Konjum Salangai

Konjum Salangai (transl. Enticing Anklets) is a 1962 Indian Tamil-language musical film directed by M. V. Raman. The film features Gemini Ganesan, Savitri, R. S. Manohar and Kumari Kamala in lead roles. The film, had musical score by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu and was released on 14 January 1962. The film was dubbed into Telugu as Muripinche Muvvalu.[2] This film is the Indian Tamil cinema's one and only Tamil film to be entirely shot and released in Technicolor.

Not to be confused with Konjum Kumari.

Konjum Salangai
Theatrical release poster
Directed byM. V. Raman
Produced byM. V. Raman
Written byKu. Ma. Balasubramaniam
Dialogues:
Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
StarringGemini Ganesan
Savitri
R. S. Manohar
Kumari Kamala
Music byS. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Audiography:
E. I. Jeeva
CinematographyS. Harpeet
Art Direction:
M. Azhagappan
Edited byR. Bhaskaran
S. Muthu
Production
company
Devi Films
Distributed byDevi Films
Release date
  • 14 January 1962 (1962-01-14)
Running time
180 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil
Budget₹4 million[1]

Plot

A king Parthiban (Ramadas) gifts a rare anklet (salangai) to a dancer Aparajita (Kumari Madhuri). She incurs the displeasure of people who do not like a dancer having a hold over the kingdom. She begets the king's son, Amarendran and hands him over to a priest along with the anklet. She dies after extracting a promise from him that the truth will be revealed at an appropriate time. Amarendran grows into a strong young man (Gemini Ganesan) interested in music, dancing and martial arts. One day, a special festival is arranged and the priest thinks it is time to reveal the secret. He carries the anklet in a wooden box, and while crossing a river in floods, he loses the anklet. It is found by Amarendran, who also rescues a dancer Mallika (Kumari Kamala) from the floods. He hands over the anklet to the king. Amarendran also happens to meet a beautiful singer Shantha (Savithri), who falls in love with him. Mallika impresses the king, is subsequently appointed the court dancer and gets the anklet as a gift. In another dance competition, Mallika dances with Kamavalli (Kushalakumari) and the anklet gets stolen due to a conspiracy. The villain Nagadevan (Manohar) lusts after Mallika. How Amarendran and Shantha are united forms the rest of the story.

Cast

Credits adapted from the film's songbook:[3]

Supporting cast
  • T. V. Sethuraman, Gemini Balu, Socrates Thangaraj, Kumari Sasi, Stunt Raji, K. S. Manian

Crew
  • Dialogues: Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
  • Lyrics: Kannadasan, Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam, V. Seetharaman
  • Art: M. Azhagappan
  • Audiography E. I. Jeeva
  • Story: C. V. Vilvanathan, M. V. Karunakaran
  • Editing: R. Bhaskaran, S. Muthu, V. S. Mani
  • Makeup: T. Thangappan, Dhanakodi
  • Set Decoration: Ramakrishnan, Abdul Rahaman, M. G. Naidu
  • Producer: M. V. Raman
  • Production Company: Raman Productions
  • Director: M. V. Raman
  • Music: S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
  • Choreography: Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, Kanchipuram Ellappa, M. S. Ramasamy & Thangappan
  • Cinematography: S. Harpeet
  • Stunt: Shyam Sundar

Production

Konjum Salangai was the 100th film for Savitri as an actress.[4] It was shot in 41 different sets at three studios Newtone Studios and Narasu Studios in Madras, and Raman Studio in Bombay.[5] It was processed in London under the direct supervision of Raman.[6] The budget of the film was ₹4 million (equivalent to ₹270 million or US$3.9 million in 2019).[3]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, while the lyrics for songs were written by Kannadasan, Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam, and V. Seetharaman.[7][8] One of the songs from this film "Singara Velane" was well received and provided breakthrough for S. Janaki who sang the song, Nadaswaram portions for the song was played by Karaikurichi Arunachalam.[6][9] Regarding the recording of the song, the singing by Janaki was recorded at the Raman Studio in Bombay, while the nadaswaram portions were recorded in Madras, and the two tracks were mixed.[6][10] The song is based on Abheri raga.[11] Another song "Orumuraiyudan" is based on Bilahari raga.[12] The dance sequence by Kumari Kamala for the song "Kaana Kann Kodi" which is a Ragamaliga, was pictured at the shrines in Chidambaram, Sri Rangam, Madurai, Thiruchendur and Sri Villiputhur. When the 78 RPM record was released before the release of the film, the song included Swaras and had a duration of 6:14 minutes. But in the film, the swaras was cut resulting in a short duration of 5:22 mins. A link to the full version is given under External links.

No.SongSingersLyricsLength (m:ss)
1Orumaiyudan Ninathu ThirumalaradiSoolamangalam RajalakshmiRamalinga Adigalar03:25
2Dhinamidhuve SubathinamithuveT. M. Soundararajan, S. C. KrishnanV. Seetharaman02:10
3Kaana Kann KodiSoolamangalam Rajalakshmi05:22
4Konjum Salangai OlikettuP. LeelaKannadasan03:50
5Brahman Thalam PodaJayalakshmi, RajalakshmiKu. Ma. Balasubramaniam09:57
6Singaravelane DevaJanaki06:14
7Vel Eduppome ... Vetri Vil ThoduppomeS. C. Krishnan, Chorus
8Kadhal Geetham KetkumaT. M. Soundararajan03:24
9Vasantha KalathendralilP. SusheelaV. Seetharaman03:25
10Naadanda Uthamarai ... Vanjakargal VeezhaveT. M. Soundararajan, ChorusKu. Ma. Balasubramaniam

Release and reception

Konjum Salangai was released in India on 14 January 1962, coinciding with Thai Pongal.[13] It was also released outside India, with the original having subtitles in more than 22 languages by a British company. It was also dubbed into other languages and received a fair amount of notice from critics.[5] The film marked a record for being the first Tamil film to be exhibited in Poland with a dubbed version.[14][15] In a review dated 28 January 1962, The Indian Express said, "Konjum Salangai, the first Technicolor feature film of South India is a revealing experience that even our technicians can bring out in a film the rich, glossy sheen and pleasing tonal gradations comparable with that of any Technicolor product made abroad."[16]

gollark: Yes, I did. I'm glad you agree.
gollark: Irrelevant, I have photographic evidence of your shilllike nature.
gollark: Troubling. Activating GIMP.
gollark: However, according to the Cayley-Hamilton theorem a matrix satisfies its own characteristic equation.
gollark: I can't be a shill because

References
  1. "Konjum Salangai". The Indian Express. 22 December 1961. p. 3.
  2. Narasimham, M. L. (6 August 2018). "On S. Janaki's sonorous rendition of 'Nee leela paadeda Deva' in 'Muripinche Muvvalu'". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. "கொஞ்சும் சலங்கை" [Enticing Anklets] (songbook) (in Tamil). Devi Films. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016. Alt URL
  4. "100 வது படம்!" [100th film!]. Kungumam (in Tamil). 19 May 2017. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. The Illustrated Weekly of India: 1962, Volume 83, Issue 1
  6. Guy, Randor (23 May 2015). "Konjum Salangai 1962". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  7. Neelamegam, G. (November 2016). Thiraikalanjiyam – Part 2 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers 044 25361039. p. 59.
  8. "Konjum Salangai Songs". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  9. "Timeless voice". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  10. Guy, Randor. "Memorable notes". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  11. "A Raga's Journey — Aspects of Abheri". The Hindu. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  12. "Morning ragas". The Hindu. 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  13. Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017.
  14. "This day that age". The Hindu. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  15. "The first Tamil film in Poland?". The Times of India. 24 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  16. "Pleasing Photography In Konjum Salangai". The Indian Express. 28 January 1962. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
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