Thai Ullam
{{short description|1952 film by K. Ramnoth}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Thai Ullam poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = K. Ramnoth
| screenplay = S. D. Sundaram
Umachandran
| based_on = {{based on|East Lynne|Ellen Wood}}
| starring = V. Nagayya
Manohar
M. V. Rajamma
Madhuri Devi
| music = V. Nagayya
A. Rama Rao
| editing = S. P. Chandrasekar
| studio = Narayanan & Company
| distributor = Narayanan & Company
| released = {{film date|df=yes|1952|2|9}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Thai Ullam ({{translation|Mother's Heart}}) is a 1952 Indian Tamil-language film directed by K. Ramnoth. Starring V. Nagayya, Manohar and R. Ganesh, the film has music composed by Nagayya and A. Rama Rao. It is an adaptation of the 1861 novel East Lynne, by Ellen Wood. The film was released on 9 February 1952, and emerged both a critical and commercial success.
Plot
{{No plot|date=March 2021}}
Cast
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- V. Nagayya as Zamindar Seethapathy
- Manohar as Manohar
- R. Ganesh as Sekar
- K. Ramasami as Clerk Kuppu
- N. Seetharaman as Magistrate Masilamani
- Chandra Babu as Sukumar
- Kolathumani as Ponnambalam
- C. V. V. Panthulu as Sabapathy
{{col-break|width=50%}}
- M. V. Rajamma as Nirmala
- Madhuri Devi as Vasundhara
- K. R. Chellam as Santhamma
- T. P. Muthulakshmi as Janaki
- Sakunthala as Singari
- C. K. Saraswathi as Kanthimathi
{{col-end}}
T. K. Kalyanam, G. V. Sharma, Nandaram, Loose Arumugam, and V. T. Kalyanam.
Production
K. Ramnoth, who had left Gemini Studios on 15 August 1947, worked for Narayanan & Company, for which he made the film Thai Ullam, an adaptation of the 1861 novel East Lynne by Ellen Wood. While Manohar was cast as the male lead, T. S. Balaiah was considered for playing the antagonist. He however opted out of the project after demanding a salary of {{INR}}75,000, which he was refused. Subsequently, he was replaced by a then struggling actor named R. Ganesh, who later became known as Gemini Ganesan.
Soundtrack
The songs were composed by Nagayya and A. Rama Rao, with lyrics by Kanakasurabhi, Subramania Bharati and Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai.{{Cite web |title=Thai Ullam |url=http://www.saavn.com/s/album/tamil/Thai-Ullam-1952/Q7X1USX7dAg_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075335/http://www.saavn.com/s/album/tamil/Thai-Ullam-1952/Q7X1USX7dAg_ |archive-date=26 October 2016 |access-date=25 October 2016 |website=JioSaavn}}{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |publication-date=December 2014 |pages=37 |language=Tamil}} The song "Vella Thamarai" is based on Bharati's poem of the same name.{{Cite web |last=Gopalakrishnan |first=P. V. |date=7 August 2017 |title=Filmy Ripples – Mahakavi Bharathiyar's works in Tamil Film Music |url=https://tcrcindia.com/2017/08/07/filmy-ripples-mahakavi-bharathiyars-works-in-tamil-film-music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223171426/https://tcrcindia.com/2017/08/07/filmy-ripples-mahakavi-bharathiyars-works-in-tamil-film-music/ |archive-date=23 December 2018 |access-date=23 December 2018 |website=The Cinema Resource Centre}} The song "Konjum Puraave" is based on the song "Thandi Hawayen" from the Hindi film Naujawan (1951).{{Cite news |last=Swaminathan |first=G. |date=28 June 2018 |title=The bonhomie between MLV and Padmini |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/mlvs-playback-singing-for-dance-performances/article24278936.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705193617/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/mlvs-playback-singing-for-dance-performances/article24278936.ece |archive-date=5 July 2018 |access-date=14 September 2018 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite web |last=Sriram |first=V. |author-link=V. Sriram |date=14 March 2018 |title=From Thandi Hawayen to Konjum Purave |url=https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/03/14/from-thandi-hawayen-to-konjum-purave/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914162831/https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/03/14/from-thandi-hawayen-to-konjum-purave/ |archive-date=14 September 2018 |access-date=14 September 2018 |website=Madras Heritage and Carnatic Music}} That, along with the songs "Kovil Muluthum Kanden", "Kathayai Kelada", "Vellai Thamarai" and "Poo Chendu Nee" attained popularity.{{Cite news |last=Swaminathan |first=G. |date=28 June 2018 |title=The bonhomie between MLV and Padmini |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/mlvs-playback-singing-for-dance-performances/article24278936.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705193617/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/mlvs-playback-singing-for-dance-performances/article24278936.ece |archive-date=5 July 2018 |access-date=23 December 2018 |work=The Hindu}}{{Cite news |last=Swaminathan |first=G. |date=30 November 2018 |title=A tribute to Radha-Jayalakshmi |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/a-tribute-to-radha-jayalakshmi/article25634716.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321070840/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/a-tribute-to-radha-jayalakshmi/article25634716.ece |archive-date=21 March 2021 |access-date=23 December 2018 |work=The Hindu}}
| class="wikitable"
! Song !! Singer !! Lyricist !! Length | |||
| "Ohoho Nilave Nillay Odathe" | Jikki | rowspan=3|Kanakasurabhi | |
| "Konjum Puraave" | M. L. Vasanthakumari | 03:04 | |
| "Nathathile Pethama" | T. A. Mothi | ||
| "Vellai Thamarai Poovil" | rowspan=2|M. L. Vasanthakumari | Subramania Bharathi | |
| "Kovil Muzhuthun Kanden" | Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai | 03:02 | |
| "Poochendu Nee" | T. A. Mothi, (Radha) Jayalakshmi & N. L. Ganasaraswathi | rowspan=6|Kanakasurabhi | 03:35 |
| "Pokkiri Payale Nee Polladhavan" | (Radha) Jayalakshmi | 02:00 | |
| "Anbai Ariyamal Kali Odi Poche" | T. A. Mothi | ||
| "Baby Baby Chinna Chinna Baby" | Jikki | 02:38 | |
| "Malai Nila Varavendum" | R. Balasaraswathi & T. A. Mothi | ||
| "Kathayai Kelada" | M. L. Vasanthakumari | 02:51 |
Release
Thai Ullam was released on 9 February 1952, and distributed by Narayanan & Company themselves.{{Cite magazine |date=24 February 1952 |title=தாய் உள்ளம் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1952/feb/24-02-1952/p17.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220809065621/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1952/feb/24-02-1952/p17.jpg |archive-date=9 August 2022 |access-date=14 November 2021 |magazine=Kalki |page=17 |language=ta}} The film was both a critical and commercial success, and a major breakthrough for Ganesh, who would later become a part of the "Big Three" of Tamil cinema, the other two being Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran.
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.ThaaiUllam_Ramnath_1952/12.%20ThaaiUllam_Ramnath_1952.pdf |title=தாய் உள்ளம் |publisher=Narayanan & Company |year=1952 |language=Tamil |trans-title=Mother's Heart |type=song book |access-date=2 September 2024 |via=Internet Archive}}
{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=25 April 2008 |title=Thaai Ullam 1952 |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/04/25/stories/2008042550441600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928042853/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/04/25/stories/2008042550441600.htm |archive-date=28 September 2013 |access-date=25 September 2013 |work=The Hindu}}
{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=15 August 2003 |title=Star and a versatile actor |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/08/15/stories/2003081501500300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206200735/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/08/15/stories/2003081501500300.htm |archive-date=6 February 2010 |access-date=26 April 2012 |work=The Hindu}}
{{Cite web |title=1952 – தாய் உள்ளம் – நாராயணன் அன் கம்பெனி. |trans-title=1952 – Thai Ullam – Narayanan and Company. |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1952-cinedetails16.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180914153227/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1952-cinedetails16.asp |archive-date=14 September 2018 |access-date=10 December 2017 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=Tamil}}
}}