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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ashok Kumar
| image = Ashok Kumar film poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Raja Chandrasekhar
| writer = Ilangovan
| producer =
| starring = [[M. K. Thiyagaraja Bhagavathar]]<br />[[V. Nagayya|Chittoor V. Nagayya]]<br />[[P. Kannamba]]
| cinematography = Jiten Banerjee
| editing = T. R. Raghunath
| music = Alathur V. Subramaniyam
| studio = Murugan Talkies
| released = {{film date|1941|9|17|df=y}}
| runtime = 211 minutes{{sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=288}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Ashok Kumar''''' is a 1941 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[historical drama]] film directed by Raja Chandrasekhar. Based on a legend involving the [[Maurya Empire|Mauryan]] emperor [[Ashoka The Great]], his son [[Kunala]] and Ashoka's second wife Thishyarakshai, it stars [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]], [[V. Nagayya|Chittoor V. Nagayya]] and [[P. Kannamba]]. The film was released on 17 September 1941.

== Plot ==
The [[Maurya Empire|Mauryan]] emperor [[Ashoka]]'s son [[Kunala]]n is courted by Ashoka's second wife [[Tishyaraksha]]i. When he rejects her advances, she falsely accuses him of trying to seduce her. He is thrown into prison and blinded. The story, however, comes to a happy end with his eyesight being restored by [[The Buddha|Gautama Buddha]] and the king acquits him of all the charges.

== Cast ==


;Male cast<ref name="song book" />
{{Cast listing|* [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]] as [[Kunala]]n
* [[V. Nagayya|Chittoor V. Nagayya]] as Samrat [[Ashoka]]r
* Rangasami Iyengar as Radhaguptar
* [[N. S. Krishnan]] as Doctor Theraiyan
* K. Mahadeva Iyer as [[Upagupta]]r
* [[M. G. Ramachandran|M. G. Ramchandran]] as Mahendran
* K. V. Venkatrama Iyer as Kanjuki
* Murali as Kokkaiyan
* [[Ranjan (actor)|R. Ranjan]] as [[The Buddha|Gautama Buddha]] (uncredited)}}

;Female cast<ref name="song book" />
{{Cast listing|* [[P. Kannamba]] as [[Tishyaraksha]]i
* [[T. V. Kumuthini]] as Kanchanamala
* [[T. A. Mathuram]] as Pramila}}

== Production ==
''Ashok Kumar'' is based on a legend involving the [[Maurya Empire|Mauryan]] emperor [[Ashoka]], his son Kunalan and Ashoka's younger queen Thishyarakshai. It was the first Tamil film based on the legend, which was previously filmed in [[Hindi]] as ''Veer Kunal'' (1925). Telugu actress [[P. Kannamba]] played the role of Thishyarakshai. This was her second Tamil film and since she did not know the language, she was provided with a script in which Tamil words had been transliterated into Telugu. ''Ashok Kumar'' marked the debut of [[Ranjan (actor)|Ranjan]] (credited as R. Ramani),<ref name="song book" /> who portrayed [[Gautama Buddha]]. The song and dance sequence, "Unnai Kandu Mayangaatha" was shot in a single night at Newtone Studio.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=25 January 2008 |title=Ashok Kumar 1941 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ashok-kumar-1941/article3022478.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=4 February 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150318140612/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/ashok-kumar-1941/article3022478.ece |archive-date=18 March 2015}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The songs were composed by Alathur V. Subramanyam and the lyrics were written by [[Papanasam Sivan]].<ref name="song book" /> Playback singers are Rama Rao and Mani of the Renuka Orchestra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashok Kumar |url=https://gaana.com/album/ashok-kumar |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]] |archive-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320092630/https://gaana.com/album/ashok-kumar |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashok Kumar |url=https://www.hungama.com/album/ashok-kumar/1930586/ |access-date=20 March 2020 |website=Hungama}}</ref>

{{Track listing
| title1 = Unnai Kandu
| length9 =
| lyrics4 = Papanasam Sivan
| lyrics3 = Papanasam Sivan
| lyrics2 = Papanasam Sivan
| lyrics1 = [[Papanasam Sivan]]
| extra5 = M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
| extra4 = M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
| extra3 = M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
| extra2 = M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
| extra1 = [[M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar]]
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 15:16
| length1 = 2:51
| length5 = 2:46
| title5 = Bhoomiyil Maanida Jenmam
| length4 = 3:14
| title4 = Sathvaguna Bothan
| length3 = 3:19
| title3 = Manamae Nee
| length2 = 3:06
| title2 = Dhyaname Enadu
| lyrics5 = Papanasam Sivan
}}

=== Music Credits ===

;Sharma Brothers Orchestra<ref name="credits" />
* R. N. Thambi&nbsp;– Veena
* V. Govindasami&nbsp;– Fiddle
* N. L. Ramalingam&nbsp;– Harmonium
* R. V. Parikshithu&nbsp;– Mridangam

== Release and reception ==
''Ashok Kumar'' was released on 17 September 1941.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 September 1941 |title=Asok-Kumar |pages=5 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19410917&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=4 February 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Kay Yess Enn of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' praised the film for Kannamba's performance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kay Yess Enn |date=20 September 1941 |title=Asok-Kumar |pages=3 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SgFFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3982%2C8216061 |access-date=3 September 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== In other media ==
Portions of "Bhoomiyil Maanida" were used in "Theepidikka", a song in ''[[Arinthum Ariyamalum]]'' (2005).<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2017 |title=சாதனை புரிந்த தமிழ் படங்கள்&nbsp;– 312– எஸ்.கணேஷ் |language=ta |work=[[Dinamalar]] |location=Nellai |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/34669 |url-status=usurped |access-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329113248/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/34669 |archive-date=29 March 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
<references>

<ref name="song book">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.AshokKumar_RajaChandrashekar_1941/34.%20AshokKumar_RajaChandrashekar_1941.pdf |title=அசோக் குமார் |publisher=Murugan Talkies |year=1941 |language=ta |type=[[song book]] |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref>

<ref name="credits">{{Cite AV media |title=Ashok Kumar |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=Murugan Talkies |year=1941 |time=0:00 to 1:30 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}</ref>

</references>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] and [[Oxford University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-563579-5 |author-link=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |author-link2=Paul Willemen |orig-date=1994}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0157332}}

[[Category:1941 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1941 Indian films]]
[[Category:1941 films]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient India]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian historical drama films]]
[[Category:Memorials to Ashoka]]
[[Category:Works about Ashoka]]
[[Category:Films scored by Alathur V. Subramanyam]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Ashoka]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Gautama Buddha]]
[[Category:Films set in the Maurya Empire]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Ashok Kumar film - Revision history

CleanupBot at 06:27, 22 March 2026