Aalayamani
Encyclopedia
Aalayamani is a Tamil film from the house of P.S. Veerappa
released in 1962, starring Sivaji Ganesan
, B. Sarojadevi
, S.S.Rajendran, M.R. Radha. Telugu film Gudi Gantalu
(1964) is produced based on this film.
The Hero of the story is Thyagarajan (Sivaji Ganesan
), a lonely rich bachelor, subjected to a deep seated trauma in the form of witnessing the death of a childhood playmate which is caused by his possessiveness. This is recurring theme in Thyagarajan's life leading to disastrous results.
The movie starts off with an imposing bell being rung, a voice narrates to us the story of a poor man, Arumugam Pillai, who was about to commit suicide on the death rock but was stopped by the sound of the divine bell from the temple. He decides to take another chance with his life and soon he becomes a rich man and his son is none other than Thyagu, our hero!
Thyagarajan meets and becomes close friends with a virtuous man Sekhar (S. S. Rajendran) and there is a well grown sense of mutual admiration and fondness amongst the friends. Sekhar and Meena(B. Saroja Devi
) are in love and sekar promises he will ask her hand in marriage. Unbeknownst to both of them, Thyagu comes across Meena, whose father (Nagaiah
) works in Thyagu's estate and impressed by her vivacity Thyagu falls head over heels for her. This has all the makings of a typical love triangle.
Meena has a sister Pushpalatha who falls in love with the villain's (M. R. Radha) son who demands big amount in dowry. Nagaiah is unable to rustle up the requisite cash and is now in doldrums concerned about the fate of his elder daughter's Marriage. Thyagu comes helping with the cash and they are wedded. Shortly thereafter Thyagu proposes to marry Meena and sends Sekhar as his messenger.
Except Sekhar and Meena, to their obvious shock and despair, it looks to the rest of the relatives Thyagu and Meena as a pair made for each other. Sekhar realizing the extent of love and the depth of feelings of Thyagu asks Meena to forgo their feelings and that she should go ahead and marry Thyagu. The family members of both the families get together and agree to the arrangement. By this time, Thyagu is injured in a serious accident loses the use of both his legs and ends up being a cripple for life. The loyal partner Meena pitches in the effort to care for Thyagu and spends all her time in his care.
Sekhar couldn't forget Meena and tries to be close with Meena, while she honors her commitment to Thyagu and keeps Sekhar at a distance. Thinking Sekhar as a single, Prema (R.Vijayakumari), daughter of the villain expresses her feelings for Sekhar and he fails to respond in kind.
All these pent up emotions of Love, Friendship, Loyalty, Jealousy, physical debilitation boils over at one point and things take a turn for the worst for all three. Goaded by the feelings of inadequacy, Thyagu builds in his mind a picture, that his dear friend Sekhar is out to get his love, decides to take matters in his hands and get rid of Sekhar. The lingering doubts about his friend and lover is now fueled by his restive passions which is burning brightly.
Thyagu plans that the appropriate location for revenge is the Death rock known for its enchanting scenery and dangerous cliffs, where once his father attempted suicide. He was to drive Sekhar to the edge and push him to death from the face of the cliff. Thyagu leads Sekhar to the cliff and reveals his anger and frustration about their perceived relationship, questioning the sincerity of his friend and his lover. A visibly angered Sekhar repulses by revealing the magnitude of his sacrifice he made for his close friend and to prove his innocence Sekhar swears to take his own life from the same Death rock. Truth dawns on Thyagu, now deeply humiliated jumps from the cliff to the tumultuous sea below.
While Sekhar and Meena mourning for their loss, Thyagu gets rescued by a fisherman and the shock of falling from the cliff has given back Thyagu the partial use of his legs. Meena now deems her as a widow and convinces Sekhar to marry the girl who loves him. On the wedding day, Thyagu now dressed as a nobody shows up for the wedding and happens to overhear a conversation of Meena declaring that there is no life and happiness left due to Thyagu's death. This convinces Thyagu to reveal his identity and console Saroja, while the villain with an eye on Thyagu's money thinks otherwise. Thyagu is hit on the head and falls unconscious, the marriage completes and Meena decides to take her life from the same cliff Thyagu plunged to death and seen running towards the cliff. Conscious now, Thyagu goes after Meena to stop her from committing suicide, calling out loud to stop and limping all the way behind her.
Meena sees Thyagu is alive and changes her mind and the lovers unite. In the background the song Ponnai virumbum boomiyile (meaning: In a world of wealth lovers, the dear one who loved me) being played, a happy Thyagu and Meena waves us a farewell, the movie ends.
P.S. Veerappa
P.S. Veerappa was a famous villain actor of yesteryears and a producer of Tamil Cinema.Some of his films were-As Actor:1.Raj Mahal 2.Sivagangai Seemai aka "The Land of Sivagangai" - India...
released in 1962, starring Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
, B. Sarojadevi
B. Saroja Devi
B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress. She is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award and has acted in Kannada,Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies.She is referred to as Abinaya Saraswathi by Tamil film industry and as Kannadathu Paingili by Kannada Film Industry.She ruled the roost for more than three...
, S.S.Rajendran, M.R. Radha. Telugu film Gudi Gantalu
Gudi Gantalu
Gudi Gantalu is a 1964 Telugu film directed by V. Madhusudhan Rao. This film is based on the Tamil film Aalayamani starring Shivaji Ganesan.-Songs:* Janma Methithiraa Anubhavinchitiraa...
(1964) is produced based on this film.
Plot
Aalayamani (meaning: TempleBell) is a tale of possessiveness and distrust towards one's partner and the eventual redemption by sacrifice. The story is an essential interplay of feelings and the shadows cast upon by darker feelings of one person and the effect it produces on himself and in his immediate circle of friends and family.The Hero of the story is Thyagarajan (Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
), a lonely rich bachelor, subjected to a deep seated trauma in the form of witnessing the death of a childhood playmate which is caused by his possessiveness. This is recurring theme in Thyagarajan's life leading to disastrous results.
The movie starts off with an imposing bell being rung, a voice narrates to us the story of a poor man, Arumugam Pillai, who was about to commit suicide on the death rock but was stopped by the sound of the divine bell from the temple. He decides to take another chance with his life and soon he becomes a rich man and his son is none other than Thyagu, our hero!
Thyagarajan meets and becomes close friends with a virtuous man Sekhar (S. S. Rajendran) and there is a well grown sense of mutual admiration and fondness amongst the friends. Sekhar and Meena(B. Saroja Devi
B. Saroja Devi
B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress. She is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award and has acted in Kannada,Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies.She is referred to as Abinaya Saraswathi by Tamil film industry and as Kannadathu Paingili by Kannada Film Industry.She ruled the roost for more than three...
) are in love and sekar promises he will ask her hand in marriage. Unbeknownst to both of them, Thyagu comes across Meena, whose father (Nagaiah
Chittor V. Nagaiah
Chitturu Nagayya or Chittor V. Nagaiah birth name - Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya was an Indian actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer of Telugu film industry, Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian film journalist and the editor of Film India, Baburao Patel, described Nagiah as ‘The...
) works in Thyagu's estate and impressed by her vivacity Thyagu falls head over heels for her. This has all the makings of a typical love triangle.
Meena has a sister Pushpalatha who falls in love with the villain's (M. R. Radha) son who demands big amount in dowry. Nagaiah is unable to rustle up the requisite cash and is now in doldrums concerned about the fate of his elder daughter's Marriage. Thyagu comes helping with the cash and they are wedded. Shortly thereafter Thyagu proposes to marry Meena and sends Sekhar as his messenger.
Except Sekhar and Meena, to their obvious shock and despair, it looks to the rest of the relatives Thyagu and Meena as a pair made for each other. Sekhar realizing the extent of love and the depth of feelings of Thyagu asks Meena to forgo their feelings and that she should go ahead and marry Thyagu. The family members of both the families get together and agree to the arrangement. By this time, Thyagu is injured in a serious accident loses the use of both his legs and ends up being a cripple for life. The loyal partner Meena pitches in the effort to care for Thyagu and spends all her time in his care.
Sekhar couldn't forget Meena and tries to be close with Meena, while she honors her commitment to Thyagu and keeps Sekhar at a distance. Thinking Sekhar as a single, Prema (R.Vijayakumari), daughter of the villain expresses her feelings for Sekhar and he fails to respond in kind.
All these pent up emotions of Love, Friendship, Loyalty, Jealousy, physical debilitation boils over at one point and things take a turn for the worst for all three. Goaded by the feelings of inadequacy, Thyagu builds in his mind a picture, that his dear friend Sekhar is out to get his love, decides to take matters in his hands and get rid of Sekhar. The lingering doubts about his friend and lover is now fueled by his restive passions which is burning brightly.
Thyagu plans that the appropriate location for revenge is the Death rock known for its enchanting scenery and dangerous cliffs, where once his father attempted suicide. He was to drive Sekhar to the edge and push him to death from the face of the cliff. Thyagu leads Sekhar to the cliff and reveals his anger and frustration about their perceived relationship, questioning the sincerity of his friend and his lover. A visibly angered Sekhar repulses by revealing the magnitude of his sacrifice he made for his close friend and to prove his innocence Sekhar swears to take his own life from the same Death rock. Truth dawns on Thyagu, now deeply humiliated jumps from the cliff to the tumultuous sea below.
While Sekhar and Meena mourning for their loss, Thyagu gets rescued by a fisherman and the shock of falling from the cliff has given back Thyagu the partial use of his legs. Meena now deems her as a widow and convinces Sekhar to marry the girl who loves him. On the wedding day, Thyagu now dressed as a nobody shows up for the wedding and happens to overhear a conversation of Meena declaring that there is no life and happiness left due to Thyagu's death. This convinces Thyagu to reveal his identity and console Saroja, while the villain with an eye on Thyagu's money thinks otherwise. Thyagu is hit on the head and falls unconscious, the marriage completes and Meena decides to take her life from the same cliff Thyagu plunged to death and seen running towards the cliff. Conscious now, Thyagu goes after Meena to stop her from committing suicide, calling out loud to stop and limping all the way behind her.
Meena sees Thyagu is alive and changes her mind and the lovers unite. In the background the song Ponnai virumbum boomiyile (meaning: In a world of wealth lovers, the dear one who loved me) being played, a happy Thyagu and Meena waves us a farewell, the movie ends.
Songs
- Kannana Kannannukku - Govindarajan Sirkali and P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- Thukamum Kangalai - S. JanakiS. JanakiS. Janaki is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 35...
- Maanatam - P Susheela
- Ponnai Virumbum - TM SoundararajanTm soundararajanThuguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan , is a playback singer in the Tamil film industry for over five decades. He gave his voice to most of the actors such as M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, Jaishankar, Rajkumar and Akkineni...
- Kallellam Manicka - TM SoundararajanTm soundararajanThuguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan , is a playback singer in the Tamil film industry for over five decades. He gave his voice to most of the actors such as M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, Jaishankar, Rajkumar and Akkineni...
- Satti Suttathada - TM SoundararajanTm soundararajanThuguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan , is a playback singer in the Tamil film industry for over five decades. He gave his voice to most of the actors such as M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, Jaishankar, Rajkumar and Akkineni...