Vaazhkai (1984 film)

{{Infobox film

| image = Vaazhkai 1984.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = C. V. Rajendran

| producer = Chitra Raamu
Chitra Lakshmanan

| screenplay = Panchu Arunachalam

| story = Mohan Kumar

| starring = Sivaji Ganesan
Ambika
Pandiyan

| music = Ilaiyaraaja

| cinematography = T. S. Vinayagam

| editing = Chandran–Muthu

| studio = Gayathri Films

| distributor = P. A. Art Productions

| released = {{Film date|1984|04|14|df=y}}

| country = India

| language = Tamil

}}

Vaazhkai ({{IPA|ta|ʋaːɻkaɪ|pron}} {{translation|Life}}) is a 1984 Indian Tamil-language drama film, directed by C. V. Rajendran and produced by Chitra Raamu and Chitra Lakshmanan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Ambika and Pandiyan, with Jaishankar, M. N. Nambiar and Raveendran in supporting roles. It is a remake of the Hindi film Avtaar.{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=22 April 1984 |title=வாழ்க்கை |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1984-04-22/page/n49/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230224120006/https://archive.org/details/kalki1984-04-22/page/n49/mode/2up |archive-date=24 February 2023 |access-date=24 February 2023 |magazine=Kalki |page=49 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} The film was released on 14 April 1984 and ran for over 100 days in theatres.{{Cite web |title=241-250 |url=http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp25.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614032558/http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp25.htm |archive-date=14 June 2021 |access-date=10 March 2022 |website=nadigarthilagam.com}}{{Cite news |date=22 July 1984 |title=வாழ்க்கை |work=Dina Thanthi |language=ta}}

Plot

Rajasekar is a hard-working mechanic whose family consists of wife Radha, oldest son Bhaskar, daughter-in-law Sumathi, youngest son Ramesh and adopted son Kannan. Rajasekar loses the use of one arm in an accident at work and, for the first time in his life, finds himself out of work. He wants to use his insurance payout from the accident to buy the family home and pay for Ramesh's education. Bhaskar buys the house but registers it under Sumathi's name rather than his mother's name. Ramesh falls in love with Swapna. Her father, rich businessman Seetharaman, is supportive of the couple but wants Ramesh to live in his home and take charge of his businesses. Rajasekar is skeptical of this arrangement as he is worried about Ramesh being dependent on Seetharaman. Ramesh, however, abandons his parents to live with Swapna. Bhaskar's duplicity also comes to light after a family argument. Utter disappointed in his children, Rajasekar leaves the home with Radha and Kannan. With hard work and determination, Rajasekar becomes a very wealthy man. His sons' fortunes, on the other hand, fall and family is set against each other.

Cast

{{cast listing|

Sivaji Ganesan as Rajasekar
Ambika as Radha
Pandiyan as Kannan
Jaishankar as David
M. N. Nambiar as Seetharaman
Nizhalgal Ravi as Bhaskar
Raveendran as Ramesh
Deepa as Sumathi
Silk Smitha as Swapna
V. K. Ramasamy as Baai
Y. Vijaya as Ayesha
Manorama as Kannaatha
Y. G. Mahendran as Anwar
Thengai Srinivasan

}}

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.{{Cite web |title=Vaazhkai (1984) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0002997 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814073352/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0002997 |archive-date=14 August 2014 |access-date=13 August 2014 |website=Raaga.com}}{{Cite web |title=Vaazhkai (1984) Tamil Super Hit Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilaiyaraaja |url=https://dmcvinyl.com/collection/vaazhkai-by-ilaiyaraaja/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224122109/https://dmcvinyl.com/collection/vaazhkai-by-ilaiyaraaja/ |archive-date=24 February 2023 |access-date=24 February 2023 |website=Disco Music Center}} The song "Kaalam Maaralam" is set in Hamsadhvani raga.{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=March 2013 |title=A bright start |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-bright-start/article4465608.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303173615/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-bright-start/article4465608.ece |archive-date=3 March 2013 |access-date=21 December 2018 |work=The Hindu}} The song "Mella Mella" is adapted from the background music which Ilaiyaraaja composed for Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983).{{Cite web |last=Mohan |first=Vinayak |last2=Rao |first2=Subha J |date=2 June 2018 |title=Mani Ratnam And Ilaiyaraaja: A Shared Birthday And A Lifetime Of Musical Memories |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/mani-ratnam-and-ilayaraja-a-shared-birthday-and-a-lifetime-of-musical-memories/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602155950/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/mani-ratnam-and-ilayaraja-a-shared-birthday-and-a-lifetime-of-musical-memories/ |archive-date=2 June 2023 |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=Silverscreen India}}{{Cite web |last=S |first=Karthik |author-link=Karthik Srinivasan |title=Coincidences |url=https://itwofs.com/coincidence.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407191839/https://www.itwofs.com/coincidence.html |archive-date=7 April 2025 |access-date=17 April 2025 |website=ItwoFS}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length
"Ennarumai Selvangal"	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja, Deepan Chakravarthy	Pulamaipithan	04:21
"Kaalam Maaralaam"	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam	rowspan=2\|Vairamuthu	04:22
"Kattikollava"	P. Jayachandran, Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja	04:17
"Manamey Nee"	Ilaiyaraaja	Muthulingam	04:14
"Mella Mella"	P. Susheela, Raj Seetharaman	M. G. Vallabhan	04:02
"Yaavum Neeyappaa"	Malaysia Vasudevan	Panchu Arunachalam	04:22

Critical reception

Jayamanmadhan of Kalki praised the acting of Sivaji Ganesan and other actors but panned Ilaiyaraaja's music and concluded even though it is a film similar to the old films of Ganesan, the film is said to be for the motherland who takes joy in crying. Balumani of Anna praised the acting, music and direction.{{Cite news |last=பாலுமணி |date=22 April 1984 |title=வாழ்க்கை |url=https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_23_8_183/3.jp2/full/1000,1391/0/default.jpg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250105091039/https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_23_8_183/3.jp2/full/1000,1391/0/default.jpg |archive-date=5 January 2025 |access-date=22 June 2025 |work=Anna |pages=3 |language=ta |via=Endangered Archives Programme}}