Alaigal (film)

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Alaigal
Title card
Directed bySridhar
Written bySridhar
Produced bySridhar
Starring
CinematographyU. Rajagopal
Edited byN. M. Shankar
Music byM. S. Viswanathan
Production
company
Release date
  • 13 January 1973 (1973-01-13)
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Alaigal (transl. Waves) is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language film written, produced and directed by Sridhar. The film, released on 13 January 1973, stars Vishnuvardhan and Chandrakala. It was the first Tamil film of Vishnuvardhan.[1][2]

Plot[edit]

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

After the average response to his previous film Avalukendru Or Manam (1971), Sridhar decided to make a Tamil-Telugu bilingual titled Thulasi (transl. Basil) with A. V. M. Rajan starring in Tamil and Sobhan Babu in Telugu.[3] Sridhar developed a story from the Hindi film Aadmi (1939) and the American film Waterloo Bridge (1931), retaining only the basic premise.[4] However, after canning 4,000 feet (1,200 m), he decided to drop the film, uncertain whether the audience would accept a film with anti-sentimental elements. Sridhar restarted the same film with changes in the script and cast. The title was changed to Alaigal, with Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan in the lead which marked his debut in Tamil cinema.[4]

Soundtrack[edit]

The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan.[5]

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Oomai Pennai"S. Janaki 
2."Ponnenna Poovenna"P. Jayachandran 
3."Pachai Ilai"L. R. Eswari 
4."Vaangaiya"L. R. Eswari 

Release and reception[edit]

Alaigal was released on 13 January 1973.[6] Kumudham called the story ordinary, criticising it for lack of originality.[7] Kalki praised Sridhar for directing a film with a different kind of plot without including any cinematic elements.[8] However the film failed at the box office.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Sri Kantha, Sachi (15 March 2021). "MGR Remembered – Part 60 | Tackling rivals Karunanidhi – Kamaraj and tending Sridhar". Ilankai Tamil Sangam. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  2. ^ "கன்னட நடிகர் விஷ்ணுவர்த்தன் மறைவு". Dinamani (in Tamil). 20 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. ^ ஸ்ரீதர், டைரக்டர் (6 September 1992). "தன்னம்பிக்கைக்கு ஒரு ராஜ் கபூர்!" (PDF). Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 49–51. Retrieved 27 July 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ a b c ஸ்ரீதர், டைரக்டர் (13 September 1992). "காலத்தின் சூழ்ச்சியில் ஹீரோ-72". Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 54–55. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ "Alaigal Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  6. ^ "அலைகள் / Alaigal (1973)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  7. ^ "அலைகள்". Kumudham (in Tamil). c. 1972. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  8. ^ "அலைகள்". Kalki (in Tamil). 25 November 1973. p. 29. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.

External links[edit]