Chinna Thambi
| Chinna Thambi | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | P. Vasu |
| Written by | P. Vasu |
| Produced by | Balu |
| Starring | Prabhu Khushbu |
| Cinematography | Ravinder |
| Edited by | P. Mohanraj |
| Music by | Ilaiyaraaja |
Production company | Malar Combines |
Release date |
|
Running time | 138 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Chinna Thambi(transl. Little Brother) is a 1991 IndianTamil-languageromantic musical dramafilm written and directed byP. Vasu.The film starsPrabhuas the titular character, an uneducated village simpleton andKhushbuas Nandini, ahomeschooledwealthy girl.Manorama,Radha Ravi,Uday Prakash,Rajeshkumar, andGoundamaniplay supporting roles. The music was composed byIlaiyaraaja,and the film released on 12 April 1991.[1]
The film was remade inKannadaasRamachaari(1991),TeluguasChanti(1992) andHindiasAnari(1993). The film was one of Prabhu's biggest blockbusters and completed a 356-day run in 9 screens and 100-day run in 47 screens.
Plot
[edit]The film starts with the birth of a baby girl, Nandini, in a rich family on outskirts ofErode.Her three elder brothers throw a feast in honour of her. The young son of the local singer (who had died) is brought in to sing for the event. The three brothers raise Nandini like their own child as their parents had died. At the age of five, an astrologer predicts that Nandini will bring much happiness to the family, but she will marry a person of her choice and not of her brothers' choosing. This angers the brothers, and to prevent this from happening, they raise Nandhini within the confines of the house. She ishomeschooled,and when she does go out, all the men are warned to hide from Nandini and that seeing her will be met with dire consequences.
Nandini soon reaches puberty. The few males allowed around her are the service staff and her bodyguards. Meanwhile, the boy who sang, Chinna Thambi, grows up to be a naïve and gullible simpleton with a heart of gold. He is raised by his widowed mother Kannamma. He does not go to school and spends his time singing and entertaining the people of the village.
One day the bodyguards get into a fight with Chinna Thambi, who defeats them. Impressed with Thambi's naivete and fighting skills, the brothers hire him to be Nandini's bodyguard and butler. Nandini meanwhile starts to resent her lack of freedom. She coerces Thambi to show her the village without her brothers' knowledge. Thambi complies with her wishes and shows her the village, which results in Nandini falling ill. Thambi is blamed for Nandini getting sick and is beaten up by the brothers. Nandini, who has just started to like Thambi, feels guilty for being the reason for him getting thrashed. She shares her medicine with Thambi, who inadvertently equates Nandini to his mother, as being the few people who truly care for him. This incident brings them closer together emotionally.
One day, a factory worker is punished for leering at Nandini. He plots to kill her at the inauguration of the new factory owned by her brothers. Thambi overhears the plot, and in a desperate attempt to save Nandini, lunges at her and inadvertently feels her up in public. Nandini does not mind and defends Thambi by arguing that he would not do something like that in public without good reason. But her brothers are enraged and beat Thambi to the point that they almost kill him. Nandini stops them and gives him a chance to explain. When Thambi explains the situation, they hang their heads in shame. Thambi quits his job on the spot, despite Nandini's silent apology.
At night, Nandini meets Thambi and apologises and perhaps convince him to come back to the job. Thambi refuses to come back as he does not want to put up with the violent nature of her brothers. She thinks if Thambi marries her, they will not be able to manhandle him. She convinces Thambi to tie a mangalsutra around her neck, which will protect him from her brothers. Thambi, without realising the sanctity of the act, does as told and does not realise that he is now married to her.
Thambi comes back to work and is given a higher level of respect by the brothers for saving Nandini's life. Nandini too starts emulating her sisters-in-law in taking care of her husband. This makes Thambi nervous, but he still remains clueless. Her change in behaviour is noticed by her sisters-in-law, who urge the brothers to get Nandini married off before she brings shame to the family. Nandini, realising that they are trying to get her married off, tries to make Thambi understand that they are already married. Thambi refuses to understand and runs away to his mother, who upon learning what has happened, pulls him out of denial. She sends him away in an attempt to protect him.
The brothers come to know what has happened and torture Kannamma to get her to reveal where her son is hiding. She is saved in time by her son, who almost kills the brothers. The wives of the brothers stop him from killing them and ask him to save Nandini, who has now resorted to self-destruction upon hearing the torturous acts of her brothers. Thambi rushes back to save his wife and revives her with his singing. Nandini runs towards him and they embrace, with her brothers finally supporting their relationship.
Cast
[edit]- Prabhuas Chinna Thambi
- Khushbuas Nandhini
- Manoramaas Kannamma
- Radha Ravias Rathnavelu, Nandhini's first elder brother
- Rajeshkumar as Shanmugavelu, Nandhini's second elder brother
- Uday Prakashas Sakthivelu, Nandhini's third elder brother
- Goundamanias Cook Kandhasamy[2]
- Sulakshanaas Lakshmi, Rathnavelu's Wife
- Yuvasree as Meena, Shanmugavelu's Wife
- Panduas Lingam
- Oru Viral Krishna Raoas Muniyandi
- Anujaas Sundari
- Master Shakthias Young Chinna Thambi
- Marthandam as an insane man[3]
Production
[edit]P. Vasu's son Sakthi made his screen debut as a child artist at the age of seven with this film, appearing as the younger version of Prabhu's character.[4][5]Khushbu joined the film at Vasu's insistence.[6]Vasu was initially sceptical about casting Manorama as Prabhu's mother as he believed people would compare it to her vastly different role in Vasu's previous filmNadigan(1990), but Manorama remained confident it would not happen.[7]The filming was held atGobichettipalayam.[8]
Soundtrack
[edit]The soundtrack was composed byIlaiyaraaja.[9]The song "Nee Engey En Anbe" is set to theCarnatic ragaKeeravani,[10]as is "Poovoma Oorgolam".[11]Ilaiyaraaja composed all the songs within 35 minutes.[12]The song "Kuyila Pudichu" is set inMayamalavagowlaraga.[13]All of them were chartbusters.[14]The film proved to be a breakthrough for playback singerSwarnalatha.[15][16]
| Song | Singer(s) | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Thooliyile Ada Vantha I" | K. S. Chithra | Vaali | 2:40 |
| "Thooliyile Ada Vantha II" | Mano | 4:38 | |
| "Poovoma Oorgolam" | Swarnalatha,S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:44 | |
| "Ada Uchcham Thala" | Mano | 4:58 | |
| "Kuyila Pudichchu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:46 | |
| "Arachcha Santhanam" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Gangai Amaran | 4:52 |
| "Nee Engey En Anbe" | Swarnalatha | Vaali | 5:04 |
| "Thooliyile Ada Vantha III" | Mano | 1.52 |
Reception
[edit]The Indian Expresswrote, "The conflicts are generated in such a way as to excite the sentiments of lay audiences".[17]
Accolades
[edit]Chinna Thambiwon theTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Filmwhich met with criticism fromKalki.[18]
| Award | Category | Nominee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema Express Awards | Best Tamil Film | K. Balu | [19] |
| Best Tamil Director | P. Vasu | ||
| Best Tamil Actress | Khushbu | ||
| Best Tamil Comedian | Goundamani | ||
| Best Tamil Male Playback Singer | Mano | ||
| Best Tamil Female Playback Singer | Swarnalatha | ||
| Best Tamil Choreographer | D. K. S. Babu | ||
| Film Fans Association Awards | Best Lyricist | Gangai Amaran | [20] |
| Filmfare Awards South | Best Tamil Film | K. Balu | [21] |
| Tamil Nadu State Film Awards | Best Film (First Place) | K. Balu | [18] [22] |
| Best Director | P. Vasu | ||
| Best Actor in Lead Role | Prabhu | ||
| Best Actress in Lead Role | Khushbu | ||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Mano | ||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Swarnalatha | ||
| Best Choreographer | D. K. S. Babu |
Remakes
[edit]| Year | Film | Language | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Ramachaari | Kannada | [23] |
| 1992 | Chanti | Telugu | [24] |
| 1993 | Anari | Hindi | [25] |
Legacy
[edit]Chinna Thambibecame a major breakthrough for Prabhu and Khushbu.[26]They became one of the most successful lead pairs in Tamil cinema of the 1990s through this film.[27][28]The success of the film also led the director, actor and actress to collaborate in another projectKizhakku Karai(1991) the following year.[29]After the release, Vasu was conferred "Navarasa Director" award by Amudha Surabhi Kalai Mandram, Madurai.[30]
Khushbu said in 2006, "I am still around only because ofChinna Thambi.None of us imagined it would become the kind of cult film it did. I remember director P. Vasu, hero Prabhu and I were very skeptical about the film while shooting. It was a bold subject at the time, and we thought it would either be a huge flop or a huge hit ".[31]Prabhu recalled, "People still talk aboutChinna Thambi[...] I still remember my father’s words after the show. "Just as I got aBhimbsingh,you've got Vasu ", he said".[32]
In popular culture
[edit]After the film's success, Gobichettipalayam became a shooting hub for many films.[8]Vasu alluded toChinna Thambiin his later filmMannan(1992), in which Krishnan (Rajinikanth) and Muthu (Goundamani) would be seen rushing in the crowd to buy tickets to watch the film.[33]
References
[edit]- ^"'சின்னதம்பி' வெளியாகி 30 ஆண்டுகள்: குஷ்பு நெகிழ்ச்சி ".Hindu Tamil Thisai(in Tamil). 12 April 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"Goundamani sends legal notice to Sixer team, demands removal of his photo and dialogues".Cinema Express.29 August 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 16 October 2021.Retrieved9 September2023.
- ^"'Movies may come and go, art will always be there for me'".The New Indian Express.13 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 20 November 2023.Retrieved20 November2023.
- ^"P. Vasu Talks About 'Sivalinga' And Goundamani's Actions In 'Mannan' Which Made Rajini Go For 21 Takes".Iflicks.3 January 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 22 June 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"Actress Khushbu Sundar reminisces 30 years of Chinna Thambi, calls it a 'cult'".Times Now.12 April 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"30 Years of 'Chinna Thambi': Khushbu goes nostalgic about her biggest blockbuster".Sify.12 April 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 15 April 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^K R, Manigandan (12 October 2015)."Lesser Known Side of a Comical Genius".The New Indian Express.Archivedfrom the original on 16 February 2024.Retrieved16 February2024.
- ^abPrasad, Ayyappa (28 August 1992)."Gobi glamour catching".The Indian Express.p. 7.Retrieved4 March2019– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^"Chinnathambi Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraja".Mossymart.Archivedfrom the original on 22 June 2021.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^Sundararaman 2007,p. 147.
- ^Sundararaman 2007,p. 155.
- ^Kamath, Sudhish(4 September 2012)."The Maestro's Magic continues".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 22 June 2021.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^ராமானுஜன், டாக்டர் ஜி. (1 June 2018)."ராக யாத்திரை 07: மாரியம்மனும் மரிக்கொழுந்தும்".Hindu Tamil Thisai(in Tamil).Archivedfrom the original on 19 October 2022.Retrieved27 February2024.
- ^"Raaja's 35-minute track record".The Times of India.10 September 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2012.Retrieved28 September2012.
- ^Ashok Kumar, S.R. (8 May 2009)."My first break – Swarnalatha".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 17 May 2015.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Aishwarya, S. (12 September 2010)."Playback singer Swarnalatha passes away".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 27 December 2016.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^NKS (12 April 1991)."Chinnathambi".The Indian Express.p. 7.Retrieved13 November2017– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^abபிரியன் (15 November 1992)."சின்ன தம்பி சிறந்த படமா?"[Chinna Thambi, best film?](PDF).Kalki(in Tamil). pp. 1–2.Retrieved10 May2024– viaInternet Archive.
- ^"'Chinnathambi' BagsCinema ExpressAward ".The Indian Express.25 February 1992. p. 3.Retrieved4 October2013– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^"Kamal adjudged best actor for role inGuna".The Indian Express.22 June 1992. p. 3.Retrieved12 September2023– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^"39th Annual Filmfare Awards Nite".Filmfare.Archivedfrom the original on 8 February 2017.Retrieved15 March2022– viaInternet Archive.
- ^"Chinnathambi bags six awards".The Indian Express.30 October 1992. p. 3.Retrieved14 February2021– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^Kumar, S. Shiva (2 June 2011)."Waiting with hope".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 21 August 2020.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Sri (15 July 2010)."Interview: Ravi Raja Pinisetty".Telugucinema.p. 2. Archived fromthe originalon 31 December 2010.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Sharma, Devesh (25 June 2020)."Filmfare Recommends: Top 10 Films of Karisma Kapoor".Filmfare.Archivedfrom the original on 24 October 2020.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Sundaram, Nandhu (21 October 2016)."A Silver Toast To The Golden Year Of Tamil Cinema".Outlook.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2020.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"South Indian Film Scene".Screen.21 February 1992. p. 12.
- ^KR, Manigandan (14 February 2018)."Prabhu and Khushboo, blockbuster pair of the 1990s – Valentine's Day special".Cinestaan.Archivedfrom the original on 2 January 2020.Retrieved22 June2021.
- ^"Kizhakku Karai".The Indian Express.27 September 1991. p. 5.Retrieved16 June2015– viaGoogle News Archive.
- ^"Conferring titles on actors, with a difference".The Hindu.2 February 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 22 June 2021.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Ajith Kumar, P.K. (27 October 2006)."The sign of a winner".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 27 December 2016.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^Rangarajan, Malathi (5 September 2008)."Shifting stance".The Hindu.Archivedfrom the original on 27 December 2016.Retrieved31 October2020.
- ^L M, Kaushik."The real beneficiaries from Vishwaroopam's ban".Behindwoods.Archived fromthe originalon 14 February 2016.Retrieved23 December2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- Sundararaman (2007) [2005].Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music(2nd ed.). Pichhamal Chintamani.OCLC295034757.