Vandichakkaram

{{More plot|date=August 2021}}

Gaja is a ruffian. After falling in love with Vadivu, he resolves to mend his ways.

{{Cast listing|

• Sivakumar as Gaja
• Saritha as Vadivu
• Sivachandran as Sarathi
• Samikannu as Palayam
• Suruli Rajan as Maari
• Vinu Chakravarthy as Muthu
• A. Sakunthala as a thief
• Smitha as Silk
• Karuppu Subbiah

}}

Vinu Chakravarthy wrote the script of Vandichakkaram in 1976, but production began only in 1979. This was supposed to be the 100th film of Sivakumar but eventually became his 101st so that Rosappu Ravikkaikari (1979) could become his 100th. The film featured Sivakumar portraying a ruffian, completely different from the soft roles which he was portraying at that point of his career.{{Cite news |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S. R. |date=28 May 2020 |title=Landmark films, golden memories |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/landmark-films-golden-memories/article31693902.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602064801/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/landmark-films-golden-memories/article31693902.ece |archive-date=2 June 2020 |access-date=2 June 2020 |work=The Hindu}} This was the Tamil film debut of Vijayalakshmi, who later became known as the sex symbol Silk Smitha. Vinu Chakravarthy said he "chiseled" her character during the writing process for almost three years before production began. Since the film demanded a vegetable market situated in a straight line, the crew zeroed on a market place Devaraja Market in Mysore where the film was shot.{{Cite magazine |last=சலன் |date=11 May 1980 |title=பழக்கடையில் படப்பிடிப்பு குழுவினர்! |trans-title=Filming crew at a fruit shop! |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-05-11/page/n63/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230402150854/https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-05-11/page/n63/mode/2up |archive-date=2 April 2023 |access-date=2 April 2023 |magazine=Kalki |pages=62–63 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}} Sivakumar revealed Mysore Devaraja Market usually does not give permission to shoot but they specially gave permission only to this film's crew. The filming was also held at Premier Studios at Mysore. Smitha's voice was dubbed by Hema Malini.{{Cite news |last=Ramesh |first=Neeraja |date=23 September 2019 |title=Decoding Silk Smitha for Gen Z |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/decoding-silk-smitha-for-gen-z/articleshow/71250400.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020103717/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/decoding-silk-smitha-for-gen-z/articleshow/71250400.cms |archive-date=20 October 2021 |access-date=20 October 2021 |work=The Times of India}} The song "Vaa Machan" was supposed to picturised on Sivakumar's character; however, since it was felt the majesty of his role would be reduced if he had performed in the song, it was changed into his character drinking and being an onlooker at the dance.

The music composed by Shankar–Ganesh, and lyrics were penned by Pulamaipithan.{{Cite web |date=29 August 1980 |title=Vandichakkaram |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/vandichakkaram/XpdrBuqcKno_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924025844/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/vandichakkaram/XpdrBuqcKno_ |archive-date=24 September 2020 |access-date=2 June 2020 |website=JioSaavn}} The song "Vaa Machan Vaa" became hugely popular.

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Devi Vantha Neram

| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam

| length1 = 4:12

| title2 = Oru Thai Maasam

| extra2 = S. Janaki

| length2 = 3:10

| title3 = Vaa Machan

| extra3 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

| length3 = 5:24

| total_length = 12:46

}}

Vandichakkaram was released on 29 August 1980, and became one of the biggest hits of Sivakumar.{{Cite news |last=Rajarathinam |first=R. M. |date=12 February 2005 |title=Portrait of an actor |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/02/12/stories/2005021200940300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825212652/http://hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/02/12/stories/2005021200940300.htm |archive-date=25 August 2010 |access-date=23 October 2011 |work=The Hindu}} Writing for Kalki, Nalini Sastry said Vijayan was not pushing the cartwheel on the ground, but into the sky.{{Cite magazine |last=சாஸ்திரி |first=நளினி |date=14 September 1980 |title=வண்டிச்சக்கரம் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-09-14/page/n54/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230326122826/https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-09-14/page/n54/mode/2up |archive-date=26 March 2023 |access-date=26 March 2023 |magazine=Kalki |page=53 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} At the Filmfare Awards South, Sivakumar and Saritha won the awards for Best Tamil Actor and Best Tamil Actress respectively.{{Cite book |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015069813841;view=1up;seq=486 |title=The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who |publisher=Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd |year=1984 |pages=234}} The film also won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film—Third Prize.{{Cite news |date=26 May 1982 |title=சிறந்த படம் "வறுமையின் நிறம் சிவப்பு" {{!}} தமிழக அரசு பரிசு! |trans-title=Varumayin Niram Sivappu wins Best Film {{!}} Tamil Nadu State Film Awards! |url=https://ibb.co/1rTstp8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511042513/https://ibb.co/1rTstp8 |archive-date=11 May 2023 |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Dina Thanthi |location=Bangalore |pages=1 |url-status=usurped |language=ta}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |date=28 May 2021 |title=திரைப்படச்சோலை 35: வண்டிச்சக்கரம் |trans-title=Film Oasis 35: Vandichakkaram |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/675768-thiraippada-solai.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528045422/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/675768-thiraippada-solai.html |archive-date=28 May 2021 |access-date=1 June 2021 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}

{{Cite web |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=29 August 2019 |title='வா மச்சான் வா... வண்ணாரப்பேட்டை...' – 'வண்டிச்சக்கரம்' படத்துக்கு 39 வயது |trans-title='Come dude come... Vannarapettai...' – The film Vandichakkaram turns 39 |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/513395-vandichakkaram.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601101304/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/513395-vandichakkaram.html |archive-date=1 June 2021 |access-date=2 June 2020 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}

{{Cite news |date=17 February 2011 |title=Silk Smitha is my creation |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloids/silk-smitha-my-creation-491 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225030019/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloids/silk-smitha-my-creation-491 |archive-date=25 February 2011 |access-date=23 October 2011 |work=Deccan Chronicle}}

{{Cite magazine |last=சலன் |date=4 May 1980 |title=மைசூர் மார்க்கெட்டில் வண்டிச்சக்கரம் |trans-title=Vandichakkaram in the Mysore market |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-05-04/page/n15/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230326122238/https://archive.org/details/kalki1980-05-04/page/n15/mode/2up |archive-date=26 March 2023 |access-date=27 September 2022 |magazine=Kalki |pages=14–15 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}}

}}

• {{IMDb title|tt7080070}}

{{K. Vijayan}}

{{TamilNaduStateFilmAwardBestFilm}}

Category:1980 films

Category:1980s Indian films

Category:1980s Tamil-language films

Category:Films directed by K. Vijayan

Category:Films scored by Shankar–Ganesh

Category:Films shot in Mysore

Category:Tamil films remade in other languages

Category:Tamil-language Indian films