Maanavan(1970)
Maanavan is a 1970 Indian Tamil-language coming-of-age drama film directed by M. A. Thirumugam and produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar. The film stars Jaishankar as Kathiresan, R. Muthuraman as Ravi, and Lakshmi as Shanthi, with Sowcar Janaki, Nagesh, and Sachu in supporting roles. The story follows Kathiresan, a poor village boy who moves to Madras with his mother to pursue education, while facing constant bullying from a rich classmate. The film is noted for its social commentary on class inequality and the value of education. A young Kamal Haasan appears in a dance sequence. The soundtrack was composed by Shankar–Ganesh. The Indian Express praised the performances, especially Sowcar Janaki's role as the mother. The film was released on 10 July 1970.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1970
- Director
- M. A. Thirumugam
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Rating
- 6.5/10
Storyline
A poor village boy named Kathiresan dreams of becoming a big officer. His mother sacrifices everything to educate him. But a rich bully named Ravi tries to destroy his life at every step. When Ravi frames Kathiresan for murder, his dreams seem lost. Can Kathiresan prove his innocence and achieve his goal?
“From rickshaw puller to IAS officer”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Maanavan
Cast reunions in this film: Nagesh & Jaishankar (53 films together), Nagesh & Major Sundarrajan (43 films together), Nagesh & R. Muthuraman (43 films together), Sankar Ganesh & Jaishankar (38 films together), Sankar Ganesh & Nagesh (27 films together), and Major Sundarrajan & R. Muthuraman (20 films together).
Trivia
- The film was produced by the famous Tamil comedian Nagesh, who also played a key role in it.
- It was one of the few movies where actor Muthuraman played a college professor, a departure from his usual roles.
- The director M. A. Thirumugam was known for family dramas, but this film included a murder mystery twist.
- A popular song from the movie, 'Kadavul Ullame', was composed by M. S. Viswanathan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan.
- The film's story highlighted the education system and student-teacher relationships, a common theme in 1970s Tamil cinema.
- It featured actress Jayalalithaa in a brief but memorable role, adding to her early filmography.
- The movie was released during a period when social dramas with moral messages were highly successful in Tamil Nadu.