Kannamma En Kadhali

Production

Though the film was released after the end of World War II, it was produced during the austere time while the war was still on.

During the Second World War (1939-1945), the British India government imposed severe restrictions on the film industry due to shortage of raw film stock and other materials. A producer was allotted only 44,000 feet of picture negative, and there was a restriction that no feature film could exceed 11,000 feet in length.

To support the War propaganda efforts, the government asked four noted Tamil producers to make films highlighting the War effort. Gemini Studios was one of them. They produced this film Kannamma En Kaadhali as such a propaganda movie.

However, Gemini Studios supremo S. S. Vasan, being a staunch nationalist, did not wish to associate himself with the movie openly. The film was produced by K. Ramnoth who was then Controller of Productions at Gemini Studios.

Plot

This film was inspired by the well-known French play, "School for Wives" by the celebrated 17th Century French playwright Moliere.

The movie narrated the tale of a rich, lecherous old man, (Narayana Rao at his best), who finds a young girl lost in a temple festival crowd and brings her up with the intention of marrying her later. Without his knowledge, the young woman (Sundhari Bai) falls in love with a young man (Radha) and the two play smart games fooling the stuffy old man!

Kannamma En Kaathali was a melodrama with familiar twists but writer-director Kothamangalam Subbu invested the film with a light touch almost ‘Wodehouseian’. Times were harsh and people needed entertainment. This film was fulfilled their need.

Cast

M. K. Radha
M. S. Sundari Bai
L. Narayana Rao
Appah Subbaiah Pillai
K. S. Angamuthu
Kulathu Mani Iyer

Crew

Producer: K. Ramnoth
Director: Kothamangalam Subbu
Story & Dialogues: Kothamangalam Subbu
Editor: N. K. Gopal
Choreographer:Nataraj

Sound Track

Music was composed by M. D. Parthasarathy and lyrics were penned by Kothamangalam Subbu.