| Velaikaari | |
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A poster for Velaikaari |
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| Directed by | A. S. A. Sami |
| Produced by | M. Somasundaram (Jupiter Pictures) |
| Written by | C. N. Annadurai |
| Starring | K. R. Ramasamy T. S. Balaiya Janaki Ramachandran M. N. Nambiar S. A. Natarajan M. V. Rajamma |
| Music by | C. R. Subburaman S. M. Subbaiah Naidu |
| Cinematography | Masthan |
| Editing by | D. Durairaj |
| Release date(s) | 25 February 1949 |
| Running time | 180 min. (16,744 Feet) |
| Language | Tamil |
Velaikaari (Tamil: வேலைக்காரி) is a 1949 Tamil film produced by Jupiter Pictures. It was based on the play of the same name written by C. N. Annadurai (later chief minister of Tamil Nadu). This was the second film to be based on Annadurai's plays.[1][2][3][4][5]
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Velaikaari (lit. servant maid) was a stage play written by Annadurai. It was originally written for K. R. Ramasamy's drama company by Annadurai. M. Somasundaram of Jupiter productions decided to make a film based on the successful play. Annadurai wrote the script and dialogues for the film. This was second film to be made based on Annadurai's plays after Nallathambi, which was released only three weeks prior to Velaikaari. A. S. A. Sami, was chosen by Annadurai to direct the movie. Also per Annadurai's recommendation, his friend K. R. Ramasamy was hired to play the hero. The play's original screenplay based on class conflicts and was partly inspired by the Bhawal case. To this some plot elements of The Count of Monte Cristo were added for the film version. Janaki Ramachandran and M. V. Rajamma played the female lead roles in the film. The supporting cast included M. N. Nambiar, T. S. Balaiya and S. A. Natarajan. The film was later remade in Hindi (Naya Aadmi), Telugu (Santhosham) and Kannada (Mallimadhuvae). The completed film was 16,774 feet in length.[1][2][6]
Velaikaari was a socially themed story based on class conflicts and a critique of existing social customs.[1][5] The hero's (K. R. Ramasamy) father commits suicide unable to repay his debts to the local landlord. The hero swears revenge. After earning wealth, he returns to avenge his father's death. He finds a dead body which looks like him in the woods and impersonates the dead man. He marries the landlord's daughter and ill treats her. He forces the landlord to realise his mistakes and repent.[7]
The film was a commercial and critical success. Its dialogues became famous among the audience. Some of the rhetorical lines like " "Sattam Oru Iruttarai. athiley vakkilin vaathamoru vilakku. anaal athu ezhaikku ettaatha vilakku" (lit. The law is a dark room. In which the lawyer's arguments are like the lamp light, but the poor cannot get it) became famous. The 1981 Tamil film Sattam Oru Iruttarai was titled after that particular piece of dialogue. The popular reception Velaikaari received was the beginning of the long association between the Dravidian Movement and Tamil Cinema. (see also Tamil cinema and Dravidian politics). The dialogues and scenes promoting atheism led to some controversy and demands for banning the film.[1][7][8]
Partial list of songs from Velaikkari:
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