{{Short description|1950 film by Ellis R. Dungan}} {{More citations needed|date=August 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox film | image = Manthiri Kumari.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Ellis R. Dungan]]<br />[[T. R. Sundaram]] | writer = [[M. Karunanidhi]] | based_on = {{based on|''Manthiri Kumari'' (play)|M. Karunanidhi}} | producer = T. R. Sundaram | starring = [[M. G. Ramachandran]]<br />[[M. N. Nambiar]]<br />[[S. A. Natarajan]]<br />[[Madhuri Devi]]<br />[[G. Sakunthala]] | cinematography = J. G. Vijayam | editing = L. Balu | music = [[G. Ramanathan]] | studio = [[Modern Theatres]] | released = {{Film date|df=y|1950|06|24}} | runtime = 163 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Manthiri Kumari''''' ({{Translation|The Minister's Daughter}}) is a 1950 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[historical fiction]] film directed by [[Ellis R. Dungan]], starring [[M. G. Ramachandran]], [[M. N. Nambiar]], [[Madhuri Devi]] and [[G. Sakunthala]]. The screenplay was written by [[M. Karunanidhi]] based on his play of the same name, itself inspired by an incident from the Tamil epic ''[[Kundalakesi]]''. This was the last Tamil film directed by Dungan and is considered to be among the most successful films of that decade. Shortly after directing this film, Dungan left the Tamil film industry.
== Plot == The King of Mullai Nadu is heavily influenced by his Raja guru (head priest), played by [[M. N. Nambiar]]. The guru schemes to have his son, Parthiban (S. A. Natarajan), appointed as the army's general, but the King chooses the noble Veera Mohan (MGR) instead. Enraged, Parthiban becomes a bandit and begins raiding the countryside, leading a double life as a courtier by day and a marauder by night.
Parthiban desires to marry the princess, Jeevarekha (G. Shakuntala), who is in love with Veera Mohan. He sends a secret message intended for the princess, but it is mistakenly delivered to Amudhavalli (Madhuri Devi), the minister's daughter. When Amudhavalli meets him, Parthiban seduces her, pretending to be in love while secretly planning to use her for his own ends.
Meanwhile, the King orders Veera Mohan to capture the bandit. Veera Mohan succeeds and brings Parthiban before the royal court. To secure his son's release, the Raja guru arranges a trial before a statue of a goddess. Amudhavalli, now devoted to Parthiban, hides behind the statue and declares his innocence, tricking her father and the King into believing it was a divine proclamation. Convinced by the "miracle," the King releases Parthiban and exiles Veera Mohan.
Parthiban marries Amudhavalli, while Princess Jeevarekha flees the kingdom to join Veera Mohan in exile. Although Parthiban promises Amudhavalli he will abandon his life of crime, he secretly continues his banditry, spurred on by his father. Soon, Parthiban's bandits attack Veera Mohan and abduct Jeevarekha. Growing suspicious of her husband's nightly excursions, Amudhavalli follows him to the bandits' den. Disguised as a warrior, she arrives just in time to save Jeevarekha from being assaulted by Parthiban.
To silence her, Parthiban lures Amudhavalli to a cliff. There, he reveals his treachery and his father's plot to assassinate the King. Feigning a final wish to worship him, Amudhavalli circles Parthiban three times before pushing him off the cliff to his death. Traumatized by her husband's betrayal, she becomes a [[Buddhist nun]].
Veera Mohan returns to the kingdom in disguise and foils the Raja guru's attempt to murder the King, but is mistakenly accused of the crime himself. During the trial, Amudhavalli arrives and reveals the entire plot, exposing the Raja guru and exonerating Veera Mohan. Before she can be arrested, the Raja guru fatally stabs her. With the conspiracy revealed, the Raja guru is jailed, and Veera Mohan is reunited with Princess Jeevarekha.
== Cast == ''Cast according to the opening credits of the film'' {{Col-begin|width=70%}} {{col-break|width=20%}} ;Male cast * [[M. G. Ramachandran|M. G. Ramachandar]] as Veera Mohan * [[M. N. Nambiar]] as Rajaguru * [[S. A. Natarajan]] as Parthiban * C. V. Nayagam * Sivasooriyan as King * K. V. Srinivasan * [[A. Karunanidhi]] as Bhoopalam * [[K. K. Soundar|Soundar]] {{col-break|width=20%}} ;Female cast * [[Madhuri Devi]] as Amudhavalli * [[G. Sakunthala|Sakunthala]] as Jeevarekha * K. S. Angamuthu * [[T. P. Muthulakshmi|Muthulakshmi]] as Karpagam {{col-break|width=20%}} ;Dance * [[Lalitha (actress)|Lalitha]]-[[Padmini (actress)|Padmini]]-[[Ragini (actress)|Ragini]] * [[Kumari Kamala]] * Kumari Vanaja {{col-end}}
== Production == ''Manthiri Kumari'' is an adaptation of a play by [[M. Karunanidhi]], which was itself based on an incident from the Tamil epic poem ''[[Kundalakesi]]''. After producing ''[[Ponmudi (film)|Ponmudi]]'' (1950), directed by Ellis R. Dungan, producer [[T. R. Sundaram]] of [[Modern Theatres]] hired Dungan to direct the film adaptation; the credits ultimately list both men as co-directors.
For the lead role, they cast [[M. G. Ramachandran]]. Although he had played supporting characters in many of Dungan's earlier films, Ramachandran had recently achieved success as a leading man in ''[[Rajakumaari]]'' (1947) and ''[[Marudhanaattu Ilavarasi]]'' (1950).<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2009 |title="மந்திரிகுமாரி" மகத்தான வெற்றி கருணாநிதியின் அனல் பறக்கும் வசனம் |url=http://www.maalaimalar.com/2009/10/27115016/karunanidhi.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321025917/http://www.maalaimalar.com/2009/10/27115016/karunanidhi.html |archive-date=21 March 2011 |access-date=10 December 2009 |website=[[Maalai Malar]] |language=ta}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=September 28, 2007 |title=Manthrikumari (1950) |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/09/28/stories/2007092850521600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719043645/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/09/28/stories/2007092850521600.htm |archive-date=19 July 2014 |access-date=9 September 2013 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by [[G. Ramanathan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manthiri Kumari |url=https://gaana.com/album/manthiri-kumari |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830125930/https://gaana.com/album/manthiri-kumari |archive-date=30 August 2024 |access-date=22 March 2021 |website=[[Gaana (music streaming service)|Gaana]]}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" ! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length |- | "Vaaraay Nee Vaaraay" || [[Thiruchi Loganathan]] & [[Jikki]] || [[A. Maruthakasi]]|| 02:52 |- | "Isai Kalaiye Inidhaana" || [[M. L. Vasanthakumari]] || || 03:32 |- | "Ulavum Thendral" || Thiruchi Loganathan & Jikki || || 03:17 |- | "Kaadhal Baliyaagi" || M. L. Vasanthakumari || || 02:45 |- | "Ubakaram Seibavarukke.... Annam Itta Vittile" || [[T. M. Soundararajan]] || A. Maruthakasi || 02:07 |- | "Manam Pola Vaazhvu Peruvome" || M. L. Vasanthakumari & Jikki || || 02:38 |- | "Kannadichi Yaarai Neeyum" || [[A. P. Komala]] || || 03:29 |- | "Porakka Poguthu" || A. Karunanidhi & T. P. Muthulakshmi || || 01:18 |- | "Aahaahaahaa Vaazhvile" || [[M. L. Vasanthakumari]] || [[Ka. Mu. Sheriff]]|| 03:07 |- | "O Raja O Rani Indha Ezhaiyeliya" || [[P. Leela]], U. R. Chandra & [[N. Lalitha Bhanu|N. Lalitha]] || || 05:21 |- | "Anthisaayura Neram Mandhaarai Chedi Oram" || ||A. Maruthakasi || 02:52 |- | "Pengalinaal" || [[Jikki]] || || 01:54 |- | "Ennum Pozhuthil Inbam" || M. L. Vasanthakumari || || 01:45 |- | "En Erumai Kannukutti" || Master Subbaiah || [[M. Karunanidhi]]|| 02:53 |- | "Aadhavan Udhitthu Tamarai Malarndhadhu" || K. V. Janaki || || 04:31 |}
== Reception == The film was released in June 1950 and became a major box office success,<ref name=":0" /> besides attaining cult status for its depiction of a strong, independent and non-submissive woman.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Srinivasan |first=Pavithra |date=March 2010 |title=Looking Back |url=https://ibb.co/zWrYT91H |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417130309/https://ibb.co/zWrYT91H |archive-date=17 April 2025 |access-date=17 April 2025 |magazine=[[South Scope]] |pages=70–71}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb title}} {{Ellis R. Dungan}} {{Modern Theatres}} {{T. R. Sundaram}}
[[Category:1950 films]] [[Category:1950 historical films]] [[Category:1950 Indian films]] [[Category:1950 Tamil-language films]] [[Category:Films based on poems]] [[Category:Films directed by Ellis R. Dungan]] [[Category:Films scored by G. Ramanathan]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by M. Karunanidhi]] [[Category:Indian black-and-white films]] [[Category:Indian films based on plays]] [[Category:Indian historical films]] [[Category:Tamil-language historical films]] [[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]