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Ramu is a 1966 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar and written by Javar N. Seetharaman. The film stars Gemini Ganesh and K. R. Vijaya, with Ashokan, Nagesh, V. K. Ramasamy, O. A. K. Thevar and Master Rajkumar (as the title character) in supporting roles. A remake of the Hindi film Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964), it revolves around a boy losing his voice due to witnessing his mother's death, and his father's efforts to restore his voice.

Ramu
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	A. C. Tirulokchandar
Screenplay by	Javar N. Seetharaman
Story by	Kishore Kumar
Produced by	M. Murugan M. Kumaran M. Saravanan
Starring	Gemini Ganesan K. R. Vijaya
Cinematography	T. Muthusamy D. Rajagopal
Edited by	R. G. Gopu
Music by	M. S. Viswanathan
Production company	Uma Productions
Distributed by	AVM Productions
Release date	10 June 1966 (1966-06-10)
Running time	150 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Ramu was produced by Uma Productions, a subsidiary of AVM Productions. The film was released on 10 June 1966 and emerged a commercial success, winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. It was remade in Telugu under the same title (1968) by the same studio and director, with Rajkumar reprising his role.

Plot

This article needs a plot summary. (August 2021)

Cast

• Gemini Ganesh as Raja
• K. R. Vijaya as Seethalakshmi "Lakshmi"
• Ashokan as Rangan
• Nagesh as Muthu
• V. K. Ramasamy as Ganganna
• O. A. K. Thevar as Sangili
• V. S. Raghavan as Doctor
• Master Rajkumar as Ramu
• V. Nagayya (special appearance in the song "Kannan Vandhan")
• S. V. Subbaiah as the mad Tamil teacher
• Ramadas as Seethalakshmi's father
• Muthaiah
• C. S. Pushpalatha as Seetha
• S. N. Lakshmi as Kannamma

Production

Development

While in Bombay (now Mumbai) for the production of the film Do Kaliyaan (1968), M. Saravanan of AVM Productions chanced upon a film banner featuring Kishore Kumar and a boy with him. Saravanan learned the Hindi film's name, Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964), and was told by Chinna Menon, the manager of the Bombay branch of AVM, that it was unsuccessful, but he was convinced the story was different. After enquiring further about the story, he learned that it was about a mute boy. Saravanan asked Menon for a print of Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein to watch, but Menon did not take it seriously. Meanwhile, Subramaniam of Venus Pictures had bought the rights to remake the film in Tamil for ₹10,000 (equivalent to ₹510,000 or US$6,400 in 2020), but eventually sold the rights to Saravanan for the same amount plus an additional ₹5000.[1]

Saravanan screened Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein for his father Meiyappan, brothers Murugan and Kumaran, directors Krishnan–Panju, screenwriter Javar N. Seetharaman and director A. C. Tirulokchandar. Krishnan–Panju detested the film, and Seetharaman believed a film featuring a child in a prominent role could only succeed if the child had powerful dialogues, evidenced by the success of AVM's previous film Kalathur Kannamma (1960); he was sceptical since the boy in Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein was mute. Saravanan suggested writing in how the boy becomes mute, an idea Seetharaman accepted and began writing the screenplay. Tirulokchandar was finalised as director,[2] and was paid ₹40,000.[3] After the title Ramu was finalised, friends of Saravanan reacted negatively, but he refused to change the title.[4] The film was produced by Murugan, Kumaran and Saravanan under Uma Productions, a subsidiary of AVM.[5]

Casting and filming

After Kalathur Kannamma, Gemini Ganesh had not been approached by AVM for any film. When he met them and asked why, AVM told him they could not afford to meet his financial demands which was substantially higher than the ₹10,000–₹20,000 they were paying other actors. Ganesh said he would be willing to act for any amount.[6][7] Though Murugan, Kumaran and Saravanan planned to cast Jaishankar as they felt he was the right person to subdue the bandits onscreen, Meiyappan felt Ganesan could better convey the character's grief regarding his wife's death and son losing his voice; they were agreed with their father's choice of Ganesh.[8]

K. R. Vijaya was cast after the producers were impressed with her performance in Karpagam (1963).[9] Yogendrakumar, later known as Master Rajkumar, was chosen to play the title character from over 100 children who screen tested. This was his first Tamil film; he had previously appeared in several Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam films. Meiyappan felt the name Yogendrakumar was not appealing to Tamil audiences and gave him his new name.[10][11] Ramu was predominantly filmed in the village of Kaduvetti.[12] The climax scene, depicting Ramu and Seethalakshmi in a burning room, was filmed over the course of five days, with kerosene used to light the fire.[10] When the fire was weakening, more kerosene was added, leading to increased fire. Vijaya was quickly helped out, but not Rajkumar as he was tied up, so Tirulokchandar ran in and saved him.[13][9] The final length of the film was 4,272 metres (14,016 ft).[5]

Soundtrack

The music composed by M. S. Viswanathan. The lyrics of all songs were penned by Kannadasan.[14] The song "Nilave Ennidam" is set in the Hindustani raga Bageshri,[15][16] and "Kannan Vandhan" is set to Yaman.[17][18] During the recording of this song, the original singer was unable to match the "weighty" singing of co-performer Sirkazhi Govindarajan, so he was replaced with T. M. Soundararajan.[19]

Release and reception

Ramu was released on 10 June 1966.[20] The film was a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres, and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.[8] Kalki appreciated Tirulokchandar's direction, Seetharaman's writing, and called Ramu a pleasing family film.[21] Kumar, after watching the film, said it made him realise how weak he had written the original film, and appreciated Seetharaman for making a superior product.[8] His brother Ashok appreciated Seetharaman for making "suitable changes" that made the Tamil film more successful.[22]

Legacy

Ramu was remade in Telugu under the same title (1968) by the same studio and director, with Rajkumar reprising his role.[9][23] K. Bhagyaraj revealed that the inspiration for the story of Mundhanai Mudichu (1983) was a poster of Ramu that Bhagyaraj had seen as a child. The poster featured the protagonist with his motherless son. Bhagyaraj wondered how it would be if he himself were in that position, and prepared the story of Mundhanai Mudichu. Unlike Ramu, the protagonist's son was changed from a preteen to an infant.[24]

References

Bibliography

• Dhananjayan, G. (2014). Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013. Blue Ocean Publishers. OCLC 898765509.
• Saravanan, M. (2013) [2005]. AVM 60 Cinema (in Tamil) (3rd ed.). Rajarajan Pathippagam. OCLC 1158347612.
• Sundararaman (2007) [2005]. Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music (2nd ed.). Pichhamal Chintamani. OCLC 295034757.

External links

• Ramu at IMDb
• Ramu at Rotten Tomatoes

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