>Nicholas Michael Halim at 12:09, 4 May 2021

2021-05-04T12:09:29Z

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{{for|the 2019 film|Azhiyatha Kolangal 2}}
{{short description|1979 film by Balu Mahendra}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Azhiyatha Kolangal
| image = Azhiyatha Kolangal.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[Balu Mahendra]]
| producer =
| writer = Balu Mahendra
| starring = {{ubl|[[Pratap K. Pothen]]|[[Shoba]]}}
| music = [[Salil Chowdhury]]
| cinematography = Balu Mahendra
| editing = D. Vasu
| studio = Devi Films (P) Ltd.
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1979|12|07|ref1={{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=258}}}}
| runtime = 100 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Azhiyatha Kolangal''''' ({{trans|Enduring Patterns}}) is a 1979 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[coming-of-age film]] directed by [[Balu Mahendra]], starring [[Pratap K. Pothen]] and [[Shoba]]. [[Kamal Haasan]] played a guest role in the film. The film was Balu Mahendra's second directorial venture and his first in Tamil.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2014/02/13105628/famous-director-Balu-Mahendra.html |title=டைரக்டர் பாலுமகேந்திரா திடீர் மரணம் |date=13 February 2014 |work=[[Maalai Malar]] |access-date=28 November 2014 |language=Tamil}}</ref> Partly autobiographical, the film dealt with the events that happen during the adolescence of three friends who live in a small village. In addition to directing the film, Balu Mahendra wrote the screenplay and shot the film. The film was released on 7 December 1979. Upon release, ''Azhiyadha Kolangal'' received critical acclaim, and was premièred at the "Indian Panorama" of the [[International Film Festival of India]] in 1980.

==Plot==
Gowrishankar ([[Kamal Haasan]]), a managing director of a company in [[Madras]], receives a letter from his childhood friend Pattabi. The story goes into flashback mode where he along with Pattabi and another friend Raghupathi live in a small village. The three teenage friends are attracted to Indumathi ([[Shoba]]), a school teacher who comes to their village, and try to impress her. Situations lead to Raghupathi's death by drowning.

==Cast==
*[[Pratap K. Pothen]] as Indumathi's husband
*[[Shoba]] as Indumathi
*[[Kamal Haasan]] as Gowrishankar (Guest appearance)
* Master Manohar as Raghupathi
* [[Venniradai Moorthy]]
* [[K. R. Indira Devi]]

==Production==

After the critical and commercial success of his directorial debut ''[[Kokila (1977 film)|Kokila]]'', Balu Mahendra decided to make a film in Tamil, that was partly autobiographical according to him.<ref name=hindu1>{{cite news|last1=P. K.|first1=Ajith Kumar|title=A life in cinema|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-life-in-cinema/article595756.ece|access-date=28 November 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Warrier|first1=Shobha|author-link=Shobha Warrier|title=Sex and teenage fantasies|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/aug/18balu.htm|work=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=27 November 2014|date=18 August 2003}}</ref> It was during this time, he was approached by [[Mahendran (filmmaker)|Mahendran]] to shoot ''[[Mullum Malarum]]'', the latter's directorial debut.<ref name=MM>{{cite web|title=முள்ளும் மலரும் படத்தில் நான் பாலு மகேந்திரா|url=http://www.filmmakerbalumahendra.blogspot.in/|publisher=filmmakerbalumahendra.blogspot.in|access-date=27 November 2014|language=Tamil|date=21 April 2013}}</ref> Initially hesitant to work in Tamil films, Balu Mahendra accepted the offer, thus entered the [[Tamil cinema|Tamil film industry]] as a cinematographer. Because of his commitments with ''Mullum Malarum'', he shelved his directorial venture. After the success of ''Mullum Malarum'', he revived the project and named it ''Azhiyadha Kolangal''.<ref name=MM /> The film was produced by Devi Films of Devi Theatre Complex. The film was shot at Pettavaithalai, Sirugamani and Inungoor near Trichy in 27 days within the budget of 8 lakhs.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=259}}

The central characters of the film are played by three adolescent boys, who are in the verge of sexuality.<ref name=DFF>{{cite web|title=Indian Cinema '79/'80|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/indian_cinema_1980.pdf|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|access-date=27 November 2014|pages=83–84}}</ref> [[Shoba]], played a small role as a school teacher. Kamal Haasan played a guest role as a token of friendship for Balu Mahendra and his portions was shot in a day at three locations.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=259}}

Apart from direction, Balu Mahendra assumed his usual responsibility of cinematography and wrote the screenplay, while D. Vasu edited the film.<ref name=DFF />

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Azhiyadha Kolangal
| type = film
| artist =
| cover =
| released =
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = 20:25
| label = EMI
| producer =
}}

The music was composed by [[Salil Chowdhury]], with lyrics by [[Gangai Amaran]]. Mahendra originally wanted his friend [[Ilaiyaraaja]] to compose the music, but Chowdhury who had previously worked with Mahendra in ''Kokila'' was keen to work in his Tamil film too.<ref>{{cite web|title=இளையராஜா என்ற மகாவித்வானும் நானும்.. -1|url=http://www.filmmakerbalumahendra.blogspot.in/2012/09/1_12.html|publisher=filmmakerbalumahendra.blogspot.in|access-date=27 November 2014|language=Tamil|date=12 September 2012}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! No. !! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics
|-
| 1 || "Poovannam" || [[P. Jayachandran|Jayachandran]], [[P. Susheela]] || rowspan=4|[[Gangai Amaran]]
|-
| 2 || "Kedacha Unakku" || [[S. Janaki]]
|-
| 3 || "Naan Ennum" ||[[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]]
|-
| 4 || "Poovannam" || P. Susheela
|}

==Reception==
''Azhiyadha Kolangal'' opened to critical acclaim and was commercially successful too.<ref name=hindu1 /><ref name=DFF /> Along with ''[[Uthiripookkal]]'' it was the only Tamil film to be shown at the [[International Film Festival of India]] in 1980.<ref name=DFF /> The film's camera work was considered to be very innovative and was very different from other Tamil films that had come before.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chellappan|first1=Kumar|title=Balu Mahendra: A poet who used shots and scenes to tell stories|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-balu-mahendra-a-poet-who-used-shots-and-scenes-to-tell-stories-1648926|access-date=27 November 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=12 February 2012}}</ref> The film is widely considered to be one of Mahendra's "masterpieces".<ref>{{cite news|last1=B.|first1=Kolappan|last2=Subramanian|first2=Karthik|title=Master craftsman who was also a great teacher|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/master-craftsman-who-was-also-a-great-teacher/article5684162.ece|access-date=27 November 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=13 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Balu dead|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140214/jsp/nation/story_17937110.jsp#.VHd-AtKUdDI|access-date=27 November 2014|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|date=14 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Film Fraternity Pays Respects to the Veteran|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Film-Fraternity-Pays-Respects-to-the-Veteran/2014/02/14/article2055534.ece|access-date=27 November 2014|work=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=23 February 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Dhananjayan |first=G.|authorlink=G. Dhananjayan|title=Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931 to 2013|date=2014|publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e07vBwAAQBAJ|isbn=978-93-84301-05-7}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0235204|Azhiyadha Kolangal}}

{{Balu Mahendra}}

[[Category:1979 films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Balu Mahendra]]
[[Category:Indian coming-of-age films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1970s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Salil Chowdhury]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:1970s coming-of-age films]]

Azhiyatha Kolangal - Revision history

>Nicholas Michael Halim at 12:09, 4 May 2021