{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Annai Velankanni | image = Annai Velankanni poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = K. Thangappan | producer = K. Thangappan | writer = Sham De Thomson | starring = {{ubl|Srividya|Sivakumar|Jayalalithaa|Gemini Ganesan|Padmini}} | music = G. Devarajan | cinematography = G. K. Ramu | editing = N. M. Sankar | studio = Giri Movies | released = {{Film date|1971|08|15|df=y}} | runtime = 148 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Annai Velankanni''''' ({{Translation|Mother Velankanni}}) is a 1971 Indian Tamil-language film directed by K. Thangappan. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, Jayalalithaa, Padmini, and K. R. Vijaya. Kamal Haasan briefly appears in an uncredited role as Jesus Christ. It comprises three stories pertaining to Catholic beliefs.
== Premise == Velankanni, the film's setting, is a town in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, built over sites where three Marian apparitions are believed to have taken place since the 16th century.
==Plot== Mary (Jayalalithaa) is a nurse in a hospital at Nagapattinam and is a devotee of Mary, mother of Jesus who is believed to have appeared in Velankanni thrice in the past. While the nurse is away from the hospital meeting her love interest Susainathan (Gemini Ganesan), the saint Mary assumes the nurse's form and attends to her duties.
==Cast== {{cast listing| *Srividya as Chellayee *Sivakumar as Rangaiah *Jayalalithaa as Nurse Mary *Gemini Ganesan as Susai Nathan *Padmini as Swarnam *Master Sekhar as Raasa, Swarnam's Son *Major Sundarrajan as Sudararajan, Head Doctor *K. R. Vijaya as Kamakshi *R. Muthuraman as landlord *Devika as Kannamma, landlord's Wife *Sachu as candle-selling woman *Manorama as doll-selling Burmese woman * S. V. Subbaiah as Father Francis *Nagesh as Kannaiah *Thengai Srinivasan as captain of a Portuguese India Armada *Srikanth as Doctor Antony }}
;Cameo appearances {{cast listing| * Kamal Haasan as Jesus Christ * Baby Sumathi as patient * S. Ramadoss as Karuppaiah, Chellayee's father * Janaki as Velayee, Kamakshi's Neighbour * I. S. R. as Thangaiah * Gemini Balu as Mayandi * Siva Sooriyan as villager * A. Veerappan as villager * Karikol Raju as villager * G. Sakunthala as Annam * S. Rama Rao as Sundaram * V. R. Thilagam as Sundaram's wife * Pushpamala in Cameo Appearance * Master Prabhakar as Ayyakannu * Suruli Rajan as Arunachalam, Village President * Lakshmi Prabha as Susainathan's mother }}
== Production == ''Annai Velankanni'' was produced and directed by K. Thangappan under the company Giri Movies. The film dialogues were written by Sham De Thomson.<ref name="thehindu">{{Cite web |last=Vijayakumar |first=B. |date=December 20, 2015 |title=Old is Gold - Velankanni Mathavu 1977 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/velankanni-mathavu-1977/article8011033.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180922161810/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/velankanni-mathavu-1977/article8011033.ece |archive-date=22 September 2018 |access-date=2016-09-14 |website=The Hindu}}</ref> Kamal Haasan worked as the assistant director of the film and appeared in a cameo as Jesus Christ in the film.<ref name="thehindu" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=29 January 2021 |title=ஜெமினிகணேசன் உதவியால் எனக்கு வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தது - கமலஹாசன் வெளியிட்ட தகவல் |url=https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinehistory/2021/01/29013346/2299481/cinima-history.vpf |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210529140016/https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinehistory/2021/01/29013346/2299481/cinima-history.vpf |archive-date=29 May 2021 |access-date=6 May 2021 |website=Maalai Malar |language=ta}}</ref> Srividya and Sivakumar paired first time in this movie.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=27 October 2006 |title=Subtle portraits, eloquent eyes |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/subtle-portraits-eloquent-eyes/article3231120.ece |url-status=live |access-date=20 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418065344/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/subtle-portraits-eloquent-eyes/article3231120.ece |archive-date=18 April 2015}}</ref>
==Release and reception== ''Annai Velankanni'' was released on 15 August 1971.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 December 2016 |title=ஜெயலலிதா நடித்த திரைப்படங்களின் பட்டியல் |language=ta |work=Dinamani |url=http://www.dinamani.com/cm-jayalalitha/2016/dec/06/%E0%AE%9C%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BE-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-2610816.html |access-date=22 September 2018 |archive-date=22 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922120949/http://www.dinamani.com/cm-jayalalitha/2016/dec/06/%E0%AE%9C%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BE-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-2610816.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was dubbed Telugu-language as ''Mary Matha'' and released on 25 December 1971.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 December 1971 |title=Mary Matha |url=https://archive.org/details/ANDHRAPATRIKA25121971/page/n5/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240404141906/https://archive.org/details/ANDHRAPATRIKA25121971/page/n5/mode/2up |archive-date=4 April 2024 |access-date=4 April 2024 |work=Andhra Patrika |pages=6 |language=te |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The film was later dubbed into Malayalam-language as ''Velankanni Mathavu'' released on 27 May 1977.<ref name="thehindu" /> Historian B. Vijayakumar Stated in an article that the Tamil and Malayalam-dubbed versions were box office hits. Both versions were box office hits in Kerala.<ref name="thehindu" />
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by G. Devarajan, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan, Vaali and Ayyasamy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annai Velankanni (1971) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=t0001346 |url-status=dead |access-date=2014-06-25 |website=Raaga.com |archive-date=16 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816020236/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0001346 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Song !! Singers !! Length |- | "Devamaindhan Pogindran" || T. M. Soundararajan || 03:23 |- | "Kadal Alai Thaalaattum" || P. Madhuri || 04:01 |- | "Karunai Kadale" || P. Susheela || 03:40 |- | "Karunai Mazhaiyae" || P. Susheela || 03:39 |- | "Neelakkadalin Oratthil" || T. M. Soundararajan, P. Madhuri|| 03:22 |- | "Pera Orani" || T. M. Soundararajan, P. Madhuri|| 06:39 |- | "Thandhana Thaana" || K. J. Yesudas, P. Madhuri|| 06:01 |- | "Vaanamennum Veedhiyile" || K. J. Yesudas, P. Madhuri|| 03:12 |}
== Accolades == ''Annai Velankanni'' won the Chennai Film Fans' Association Award for Best Popular Film and Sekar won for Best Child Star.<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 January 2000 |title=அன்றிலிருந்து இன்றுவரை சினிமா |language=ta |pages=7 |work=Vlambaram |url=http://www.vlambaram.com/archives/January%2015,%2000.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=23 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523074038/http://www.vlambaram.com/archives/January%2015,%2000.pdf |archive-date=23 May 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb title|0810757}}
Category:1971 Indian films Category:1971 Tamil-language films Category:1971 films Category:Christian mass media in India Category:Films about Christianity Category:Films based on Indian folklore Category:Films scored by G. Devarajan Category:Films set in Tamil Nadu Category:Marian apparitions in film Category:Portrayals of Jesus in film Category:Portrayals of Mary, mother of Jesus, in film Category:Tamil-language Indian films