Sengottai Singam

{{more plot|date=June 2022}}

The wealthy owner of the Sengottai estate orders the death of Lakshmi, a factory worker, and her infant son, as they accidentally come in the way of his car. Unknown to him, Lakshmi is the lover of his son, Dharmalingam, and the mother of his child. His henchman secretly allows Lakshmi and her son to escape. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the two are separated, and the boy is raised by Malayandi, a tribal leader.

Dharmalingam is grief-stricken over the loss of his lover and child, and he refuses to marry the woman chosen by his father. Meanwhile, Lakshmi's son, now named Singam, grows up to become a fierce warrior, excelling in battles against both animals and enemies. As Singam matures, he falls in love with a young woman. The remainder of the film centers around the family's eventual reunion.

• Udaykumar as Singam
• B. Saroja Devi as Singam's lover
• Pandari Bai as Lakshmi
• S. V. Sahasranamam as Dharmalingam
• E. R. Sahadevan as Malayandi
• C. L. Anandan
• Mynavathi
• Pushpalatha

Sengottai Singam was the third production of Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar's company Devar Films.{{Cite web |date=11 October 2015 |title=சாண்டோ சின்னப்பா தேவர்! (10) |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/malarkal/vara-malar-weekly-magazine/santo-chinnappa-devar-10/27245 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111105436/http://www.dinamalar.com/supplementary_detail.asp?id=27245&ncat=2 |archive-date=11 January 2017 |access-date=11 January 2017 |website=Dinamalar |url-status=live |language=ta}} Its story was written by Rajagopal, and the screenplay by Puratchidasan. V. N. Reddy, a filmmaker based in Bombay, directed the film and also worked as cinematographer, while being assisted by N. S. Varma, an already established South Indian cinematographer. M. G. Balu Rao and M. A. Mariappan jointly edited the film. Shooting took place at Vijaya Vauhini Studios.

The soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan.{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 |date=December 2014 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=143 |language=ta}} The song "Nadada Raja", written by Maruthakasi and picturised on Udaykumar's character riding an elephant, gained popularity.

Sengottai Singam was released on 11 July 1958.{{Cite web |title=1958 – செங்கோட்டை சிங்கம்-தேவர் பிலிம்ஸ்-வீரசிம்ஹா(தெ-டப்) |trans-title=1958 – Sengottai Singam-Devar Films-Veerasimha(te-dub) |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1958-cinedetails14.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111104340/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1958-cinedetails14.asp |archive-date=11 January 2017 |access-date=11 January 2017 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=ta}}{{Cite news |date=11 July 1958 |title=Senkotai Singam |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19580711&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=4 September 2018 |work=The Indian Express |pages=10 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}} Kanthan of Kalki said the film would disappoint those who had already seen Tarzan films.{{Cite magazine |last=காந்தன் |date=27 July 1958 |title=செங்கோட்டை சிங்கம் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1958-07-27/page/72/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230329134446/https://archive.org/details/kalki1958-07-27/page/72/mode/2up |archive-date=29 March 2023 |access-date=29 March 2023 |magazine=Kalki |page=72 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} According to historian Randor Guy, the film was not a major commercial success, but it gained much attention due to its music and onscreen animals, especially two horses named Iqbal and Dilip.

{{Reflist|refs={{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=11 October 2014 |title=Blast from the past: Sengottai Singam 1958 |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/blast-from-the-past-sengottai-singam-1958/article6491808.ece |access-date=11 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111104549/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/blast-from-the-past-sengottai-singam-1958/article6491808.ece |archive-date=11 January 2017}}}}

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{{Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar}}

Category:1950s adventure films

Category:1950s Indian films

Category:1950s Tamil-language films

Category:Films about animals

Category:Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan

Category:Films set in jungles

Category:Indian adventure films

Category:Tamil-language adventure films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films