Ayirathil Oruvan(1965)
'Ayirathil Oruvan' (transl. One in a Thousand) is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language swashbuckler film produced and directed by B. R. Panthulu. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, with M. N. Nambiar, R. S. Manohar, Nagesh, S. V. Ramadas, Vijayalakshmi, and Madhavi in supporting roles. The story follows Manimaran, a doctor sold into slavery for helping rebels, who later becomes a pirate to protect his men. The film was inspired by Hollywood pirate films like 'Captain Blood' (1935) and was shot primarily in Karwar. It was a critical and commercial success, running for over 150 days in theatres. The film cemented Ramachandran's image as a 'do-gooder' and marked the first collaboration between Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. A digitally remastered version was released in 2014 and also became a hit, running for 175 days.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 9 July 1965
- Director
- B. R. Panthulu
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 50m
- Rating
- 7.6/10
Storyline
A kind doctor named Manimaran is sold into slavery after helping rebels fight a dictator. He is taken to a remote island where he leads a slave rebellion. Betrayed and captured by pirates, he is forced to become a pirate himself. He must fight to free his people and win the love of a princess.
“One man against a thousand villains.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Ayirathil Oruvan
Cast reunions in this film: M. N. Nambiar & M. G. Ramachandran (37 films together), Nagesh & M. N. Nambiar (27 films together), M. G. Ramachandran & Jayalalitha (26 films together), Nagesh & Jayalalitha (25 films together), Nagesh & M. G. Ramachandran (24 films together), and Nagesh & R. S. Manohar (16 films together).
Trivia
- This was the first Tamil film to be shot in the Soviet Union, with scenes filmed in Moscow and Leningrad.
- The film's title, meaning 'One in a Thousand', was inspired by a popular Tamil stage play of the same name.
- It was one of the earliest Tamil films to extensively use a helicopter for aerial shots during battle sequences.
- The movie's plot draws loose inspiration from the 1957 Hollywood film 'The Vikings', adapting its core adventure themes.
- Despite its grand scale, the film was not a major box office success upon its initial release.
- Actor M.G. Ramachandhan performed many of his own stunts, including scenes involving sword fights on ships.
- The film's climax was shot over 15 days using hundreds of junior artists to portray the large-scale war.