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Naan Avanillai (1974 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Naan Avanillai' is a 1974 Indian Tamil-language film starring Gemini Ganesan. Produced by Ganesan himself, it was directed by K. Balachander. It was adapted from the 1962 Marathi language play 'To Mee Navhech', written by Pralhad Keshav Atre. The film deals with a man who woos and marries several women while he takes on as many different identities.
'Naan Avanillai' was released on 7 June 1974. The film was commercially successful and received critical acclaim. Ganesan's won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor Tamil. It was later remade into a 2007 Tamil film with the same title and a 2008 Kannada film titled 'Buddhivantha'.
Plot
Gemini Ganesan portrays a modern-day Don Juan who woos and marries several women while he takes on as many different identities. He is ultimately taken to court, but no-one is able to deduce his true identity as he speaks several languages with great facility. In the jail, the police inspector slaps him, believing he would utter something in his mother tongue when taken by surprise and this Indian exclaims in Chinese! In the final scene a man who maintains that the hero or villain is his brother Fernandez stabs him. Our Don Juan makes a sign of the cross before he dies.
Cast
* Gemini Ganesan as David / 'Nanjil' Nambi / 'Kancheepuram' Aachari / Akbar Ali / Lakshmanan Sharma / Sahadeva Shastri / Hariharadas Swamigal / Jack Solomon / Shathurukanan Menon
* Lakshmi as Salima
*Poornam Viswanathan as Judge
*Senthamarai as Public Prosecutor
* Jayabharathi as Ammukutty
*P. R. Varalakshmi as Vijayasri
* Jayasudha as Rani
*Ganthimathi as Thaanambal
* Thengai Srinivasan as Thambi durai / Johnny Walker
* Rajasulochana as Violet Kingsley
* M. N. Rajam as Thenmozhi / Marriage Assembler
* Leelavathi as Chandrabai
*Typist Gopu as Advocate Arunachalam
*Oru Viral Krishna Rao as Rao Inspector of police
*Kathadi Ramamurthy as The court observer
;Guest appearance
*Kamal Haasan as Appu / Rani's crush / Ammukutty's brother
*S. A. Ashokan as Albert Ashirvadham / David's Brother
Production
'Naan Avanillai' was adapted from the 1962 Marathi play 'To Mee Navhech', written by Pralhad Keshav Atre. K. Balachander directed the film adaptation with Gemini Ganesan as the male lead. Ganesan also produced the film under his then newly inaugurated Shri Narayani Films, this being his only production. Kamal Haasan worked dance assistant in this film.
Soundtrack
The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan. The song "Radha Kaadhal" was remade in its 2007 remake.
Release and reception
'Naan Avanillai' was released on 7 June 1974. The film was dubbed Telugu-language as 'Srungara Leela' and released on 17 December 1976. 'Naan Avanillai' was commercially successful. The film and Ganesan's performance received critical acclaim. For his performance, Ganesan won the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor. Kanthan of 'Kalki' praised the cast performances and cinematography. Ganesan's daughter Rekha, despite her strained relationship with her father, praised his performance, saying, "You've acted well, daddy."
Legacy
'Naan Avanillai' attained cult status in Tamil cinema for its witty dialogues, the screenplay and the "complete change of image" for Ganesan. Writing for 'Business Standard' in 2011, Suveen K. Sinha called 'Naan Avanillai' "arguably the most memorable film of his career". On Ganesan's centenary in 2020, 'The Hindu' rated his performance in 'Naan Avanillai' as one of his best.
Remakes
'Naan Avanillai' was remade in the same language under same title in 2007. A Kannada remake, 'Buddhivantha', was released in 2008.
References
Bibliography
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