Manamagal () is a 1951 Indian Tamil-language drama film, directed and produced by N. S. Krishnan. The film stars Padmini, Lalitha, S. V. Sahasranamam and T. S. Balaiah in lead roles. It is based on the Malayalam play Suprabha by playwright Munshi Paramu Pillai. The film was dubbed into Telugu as Pelli Kuthuru.
Plot
Mei Kandar runs an ashram called Thiruvalluvar ashram for poor kids, providing them education and other skills for their future. On one occasion, his students rescue Chandra, a poor widowed pregnant woman abandoned by her remarried husband Bagavathar (Music Teacher). Chandra gives birth to a boy baby who later grows up in the ashram. Meanwhile, abandoning his first wife, Bagavathar moves to teach music to a rich person's daughter Kumari. But she is already engaged to S. V. Sahasranamam, son of her father's family friend. Kumari's father also has an accountant who married a young girl Vijaya. Kumari's father is the one who sponsors the ashram run by N. S. Krishnan. After the arrival of Chandra, the ashram goes under more progressive changes.
Meanwhile, Bagavathar, teaching music has an eye on Kumari to marry her as second wife by hiding his previous life. Bagavathar also tries to seduce the accountant's wife Vijaya who is distressed due to the age difference of her husband. Varathan, a friend of Bagavathar moving along with him from his days with Chandra, gives suggestions to cheat and marry Kumari avoiding Sahasranamam. Kumari "to-be husband" S. V. Sahasranamam is away in England for his Barrister studies and returns to her home. Knowing Bagavathar's intentions when he is trying to propose to Kumari, he clashes with Bagavathar earning Kumari's ire. Kumari, out of anger, decides to marry Bagavathar. Taking a twist in the plot, circumstances force her to marry him. Situations lead to Madhuram son's death where Kumari learns about Bagavathar. Kumari's father learns about Bagavathar and his affairs seeing his accountant roaming mad in Mahabalipuram. Meanwhile, Kumari donates all her wealth to the ashram as Bagavathar and her illicit partner, his friend lavishly spend money. Knowing about her donations to the ashram, Kumari is kidnapped to force her to give her property to the antagonists. Leading to a climax — the heroine discards her namesake husband and in a reformative gesture marries her boyfriend Sahasranamam.
Cast
Cast according to the opening credits of the film
Male cast
N. S. Krishnan as Meikandar
S. V. Sahasranamam as Chandran
T. S. Balaiah as Balu
T. S. Durairaj as Varadan
Pulimootai Ramasami
Azhwar Kuppusami
D. Balasubramanyam as Parandhaman
C. S. Pandian
T. V. Radhakrishnan as Student
K. A. Thangavelu as Kumari's Servant
M. M. Jayasakthivel
P. V. Chinnasami
K. M. Goureesam Pillai
K. Chandrasekharan
V. Narayanan
Kandasami Pillai
Female cast
T. A. Mathuram as Radhai
Lalitha as Vijaya
Padmini as Kumari
Gandhimathi as Student
Nagarathnam
Krishnaveni
Jayalakshmi
Kusalakumari
Pattammal
Ragini
Thangam
Suryakumari
Kamala
Leela
P. G. Parvathi
Production
Based on a popular Malayalam play Suprabha by playwright Munshi Paramu Pillai, Manamagal had dialogue by Mu. Karunanidhi. N. S. Krishnan directed the film, besides playing a social reformer. The title refers to the heroine (Padmini) who chooses to remain a bride and never a wife because of the lecherous nature of her husband (T. S. Balaiah). Krishnan decided to adapt the play into a film after being impressed by the plotline. Krishnan met Munshi and paid him Rs. 500 for the rights.
Krishnan chosen M. Karunanidhi to write the dialogues. The film was launched at Newton Studios at 31 December 1950. A. Bhimsingh who was one of the assistant directors in the film was assigned the job to dub the film in Telugu. Some scenes were shot in Telugu to make it look like a straight Telugu film. According to film producer and writer G. Dhananjayan, S. S. Rajendran made his acting debut with this film in a role of a beggar, but his portions were edited out the film by the Censor Board as they felt his dialogues were too revolutionary. Dhananjayan also noted that Rajendran's name still appears in the credits, though there are no scenes featuring him. The film marked the acting debut of Padmini as a lead actress. K. A. Thangavelu, Kaka Radhakrishnan did a minor role in the film. In the film, Krishnan introduced a technical innovation by showing the behind-the-screen-technicians on screen.