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{{for|1957 tamil film|Ambikapathy (1957 film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ambikapathy
| image = Ambikapathy 1937 poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical poster
| director = [[Ellis R. Dungan]]
| producer =
| screenplay = T. P. S. Mani<br />Elangovan
| story = Elangovan
| starring = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]<br />[[M. R. Santhanalakshmi]]
| music = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| cinematography = Bal Brigae<br />Krishnagopal<ref name="anandan">{{Cite book| last=Film News Anandan| language= ta| year= 2004 | title=Sadhanaigal padaitha Tamil Thiraipada Varalaaru | publisher=Sivagami Publications| location= Chennai| pages=28:10}}</ref>
| editing = [[Ellis R. Dungan]]
| studio = Salem Shankar Films
| distributor = East India Film Company
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1937|12|11|India}}
| runtime = 210 min.
| language = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
}}

'''''Ambikapathy''''' (also spelled as '''''Ambikapathi''''') is a 1937 Indian [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]] musical period film directed by American film director [[Ellis R. Dungan]].<ref name="ellisdungan1">{{Cite news|last=Muthiah |first=S. |title=Americans in Tamil cinema |date=6 September 2004 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090600190300.htm |access-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205171837/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090600190300.htm |archive-date=5 December 2012 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="ellisdungan2">{{Cite news| last= Muthiah | first= S. | title= He transcended barriers with aplomb | date=1 February 2002 | url =http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/02/01/stories/2002020100850300.htm | access-date = 13 October 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081007081413/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/02/01/stories/2002020100850300.htm| archive-date= 7 October 2008 | work= [[The Hindu]] | url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name="regionalindiancinema">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiaheritage.org/perform/cinema/regional/tamil.htm|title=Regional Indian cinema - Tamil|access-date=13 October 2008|publisher=India Heritage}}</ref><ref name="willemen">{{Cite book| first1= Ashish | last1=Rajadhyaksha| first2=Paul |last2=Willemen| year= 1994| title= Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema | publisher= British Film Institute| pages=325 | isbn=0-85170-455-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOZkAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> It starred [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]], [[M. R. Santhanalakshmi]], [[Serugulathur Sama]], [[T. S. Balaiya]], [[N. S. Krishnan]], [[T. A. Madhuram]] and P. G. Venkatesan. ''Ambikapathy'' is regarded as one of the greatest hits of pre-independence Tamil cinema. ''Ambikapathy'', along with ''[[Chintamani (1937 film)|Chintamani]]'' were the greatest hits of 1937 <ref name="ellisdungan1" /><ref name="chintamani">{{Cite news|last=Muthiah |first=S. |title=An unforgettable superhit |date=3 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/03/03/stories/2008030350910500.htm |access-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103090838/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/03/03/stories/2008030350910500.htm |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url-status=dead }}</ref> and made critics regard him as the "first superstar of Tamil cinema".<ref name="regionalindiancinema" /><ref name="tamilcinema_memories">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Memories/98/fna/fna2.htm|title=Tamil cinema history - The Early Days 1937 - 1944|access-date=13 October 2008|publisher=indolink.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917185055/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Memories/98/fna/fna2.htm|archive-date=17 September 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="guy1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ambikapathi-1937/article3023951.ece|title=Blast from the Past - Ambikapathi 1937|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 October 1937|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010014330/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ambikapathi-1937/article3023951.ece|archive-date=10 October 2016}}</ref> This was the first Tamil film to name a music director in its credits.<ref name="baskaran_eye">{{Cite book| first=S. Theodore| last=Baskaran | author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran | year= 1996| title=The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema | publisher= East West Books| location= Chennai| pages=61 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PhFlAAAAMAAJ&q=ambikapathi+1937}}</ref>

==Production==
The film highlighted the Romeo-Juliet type romance between Bhagavathar and Santhanalakshmi. Dungan who did not know Tamil, used [[Shakespeare]]’s [[Romeo and Juliet]] as an inspiration and incorporated some of its scenes in the script. The writer for the film was the Tamil scholar Thanigachalam working under the pen name ''Elangovan''. He translated the scenes Dungan had marked out from Shakespeare into Tamil. One of them was the balcony scene. The lines describing Romeo taking leave of Juliet - "Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast", were translated by Elangovan as ''Thookkam Un Kangalai Thazhuvattum! Amaithi Un Nenjil Nilavattum''. Dungan also introduced some daring (for that time period) intimate scenes like Ambikapathi carrying Amaravathi to the bed and Ambikapathi winking at her. The poet [[Kambar (poet)|Kambar]] was played by Serugalathur Sama whose appearance was based on that of [[Rabindranath Tagore]]. T. S. Balaiya was cast as the villain Rudrasenan. The comic relief was provided by the husband and wife comedy team of [[N. S. Krishnan]] - [[T. A. Madhuram]]. The film was shot in East India Studio in [[Calcutta]]. Background score was composed by K. C. Dey, while [[Papanasam Sivan]] composed music and wrote lyrics for the Songs. The completed film was 19,000 fet in length (runtime : 210 minutes).<ref name="ellisdungan1"/><ref name="guy1"/><ref name="MKT" /><ref name="anandan"/>
Initially, the producer M. S. Thottana Chettiar, wanted [[Y. V. Rao]] to direct the film, but buoyed by the success of''Chintamani'', Rao demanded a huge amount of money as payment which the producers could not afford. Instead they hired the up-and-coming American film director Eungan.<ref name="ellisdungan1" /><ref name="MKT">{{Cite web|url=http://raja1630.tripod.com/mktb/id2.html |title=MKT Filmography Part I |access-date=12 October 2008 |work=M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar fan site |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704184423/http://raja1630.tripod.com/mktb/id2.html |archive-date=4 July 2008 }}</ref> Ellis R. Dungan, on hearing the story, immediately agreed to direct the film.<ref name="MKT" /> A''[[devadasi]]'' had earlier been chosen to form the lead pair with M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar in the movie.<ref name="devadasi">{{Cite news|last=Muthiah |first=S. |title=Art that never vanished |date=4 November 2002 |url=http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mp/2002/11/04/stories/2002110400170300.htm |work=The Hindu:Metro Plus Chennai |access-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204140950/http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mp/2002/11/04/stories/2002110400170300.htm |archive-date=4 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> But she refused when she discovered that M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar was not a Brahmin and she had to be teamed up with another Brahmin actor in a minor role.<ref name="devadasi" /> [[M. R. Santhanalakshmi]], a popular stage actress was cast as Amaravathi.

==Plot==
The film is based on a story set in the [[Chola Empire]] in year 1083 AD. The titular character in the story is Ambikapathy (M K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar), the son of the Tamil poet [[Kambar (poet)|Kambar]] (Serugulathur Sama) who is in love with the Chola princess and daughter of [[Kulothunga Chola I|Kulothunga Chola]], Amaravati (played by [[M. R. Santhanalakshmi]]). The king objects to their love and insists on testing Ambikapathy's literary mettle before judging his worth. The test given to Ambikapathi is that he should write and sing a hundred poems in the field of ''Puram'' (dealing with war and politics). The poems should not have any reference to the field of ''Agam'' (dealing of love and romance). Ambikapathi begins the test in the King's court with a ''Kadavul Vaazhthu'' (invocation to God). Amaravathi who is keeping the count, mistakes the invocation as a poem and counts it as poem number one. When he has sung only ninety nine ''Puram'' poems, she thinks he has completed the task and signals him that hundred poems have been sung. Declaring victory, Ambikapathy sings of his love for her and thus fails the test. He is executed by the king.<ref name="regionalindiancinema" />

==Cast==
[[Image:Ellis Dungan SD Santhanalakshmi MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar Ambikavathy 1937.jpg|thumb|right|200 px|Ellis R. Dungan directing M. S. Santhanalakshmi in ''Ambikapathi'']]
{{Col-begin|width=60%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Male cast
* [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]] as Ambikapathi
* P. B. Ranagachari as [[Kulottunga I|Kulothunga Chozhan]]
* [[Serukulathur Sama]] as [[Kambar (poet)|Kambar]]
* [[T. S. Balaiah]] as [[Rudrasena II|Rudrasenan]]
* S. S. Rajamani as Vanjikoti
* [[N. S. Krishnan]] as Kannan
* P. G. Venkatesan as Muniyan
* T. P. S. Mani as [[Ottakoothar]]
* Sundara Sastri as Pugazhedi
* [[Honnappa Bhagavathar]] as [[Karunakara Tondaiman|Dhontaman]]
* N. P. Murugappa as Marthandan
* T. V. Namasivayam as Boy
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Female cast
* [[M. R. Santhanalakshmi]] as Amaravathi
* P. R. Mangalam as Maruthayi
* [[T. A. Mathuram]] as Sundari
* T. V. Subbuthayi as Madhurandaki
* Meenalochani as Thyagavalli
{{col-end}}

==Credit to Music Director==
Film historian G. Dhananjayan says Ambikapathy is the first [[Tamil language]] film that named a music director in its credits. This film was also the first to give credibility and respect for dialogues.<ref name="book">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e07vBwAAQBAJ&q=Ambikapathi+pride+of+Tamil+cinema&pg=PA18 | title=Pride of Tamil Cinema:1931 to 2013 | publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers | author=G. Dhananjayan | author-link=G. Dhananjayan | date=November 2014 | location=Chennai | language=en }}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
This is a partial Soundtrack list. You can expand it.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Aayakalaigal Arupathi Naanginaiyum
| all_lyrics = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| extra1 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| extra2 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| extra3 = [[C. Honnappa Bhagavathar]]
| extra4 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| extra5 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| lyrics1 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| length10 =
| lyrics3 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| lyrics2 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| lyrics4 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| lyrics5 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| all_writing =
| all_music = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| extra6 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| total_length = 25:35
| title10 =
| length1 = 11:13
| title5 = Enna Seythaayi
| title2 = Chandra Sooriyar
| length2 = 2:47
| title3 = Unnai Allaal
| length3 = 5:26
| title4 = Ini Evvaru Marappen
| length4 = 2:30
| length5 = 1:38
| length9 =
| title6 = Unnai Aadaiya
| length6 = 1:47
| title7 =
| length7 =
| title8 =
| length8 =
| title9 =
| lyrics6 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
}}

==Reception==
The film was released on 11 December 1937 and was a big box office success. It ran for 52 weeks. Dungan's love scenes, Bhagavathar's singing and Elangovan's dialogue made the film a talked after success. After ''Chintamani'', this was the second hit film for Bhagavathar in 1937 and made him the "first superstar of Tamil cinema".<ref name="guy1"/><ref name="anandan"/><ref name="narayanan">{{Cite book| last=Arandhai Narayanan| language= ta| year= 2008 | title=Arambakala Tamil Cinema (1931-41) | publisher=Vijaya Publications| location= Chennai| pages=48}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
* [[Ellis R. Dungan]]
* [[Kollywood]]
* [[N. S. Krishnan]]
* [[Tamil cinema]]
*[[List of historical drama films of Asia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Ambikapathy (1937 film)}}
* {{IMDb title|0214470|Ambikapathy}}
*{{YouTube|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NhtxsK6vtE&t=2669s|title=Ambikapathy (1937)}}
{{Ellis R. Dungan}}
{{Romeo and Juliet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ambikapathy}}
[[Category:1937 films]]
[[Category:Films set in the Chola Empire]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Ellis R. Dungan]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1930s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Films based on Romeo and Juliet]]
[[Category:1937 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]

Ambikapathy 1937 film - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 02:23, 19 April 2021