Thanga Pathakkam(1974)
'Thanga Pathakkam' (transl. Gold Medal) is a 1974 Indian Tamil-language crime drama film directed by P. Madhavan and written by Mahendran. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya, Srikanth, and Prameela in lead roles. It follows S. P. Choudhry, a disciplined police officer whose rebellious son Jagan becomes a criminal, leading to a tragic father-son conflict. The film was adapted from Mahendran's stage play of the same name, with Ganesan reprising his role from the theatrical production. It was a commercial success, running for over 175 days and achieving silver jubilee status. The film won Chennai Film Fans' Association Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Story, and Best Actress. It inspired several remakes in Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada. The film was released on 1 June 1974.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 1 May 1974
- Director
- P. Madhavan
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 27m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
S. P. Choudhry is a strict police officer who values duty above all. His son Jagan rebels against him and becomes a criminal. Choudhry tries to reform his son, but Jagan's hate only grows. Their conflict tears the family apart and leads to a tragic final confrontation.
“A father's duty. A son's revenge.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Thanga Pathakkam
Cast reunions in this film: M. S. Viswanathan & Sivaji Ganesan (110 films together), K. R. Vijaya & M. S. Viswanathan (69 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & Major Sundarrajan (54 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & Major Sundarrajan (38 films together), K. R. Vijaya & Sivaji Ganesan (32 films together), and K. R. Vijaya & Major Sundarrajan (22 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Thanga Padhakkam' translates to 'Golden Medal', symbolising the police officer's integrity.
- It was one of the few Tamil films where actor Sivakumar played a negative role as the rebellious son.
- The movie was partly shot in the popular tourist location of Yercaud, which was uncommon for films of that era.
- Director P. Madhavan often collaborated with Sivakumar and this was their fourth film together.
- The story was noted for its strong moral conflict between a father's duty and a father's love.
- A.V.M. Saravanan, a famous producer, composed the music for this film, which was a rare departure from his usual work.
- The film's climax, set in a courtroom, was praised for its dramatic tension and emotional delivery.