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{{short description|1965 film by A. C. Tirulokchandar}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Kaakum Karangal.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[A. C. Tirulokchandar]]
| story = A. C. Tirulokchandar
| producer = M. Murugan <br /> M. Kumaran <br /> [[M. Saravanan (producer)|M. Saravanan]] <br /> M. Balasubramanian
| starring = [[S. S. Rajendran]] <br /> [[C. R. Vijayakumari]]
| cinematography = T. Muthusamy
| editing = R. G. Gop
| music = [[K. V. Mahadevan]]
| studio = Murugan Brothers
| distributor = [[AVM Productions]]
| released = {{film date|1965|6|19|df=y}}
| runtime = 140 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Kaakum Karangal''''' ({{translation|Helping Hands}}) is a 1965 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]], directed by [[A. C. Tirulokchandar]]. Inspired by British writer [[W. Somerset Maugham]]'s 1925 novel ''[[The Painted Veil (novel)|The Painted Veil]]'', it was produced by Murugan Brothers, a subsidiary of [[AVM Productions]]. The film stars [[S. S. Rajendran]] and [[C. R. Vijayakumari]], with [[Nagesh]], [[L. Vijayalakshmi]], [[S. V. Subbaiah]], [[Sivakumar]] (in his acting debut) and Revathi playing supporting roles. It was released on 19 June 1965, and failed at the box office.

== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=September 2021}}
Shankar's father dies due to lack of medical assistance. His mother, with great difficulty, educates him to be a surgeon. One day, his visit to treat Mahalakshmi develops into love for each other. Subbaiah, a rich man and father of Mahalakshmi, objects to this, but finally agrees, saying that she must leave his house. After some time, Mahalakshmi begets a child, but the child dies in a fire accident. This causes a misunderstanding between Shankar and Mahalakshmi. Shankar feels that his hands cannot perform surgery anymore. He opts for a service with tribals at Senjipuram. There, he gets affected by viral fever. What happens from there is the rest of the film.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[S. S. Rajendran]] as Dr. Shankar
* [[C. R. Vijayakumari]] as Mahalakshmi
* [[Sivakumar]] as Surendar
* [[Manimala (actress)|Manimala]]
* [[Nagesh]] as Somasundaram
* [[L. Vijayalakshmi]] as Vijayalakshmi
* [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Shankar's mother
* Revathi as Radha
* [[S. V. Subbaiah]] as Ranganathan
* [[S. V. Ramadas]] as Ramalingam
}}

== Production ==
The film marked the acting debut of [[Sivakumar]], then known by his [[Birth name|name at birth]] Palaniswamy. He had already signed a film titled ''Chithrapournami'', but that was shelved. Its directors [[Krishnan–Panju]] recommended him to [[AVM Productions]] for their film ''Kaakum Karangal''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raman |first=Mohan V. |author-link=Mohan Raman |date=25 October 2016 |title=Art of the matter |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/Art-of-the-matter/article15747777.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810132052/https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/Art-of-the-matter/article15747777.ece |archive-date=10 August 2020 |access-date=17 January 2019 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Tirulokchandar, who was searching for the second lead actor to pair with Vijayakumari, selected Palaniswamy, who was rechristened Sivakumar by AVM founder [[A. V. Meiyappan]].{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=154}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 March 2014 |title=சிவகுமாரின் முதல் படம் காக்கும் கரங்கள் |trans-title=Kaakum Karangal, Sivakumar's first film |url=http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2014/03/07222204/Cinema-history-Sivakumar-first.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005200416/http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2014/03/07222204/Cinema-history-Sivakumar-first.html |archive-date=5 October 2015 |access-date=5 October 2015 |work=[[Maalai Malar]] |language=Tamil}}</ref> The film was produced by Murugan Brothers, a subsidiary of AVM.<ref name="sp" /> Saravanan revealed he had to reduce Sivakumar's portions because the actress who played his love interest him could not do justice to the acting.<ref name="kalki">{{Cite magazine |last=சரவணன் |first=ஏவி.எம். |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |date=6 March 2005 |title=அழாதீங்க தம்பி! |trans-title=Don't cry, younger brother! |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki2005-03-06/kalki2005-03-06.pdf |access-date=12 July 2024 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=52–55 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

Due to the success of ''[[Naanum Oru Penn]]'' (1963), Meiyappan wanted its lead actors [[S. S. Rajendran]] and [[C. R. Vijayakumari]] to star. Saravanan felt Rajendran looked ill-suited for a sophisticated character, but Meiyappan remained adamant about casting him for the role.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|pp=155–156}} [[S. P. Muthuraman]], who worked as one of the assistant directors in the film revealed that the crew had a tough time to make a small baby walk.<ref>{{Cite news |last=முத்துராமன் |first=எஸ்.பி. |author-link=S. P. Muthuraman |date=29 July 2015 |title=சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 19- சிவகுமாரின் மேன்மை! |trans-title=Try making a film, part 19 – Sivakumar's greatness! |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/51755-19.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810131937/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/supplements/hindu-talkies/51755-19.html |archive-date=10 August 2020 |access-date=10 August 2020 |work=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=Tamil}}</ref> Cinematography was handled by T. Muthusamy, and the editing by R. G. Gop.<ref name="songbook" /> According to [[Randor Guy]], the film's plot was inspired by the novel ''[[The Painted Veil (novel)|The Painted Veil]]'' by British writer [[W. Somerset Maugham]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=6-12 August 2011 |title=Tamil cinema 75 – A Look Back {{!}} The AVM story – 75 |url=http://mambalamtimes.in/admin/pdf/1312550277.06.08.2011.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117174155/http://mambalamtimes.in/admin/pdf/1312550277.06.08.2011.pdf |archive-date=17 January 2019 |access-date=17 January 2019 |work=Mambalam Times}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack was composed by [[K. V. Mahadevan]].<ref name="songbook" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kaakkum Karangal |url=http://gaana.com/album/kaakkum-karangal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329164149/http://gaana.com/album/kaakkum-karangal |archive-date=29 March 2014 |access-date=7 September 2015 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> This was his first collaboration with AVM.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=155}}

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Thirunaal Vandhathu
| lyrics1 = [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]]
| extra1 = [[P. Susheela]]
| length1 = 4:01
| title2 = Akka Akka Aasai
| lyrics2 = [[Kannadasan]]
| extra2 = P. Susheela
| length2 = 4:40
| title3 = Azhagiya Rathiyae
| lyrics3 = Vaali
| extra3 = [[A. L. Raghavan]], [[L. R. Eswari]]
| length3 = 5:48
| title4 = Gnayiru Enbathu
| lyrics4 = Vaali
| extra4 = [[T. M. Soundararajan]], P. Susheela
| length4 = 3:57
| title5 = Alli Thandhu
| lyrics5 = Vaali
| extra5 = T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
| length5 = 4:10
| total_length = 22:36 
}}

== Release and reception ==
''Kaakum Karangal'' was released on 19 June 1965.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1965 – காக்கும் கரங்கள் – ஏ.வி.எம். |trans-title=1965 – Kaakum Karangal – A.V.M. |url=http://lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1965-cinedetails15.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190305130957/http://lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1965-cinedetails15.asp |archive-date=5 March 2019 |access-date=5 March 2019 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=Tamil}}</ref>{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=152}} T. M. Ramachandran of ''[[Sport and Pastime]]'' wrote, "The central theme is familiar to some extent, some of the sequences follow the beaten track and there is an overdose of melodrama. The picture, however manages to win the sympathy and appreciation of the audience on account of the poignancy and dignity with which the whole story has been told on screen".<ref name="sp" /> ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the performances of Rajendran and Vijayakumari in the first half, but felt the latter slipped in the film's second half.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=4 July 1965 |title=காக்கும் கரங்கள் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1965/jul/04-07-1965/p29.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220724095727/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1965/jul/04-07-1965/p29.jpg |archive-date=24 July 2022 |access-date=4 January 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=29 |language=ta}}</ref> According to Saravanan, the film failed at the box office due to miscasting.{{sfn|Saravanan|2013|pp=155–156}}

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="songbook">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.KaakumKarangal_A.C.Thirulokachander_1965/64.%20KaakumKarangal_A.C.Thirulokachander_1965.pdf |title=காக்கும் கரங்கள் |publisher=[[AVM Productions]] |year=1965 |language=ta |type=[[song book]] |access-date=28 June 2022 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>
<ref name="sp">{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=T. M. |date=17 July 1965 |title=Murugan Brothers' Latest |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11921/page/n169/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230301050503/https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11921/page/n169/mode/2up |archive-date=1 March 2023 |access-date=1 March 2023 |magazine=[[Sport and Pastime]] |page=51 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |volume=19}}</ref>
</references>

== Bibliography ==
*{{Cite book |last=Saravanan |first=M. |title=AVM 60 Cinema |publisher=Rajarajan Pathippagam |year=2013 |edition=3rd |language=ta |oclc=1158347612 |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |orig-date=2005}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

{{AVM Productions}}
{{A. C. Tirulokchandar}}

{{Improve categories|date=April 2024}}

[[Category:1965 Indian films]]
[[Category:1965 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1965 drama films]]
[[Category:1965 films]]
[[Category:AVM Productions films]]
[[Category:Films based on British novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by A. C. Thirulokachandar]]
[[Category:Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Kaakum Karangal - Revision history

NIULoyd091 at 05:17, 4 March 2026