Thillaanaa Mohanambal(1968)
'Thillaanaa Mohanambal' is a 1968 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical dance film written, directed, and produced by A. P. Nagarajan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini, and T. S. Balaiah, with supporting performances from A. V. M. Rajan, Nagesh, and Manorama. It tells the story of a nadaswaram player and a Bharatanatyam dancer who fall in love but struggle with their own egos and external obstacles. The film was adapted from Kothamangalam Subbu's novel of the same name, which was serialised in Ananda Vikatan. Shot in Eastmancolor across Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, and Madurai, the film won two National Film Awards and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. It was a commercial success with a theatrical run of over 175 days and has since achieved cult status in Tamil cinema. The film was released on 27 July 1968.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Sun NXT, Airtel Xstream Play, JioTV, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 31 January 1968
- Director
- A. P. Nagarajan
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 45m
- Rating
- 8.4/10
Storyline
A short-tempered nadaswaram player named Shanmugasundaram falls in love with a Bharatanatyam dancer named Mohanambal. Their mutual pride and a greedy mother who wants a rich son-in-law stand between them. A jealous landlord and a cunning schemer push them to the edge of tragedy.
“When music meets dance, love finds its rhythm.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Thillaanaa Mohanambal
Cast reunions in this film: Nagesh & Sivaji Ganesan (38 films together), Nagesh & K. V. Mahadevan (37 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & K. V. Mahadevan (35 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & Padmini (21 films together), K. V. Mahadevan & A. P. Nagarajan (14 films together), and K. V. Mahadevan & Padmini (13 films together).
Trivia
- The film's climax was shot at the famous Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, a rare permission for a movie at that time.
- Sivaji Ganesan learned to play the nathaswaram for his role, practicing for months to mimic the finger movements realistically.
- The song 'Naan Oru Sindhu' was filmed in a single continuous shot, a technical challenge in the 1960s.
- The film was a huge hit and ran for over 100 days in many theaters across Tamil Nadu.
- Actress Padmini, a trained classical dancer, performed all her dance sequences without a body double.
- The movie's success led to a renewed public interest in the classical arts of bharatanatyam and nathaswaram.
- A. P. Nagarajan, the director, was known for his historical and mythological films, making this a rare social drama from him.