Naan Adimai Illai (transl. I am not a slave) is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Dwarakish. The film stars Rajinikanth and Sridevi. A remake of the Hindi film Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), this was the last Tamil film for Sridevi in 1980s who then concentrated on her Bollywood career, though she would later return to Tamil cinema in the 2010s. Naan Adimai Illai ran for 75 days in all major cities and was a box office failure.[1][2]
| Naan Adimai Illai | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Dwarakish |
| Screenplay by | S. L. Bihari Partho Mukherjee |
| Based on | Pyar Jhukta Nahin by Vijay Sadanah |
| Produced by | Dwarakish |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Devi Prasad |
| Edited by | Gauthamraj |
| Music by | Vijay Anand |
Production company | Dwarakish Chithra |
Release date |
|
Running time | 145 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
editVijay is a professional photographer from a middle-class background, who falls in love with a rich girl, Priya, whose father is Rajasekhar, a class-conscious man. They are stubborn in their love and marry against her parents' wishes. But soon the marriage is on the rocks due to the difference in their backgrounds, with the wily Rajasekhar playing his cards very well to split his daughter from Vijay. They have a fight and Priya goes back to her parents' house and Rajasekhar coerces her to file for divorce from Vijay. After a few days, Priya visits the doctor for a stomach-ache and learns that she is pregnant. An elated Priya is ready to mend fences with Vijay and wants to tell him the news, but is blocked by her dad who has fixed her remarriage with someone else. She gives her dad the slip and goes to Vijay's house, just to find out that he vacated the place recently.
Later Vijay is in a hospital to visit his friend and Priya is brought to the same hospital with labour pains. Vijay is thrilled and tries to talk to Priya, but Rajasekhar tells Vijay that he will give him the baby on the condition that he promises he will never see Priya again and Vijay agrees. Priya gives birth to a son and Vijay takes him away. Priya's father tells her that the baby was stillborn. She is dejected and loses her mental balance and thinks that her son is still alive. Vijay brings up his son away from Priya's family. Many years later, Priya who is seriously depressed and always carries a doll assuming it to be her son, is unknowingly brought by her parents close to where Vijay lives and gets acquainted with a boy in the neighbourhood. The boy turns out to be her son and he leads Priya to Vijay.
Cast
edit- Rajinikanth as Vijay
- Sridevi as Priya
- Girish Karnad as Rajasekhar
- V. K. Ramasamy as R.K.S
- Manorama as Rajamma
- S. N. Parvathy as Maid
- LIC Narasimhan as Friend of rajasekhar
- Y. G. Mahendran
- Master Arjun as Kannan
- Pushpalatha as Nanny
- Senthamarai as Shankar
- K. Vijaya as Priya's mother
Production
editNaan Adimai Illai is a remake of the Hindi film Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985).[3] Rajinikanth wanted Sridevi in the film, and she accepted instantly.[4] Director and producer Dwarakish, who also produced the Kannada version Nee Bareda Kadambari (1985), noted the difficulty in obtaining her dates because "her call sheet was similar to that of a superstar".[5] It was her final appearance in a Tamil film before she concentrated on her Bollywood career, though she would later return in the 2010s.[6][7] She had played the same role in the Telugu version Pachani Kapuram (1985).[8]
Soundtrack
editThe soundtrack was composed by Vijay Anand.[9][10] The song "Oru Jeevan Thaan" is based on Misra Sivaranjani raga.[11][12]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Oru Jeevanthan" | Vaali | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:48 |
| 2. | "Devi Devi" | Vairamuthu | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:32 |
| 3. | "Vaa Vaa" | Muthulingam | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:35 |
| 4. | "Pona Poguthu" | Vairamuthu | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:19 |
| 5. | "Oru Jeevanthan Pathos 1" | Vaali | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:56 |
| 6. | "Oru Jeevanthan Pathos 2" | Vaali | S. Janaki | 5:20 |
| 7. | "Vaa Vaa Idayame" | Muthulingam | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 4:27 |
| Total length: | 29:35 | |||
Reception
editKalki criticised the film's second half, saying it looked like the film was stumbling without knowing how to take the story forward.[13] Ananda Vikatan gave the film a rating of 41 out of 100, feeling Rajinikanth did not have much scope for performance and Girish Karnad was wasted.[14]
References
edit- ^ Saraswathi, S (28 May 2014). "Rajinikanth's 10 Biggest FLOPS". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Boxoffice Database based on Number of Days". Rajinifans.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2014) [2012]. Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography. New Delhi: Penguin Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-14-342111-5.
- ^ Subramanian, Anupama (27 February 2018). "Sridevi took a vow when Rajinikanth fell ill". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ Harsha (26 February 2018). "I'm her Meera, says Sridevi's ardent fan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Rao, Subha J. (10 October 2015). "Return of the queen". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ "Ajith does a cameo for free in English Vinglish". MovieCrow. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ Nayak, Satyarth (2019). Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess. India: Penguin Random House. p. 85. ISBN 9789353056780.
- ^ "Naan Adimai Illai". Gaana. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "Naan Adimai Illai Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Vijay Anand". Banumass. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ Mani, Charulatha (28 September 2012). "Sivaranjani for pathos". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ Sundararaman (2007) [2005]. Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music (2nd ed.). Pichhamal Chintamani. p. 150. OCLC 295034757.
- ^ "நான் அடிமை இல்லை". Kalki (in Tamil). 23 March 1986. p. 31. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
- ^ "நான் அடிமை இல்லை - ஆனந்த விகடன் விமர்சனம்". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 23 March 1986. Archived from the original on 12 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024 – via Rajinifans.com.
