{{Short description|1944 film by K. Subramanyam}} {{For|the 1944 Hindi film|Bhartrahari}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox film | name = Barthruhari | image = Barthruhari poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = K. Subrahmanyam<br />C. S. V. Iyer | producer = K. Subrahmanyam | screenplay = Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam | story = | based_on = | starring = Serukalathur Sama<br />B. Jayamma | narrator = | music = V. S. Parthasarathy Iyengar | cinematography = C.V. Ramakrishnan | editing = | studio = Kalaivani Films<br />Madras United Artistes Corporation<ref name=BFTPhindu>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/bharthruhari-1944/article3339493.ece|title=Bharthruhari 1944|work=The Hindu|date=21 April 2012|access-date=31 May 2017|last=Guy|first=Randor|author-link=Randor Guy|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170531091613/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/bharthruhari-1944/article3339493.ece|archive-date=31 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> | distributor = SIP | released = {{film date|1944|4|13|df=y}} | runtime = | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = | gross = }} '''''Barthruhari''''' is a 1944 Indian Tamil language historical drama film produced by K. Subrahmanyam, who co-directed it with C. S. V. Iyer. The film stars Serukalathur Sama and B. Jayamma, with G. Pattu Iyer, N. S. Krishnan, V. N. Janaki and T. A. Mathuram in supporting roles. Based on the life of the king Bharthari, it was released on 13 April 1944 and failed commercially.
== Plot == King Barthruhari is married to 300 wives. He spends most of his time with the youngest of them and his most favourite, Pingala. The chief groom of the king's horses, Aswapaalan resorts to thievery to satisfy the needs of his mistress, Sundari. The people who were robbed complain to the king, who decides to find the culprit and punish him. Through sheer happenstance, Aswapaalan meets Pingala and both start having an extramarital affair without the king's knowledge.
Vikramadityan, the king's brother, catches Aswapaalan one night and puts him in custody in Pingala's palace. To escape from the situation lest her affair with Aswapaalan is discovered, complains to Barthruhari that Vikramadityan tried to seduce her, which Vikramadityan denies. The king immediately banishes Vikramadityan without looking into the matter properly. Later, the king realises that his younger brother was telling the truth when he sees Aswapaalan and Pingala together. Shocked and aggrieved, he gives up his throne, brings Vikramadityan back and crowns him as the new king. Barthruhari then becomes a hermit and retires to the forest to do penance.<ref name=BFTPhindu />
== Cast == *Serukalathur Sama as Barthruhari<ref name=BFTPhindu /> *B. Jayamma as Pingala<ref name=BFTPhindu /> *G. Pattu Iyer as Vikramadityan<ref name=BFTPhindu /> *N. S. Krishnan as Aswapaalan<ref name=BFTPhindu /> *V. N. Janaki as Pingala's companion<ref name=BFTPhindu /> *T. A. Mathuram as Sundari<ref name=BFTPhindu />
== Production == K. Subrahmanyam co-produced the film under his own banner Madras United Artistes Corporation with Kalaivani Films.<ref name=BFTPhindu /> C. V. Ramakrishnan worked as the film's cinematographer. Both Nagoor and S. R. Sarma were in charge of the production design. Principal photography for the film was done at Newtone Studio.<ref name=BFTPhindu />
''Bharthruhari'' featured intimate romance sequences between Jayamma and Krishnan which, according to film critic and historian Randor Guy, "people thought was in bad taste" and that it was "certainly far ahead of the times". These scenes generated controversy for the film, Jayamma and Krishnan.<ref name=BFTPhindu />
== Soundtrack == V. S. Parthasarathy Iyengar composed the film's music and score while Papanasam Sivan, Rajagopal Iyer and Udumalai Narayana Kavi wrote the lyrics for the songs.<ref name=BFTPhindu /> Jayamma and Krishnan sang a duet in the film.{{efn|Guy does not mention the song's name.<ref name=BFTPhindu />}}
;Some songs * ''Neere Neere Maaran'' – B. Jayamma * ''Umaiyodu'' – Serukalathur Sama, B. Jayamma
== Release and reception == ''Barthruhari'' was released on 13 April 1944, and was distributed by SIP.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 April 1944 |title=Barthruhari |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19440413&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=The Indian Express |pages=3 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The film received neither positive critical response nor commercial success, with the intimate scenes between Jayamma and Krishnan adversely impacting its box office performance.<ref name=BFTPhindu />
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title}}
Category:1944 films Category:Films about infidelity Category:Films directed by K. Subramanyam Category:Indian black-and-white films Category:Indian historical drama films Category:1944 Tamil-language films Category:1944 Indian films Category:1940s historical drama films Category:Tamil-language Indian films