Naan Adimai Illai
Poster
Directed byDwarakish
Screenplay byS. L. Bihari
Partho Mukherjee
Based onPyar Jhukta Nahin
by Vijay Sadanah
Produced byDwarakish
StarringRajinikanth
Sridevi
CinematographyDevi Prasad
Edited byGauthamraj
Music byVijay Anand
Production
company
Dwarakish Chithra
Release date
  • 1 March 1986 (1986-03-01)
Running time
145 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Naan Adimai Illai (transl. I am not a slave) is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by Dwarakish. The film stars Rajinikanth and Sridevi. This was the last Tamil film for Sridevi in 1980s who then concentrated on her Bollywood career, though she would later return to Tamil cinema in the 2010s. Naan Adimai Illai ran for 75 days in all major cities and was a disaster at the box office.[1][2] The film was a remake of the Hindi film Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985).

Plot

Vijay is a professional photographer from a middle-class background, who falls in love with a rich girl, Priya, whose father is Rajasekhar, a class-conscious man. They are stubborn in their love and marry against her parents' wishes. But soon the marriage is on the rocks due to the difference in their backgrounds, with the wily Rajasekhar playing his cards very well to split his daughter from Vijay. They have a fight and Priya goes back to her parents' house and Rajasekhar coerces her to file for divorce from Vijay. After a few days, Priya visits the doctor for a stomach-ache and learns that she is pregnant. An elated Priya is ready to mend fences with Vijay and wants to tell him the news, but is blocked by her dad who has fixed her remarriage with someone else. She gives her dad the slip and goes to Vijay's house, just to find out that he vacated the place recently.

Later Vijay is in a hospital to visit his friend and Priya is brought to the same hospital with labour pains. Vijay is thrilled and tries to talk to Priya, but Rajasekhar tells Vijay that he will give him the baby on the condition that he promises he will never see Priya again and Vijay agrees. Priya gives birth to a son and Vijay takes him away. Priya's father tells her that the baby was stillborn. She is dejected and loses her mental balance and thinks that her son is still alive. Vijay brings up his son away from Priya's family. Many years later, Priya who is seriously depressed and always carries a doll assuming it to be her son, is unknowingly brought by her parents close to where Vijay lives and gets acquainted with a boy in the neighbourhood. The boy turns out to be her son and he leads Priya to Vijay.

Cast

Production

Naan Adimai Illai is a remake of the Hindi film Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985).[3] Rajinikanth wanted Sridevi in the film, and she accepted instantly.[4] Director and producer Dwarakish, who also produced the Kannada version Nee Bareda Kadambari (1985), noted the difficulty in obtaining her dates because "her call sheet was similar to that of a superstar".[5] It was her final appearance in a Tamil film before she concentrated on her Bollywood career, though she would later return in the 2010s.[6][7] She had played the same role in the Telugu version Pachani Kapuram (1985).[8]

Soundtrack

Soundtrack was composed by Vijay Anand.[9][10] The song "Oru Jeevan Thaan" is based on Misra Sivaranjani raga.[11]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Oru Jeevanthan"VaaliS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki4:48
2."Devi Devi"VairamuthuS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki4:32
3."Vaa Vaa"MuthulingamS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki4:35
4."Pona Poguthu"VairamuthuS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki4:19
5."Oru Jeevanthan Pathos 1"VaaliS. P. Balasubrahmanyam4:56
6."Oru Jeevanthan Pathos 2"VaaliS. Janaki5:20
7."Vaa Vaa Idayame"MuthulingamS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki4:27
Total length:29:35

Reception

Kalki criticised the film's second half, saying it looked like the film was stumbling without knowing how to take the story forward.[12]

References

  1. ^ Saraswathi, S (28 May 2014). "Rajinikanth's 10 Biggest FLOPS". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Boxoffice Database based on Number of Days". Rajinifans.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  3. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2014) [2012]. Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography. New Delhi: Penguin Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-14-342111-5.
  4. ^ Subramanian, Anupama (27 February 2018). "Sridevi took a vow when Rajinikanth fell ill". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. ^ Harsha (26 February 2018). "I'm her Meera, says Sridevi's ardent fan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  6. ^ Rao, Subha J. (10 October 2015). "Return of the queen". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Ajith does a cameo for free in English Vinglish". Moviecrow. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  8. ^ Nayak, Satyarth (2019). Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess. India: Penguin Random House. p. 85. ISBN 9789353056780.
  9. ^ "Naan Adimai Illai". Gaana. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Naan Adimai Illai Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Vijay Anand". Banumass. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  11. ^ Mani, Charulatha (28 September 2012). "Sivaranjani for pathos". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  12. ^ "நான் அடிமை இல்லை". Kalki (in Tamil). 23 March 1986. p. 31. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.

External links

Dwarakish filmography
Categories