Kumudam(1961)
Kumudam is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Adurthi Subba Rao and written by K. S. Gopalakrishnan. The film stars S. S. Rajendran, Vijayakumari, and Sowcar Janaki in lead roles. The story follows Kumaran, a young man who sacrifices his own happiness to fulfill a promise to his dying brother. He marries a blind woman named Kumudham to secure his niece's marriage to a violent man. The film explores themes of family duty, sacrifice, and courtroom justice. It won the Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature Film at the 9th National Film Awards. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with lyrics by Kannadasan and A. Maruthakasi. The film was a commercial success and ran for over 100 days in theatres. It was remade in Telugu as Manchi Manasulu, in Malayalam as Susheela, and in Hindi as Pooja Ke Phool. The film was released on 29 July 1961.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Eros Now, Amazon Prime Video, Airtel Xstream Play, Plex, JioTV, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1961
- Director
- Adurthi Subba Rao
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 51m 0
Storyline
Kumaran promises his dying brother he will protect his niece Anjalai. When Anjalai falls in love with a violent man, Kumaran must marry the man's blind sister to secure the wedding. He gives up his own love and later takes the blame for a murder he did not commit. His former lover must fight in court to prove his innocence.
“A promise that cost him everything”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kumudam
Cast reunions in this film: K. V. Mahadevan & M. R. Radha (31 films together), S. S. Rajendran & Vijayakumari (23 films together), K. V. Mahadevan & S. S. Rajendran (20 films together), K. V. Mahadevan & Vijayakumari (17 films together), S. S. Rajendran & M. R. Radha (15 films together), and M. R. Radha & Vijayakumari (14 films together).
Trivia
- The film was a remake of the Telugu movie 'Kumudham' from the same year, both directed by Adurthi Subba Rao.
- It was one of the few Tamil films where Gemini Ganesan and Savitri played lead roles but were not paired as romantic interests.
- The movie's music was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao, who was more famous for his work in Telugu and Kannada cinema.
- This film was released during a period when courtroom dramas and family conflicts were popular themes in Tamil cinema.
- Actress Savitri, known for her expressive eyes, reportedly performed a key emotional scene in a single take.
- The story revolves around a false murder accusation, a common plot device in 1960s Indian films to drive family drama.
- Despite starring major stars, the film did not achieve the same blockbuster status as some of their other collaborations.