{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox film | name = Kanjan | image = Kanjan poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Covai A. Aiyamuthu<br />T. R. Gopu | producer = K. Velliangiri<br />C. Sundaram | writer = | screenplay = Covai A. Aiyamuthu | story = Covai A. Aiyamuthu | based_on = | starring = S. V. Subbaiah<br />M. S. S. Bhagyam<br />R. Mallathi<br />T. G. Kamala Devi | narrator = | music = S. M. Subbaiah Naidu | cinematography = P. Ramasami | editing = T. R. Gopu | studio = Jupiter Pictures | distributor = | released = {{film date|df=yes|1947|11|11|India}}<ref name="anandan">{{Cite book |last=Film News Anandan |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1947-cinedetails4.asp |title=Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru |date=23 October 2004 |publisher=Sivakami Publishers |location=Chennai |language=ta |trans-title=History of Landmark Tamil Films |author-link=Film News Anandan |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170609014206/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1947-cinedetails4.asp |archive-date=9 June 2017 |url-status=usurped |df=dmy-all}}</ref> | runtime = | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = | gross = }} '''''Kanjan''''' ({{translation|Miser}}) is a 1947 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Covai A. Aiyamuthu and T. R. Gopu.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf |title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema |publisher=Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1998 |pages=605 |author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |author2=Paul Willemen }}</ref> The film stars S. V. Subbaiah, R. Malathi and T. G. Kamala Devi. No print of the film is known to have survived, and it is considered a lost film.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baskaran |first=S. Theodore |title=The eye of the serpent: An introduction to Tamil cinema |publisher=East West Books |year=1996 |pages=103 |author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran}}</ref>
== Plot == The film centers on a wealthy old man and his attempt to court his son's girlfriend and make her his second wife. The film highlights social evils such as black-marketing, selling of young girls, et al.<ref name="hindu">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=21 November 2010 |title=Kanjan 1947 |work=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/Kanjan-1947/article15699905.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170609015229/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/Kanjan-1947/article15699905.ece |archive-date=9 June 2017}}</ref>
== Cast == <!-- Adapted from the film's songbook --> {{Col-begin|width=60%}} {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Female cast<ref name="song book">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/sok.Kanjan_C.A.Ayyamuthu_T.R.Gopu_1947 |title=கஞ்சன் |publisher=Jupiter Pictures |year=1947 |language=ta |trans-title=Miser |type=song book}}</ref> *M. S. S. Bhagyam as Chellam *R. Malathi as Maragatham *T. G. Kamala Devi as Amaravathi *C. K. Saraswathi as Anjuham *K. S. Angamuthu as Kuppayi {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Male cast<ref name="song book" /> *S. V. Subbaiah as Kanjan *M. N. Nambiar as Velappan *P. V. Narasimha Bharathi as Kumarasami *M. K. Mustafa as Loganathan *Nat Annaji Rao as Murugesan *B. Rajagopala Iyer as Subodar {{Col-end}}
== Production == The film was produced by K. Velliangiri, a partner of Jupiter Pictures when writer Covai A. Aiyamuthu wanted to make a film. Covai A. Aiyamuthu directed the film assisted by the company's editor T. R. Gopu who also did the editing. Covai A. Aiyamuthu wrote the story and dialogues too. Cinematography was handled by P. Ramasami and art direction was by P. B. Chowdri and Kuttiyappu. C. Thangaraj was in charge of choreography. The film was made at Central Studios, in the neighbourhood of Singanallur, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
== Reception == The film was a flop. An interesting event took place to show the enormity of its failure. About the time the film was screened in Coimbatore, a college celebrated its annual day. There was a play staged by the students. A scene showed a sinner at judgement in Yama's court. Yama says the sinner should be fried in boiling oil as punishment for his sins. Yama's accountant Chitragupta says the punishment is not enough. So Yama says, the sinner's body should be cut into pieces and fed to vultures. Again Chitragupta says the punishment is not enough. Yama thinks and comes out with a novel punishment. He says the sinner should be made to see all 3 shows of ''Kanjan'' at a stretch in the local movie theatre. The joke does not end there. The sinner wails and appeals to Yama that being fried in boiling oil and his body being fed to vultures is a more lenient punishment than having to watch the film.
The producers K. Velliangiri and C. Sundaram who were also invitees laughed at the joke. Film historian Randor Guy wrote in 2010 that the film is "Remembered for its fine music and some of its cast who became major stars later.<ref name="hindu" />
== Soundtrack == Music was composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu while the lyrics were penned by Covai A. Aiyamuthu.<ref name="song book" /> A song ''Mandaril ezhil udayon engal Tamizhan'' (Tamils are the most elegant among mankind). It is said that the producers waited for 6 months after completing the shooting to record this song by Mariyappa.<ref name="hindu" />
{| class="wikitable" ! No !! Song !! Singer !! Lyrics !! Length(m:ss) |- | 1 || "Inda Ulagini Irukkam Mandaril} || M. M. Mariyappa || rowspan=12|Covai A. Aiyamuthu || 03:16 |- | 2 || "Varayo Muruga Manala Varuga" || || |- | 3 || "Athai Magale Nillay" || M. M. Mariyappa, K. V. Janaki || 03:14 |- | 4 || "Vayatrai Pichikku Thenpal" || || |- | 5 || "Kaikku Pathu Valaiyal Venum" || || |- | 6 || "Pichai Karananen" || Thiruchi Loganathan || 03:18 |- | 7 || "Yare Nee Kooraye Mane" || || |- | 8 || "Neelavanilave Adhavan Pole" || K. V. Janaki, Thiruchi Loganathan || 03:06 |- | 9 || "Kallaneruvan En Ullathaiye" || K. V. Janaki || 03:09 |- | 10 || "Neersoozhntha Natellam" || M. M. Mariyappa || 02:05 |- | 11 || "Aaha Ini Yare Puvi Meethe Nampole" || M. M. Mariyappa, K. V. Janaki || 02:09 |- | 12 || "Vazhka Thamizh Nadu Vazhka Vazhkave" || || |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|0332173}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanjan}} Category:1947 films Category:1947 drama films Category:1947 Indian films Category:1940s lost films Category:Indian black-and-white films Category:Films about social issues in India Category:Films scored by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu Category:Jupiter Pictures films Category:Lost Indian drama films