| Sathi Leelavathi | |
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M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) as Inspector Rangayya Naidu in Sathi Leelavathi |
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| Directed by | Ellis R. Dungan |
| Produced by | Marudachalam Chettiar, Manorama Films |
| Written by | S. S. Vasan |
| Starring | M. K. Radha M. S. Gnanambal M. G. Ramachandran N. S. Krishnan T. S. Balaiya |
| Music by | Sundara Vadhyaar |
| Release date(s) | 28 March 1936 |
| Language | Tamil |
Sathi Leelavathi (Tamil: சதி லீலாவதி) is a 1936 Tamil film directed by Ellis R. Dungan. This was the first film for M. G. Ramachandran and for Dungan as director. This was one of the first Tamil films to become the subject of court case involving copyright violations.[1][2][3][4][5]
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Sathi Leelavathi (lit. Leelavathi the wife) was based on a Tamil play named Pathi Bhakthi (lit. Devotion to the Husband) written by A. Krishnaswami Pavalar and starring K. P. Kesavan. It was staged by the Madurai Original Boys Company. M. Kandasamy Mudaliar wanted to make a film based on the play. Production started but soon stalled due to differences and K. P. Kesavan canceled his contract. Mudaliar walked out of the production and started a new film titled Sathi leelavathi based on a novel written by S. S. Vasan and serialized in Ananda Vikatan. Mudaliar's son M. K. Radha was cast as hero and an unknown (then) 19 year old M. G. Ramachandran was cast as Police Inspector Rangayya Naidu. The film was produced by Marudachalam Chettiar of Coimbatore. Chettiar wanted Manik Lal Tandon to direct the movie and went to Calcutta to hire him. Tandon who was busy directing Nandanar, introduced Chettiar to Dungan and recommended Dungan be given the chance instead. Dungan was hired as director and the film was made. Some scenes were shot in location at Ceylon. The completed film was 18,000 feet in length.[1][6][7][8][9][10]
Sathi Leelavathi dealt with the evils of alcoholism and promoted prohibition. It also depicted the plight of plantation workers in Ceylon. It is the story of a young man who becomes an alcoholic and runs away to Ceylon and the difficulties he faces there.
The film was released on 28 March 1936. Its release was delayed as it became the subject of a court case. Another film - Pathi Bhakthi - had been released in the same year based on the play of same name and starring K. P. Kesavan. The makers of Pathi Bhakthi sued Marudachalam Chettiar and Kandasamy Mudaliar for plagiarizing their story. The case was resolved when S. S. Vasan, admitted in court that both Pathi Bhakthi (written by Krishnasamy Paavalar) and Sathi Leelavathi had been plagiarized from Mrs. Henry Wood's story Danesbury House. The film was a modest success.[1][6] The art magazine Aadal paadal in its January 1937 issue appreciated the film for its social setting and praised it for its high quality acting.[11]
Several new techniques introduced by Dungan were not understood by the audience and went unappreciated. Writing in the Silver Screen magazine on 1 August 1936, Pe. Ko. Sundararajan (journalist and writer of Manikodi movement) complained:
| “ | The new methods of depicting emotions are not understood by our people. In Sathi leelavathi Dungan showed the dancing girl as viewed by the inebriated hero. (In another scene), he showed the hero's fright by his twitching fingers and feet. These techniques not only helped the actors but showcased his (Dungan) talent as well. But as a lot of people know, our audience shouted that the lighting was not clear in the first case and the film was stuck in the second case. This shows the ignorance of our audience.[12] | ” |
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