Neengal Kettavai

Neengal Kettavai
Neengal Kettavai
	Poster
Directed by	Balu Mahendra
Story by	Akila Mahendra
Starring	Thiagarajan; Bhanu Chander; Archana; Silk Smitha;
Cinematography	Balu Mahendra
Edited by	D. Vasu
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Production; company	Filmco
Release date	28 June 1984;
Running time	132 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Neengal Kettavai (pronounced [n̪iːŋɡaɭ keːʈʈaʋaɪ] transl. What you asked for) is a 1984 Indian Tamil-language masala film^[1] written and directed by Balu Mahendra. It stars Thiagarajan, Bhanu Chander, Archana and Silk Smitha in major roles, while Jaishankar had an extended cameo as the antagonist. The film was released on 28 June 1984, and was commercially successful.

Plot

A widow living in Ooty, leads a peaceful life with her two sons. Muthulingam, a tourist who visits the place rapes her. In the act, she dies leaving her two sons who witness the murder. The older son Ramu is raised by his maternal uncle while the younger brother Arun joins a blind music teacher as he has great interest in music. Years later, he becomes a great singer. Meanwhile, Ramu is trained effectively by his uncle learning martial arts with the intention of avenging the death of his mother as he very well remembers the culprit's face. With a turn of events leading to both sons joining and taking revenge for their mother's death forms the rest of the story.

Cast

Thiagarajan as Arun
Bhanu Chander as Ramu
Archana as Radha
Smitha as Arun's girlfriend
Poornima Bhagyaraj as Ramu and Arun's mother
Y. G. Mahendran as James
Vanitha
Somayajulu as music teacher
Balan K. Nair as Stunt Master's friend./Uncle of Ramu and Arun
Senthamarai as Stunt Master, Radha's father.
Thengai Srinivasan as Director (cameo)
Jaishankar as Muthulingam

Production

Archana made her Tamil cinema debut with the film.^[2] The film, unlike Balu Mahendra's previous offbeat ventures, was an "outright commercial picture". He later claimed that he made the film to prove his critics that he could make such films.^[3] Hence he titled the film Neengal Kettavai (transl. What you asked for).^[4] A few scenes were shot at the VGP golden beach.^[2] The song "Oh Vasantha Raja" was shot at Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram.^[5]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.^[6]^[7] The song "Kanavu Kaanum" is based on "Kasme Vaade" from the Hindi film Upkar (1967).^[8]^[9] For the dubbed Telugu version Kodama Simhalu, the lyrics were written by L. Aathma Rao and Rajasri.^[10]

Tamil
No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Adiye Manam Nilluna"	Gangai Amaran	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki	5:14
2.	"Kanavu Kaanum"	Vairamuthu	K. J. Yesudas	5:18
3.	"Naane Raja"	Na. Kamarasan	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki	4:25
4.	"Oh Vasantha Raaja"	Pulamaipithan	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki	4:23
5.	"Pillai Nila" (female)	Vairamuthu	S. Janaki	4:20
6.	"Pillai Nila" (male)	Vairamuthu	K. J. Yesudas	4:51
Total length:				28:31

Telugu
No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Nene Raja"	L. Aathma Rao	Ravichandra	3:53
2.	"Edhi Paapam Edhi Shaapam"	Rajasri	Ramakrishna	4:25
3.	"Edhi Bomma Muddula Gumma"	L. Aathma Rao	Chinna, Padma	4:58
4.	"Poochendulo Viruyu"	Rajasri	P. Susheela	4:13
5.	"O Vasantha Raagam"	L. Aathma Rao	P. Susheela, Radha Mohan	4:06
6.	"Poochendulo Viruyu" (Sad)	Rajasri	Ramakrishna	4:39
Total length:				26:14

Release and reception

Neengal Kettavai was released on 28 June 1984.^[11] Kalki caustically commented, "Balu Mahendra, idhaiyaa kettom?" (Balu Mahendra, is this what we asked for?).^[1] Despite the film's box-office success, Mahendra opted to continue making offbeat films.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "நீங்கள் கேட்டவை". Kalki (in Tamil). 22 July 1984. p. 60. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b Kumar, S.R. Ashok (3 May 2007). "Good roles are hard to come by, says actor Archana". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 May 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
^ ^a ^b Prasad, G. (18 August 2007). "Off the beaten track". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
^ "Why Balu Mahendra made Neengal Kettavai?". The Times of India. 22 March 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
^ Krishna, Nithese (27 January 2021). An Angel's Story. Amazon Digital Services. pp. 77–78. ISBN 9788195000654.
^ "Neengal Kettavai Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraaja". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
^ "Neengal Kettavai (1984)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
^ S, Karthik. "Ilayaraja [Tamil]". ItwoFS. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
^ Arunachalam, Param (2020). BollySwar: 1981–1990. Mavrix Infotech. p. 301. ISBN 9788193848227.
^ "Kodama Simhalu". Spotify. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
^ யுவராஜ், லாவண்யா (28 June 2023). "39 years Neengal Kettavai : இது தானே நீங்க கேட்டீங்க இந்தாங்க கேட்ச் இட்... பாலு மகேந்திராவின் கமர்ஷியல் ஹிட் 'நீங்கள் கேட்டவை' வந்த கதை". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

External links

Neengal Kettavai at IMDb
Neengal Kettavai at Rotten Tomatoes

[Kalki-1] "நீங்கள் கேட்டவை". Kalki (in Tamil). 22 July 1984. p. 60. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.

[Ashok-2] Kumar, S.R. Ashok (3 May 2007). "Good roles are hard to come by, says actor Archana". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 May 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2013.

[Prasad-3] Prasad, G. (18 August 2007). "Off the beaten track". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2013.

[4] "Why Balu Mahendra made Neengal Kettavai?". The Times of India. 22 March 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.

[5] Krishna, Nithese (27 January 2021). An Angel's Story. Amazon Digital Services. pp. 77–78. ISBN 9788195000654.

[6] "Neengal Kettavai Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraaja". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.

[7] "Neengal Kettavai (1984)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.

[8] S, Karthik. "Ilayaraja [Tamil]". ItwoFS. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.

[9] Arunachalam, Param (2020). BollySwar: 1981–1990. Mavrix Infotech. p. 301. ISBN 9788193848227.

[10] "Kodama Simhalu". Spotify. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.

[11] யுவராஜ், லாவண்யா (28 June 2023). "39 years Neengal Kettavai : இது தானே நீங்க கேட்டீங்க இந்தாங்க கேட்ச் இட்... பாலு மகேந்திராவின் கமர்ஷியல் ஹிட் 'நீங்கள் கேட்டவை' வந்த கதை". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

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