Uruvangal Maralam (pronounced [uɾuʋaŋɡaɭ maːralaːm] transl. Forms can change) is a 1983 Indian Tamil-language drama film written, produced and directed by S. V. Ramanan who also composed the film's soundtrack. The film stars Y. G. Mahendran and Suhasini, with Sivaji Ganesan, Jaishankar, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth playing different forms of God in guest appearances. Based on the 1977 American film Oh, God!,[2] it was released on 14 January 1983.[3]
| Uruvangal Maralam | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | S. V. Ramanan |
| Written by | S. V. Ramanan |
| Produced by | S. V. Ramanan Ramji Raghu[1] |
| Starring | |
| Music by | S. V. Ramanan |
Production company | R3 Movie Makers |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
editThis article needs an improved plot summary. (March 2023) |
Ramalingam believes in formless God more than anything else in this world and worships all forms of Gods right down to newspaper clippings. He works in a bank where he is constantly mocked. Even his wife looks down upon this habit of his.
He is once called by God, which he initially considers a prank, who tells him that he has to inform people about the various things about to happen in the future. He starts believing that the person he spoke to, in form of Sivaji Ganesan, is God when he is summoned to 18th floor of a 7th floor building through a lift when he is unable to replicate.
Ramalingam starts his task of telling people, but no one believes him in the beginning. However, his "predictions" of train accident, among others, start to happen in real time. Slowly when what he says starts occurring people term him a powerful monk and start coming to him. God takes several other famous actor forms and keeps hinting the world through Ramalingam. One day, God tells Ramalingam that his son is going to die. The tables turn and Ramalingam starts cursing God though he still keeps his faith. In the end, he is arrested as a terrorist for pointing out a train accident before it happened, something one cannot know without inside knowledge. God appears in court which the judge mocks. God disappears in front of all to show he is God and Ramalingam is not insane. God gives Ramalingam his son back saying this is why God no longer interferes in human affairs.
Cast
edit- Y. G. Mahendran as Ramalingam[4]
- Suhasini as Lakshmi
- S. Ve. Shekher
- K. A. Thangavelu as Punnaaku Punniyakotti
- Thengai Srinivasan as Thengai Srinivasan working in Press
- Vennira Aadai Moorthy as Manager
- Manorama as Goddess
- Bindu Ghosh as Kuchipudi Sabalam
- Silk Smitha
- Loose Mohan
Sivaji Ganesan, Jaishankar, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth make guest appearances as different forms of god.
Production
editUruvangal Maralam is Y. G. Mahendran's 100th film as an actor.[5] Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Jaishankar played different forms of God in guest appearances.[2][5] Ganesan's scenes were filmed in one day.[2] Haasan also choreographed one song in the film, "Kamanukku Kaman".[6] This was the first film where Rajinikanth appeared as Raghavendra, a role he would reprise in a full-fledged manner in Sri Raghavendrar (1985).[5]
Soundtrack
editThe soundtrack was composed by the director S. V. Ramanan.[7]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Vanil Vazhum" | Raghu | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam | |
| 2. | "Andavane Unnai" | Vairamuthu | M. S. Viswanathan | |
| 3. | "Kamanukku Kaman" | Raghu | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | |
| 4. | "Ganamrutham" | Raghu | Swarnalatha, S. N. Surendar & Chorus |
Reception
editThiraignani of Kalki praised the acting of entire star cast and also praised the music, dialogues and direction of Ramanan.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Special footwork". The Indian Express. 8 December 1992. p. 5. Retrieved 30 May 2021 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ a b c "மறக்க முடியுமா மர்ம மனிதர்களை". Kalki (in Tamil). 31 August 1997. pp. 78–79. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2022 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Uruvangal Maralam (1983)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "A combination of comedian and character". The Hindu. 18 January 2005. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Ramachandran, Naman (2014) [2012]. Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography. New Delhi: Penguin Books. pp. 121–122. ISBN 978-0-14-342111-5.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (16 October 2014). "Enriching cinema, Kamal style". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Uruvangal Maralam Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ திரைஞானி (23 January 1983). "உருவங்கள் மாறலாம்". Kalki (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023 – via Internet Archive.