Manithan Maravillai (English: The Man has not changed) is 1962 Tamil drama film written, co-produced and directed by Aluri Chakrapani and produced by B. Nagireddy under Vijaya Productions. The film's dialogues was written by Thanjai Ramaihadass. Music by Ghantasala. The film revolves around the story of Proud mother Subbamma and the way she brought on track her two son-in-law. The film starring Gemini Ganesan , Savitri , Akkineni Nageswara Rao , Jamuna and Sundari Bai in lead role along with S. V. Ranga Rao K. Sarangapani L. Vijayalakshmi Lakshmi Prabha Raja and T. K. Ramachandran portraying supporting roles.^[1] The film was a remake of Telugu film Gundamma Katha.^[2][3]

Plot

Subbamma(Sundari Bai) is rich widow who has a daughter Saroja(Jamuna) and son Prabhakar(Raja) and a step daughter lakshmi(Savitri) both girls are beautiful and intelligent. Saroja is teen spoiled by her mothers pampering whereas lakshmi is treated as a maid in her own house. Chithambaranar(S. V. Ranga Rao) who has two sons of marriageable age, is searching for suitable brides. Subbamma is interested in pursuing an allaians with chithambaranar's for her daughter saroja and sends a word through a middle man. It happens that he used to be good friend of subbamma's late husband. She wants to over come the obstacle of her elder step daughter lakshmi by getting married to down-and-out . So she doesn't have to get jeered for negleting her step daughter. Kuppusamy(K. Sarangapani) is subbamma's brother and a cousin some how wants saroja to marry his son boopathy(T. K. Ramachandran), who happened to be a delinquent and is in a prison. Mean while, Chithambaranar and his sons knew about subbamma's avarise and her treatment of children and decided to play a game to teach her a lesson. After deciding that lakshmi will make a suitable match for his first son Panjacharam(Gemini Ganesan) and saroja for his second son Raja(Akkineni Nageswara Rao). Chithambaram asks his sons to enact a drama to bring subbamma and her over bearing daughter on track. The first son enters subbamma's house as Panji, a street worthy servent and wins her heart instantly and even place in her house as a helping hand. The second son Raja with the aid of his cousin Padma(L. Vijayalakshmi) , who happens to be saroja's brother Prabhakar friend.

Cast

• Gemini Ganesan as Panjacharam
• Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Raja (Panji's Younger Brother)
• Savitri as Lakshmi (Subbamma's Step daughter)
• Jamuna as Saroja (Subbamma's Daughter)
• Sundari Bai as Subbamma
• S. V. Ranga Rao as Chithambaranar (Panji& Raja's father)
• K. Sarangapani as Kuppusamy (Subbamma's Brother)
• L. Vijayalakshmi as Padma (Raja & Panji's Cousin)
• Raja as Prabhakar (Saroja's Brother)
• Lakshmi Prabha as Kaveri (Padma's Anuty)
• C. T. Rajakantham as Chokki (Kuppusamy's Wife)
• T. K. Ramachandran as Boopathy (Kuppusamy's son)
• Nagesh as Cameo appearance

Crew

• Director = Chakrapani
• Producer = B. Nagireddy and Chakrapani
• Script = Chakrapani and Thanjai Ramaiahdass
• Music = Ghantasala
• Art = Kokkale and Kaalandhar
• Processing = N. C. Sen Gupta (Vijaya Lab)
• Publicity = K. Nageswara Rao
• Audiography = A. Krishnan
• Re - recording = V. Sivaram
• Recording = Westrex Electronic Sound System
• Special Effects = Harbans Singh
• Choreography = Pasumarthi Krishnamoorthy.^[4]

Reception

The film Gundamma Katha is partially inspired by Shakesphere's The Taming of the Shrew. Gundamma Katha film has received the Filmfare Award for Best Film - Telugu.^[5] The film was remade in same year for Tamil as Manithan Maravillai. Gemini Ganesan replace N. T. Rama Rao in Tamil version. The Producer Chakrapani credited with direction of the Tamil version of Gundamma Katha as Manithan Maravillai tasted failure unlike the Stupendous success of the original Telugu version. Gundamma Katha is regord as the last film of Vijaya Golden Age.^[6]

The film Gundamma Katha was a block buster hit and the first to complete 100days in Hyderabad in 1962, interestingly, Gundamma Katha was N. T. Rama Rao 100th film and Akkineni Nageswara Rao's 99th film. In the same year the film remade in Tamil as Manithan Maravillai which had Gemini Ganesan and Akkineni Nageswara Rao played in lead roles and happened to be Akkineni Nageswara Rao's 100th film. A Sheer coincidence that both NTR and ANR completed their steark of 100th film with two version of the same film.^[7]

Soundtrack

Music composed by Ghantasala and lyrics written by Thanjai Ramaiahdass and Kannadasan.