Aadi Perukku (film)

Aadi Perukku (pronunciation ; also spelt Aadipperukku) is a 1962 Indian Tamil-language romance film edited and directed by K. Shankar. Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi play the lead roles, while Devika, M. V. Rajamma, K. D. Santhanam and C. V. V. Panthulu play supporting roles.

Aadi Perukku
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	K. Shankar
Produced by	K. Madhanagopal
Written by	Makkalanban Javar Seetharaman
Starring	Gemini Ganesan B. Saroja Devi Devika M. V. Rajamma
Music by	A. M. Rajah
Cinematography	Thambu
Edited by	K. Shankar K. Neelakandan
Production company	Madhan Theatres
Release date	2 August 1962 (1962-08-02)
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Plot

Padma lives with her widowed mother and her brother, a harbour worker. The family finds refuge in the house of Raja, a poet. Padma's brother dies in an accident.[1]

Cast

Cast adapted from the opening credits of the film and the song book[2]

Male cast Gemini Ganesh as Raja & Philanthropist Krishnan Chandrababu as Biscuit K. D. Santhanam as Ramalingam P. D. Sambandam as Koithan Pillai Karikol Raju G. K. Pillai S. G. Eswaran as Sivanandam C. V. V. Panthulu as Well wisher Mahalingam as Sundaram R. Shankaran Gemini Balu Wahab Kashmiri

Female cast B. Saroja Devi as Padma Devika as Latha M. V. Rajamma as Parvathi K. V. Shanthi as Thangam C. K. Saraswathi as Mangalam Vidyavathi as Principal Devaki as Female Beggar Support cast G. V. Sharma, V. P. Natarajan

Production

The film shares its name with Aadi Perukku, a festival in Tamil Nadu which pays tribute to water's life-sustaining properties. Despite that, the festival is not referenced anywhere onscreen except the song "Annaiyin Arule Vaa", near the end of which Gemini Ganesan's character is shown singing the last two lines as a tribute to the festival. Shooting took place at the now non-existent Majestic Studios.[1]

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack featured nine songs composed by A. M. Rajah and written by Kothamangalam Subbu, Kannadasan, K. D. Santhanam and Suratha.[3][2]

Track list

No.	Title	Lyrics	Artist(s)	Length
1.	"Annaiyin Arule Vaa"	Kothamangalam Subbu	Sirkazhi Govindarajan	03:32
2.	"Idhuthaan Ulagamaa"	Kannadasan	P. Susheela	03:24
3.	"Kannaale Pesum"	K. D. Santhanam	P. Susheela	03:12
4.	"Kannizhanda Manidhar"	Kannadasan	A. M. Raja, P. Susheela	03:12
5.	"Kaaveri Oram"	K. D. Santhanam	P. Susheela	03:16
6.	"Pengal Illaatha"	Kothamangalam Subbu	A. M. Raja, P. Susheela	06:44
7.	"Puriyaathu"	Suratha	P. B. Sreenivas	04:44
8.	"Thanimaiyile Inimai" (duet)	K. D. Santhanam	A. M. Raja, P. Susheela	03:21
9.	"Thanimaiyile Inimai" (male)	K. D. Santhanam	A. M. Raja	03:31
Total length:				33:36

Reception

On 10 August 1962, The Indian Express called Aadi Perukku "another insipid medley of romance, comedy and melodrama [...] A story of unfulfilled love, the film is heavily padded with the usual quantum of songs, dances and other box office gimmicks." The reviewer however praised the performances of the cast members.[4] According to film historian Randor Guy, the film did not succeed commercially because of the "somewhat predictable storyline, the many deaths and the lack of significance of the title". He did, however, praise the performances of Saroja Devi and Ganesan.[1]

References

1. Guy, Randor (7 March 2015). "Blast from the Past: Aadiperukku – 1962". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
2. Aadipperukku Song book (in Tamil). Broadway, Chennai: Kalaimagal Press, Vadakankulam.
3. "Aadi Perukku (1962)". Music India Online. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
4. "Aadi Perukku". The Indian Express. 10 August 1962. p. 3.

External links

• Aadi Perukku on IMDb