Ini Oru Sudhanthiram
| Ini Oru Sudhanthiram | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Manivannan |
| Written by | Manivannan |
| Produced by | Thirupur N. Venkatachalam |
| Starring | Sivakumar |
| Cinematography | A. Sabapathy |
| Edited by | Gowthaman |
| Music by | Gangai Amaran |
Production company | Kalaikovil |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Ini Oru Sudhanthiram (transl. Freedom Now) is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language political drama film written and directed by Manivannan. The film, starring Sivakumar, was released on 12 June 1987,[1] and failed at the box office.[2]
Plot
[edit] | This article needs an improved plot summary. (November 2022) |
Sundaramoorthy, a principled and respected Indian liberal leader, has spent his life advocating for justice, equality, and the betterment of society. A man of integrity, he is deeply committed to his ideals and the welfare of the people around him. However, in his later years, Sundaramoorthy finds himself entangled in a personal and bureaucratic struggle when he attempts to claim his rightful pension. Despite his years of service and his entitlement to the pension, he is met with systemic corruption, inefficiency, and apathy at every turn. His repeated efforts to navigate the labyrinth of bureaucracy prove futile, leaving him disillusioned with the very system he once believed in and fought to uphold.
Amidst his own struggles, Sundaramoorthy's family faces a devastating crisis. His daughter, Kannamma, becomes the victim of a manipulative and corrupt government collector named Raja. Raja deceives Kannamma, exploiting her trust and leaving her vulnerable. This relationship results in Kannamma giving birth to Raja's child. However, instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Raja abandons both Kannamma and the baby, refusing to acknowledge them or provide any form of support. This betrayal shatters Kannamma emotionally and socially, leaving her and her child ostracized and in a precarious position. Sundaramoorthy, already grappling with his own challenges, is deeply affected by the injustice inflicted upon his daughter and grandson.
As Sundaramoorthy continues to face roadblocks in his quest for justice—both for himself and for Kannamma—his frustration and despair grow. The systemic failures and the lack of accountability push him to the brink. In a moment of rage and desperation, Sundaramoorthy takes matters into his own hands and kills Raja. This act of vengeance, though born out of a sense of justice and protection for his family, leads to Sundaramoorthy's arrest and subsequent sentencing to death. His actions and their consequences become a turning point, not only for his family but also for the community that once admired him.
Cast
[edit]- Sivakumar as Sundaramoorthy[3]
- Chandrasekhar as Muthukaalai[3]
- Pandiyan as Pandiyan
- Raja as Raja, the collector[3]
- Janagaraj
- Senthil
- Vinu Chakravarthy
- Nalini
- Rekha as Kannamma[3]
- Jeevitha as Thayamma
- Kovai Sarala
- Sulakshana
- Chitra Lakshmanan
- Thyagu
- Sathyaraj as an IPS officer[3]
Production
[edit]Ini Oru Sudhanthiram, directed by Manivannan,[4] was Sivakumar's 154th film as an actor.[5] Raja played a character with negative shades, in contrast to the softer roles he was known for at the time.[6][7] The filming was held at Coonoor and Ooty.[8]
Soundtrack
[edit]The soundtrack was composed by Gangai Amaran, who also wrote the lyrics. His sons Venkat Prabhu and Premgi Amaren contributed as singers, using the names "Prabhu Gangai Amaran" and "Prem Gangai Amaran", respectively.[9][10]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pallikoodam" | Gangai Amaran | Prabhu Gangai Amaran, Prem Gangai Amaran | |
| 2. | "Enru Thaniyum" | Bharathiyar | K. J. Yesudas | |
| 3. | "Solla Vallayo" | Bharathiyar | S. P. Sailaja, K. S. Chithra | |
| 4. | "Kaigalile Valuvirukku" | Jeeva Bharathi | Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra | |
| 5. | "Mogathai Konruvidu" | Bharathiyar | K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra | |
| 6. | "Partha Pasikuthadi" | Gangai Amaran | P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki | |
| 7. | "Sonthangale" | Gangai Amaran | M. S. Viswanathan | |
| 8. | "Pattini" | Nagai Swaminathan | Malaysia Vasudevan |
Critical reception
[edit]Jayamanmadhan (a duo) of Kalki praised Sivakumar's acting, Chandrasekhar-Nalini's subplot, Vinu Chakravarthy's acting and characterisation. They appreciated Manivannan for skillfully having woven so many characters into separate threads and performed the puppet show without any problems while also praising his hard hitting dialogues but questioned him for making Sathyamurthy's character remain silent to the problems but raging only after he faces a problem.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Ini Oru Sudhanthiram (1987)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "நட்சத்திரங்களுடன் ஒரு வண்ணத்துப்பூச்சி: 32- இயக்குநர் ராசி அழகப்பன் எழுதும் தொடர்". Andhimazhai (in Tamil). 24 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "திரைப்படச்சோலை 47: இனி ஒரு சுதந்திரம்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Rao, Subha J. (11 May 2013). "Fifty and counting". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "நெஞ்சை நெகிழ வைத்த சிவாஜியின் சந்திப்பு". Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ S, Srivatsan (6 November 2019). "From 'Kadalora Kavithaigal' to 'Adithya Varma': Tamil cinema's quintessential 'soft-spoken hero' Raja returns after a 20-year exile". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- ^ சரோஜினி (24 January 2018). "கடலோரக் கவிதைகள் 'ராஜா' எங்கே போனார்?!". Dinamani (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "சுதந்திர போராட்ட தியாகியாக சிவக்குமார்". Anna (in Tamil). 26 October 1986. p. 4. Archived from the original on 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025 – via Endangered Archives Programme.
- ^ "Ini Oru Sudhanthiram 1986 Tamil Vinyl LP". Bollywoodvinyl.in. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Menon, Vishal; M, Ramakrishnan (10 December 2016). "Brand of brothers". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 December 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ ஜெயமன்மதன் (28 June 1987). "இனி ஒரு சுதந்திரம்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 13. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023 – via Internet Archive.
