Vanambadi is a 1963 Tamil language film.Tamil Suspense Film was directed by G. R. Nathan and Produced by K. Murugesan. The film script were written by Valampuri Somanathan. Music by K. V. Mahadevan assets to the movie.It stars S. S. Rajendran and Devika in the lead roles with R. Muthuraman, S. V. Sahasranamam, T. R. Rajakumari, T. R. Ramachandran, R. S. Manohar, Pushpalatha and Sheela in supporting roles. Kamal Haasan appears as a child artist in the film. The film was adaptation from Sheesparish Bengali novel.^[1]

Plot

A young women Meena(Devika) escapes from the clutches of a womenzing Zamindar Marthandam(O. A. K. Devar). She is targeted shoot him and escapes from the place and run away the railway track and she attempts suicide and saved by an elderly couple named as Thanikachalam(S. V. Sahasranamam and his wife Parvathi(T. R. Rajakumari), who adopted her. Because, she was similar to the elder couple own daughter Uma was passed away from two years ago. Meena such as habit of similar to uma, Meena was wrote poet , singing and composing music instruments. They wish her wed their nephew Sekahar(S. S. Rajendran). But he was agree the wedding and started avoiding her. But Meena was falls love with sekhar. Adopted brother Mohan(R. Muthuraman and a friend Nithyanandham(T. R. Ramachandran try to help of meena holding hand of Sekahar. Sekhar was impressed to her and loves with each other. Meena and Sekhar wedding is arranged. But, during the ceremony another man Gopal(R. S. Manohar) shows up claims to meena to be his wife and she's named as Sumathi. Gopal kept at the evidence for their wedding photo and witness of her father Somasundaram(V. S. Raghavan).

Cast

• S. S. Rajendran as Sekhar
• Devika as Uma/Meena/Sumathi/Kausalya Devi(twin sisters) - Uma is Parvathi & Thanikachlam daughter but she is dead. Meena is Thanikachalam adapted daughter/ Sumathi is a Play back singer and Daughter of Somasundaram and Mistress of Gopal.Sumathi was changed the name as Kausalya devi after leaving her husband gopal
• R. Muthuraman as Mohan
• S. V. Sahasranamam as Thanikachalam
• T. R. Ramachandran as Nithyanandham
• R. S. Manohar as Gopal (Sumathi/Kausalya devi's Husband)
• Javert Seetharaman as Shiva Shkaran (Chithra father)
• Master Kamal Haasan as Ravi (Mohan younger brother)
• T. R. Rajakumari as Parvathi (Thanikachalam wife)
• Pushpalatha as Kalyani (Nithyanandham wife)
• Sheela as Chithra (Mohan wife)
• V. S. Raghavan as Somasundaram (Sumathi's father)
• O. A. K. Devar as Zamindar Marthandam
• M. E. Madhavan as Sundaramoorthy (Meena's Maternal Uncle)
• Janaki as Thanikachalam

Synopsis

Meena (Devika), a young woman, escapes from the clutches of a womanizing Zamindar. She attempts suicide and is saved by an elderly couple, who adopt her. They wish her to wed their nephew (S. S. Rajendran) and the wedding is arranged. But, during the ceremony, another man (R. S. Manohar) shows up claiming Meena to be his wife. She is arrested for the attempted murder of the Zamindar. But, she say she doesn't him. Her adoptive brother (Muthuraman) and a friend (T. R. Ramachandran) try to solve the mystery. Meena runs away from the family to relieve them of the anguish she has caused them and they later find her as a stage/playback singer calling herself as Kausalya Devi. But Kausalya Devi claims she has never seen them before. How do they resolve the mystery forms rest of the story.

Reception

Based on Sheeshparish, a Bengali story, the film was universally acclaimed and was a commercial success upon its release, owing its success to the story, performance of Devika and the string of melodious, evergreen songs.

Soundtrack

Soundtrack is composed by K. V. Mahadevan. The song "Thookanankuruvi" is based on Suddhadhanyasi and Charukesi whereas "Gangaikarai" is based on Abheri raga and Lyrics written by Kannadasan.^[2][3][4][5]