Minnalkodi

Minnalkodi (transl. Bolt of lightning) is a 1937 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film,[2] directed by K. Amarnath and produced by Ramaniklal and Mohanlal. The film stars K. T. Rukmini, Srinivasa Rao, and S. S. Kokko. Released on 30 October 1937, it became a commercial success, but no print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.

Minnalkodi
Poster
Directed byK. Amarnath
Produced byRamaniklal
Mohanlal
StarringK. T. Rukmini
Srinivasa Rao
S. S. Kokko
Production
company
Mohan Pictures
Release date
  • 30 October 1937 (1937-10-30)
Running time
158 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

Mohini is a young girl whose father dies, leaving her and her male servant homeless. Her wily uncle unfairly takes her property. In their wanderings, Mohini and the servant come across Minnalkodi, a dacoit, and protect him from the police. The injured Minnalkodi declares Mohini the leader of his gang and dies. Mohini goes about in the guise of a man as Minnalkodi and kills her uncle and others who had harmed her earlier, but she is a good thief who robs the rich only to help the poor. Jayakumar, a police inspector, tries to capture her but is unable to make much progress. In the jungle, he comes across Mohini, without her disguise, and falls in love with her. When he learns that she is, in fact, Minnalkodi, he persuades her to change her ways, and they marry.[3][1]

Production

Minnalkodi was among Tamil cinema's earliest action films, then known as "stunt films",[4] and followed the Robin Hood concept of robbing the rich to help the poor.[5][6] It was directed by K. Amarnath and produced by Ramaniklal and Mohanlal under Mohan Pictures, this being one of the Bombay-based company's earliest Tamil films.[1][7] K. T. Rukmini, an Anglo-Indian actress, played Mohini. She modelled her screen mannerisms on the Hindi film actress Gohar Mamajiwala, and draped her sari in the Gujarati style.[8] She also took influence from the acting style of Fearless Nadia.[1][7] S. S. Koko, a stunt-comedian, played Mohini's servant.[8] Srinivasa Rao played Jayakumar, the police inspector who falls in love with Mohini.[1] Other supporting roles were played by Gogia Pasha,[2] Subbulakshmi, Alamu, K. B. Rao and Usharani.[7] Minnalkodi was filmed in black-and-white,[9] featured only three songs,[8] and its final length measured 14,205 feet (4,330 m).[7]

Release and reception

Minnalkodi was released on 30 October 1937[7] and emerged a major commercial success,[10] besides propelling Rukmini to stardom.[11] No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.[9]

References
  1. Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 272. ISBN 0-19-563579-5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2016.
  2. Zubrzycki, John (1 July 2017). "The Mysterious Gogia Pasha: The Original Gilly Gilly Man". The Wire. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  3. Baskaran 1996, pp. 93-94.
  4. Guy, Randor (August 2007). "From Silents to Sivaji! A look into the past". Galatta Cinema. p. 57. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  5. Nevins, Jess (2017). The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger: The 4,000-Year History of the Superhero. ABC-CLIO. p. 292. ISBN 978-1-4408-5483-5.
  6. Thoraval, Yves (2000). The cinemas of India. India: Macmillan. p. 37.
  7. Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018.
  8. Baskaran 1996, p. 94.
  9. Baskaran 1996, p. 93.
  10. Dharamsey, Virchand (2010). "The Advent of Sound in Indian Cinema: Theatre, Orientalism, Action, Magic" (PDF). Journal of the Moving Image. 9: 47. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2014.
  11. Guy, Randor (2016). Gopal, T. S. (ed.). Memories of Madras: Its Movies, Musicians & Men of Letters. Chennai: Creative Workshop. p. 41. ISBN 978-81-928961-7-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Bibliography
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