Arivaali(1963)
'Arivaali' (transl. Genius) is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by A. T. Krishnaswamy. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan as Aalavanthan and P. Bhanumathi as Manorama. It is an adaptation of Krishnaswamy's own stage play 'Penn Paduthum Paadu', which was based on William Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'. The story follows a clever graduate who marries a wealthy, stubborn woman for her dowry to fund a cooperative farm for poor villagers. The film features a soundtrack composed by S. V. Venkatraman with lyrics by Papanasam Sivan and A. Maruthakasi. It received mixed reviews upon release, with praise for Bhanumathi's performance and criticism for some technical aspects. The film was released on 1 March 1963.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- VI Movies and TV, Sun NXT, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 28 February 1963
- Director
- A. T. Krishnaswamy
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 7m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
Aalavanthan, a brilliant graduate, fights for poor farmers against a cruel zamindar. He learns of a wealthy man offering a huge dowry for his spoiled, stubborn daughter Manorama. Aalavanthan decides to marry her for the money to help the village. But Manorama always does the opposite of what anyone says. Aalavanthan must use his genius to outsmart her and win her heart.
“A genius tames the shrew.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Arivaali
Cast reunions in this film: Sivaji Ganesan & K. A. Thangavelu (10 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & T. S. Balaiah (4 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & T. R. Ramachandran (4 films together), K. A. Thangavelu & T. R. Ramachandran (3 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & S. V. Venkatraman (2 films together), and T. S. Balaiah & T. P. Muthulakshmi (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Arivaali' is a Tamil word meaning 'genius', reflecting the protagonist's intellectual journey.
- This was one of the few films where legendary actress-singer P. Bhanumathi acted in a Tamil production opposite Sivaji Ganesan.
- Director A. T. Krishnaswamy also wrote and produced the film, a less common multi-role approach for the time.
- The musical score was by veteran composer S. V. Venkatraman, known for his work in early Tamil and Telugu cinema.
- The film was released on March 1, 1963, during a period of prolific output for lead actor Sivaji Ganesan.
- It is not as widely remembered or discussed as many other Sivaji Ganesan films from the same era.
- The film's synopsis suggests a drama centered on intellect, a theme explored in various ways in 1960s Tamil cinema.