Jainil Prajapati at 05:05, 4 March 2026

2026-03-04T05:05:29Z

New page

{{short description|1955 film by T. R. Raghunath}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Kanavane Kankanda Deivam
| image = Kanavane Kankanda Deivam.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[T. R. Raghunath]]
| screenplay = K. V. Srinivasan
| story = K. V. Srinivasan Umachandran [[Vempati Sadasivabrahmam|Sadasivabrahmam]]
| producer = Pattanna Narayana Iyengar
| starring = [[Gemini Ganesan|R. Ganesh]] [[Anjali Devi]]
| cinematography = [[B. S. Ranga]]
| editing = S. R. Chandra Sekaran
| music = A. Rama Rao [[Hemant Kumar]]
| studio = Narayanan Company
| released = {{film date|1955|5|6|df=y}}
| runtime = 168 minutes{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=148}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Kanavane Kankanda Deivam''''' ({{translation|Husband is a Palpable God}}) is a 1955 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[fantasy film]] directed by [[T. R. Raghunath]] and produced by Pattanna. The film stars [[Gemini Ganesan|R. Ganesh]] and [[Anjali Devi]], with [[V. Nagayya]], [[M. N. Nambiar]], Friend Ramaswamy and [[Lalitha (actress)|Lalitha]] in supporting roles. It revolves around a man who steals an object to cure the king's blindness and marry the princess, but becomes cursed because of the theft and seeks to undo it.

''Kanavane Kankanda Deivam'' was released on 6 May 1955. The film received positive reviews mainly for the performances of Ganesh and Anjali Devi, and became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in many theatres. It was remade in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Devta (1956 film)|Devta]]'' (1956), with Ganesh and Anjali Devi reprising their roles.

== Plot ==
Vijayan, the son of a retired soldier Karunakaran, is advised by his father to meet Soorasimmar, the blind king, and join the army. Vijayan meets Soorasimmar's only daughter Nalini and falls in love with her. When commander Veerasenan tries to throw Vijayan aside for blocking his way, Vijayan fights and trounces Veerasenan. This impresses Nalini, who is on the way to meet a sage who has a medicine for her father's blindness.

After examining Soorasimmar, the sage says the only cure lies in using the "Naga Jothi" (serpent light) found in Nagalokam (serpent world). Nalini suggests a prize for anyone who brings the Naga Jothi. Soorasimmar agrees and announces that anyone bringing the Naga Jothi will be given any prize they ask.

Nalini falls in love with Vijayan when they next meet. The next day, Vijayan presents his father's knife to Soorasimmar who recognises it and advises Veerasenan to induct Vijayan into the army. Veerasenan is unhappy to see the entry of Vijayan, and waits for an opportunity to avenge his past humiliation.

When Vijayan meets Nalini in private, Veerasenan arrives with his soldiers, captures and accuses him of betraying Soorasimmar. For this, Soorasimmar orders Vijayan's execution the next day, despite Nalini's pleas. Vijayan escapes from prison with help from fellow prisoner Singan and comes to meet Nalini. He tells her that he will retrieve the Naga Jothi so that he can seek her hand as prize.

Vijayan saves Nagakanni, a snake girl, from danger. She gives him two magic rings which will lead to Nagalokam from any pond, and tells him he must please the snake queen Nagarani to obtain the Naga Jothi. Using the rings, Vijayan and Singan enter a pond and reach Nagalokam. Nagarani instantly falls in love with Vijayan and makes him stay at her palace. Singan advises Vijayan to pretend to love her and pilfer the key to the safe containing the Naga Jothi.

Vijayan makes Nagarani unconscious, takes the key, goes with Singan and collects a Naga Jothi while Singan takes one too. While returning, Singan accidentally locks himself in a prison cell. Nagarani awakens and notices the key is missing. Enraged, she curses Vijayan by transforming him into a deformed hunchback.

Vijayan explains his predicament and pleads for a remedy. Nagarani says he should marry a virtuous woman who must bear his son; that son should come through the cave using the Naga Jothi and take the glass stone containing Vijayan's youth and break it before Vijayan after which he will regain his original looks. She says this should be done within five years, Vijayan will be killed by a snake should he fail, and will die if he reveals this secret to anyone.

Vijayan returns and restores Soorasimmar's eyesight with the Naga Jothi. Vijayan seeks the hand of Nalini as his prize, which Soorasimmar objects to but Nalini accepts, and the marriage takes place. When Soorasimmar insults Vijayan for his looks, Nalini and Vijayan leave and settle in a forest. Nalini treats him well, and lives with the credo that husband is the ultimate god. She soon delivers a son named Raja. When Raja is around four years old, a snake appears, reminding Vijayan that he will die by the end of the day should his curse not be lifted.

Nalini learns about the curse and cure; she rushes with Raja to the cave with the Naga Jothi. Raja enters the cave to acquire the glass stone, but the Naga Jothi's light goes off, leaving him trapped. At Vijayan's suggestion, Nalini meets Nagarani and pleads for her husband and child. Nagarani refuses, Nalini curses her for selfishness and is imprisoned. She finds Singan's forgotten Naga Jothi, and escapes with it. ''En route'', Nalini is troubled by Veerasenan who is killed by Singan. Nalini frees Raja.

Nalini and Raja reach home, and Raja breaks the glass stone, restoring Vijayan's appearance. Nalini's curse on Nagarani causes her to lose her beauty. She comes to apologise for her stubbornness and misbehaviour with Vijayan, who forgives her along with Nalini. Nalini blesses Nagarani, who regains her beauty. Soorasimmar invites Vijayan and Nalini to return to the palace, and they assent.

== Cast ==

{{col-begin|width=60%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Male cast<ref name="credits" />
* [[Gemini Ganesan|R. Ganesh]] as Vijayan
* [[V. Nagayya]] as Soorasimmar
* [[M. N. Nambiar]] as Veerasenan
* Friend Ramasami as Singan
* Nat Annaji Rao as Karunakaran
* V. P. Balaraman as a [[sepoy]]
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Female cast<ref name="credits" />
* [[Anjali Devi]] as Nalini
* [[Lalitha (actress)|Lalitha]] as Nagarani
* [[M. N. Rajam]] as Mallika
* [[T. P. Muthulakshmi]] as Naagi
* Bala as Nagakanni
* Baby Uma as Raja
{{col-end}}

== Production ==
''Kanavane Kankanda Deivam'' was directed by [[T. R. Raghunath]], and produced by Pattanna and Narayana Iyengar under Narayanan Company. The story was written by K. V. Srinivasan, Umachandran and [[Vempati Sadasivabrahmam|Sadasivabrahmam]], while Srinivasan wrote the screenplay and Umachandran the dialogues. Cinematography was handled by B. S. Ranga.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=148}} The producers initially rejected R. Ganesh (later known [[Gemini Ganesan]]) for the lead role of Vijayan because they believed he was too attractive to play a disfigured hunchback. Ganesh later disguised himself as a hunchbacked beggar and approached Iyengar, who mistook him for an actual beggar and offered him alms until Ganesh revealed his true identity. Impressed with his unorthodox auditioning, Iyengar cast Ganesh.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kamath |first=Sudhish |author-link=Sudhish Kamath |date=12 December 2013 |title=Rewind to the first reel |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/rewind-to-the-first-reel/article5451608.ece |url-status=live |access-date=16 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509202435/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/rewind-to-the-first-reel/article5451608.ece |archive-date=9 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeyaraj |first=D.B.S. |date=11 July 2015 |title="Kaadhal Mannan" Gemini Ganesan, romantic actor king of Tamil cinema |url=http://www.ft.lk/columns/kaadhal-mannan-gemini-ganesan-romantic-actor-king-of-tamil-cinema/4-444263 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618160709/http://www.ft.lk/columns/kaadhal-mannan-gemini-ganesan-romantic-actor-king-of-tamil-cinema/4-444263 |archive-date=18 June 2018 |access-date=7 October 2020 |website=[[Daily FT]]}}</ref> For every day of filming, Ganesh's makeup took hours to apply and he could not eat until filming ended for the day.{{sfn|Ganesh|2011|p=64}}

The producers cast [[Anjali Devi]] as the princess Nalini after being impressed with her performance in ''[[Sorgavasal]]'' (1954).<ref name="dinamani" /> [[P. Bhanumathi]] was initially cast as the snake queen Nagarani after production began. She filmed many sequences, including the song "Unnai Kann Theduthey", but left in the middle of production. The role was later recast with [[Lalitha (actress)|Lalitha]].<ref name="thehindu1" /> Ganesh performed many stunts without the use of a stunt double.<ref>{{Cite web |last=V |first=Sankaran |date=4 November 2022 |title=முடியாது என்ற கதாபாத்திரத்தை உயிரைப் பணயம் வைத்து துணிச்சலாக செய்து காட்டிய ஜெமினிகணேசன் |url=https://cinereporters.com/geminiganesan-told-about-his-superhit-kanavane-kankanda-deivam/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909090634/https://cinereporters.com/geminiganesan-told-about-his-superhit-kanavane-kankanda-deivam/ |archive-date=9 September 2024 |access-date=9 September 2024 |website=CineReporters |language=ta}}</ref> While the film was shot primarily in black-and-white at [[Vauhini Studios|Vauhini]], Revati and Narasu studios in [[Chennai|Madras]], the sequences in [[Gevacolor]] were shot at [[Mehboob Studio]] in [[Mumbai|Bombay]].{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=150}} The final cut of the film was {{convert|174446|feet|metres}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1955 – கணவனே கண்கண்ட தெய்வம் – நாராயணன் கம்பெனி, நாகமாடத்து தம்புராட்டி (ம). |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1955-cinedetails5.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201007154404/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1955-cinedetails5.asp |archive-date=7 October 2020 |access-date=7 October 2020 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=Tamil}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack composed by A. Rama Rao and [[Hemant Kumar]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kanavane Kankanda Deivam |url=https://gaana.com/album/kanavane-kankanda-deivam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712024016/https://gaana.com/album/kanavane-kankanda-deivam |archive-date=12 July 2018 |access-date=7 October 2020 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 |date=December 2014 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=87–88 |language=ta}}</ref> The hiccups in "Unnai Kann Theduthey" were not originally planned, but added through improvisation. The song was originally sung by P. Bhanumathi, but after her exit, it was resung by [[P. Susheela]]. However, Bhanumathi's hiccups in the original version were retained in the new version.<ref name="thehindu1" /><ref name="Rangaraj" /> The song was later sampled by [[G. V. Prakash Kumar]] in a song by the same name in ''[[Va (film)|Va]]'' (2010).<ref>{{Cite web |title=வ - குவாட்டர் கட்டிங் |url=http://tamil.webdunia.com/article/movie-preview-in-tamil/%E0%AE%B5-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D-110101900055_1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315174932/http://tamil.webdunia.com/article/movie-preview-in-tamil/%E0%AE%B5-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D-110101900055_1.htm |archive-date=15 March 2017 |access-date=2018-06-08 |website=Webdunia |language=ta}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singer !! Lyricist !! Length
|-
| "Jaga Jothiyae" || [[P. Leela]] || || 06:15
|-
| "Kaashaayam Kattikittu" || ??? || || 04:53
|-
| "Enthan Ullam Thulli" || [[P. Susheela]] || rowspan="2" |[[Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam]]|| 03:02
|-
| "Unnai Kann Theduthe" || P. Susheela || 03:45
|-
| "Amba Pethaikku Irangi" || [[P. Leela]] || [[Papanasam Sivan]]|| 02:49
|-
| "Kanavane Kann Kanda Deivam" (Amma Nee Kalankathe) || [[Ghantasala (musician)|Ghantasala]] || || 04:58
|-
| "Anbil Malarntha Nal Roja" || P. Susheela ||Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam || 03:25
|-
| "Oh Madha Vantharul" || P. Susheela || || 03:42
|-
| "Vazhvinil Valam" || || || 02:02
|-
| "Intha Veenkobam" || P. Susheela & [[P. Leela]]|| || 03:22
|}

== Release and reception ==
''Kanavane Kankanda Deivam'' was released on 6 May 1955,{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=148}}<ref name="dinamani" /> and received positive reviews.{{sfn|Ganesh|2011|p=64}} ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the film for the cast performances (particularly Ganesh and Anjali Devi), the audio recording and the cinematography.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=5 June 1955 |title=கணவனே கண்கண்ட தெய்வம் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1955-06-05/page/n15/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909085814/https://archive.org/details/kalki1955-06-05/page/n15/mode/2up |archive-date=9 September 2024 |access-date=9 September 2024 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=14–15 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in many theatres.<ref name="thehindu1" /> The film was later remade in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Devta (1956 film)|Devta]]'' (1956), where Ganesh and Anjali reprised their roles.<ref name="dinamani" /><ref name="Rangaraj" />

== References ==
<references>

<ref name="credits">{{Cite AV media |title=கணவனே கண்கண்ட தெய்வம் |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=Narayanan Company |year=1955 |time=1:52 to 2:15 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}</ref>
<ref name="thehindu1">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=31 December 2009 |title=Blast from the past: Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-kanavaney-kankanda-deivam/article73473.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=19 December 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140810030117/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-kanavaney-kankanda-deivam/article73473.ece |archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="dinamani">{{Cite news |last=தீனதயாளன் |first=ப. |date=11 February 2016 |title=அஞ்சலி தேவி: 2. எங்கெங்கு காணினும்...! |language=ta |work=[[Dinamani]] |url=https://www.dinamani.com/junction/kanavukkannigal/2016/feb/13/2.-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D...-1276299.html |url-status=live |access-date=7 October 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201007155543/https://www.dinamani.com/junction/kanavukkannigal/2016/feb/13/2.-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D...-1276299.html |archive-date=7 October 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="Rangaraj">{{Cite web |last=Rangaraj |first=R |date=Aug 8, 2020 |title=When Hemant Kumar made music for Tamil films |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/when-hemant-kumar-made-music-for-tamil-films/articleshow/77140009.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007144235/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/when-hemant-kumar-made-music-for-tamil-films/articleshow/77140009.cms |archive-date=7 October 2020 |access-date=6 October 2020 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

</references>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |title=The Best of Tamil Cinema, 1931 to 2010: 1931–1976 |publisher=Galatta Media |year=2011 |oclc=733724281 |author-link=G. Dhananjayan}}
* {{Cite book |last=Ganesh |first=Narayani |title=Eternal Romantic: My Father, Gemini Ganesan |publisher=Lustre Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-81-7436-578-1 |location=New Delhi}}

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

[[Category:1955 Indian films]]
[[Category:1955 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1955 films]]
[[Category:Films about blind people in India]]
[[Category:Films about snakes]]
[[Category:Films based on Indian folklore]]
[[Category:Films directed by T. R. Raghunath]]
[[Category:Films partially in color]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian fantasy films]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:1955 fantasy films]]

Kanavane Kankanda Deivam - Revision history

Jainil Prajapati at 05:05, 4 March 2026