the music and K. P. Nambiathiri handled the cinematography.
The film began production in the mid-1990s but was released in 2006 due to production trouble, with all three of the lead actors retired at the time of release.
Plot
{{More plot|date=June 2023}}
Muthiah and his wife Visalakshi are a loving couple, and they come across Saroji who with no one to go to, takes refuge in Muthiah's house. Muthiah and Saroji develop soft spots towards each other. The rest is what transpires between the trio, exploring the nuances of an extra-marital affair.
Cast
- Arvind Swamy as Muthiah (Ramanathan)
- Gautami as Visalakshi
- Ranjitha as Saroji
- Thalaivaasal Vijay
- Sabitha Anand
- Sujitha
- Vellai Subbaiah
Production
{{quote box
| quote = My film deals with the unwritten laws and codes which I feel are more meaningful to a life than the written ones. Like love, gratitude, respect.
| source = — Mahendran, on the meaning of the film's title{{Cite web |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=14 July 2006 |title=Sasanam |url=http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Onlocation/2006/07sasanam.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718061043/http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Onlocation/2006/07sasanam.asp |archive-date=18 July 2006 |access-date=29 August 2023 |website=Chennai Online}}
| width = 30%
}}
When Mahendran attended film festivals, he met foreigners who requested him to make a film on Tamil Nadu culture instead of taking inspiration from world cinema. This led Mahendran to make a film on Nagarathar culture of Karaikudi for which he researched them for three years and the film was an adaptation of the short story of same name written by Gandharvan. The film was majorly shot at a house at Kandanur at Karaikudi.{{Cite magazine |date=15 March 1998 |title=சாசனம் - ஒரு சமூகத்தின் கதை! |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1998-03-15/kalki1998-03-15.pdf |access-date=28 May 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=92–95 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}
The film began production in the mid-1990s and Balabharathi composed the music while Lenin and Vijayan were signed on as editors.{{Cite web |date=4 July 2006 |title=Sasanam Preview |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/preview/8610.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122106/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/preview/8610.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=IndiaGlitz}}{{Cite web |title=LIFE IS AN UNWRITTEN 'SAASANAM' |url=http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/gossip/third/unwritten.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023193010/http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/gossip/third/unwritten.htm |archive-date=23 October 2004 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=Dinakaran}}{{Cite web |date=13 August 2006 |title=No more light, start, action for Arvind Samy |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-02/13-08-06-arvindsamy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002444/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-02/13-08-06-arvindsamy.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=Behindwoods}} Former State Assembly Speaker and senior AIADMK leader K. Kalimuthu penned a song for the film which was sung by Chithra, Sriram and Sathyanarayana.{{Cite web |date=18 July 2006 |title=Sasanam Speaker is writer too |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/kannada/article/23828.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924124230/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/kannada/article/23828.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=IndiaGlitz}} By January 1999, the film was described to be ready for release and Mahendran moved on to work on other projects.{{Cite web |last=Rajitha |date=16 January 1999 |title=And the Pongal windfall... |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/jan/16ss.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928194633/https://m.rediff.com/movies/1999/jan/16ss.htm |archive-date=28 September 2022 |access-date=28 May 2023 |website=Rediff.com}}
By 2000, the film was referred to as "delayed, believed dead" by the media, with reporters suggesting that changes in Gouthami's physique since signing the film would hinder any chances of completion.{{Cite web |last=Rajitha |date=7 May 2000 |title=Delayed, believed dead |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jun/07spice.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410202646/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jun/07spice.htm |archive-date=10 April 2023 |access-date=28 May 2023 |website=Rediff.com}} During production, the film's budget became overrun so Mahendran approached the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to take over the financing of the film in 2000. To avoid the film being delayed further due to financial problems, the lead actor Arvind Swamy opted against receiving any salary.{{Cite web |date=29 May 2006 |title=Long pending Mahendran's Sasanam to hit theatres on July!! |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/may-06-04/28-05-06-mahendran.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013151/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/may-06-04/28-05-06-mahendran.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=Behindwoods}}{{Cite web |date=20 January 2006 |title=Of human values, relationships |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/01/20/stories/2006012002731100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904063742/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/01/20/stories/2006012002731100.htm |archive-date=4 September 2012 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=The Hindu}}{{Cite web |title=GOKUL'S TAMIL CINEMA NEWS {{!}} JANUARY ISSUE |url=http://www.oocities.org/hollywood/lot/2330/rangan.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227202640/http://www.oocities.org/hollywood/lot/2330/rangan.htm |archive-date=27 February 2014 |access-date=7 December 2014 |website=Oocities.org}} The film later finally geared up for release in mid-2006 and during the time of release, Arvind Swamy and Gautami had already quit the Tamil film industry, while Ranjitha was semi-retired.
Soundtrack
Soundtrack was composed by Balabharathi.{{Cite web |date=1 December 2006 |title=Sasanam (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - EP |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/sasanam-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1330491004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528135428/https://music.apple.com/in/album/sasanam-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1330491004 |archive-date=28 May 2023 |access-date=28 May 2023 |website=Apple Music}}{{Cite web |title=Sasanam |url=https://avdigital.in/products/sasanam |access-date=11 October 2024 |website=AVDigital |language=en}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Pudhiya Kalai
| extra1 = Sriram, K. S. Chithra
| title2 = Aasaigalai Nenjukulle
| extra2 = Malaysia Vasudevan
| title3 = Poove Nee
| extra3 = K. S. Chithra
| title4 = Vaazhkayin Vaasal
| extra4 = K. S. Chithra
}}
Reception
A reviewer from Sify said that the film "tugs your heart strings, striking the right chord though a bit slow and old fashioned in shot compositions and presentation".{{Cite web |date=29 July 2006 |title=Sasanam |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/sasanam-review--pclwa6hffahef.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191106061341/https://www.sify.com/movies/sasanam-review--pclwa6hffahef.html |archive-date=6 November 2019 |access-date=19 May 2019 |website=Sify}} Lajjavathi of Kalki felt the director needs four scenes to make a point and what kind of screenplay strategy is this? The scenes should have been recorded with sharper dialogues and also felt music makes us the whole film tired while panning Gauthami's characterisation and Ranjitha's dance, she however praised Marudhu's art direction and Aravind Swamy's acting and concluded calling it thirst quencher of art lovers.{{cite magazine |last=லஜ்ஜாவதி |date=13 August 2006 |title=சாசனம் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2006-08-13/page/60/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240401150155/https://archive.org/details/kalki2006-08-13/page/60/mode/2up |archive-date=1 April 2024 |access-date=1 April 2024 |magazine=Kalki |page=61 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} Cinesouth wrote, "If the first half of the film did not progress at a slow tempo usual of serious subjects, it would have held the interest of even a frivolous film fan who favors peppy dance numbers more. Well, this happens to be an NFDC film, so…".{{cite web|url=http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/new/sasanam.shtml|title=Sasanam|access-date=7 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018082026/http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/new/sasanam.shtml|archive-date=18 October 2006|website=Cinesouth}}
The film was later shown during the 7th annual film festival of India at Atlanta from 21 August 2009.{{Cite web |date=10 August 2009 |title=Ray's classics, "Rudali" to be screened at India fest in US |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200908101531.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817125737/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200908101531.htm |archive-date=17 August 2009 |access-date=28 February 2017 |website=The Hindu}}{{Cite web |date=23 August 2009 |title=Treasures from India's National Film Development Corporation |url=http://www.atlantadunia.com/dunia/Events09/filmfestival.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531065111/http://www.atlantadunia.com/dunia/Events09/filmfestival.htm |archive-date=31 May 2010 |access-date=28 February 2017 |website=Atlanta Dunia |publisher=High Museum of Art Atlanta}}
References
{{Reflist}}