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Shanti Nilayam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	G. S. Mani
Written by	Chithralaya Gopu
Produced by	S. S. Vasan
Starring	Gemini Ganesan Kanchana
Cinematography	Marcus Bartley
Edited by	Umanath
Music by	M. S. Viswanathan
Production company	Gemini Studios
Release date	23 May 1969 (1969-05-23)
Running time	149 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Shanti Nilayam (/ʃɑːnθi/ transl. Peaceful House) is a 1969 Indian Tamil-language musical drama film, directed by G. S. Mani in his debut. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and Kanchana, with Nagesh, Vijaya Lalitha, Pandari Bai, K. Balaji and V. S. Raghavan in supporting roles. It is based on the 1965 American film The Sound of Music and the 1847 novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. The film was released on 23 May 1969, and ran for over 100 days in theatres. Marcus Bartley won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography, and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. The film was remade in Telugu under the same title in 1972.

Plot

Malathi, after losing her parents, lives with her aunt who tortures and treats her like a servant. One day she is dumped in a waste materials facility and she falls sick. Doctor Vijayan, who comes to treat her, sympathises and admits her in a private school-cum-hostel for orphans. Malathi grows up into a young lady and becomes a teacher in the same school.

Baskar, a rich estate owner, lives in Shanthi Nilayam with his older brother Sekar's children (four daughters and a son) and is finding it difficult to bring them up as they are very naughty and the hired governess runs away every time. His cousin Ramu and his mother live in the estate too. Baskar conveys his need to Dr. Vijayan who convinces Malathi to accept the governess job. Initially, the children do not accept Malathi, but her understanding and matured nature soon wins them over. Baskar appreciates her work.

Strange things happen in the house: Pappamma, the servant maid laughs and walks at midnight with a candle, Balu visits Baskar regularly for money. Malathi suspects something wrong in the house. She learns that one of the children, Geetha, an innocent loves Ramu. One night Baskar's coat catches fire and Malathi douses it. She demands to know why Baskar looks like he has lost something, but he does not reply. Balu comes again and Baskar gives him money and tells him that he will not give him any more.

Baskar's family friend, Parvatham arrives with her husband and daughter Sheela. Parvatham suggests the marriage of Baskar and Sheela and Malathi is upset hearing this. Malathi's aunt, with her daughters Saradha and Sumathi, arrives there after having fallen in their lives. Ramu's mother accepts them and they stay with Malathi. Sheela and her mother treat Malathi and her relatives badly. They spread rumours about Malathi, and Baskar shouts at Malathi to behave properly like an educated person. Malathi feels that even Baskar is treating her like a servant and decides to leave the house. However, Ramu stops her and states the children's needs and she stays back. Baskar understands Malathi's commitment to the family and expresses his love for her. Sheela overhears this and shouts at Malathi for snatching away Baskar. Baskar asks Sheela and her family to leave. The children are happy about Malathi and Baskar uniting. Baskar schedules their wedding for the following Friday. One day, Malathi sees Balu with bloodstains and demands an explanation from Baskar who promises to reveal everything soon.

During the marriage proceeding, Balu arrives and states that Baskar has already married his sister. Baskar accepts and reveals that he indeed married Janaki, a mad woman and explains the circumstances of the marriage. Baskar's father in an altercation, hit Singaram, Balu's father, leading to his death. Balu blackmails Baskar's father to marry his sister to Bhaskar and give a part of the wealth to her. Baskar's father refuses, but Baskar, to save the family's prestige, agrees and marries Janaki, but finds her totally mad. He gives her the best medical treatment, but there is no improvement in Janaki. Pappamma cares for her. Baskar's brother Sekar was killed in a fire lit by Janaki. Ramu's mother confirms the facts and Malathi is shocked and leaves home. The children cry for her to stay and Kavitha, one of them, follows her. Kavitha falls down unconscious and Malathi stops and returns home along with Dr. Vijayan, who arrives there.

Meanwhile, Balu demands Baskar to transfer the wealth belonging to Janaki to him and threatens to kill him otherwise. Baskar takes him on and beats him. At the same time, Janaki comes out of her room and puts the house on fire. Balu, Janaki and Pappamma die in the fire. Malathi, Ramu and Dr. Vijayan arrive and save everybody. Baskar and Malathi marry.

Cast

• Gemini Ganesan as Bhaskar
• Kanchana as Malathi
• Vijaya Lalitha as Sheela
• Nagesh as Ramu
• K. Balaji as Balu
• Pandari Bai as Ramu's mother
• V. S. Raghavan as Bhaskar's father
• Vijaya Chandrika as Janaki
• Leela as Paapamma
• Rama Prabha as Geetha
• Manjula as Bhaskar's niece
• Senthamarai as Singaram

Production

Producer S. S. Vasan's son-in-law G. S. Mani sought to remake the American film The Sound of Music (1965) in Tamil and asked Chithralaya Gopu to write the screenplay for the Tamil version, then present it to Vasan as a surprise. Although Vasan liked the screenplay, he felt that the film would not cater to rural audiences, so it was rewritten to be closer to the Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre (1847). The film was Mani's directorial debut. Cinematography was handled by Marcus Bartley, and editing by Umanath. Gopu's recommendation of Kanchana for the lead role was agreed upon by Mani. The film was entirely shot at Ooty and Mohana Kumari was in charge of the art direction. Camera techniques were used in the song "Bhoomiyil Iruppadhu" to show that a helium balloon was flying, while in reality it was not.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam made his debut in Tamil cinema with this film by singing the song "Iyarkai Ennum", even though Adimai Penn (which he signed after Shanti Nilayam) was released first. Balasubrahmanyam's remuneration for the song was ₹150 (equivalent to ₹7,800 or US$93 in 2023).

Release and reception

Shanti Nilayam was released on 23 May 1969. The Indian Express said the film "succeeds extraordinarily in so far as it adapts (or copies) The Sound of Music. But it fails miserably in other parts". The critic lauded Marcus Bartley's cinematography, particularly the outdoor shots, but felt the indoor shots "do not go with the story", and though the sets were well designed, "nothing more than a few sofa sets are used". They also praised the music and said Ganesan was "very stiff" in romantic scenes and Kanchana was "ravishing" despite her role not being well written. The film ran for over 100 days in theatres, and Bartley won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography, while Balasubrahmanyam won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

References

1. Dhananjayan 2014, p. 208.
2. ^ Dhananjayan 2014, p. 209.
3. நரசிம்மன், டி.ஏ. (12 October 2018). "சி(ரி)த்ராலயா 38: கோபுவிடம் கதை கேட்ட வாசன் !". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
4. "சித்ராலயா கோபுவின், மலரும் நினைவுகள்! (12)". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 26 July 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
5. ^ Guy, Randor (28 March 2015). "Shanthi Nilayam 1969". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
6. "Shanti Nilayam (1969)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
7. "Shanthi Nilayam Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
8. நவ்ஷத் (6 January 2017). "எஸ்பிபி 50 ஆண்டுகள்: எனக்கு இசைதான் தாய்மொழி'". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
9. Gopu, Chitralaya (25 September 2020). "Remembering SPB's maiden song". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
10. "Shanti Nilayam". The Indian Express. 23 May 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 30 August 2018 – via Google News Archive.
11. "Julie Andrews—Jane Eyre combination". The Indian Express. 25 May 1969. p. 5. Retrieved 3 April 2024 – via Google News Archive.
12. "Eleventh National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 21 November 1970. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2024.

Bibliography

• Dhananjayan, G. (2014). Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013. Blue Ocean Publishers. OCLC 898765509.

External links

• Shanti Nilayam at IMDb

• 1969 films
• 1960s Indian films
• 1960s musical drama films
• 1960s Tamil-language films
• 1969 directorial debut films
• Films about families
• Films based on Jane Eyre
• Films based on works by Charlotte Brontë
• Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan
• Films scored by R. Govardhanam
• Films shot in Ooty
• Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography National Film Award
• Films with screenplays by Chithralaya Gopu
• Indian musical drama films
• Indian remakes of American films
• Tamil films remade in other languages
• Tamil-language Indian films
• 1969 musical films