Miss Kamala

Miss Kamala

A still from the film
Directed by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Produced by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Screenplay by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Based on Kamalavalli
by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Starring
  • T. P. Rajalakshmi
  • T. V. Sundaram
  • "Battling" C. S. D. Singh
  • V. S. Mani
  • T. P. Rajagopal
  • "Stunt" Rajoo
Music by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Edited by T. P. Rajalakshmi
Release date
 1936
Language Tamil

Miss Kamala was a 1936 Tamil language film written and directed by T. P. Rajalakshmi. It starred Rajalakshmi herself along with T. V. Sundaram, "Battling" C. S. D. Singh, V. S. Mani, T. P. Rajagopal and "Stunt" Rajoo. Miss Kamala was the first Tamil feature film to be directed by a woman film director.[1] The film made Rajalakshmi the first female director in South India and the second in India. In addition to producing and directing the film, she wrote, edited and composed the music for the film.

Plot

When Kamala and Kannappan fall in love with each other, Kamala's parents do not approve of their relationship. They force Kamala to marry a doctor instead. On the wedding night, Kamala reveals her relationship with Kannappan to her husband and also tells him that she was coerced into marrying him. On hearing this, the polite doctor understands her feelings and promises that he will try to reunite her with Kannappan. However, the next day, the doctor suddenly leaves the home. Kamala's neighbours start to feel bad about her. Kamala then leaves the doctor's home and goes back to live with her parents, but they cruelly refuse to accommodate her.

A lonely Kamala starts looking to find employment to sustain herself, but she is unable to find any. She goes to meet Kannappan as a last resort, but he does not reciprocate her feelings and rejects her, citing that she is married to another man. Incredibly frustrated, Kamala decides to kill herself but instead winds up in a car accident. She is rescued by a couple, who happen to be Kannappan's parents. They bring Kamala to their home and call for a doctor to treat her. The doctor happens to be her husband, who stands by his previous commitment to unite Kamala with her true love. Kannappan, however, becomes dejected after seeing Kamala in this condition at his home. After her recovery, Kamala disguises herself as a gypsy to earn money for her subsistence. In the process, she makes Kannappan fall in love with her. Kannappan then promises her that he will marry her in front of his parents. In the end, she reveals her identity and finally unites with Kannappan.

Cast

Background

Rajalakshmi, a leading actress in Tamil cinema during the 1930s,[2] produced and directed the film. The film was based on a novel titled Kamalavalli authored by Rajalakshmi herself; it was her first novel.[3] It was also the first time where a Tamil film was made based on a social novel.[4] Apart from scripting and directing, she also composed the music and edited the film.[5] By directing the film, Rajalakshmi became South India's first woman director and the second in all of India,[2] after Fatma Begum, who made Bulbul-e-Paristan in 1926.[3]

Casting and filming

Rajalakshmi played the titular role as Miss Kamala. Prominent actors like V. S. Mani and T. V. Sundaram made up the supporting cast. Rajalakshmi filmed a stunt sequence to depict a scene where the heroine is kidnapped by a group of hired goons. Two "well-known" stunt artists of the day, "Battling" C. S. D. Singh and "Stunt" Rajoo, were hired for this particular scene.[6] At a time when radio was not yet a familiar mass medium, the film contained a scene where a song is heard over the radio.[6]

The film had a "side reel" where in carnatic musician T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai performed a Nadaswaram recital.[7] Film historian Randor Guy said that he did not accept any remuneration as a token of respect for Rajalakshmi.[6][8]

As of 2015, no print of the film is known to have survived, making it a lost film.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Baskaran, Sundraraj Theodre (24 December 2013). The Eye of the Serpent: An Introduction to Tamil Cinema. Westland. p. 75. ISBN 978-93-83260-74-4.
  2. 1 2 "Centenary fete hails South India’s first woman director". The New Indian Express. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul; Willemen, Professor of Critical Studies Paul (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Routledge. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9.
  4. ↑ மீரான். "சாதிப்பார்களா பெண் இயக்குநர்கள்?". Kungumam (in Tamil). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Narayanan, Sharadha (15 November 2011). "A tribute to Tamil cinema's first woman director". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Randor Guy (27 March 2009). "Miss Kamala 1938". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 Guy, Randor (23 December 2010). "Memorable notes". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "அரசு மனது வைத்தால் முடியும்!". Dina Mani (in Tamil). 27 November 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
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