{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox film | name = Engal Kuladevi | image = Engal Kuladevi.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Adurthi Subba Rao|A. Subba Rao]] | producer = T. R. Sundaram | screenplay = M. K. Nathan | starring = [[K. Balaji]]<br />[[Pandaribai]]<br />[[Mynavathi]]<br />[[M. Saroja]] | music = [[K. V. Mahadevan]] | cinematography = Rajanikanth<br />Pandian<br />C. S. S. Mani | editing = L. Babu | studio = [[Modern Theatres]] | released = {{film date|df=yes|1959|12|4|ref1=}} | runtime = 168 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }} '''''Engal Kuladevi''''' ({{translation|Our Community Deity}}) is a 1959 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Adurthi Subba Rao|A. Subba Rao]]. The film was produced by [[T. R. Sundaram]] and stars [[K. Balaji]], [[Pandari Bai]] and [[Mynavathi]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=6 December 1959 |title=எங்கள் குலதேவி |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1959-12-06/page/n9/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241003124333/https://archive.org/details/kalki1959-12-06/page/n9/mode/2up |archive-date=3 October 2024 |access-date=3 October 2024 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=8 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It was released on 4 December 1959.<ref name="lakshmansruthi">{{Cite web |title=1959 – எங்கள் குலதேவி – தி மாடர்ன் தியேட்டர்ஸ். |trans-title=1959 – Engal Kuladevi – The Modern Theatres. |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1959-cinedetails10.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170516005743/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1959-cinedetails10.asp |archive-date=16 May 2017 |access-date=16 May 2017 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=Tamil}}</ref>

== Plot == Sabapathy, a retired postman, has two daughters&nbsp;— Meena, born to his first wife and Shanthi, born to his second wife Valli. Sabapathy arranges marriage for Meena with Vasanthan, who is the manager of a match-box company. Mangalam is a schoolmate of Valli. She poisons Valli's mind saying Vasanthan is more suitable to Valli's daughter Shanthi. Valli tries to coax Sabapathy, but he is determined and marries Meena to Vasanthan. During the first night of Vasanthan and Meena, someone has mixed poison in the milk and it comes to their knowledge. They leave Sabapathy's house and live in another house. Meena becomes pregnant and comes to Sabapathy's house for childbirth. She delivers a boy, Kumar but becomes restless and insane after the child-birth. Vasanthan suspects foul play and takes Meena and child with him. While travelling in the train, while Vasanthan is sleeping, Meena in her deranged state gets out of the train. Vasanthan is shocked when he wakes up and finds Meena is missing. A rumour spreads that Meena is dead, having been caught under the train and her body was mutilated. Now Shanthi comes to live with Vasanthan and to look after the child. Sabapathy learns that it was Valli who poisoned Meena and he dies of shock. In the meantime, Meena is saved by some people while she was lying by the side of the railway track and is admitted to a hospital. She is cured and comes in search of her husband. She sees that Shanthi is now living with her husband and looking after her child well. She does not want to disturb their life and goes to live with her friend Maragatham, who is also the wife of Vasanthan's office-mate. After the death of Sabapathy, Valli comes to live with Shanthi and Vasanthan. Though Vasanthan does not like her presence, he allows her to stay. Valli poisons the child and the child also becomes insane. Shanthi learns that her mother is the culprit. She gets wild with Valli. Vasanthan suspects Shanthi and takes the child to Maragatham and asks her to look after the child. Meena, who was staying with Maragatham realises there is a problem brewing in Vasanthan's home. She asks Maragatham to visit Vasanthan's home and find out what is happening. How everything is solved forms the rest of the story.<ref name="songbook">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/EngalKuladevi/Engal%20Kuladevi.pdf |title=எங்கள் குலதேவி |publisher=[[Modern Theatres]] |language=ta |type=[[song book]] |access-date=20 July 2022 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

== Cast == Adapted from the film's song book.<ref name="songbook" /> {{Col-begin|width=60%}} {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Male * [[K. Balaji]] as Vasanthan * [[Javar Seetharaman]] as Mr. Santhosham * [[Kuladeivam Rajagopal|V. R. Rajagopal]] as Shankaralingam * [[A. Karunanidhi]] as Chanakiyan * M. A. Ganapathi as Sabapathi * [[V. M. Ezhumalai]] as Kannayiram {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Female * [[Pandari Bai|M. Pandari Bai]] as Meena * [[Mynavathi|M. Mynavathi]] as Shanthi * [[M. Saroja]] as Maragatham * K. Suryakala as Amutha * [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Valli * P. S. Gnanam as Mangalam {{col-end}}

== Soundtrack == Music was composed by [[K. V. Mahadevan]] while the lyrics were penned by [[A. Maruthakasi]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam&nbsp;— Part 1 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |year=2014 |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=163 |language=Tamil}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Song !! Singer/s !! Duration (m:ss) |- | "Onnum Theriyaadha Kanni" || Thiruchi Loganathan, L. R. Eswari & group || 05:00 |- | "Malgova Maambalame Maadhulaiye" || rowspan=3|P. Susheela || 03:08 |- | "Vaadaa Malligaiye Vaadaa" || 03:35 |- | "Pachai Pasungiliye" || 03:55 |- | "Kannaadi Kannam Kaanbavar" || K. Jamuna Rani & group || 03:29 |- | "Oh...Vandu Aadaadha Solaiyil" || Sirkazhi Govindarajan & P. Susheela || 02:52 |- | "Kattaana Dhaehakattu" || K. Jamuna Rani || |- | "Chittang Chittang Kuruvi" || rowspan=2|A. G. Rathnamala || |- | "Paalum Pazhamirukka, Pakkathile" || 04:35 |- | "Ye Kutti Navamma Yem Mele Kovama" || T. M. Soundararajan & P. Susheela || 04.58 |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title}} {{Modern Theatres}}

[[Category:1959 Indian films]] [[Category:1959 Tamil-language films]] [[Category:1959 drama films]] [[Category:1959 films]] [[Category:Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan]] [[Category:Indian drama films]] [[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]] [[Category:Tamil-language drama films]]