Pathi Bhakthi

Pathi Bhakthi (lit. 'Devotion to husband') is a 1936 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by P. Y. Altekar. It is based on the Madurai Original Boy's Company (MOBC) theatre troupe's play of the same name. The film stars K. P. Kesavan, Radha Bai and Kali N. Ratnam.

Pathi Bhakthi
Directed byP. Y. Altekar
Story byTe. Po. Krishnaswamy Pavalar
StarringK. P. Kesavan
Radhabai
Kali N. Ratnam
CinematographyJithan Banerjee
Release date
1936
CountryBritish India
LanguageTamil
For the 1958 film, see Pathi Bakthi.

Cast

Production

Pathi Bhakthi was a Tamil play written by Te. Po. Krishnaswamy Pavalar in the 1930s.[1] It dealt with the evils of drinking and the impact drinking had on family life. The play was staged all over the Madras Presidency with great success. Pavalar's original play was re-written for the Madurai Original Boy's Company (MOBC) theatre troupe by another playwright, Madras Kandaswamy Mudaliar,[2] and was staged more than 150 times.[3] A. N. Marudachalam Chettiar of Manorama Films wanted to produce Pathi Bhakthi as a film, but to his dismay, another film version was already being made without him.[lower-alpha 1] P. Y. Alterkar was named director.[4] Mudaliar wanted to launch his son M. K. Radha, a theatre actor, in film with Pathi Bhakthi, but could not because another theatre actor, K. P. Kesavan, had been finalised for the lead role.[4][6] Kali N. Ratnam made his feature film debut with this film.[7] Radha Bai played the female lead, Jithan Banerjee handled the cinematography, and T. S. Mani was art director.[8]

Reception

On 14 August 1936, a review from the Malaya Tribune applauded the film, particularly the performances of Kesavan, Ratnam and Radha Bai.[9]

Notes
  1. While historian Randor Guy's 1997 book Starlight, Starbright says MOBC themselves decided to produce a film version of their play,[4] his 2016 book Memories of Madras and historian Vamanan say that Chidambaram Chettiar of National Movietone had acquired the film rights for the play.[5][6]

References
  1. Muthiah, S. (6 February 2017). "The film that got MGR started". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  2. Guy 1997, p. 173.
  3. Raman, Mohan (23 August 2014). "100 years of laughter". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  4. Guy 1997, p. 174.
  5. Guy 2016, p. 69.
  6. Vamanan (4 January 2016). "பதிபக்தியைத் தழுவி அதை முறியடித்த சதி லீலாவதி! – வாமனன் – தொடர் –5" [Sathi Leelavathi, the film that embraced Pathi Bhakthi and won over it]. Dinamalar (in Tamil). Nellai. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  7. Guy, Randor (5 February 2015). "The Ratnam brand of comedy". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  8. 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 25 December 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  9. ""Pathi-Bhakti" At The Royal". Malaya Tribune. 14 August 1936. p. 12.

Bibliography
  • Guy, Randor (1997). Starlight, Starbright: The Early Tamil Cinema. Chennai: Amra Publishers. OCLC 52794531.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Guy, Randor (2016). Gopal, T. S. (ed.). Memories of Madras: Its Movies, Musicians & Men of Letters. Chennai: Creative Workshop. ISBN 978-81-928961-7-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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