{{short description|1969 film by A. C. Tirulokchandar}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox film | image = Thirudan poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = A. C. Tirulokchandar | writer = A. L. Narayanan (Dialogues) | screenplay = A. C. Tirulokchandar | story = Jagapathy Picture's Story Department | producer = K. Balaji | starring = Sivaji Ganesan<br />K. R. Vijaya<br />Vijaya Lalitha | music = M. S. Viswanathan | cinematography = Masthan<br />M. Viswanath Rai | editing = B. Kanthasamy | studio = Sujatha Cine Arts | distributor = Sivaji Films<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 October 1969 |title=Thirudan |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19691012&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=The Indian Express |pages=5 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | released = {{Film date|1969|10|10|df=y}} | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Thirudan''''' ({{Translation|Thief}}) is a 1969 Indian Tamil-language action film, directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya, K. Balaji and Vijayalalitha. It is a remake of the Telugu film ''Adrushtavanthulu'' (1969), and was released on 10 October 1969. The film became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 December 2011 |title=சிவாஜp - பாலாஜp கூட்டணியில் உருவான காவியங்கள் |url=http://archives.thinakaran.lk/Vaaramanjari/2011/12/04/?fn=s11120416&p=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612055912/https://stats.g.doubleclick.net/r/collect?v=1&aip=1&t=dc&_r=3&tid=UA-3756696-1&cid=836589090.1623477553&jid=1588638048&_v=5.7.2&z=181734148 |archive-date=12 June 2021 |access-date=12 June 2021 |website=Thinakaran |language=ta}}</ref>
In the film, a thief chooses retirement into married life. His former boss wants to press him back into service.
== Plot == {{More plot|date=April 2024}} Raju, a thief turns over a new leaf, marries and lives an honest life. But his ex-boss is not too happy about the change and tries all means to get him back.
== Cast == {{Cast listing| *Sivaji Ganesan as Raju *K. R. Vijaya as Radha *Vijaya Lalitha as Chithra *K. Balaji as Jagannath *Major Sundarrajan as Inspector Ragunath *S. V. Ramadas as Vasudevan *Nagesh as Ranga *Pushpamala as Ranganayaki *M. S. Sundari Bai as Dhanalakshmi *C. K. Saraswathi as Paravatham *Gandhimathi as Guest Role *Typist Gopu as Guest Role *Baby Rani as Lakshmi *Baby Sumathi as Guest Role *Harikrishnan as Jailer *Sasikumar as Dancer *C. I. D. Sakunthala as Dancer }}
== Production == ''Thirudan'', a remake of the Telugu film ''Adrushtavanthulu'' (1969),<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 July 2019 |title=பொன்விழா படங்கள் : சிங்கள மொழியில் ரீமேக் ஆன திருடன் |url=http://www.dinamalar.com/mgr/detail.php?id=79614 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191220045652/https://www.dinamalar.com/mgr/detail.php?id=79614 |archive-date=20 December 2019 |access-date=20 December 2019 |website=Dinamalar |language=ta}}</ref> was directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar and produced by K. Balaji's Sujatha Cine Arts.<ref name="nadigarthilagam.com">{{Cite web |title=131-140 |url=http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp14.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170802121850/http://nadigarthilagam.com/filmographyp14.htm |archive-date=2 August 2017 |access-date=27 August 2014 |website=Nadigarthilagam.com}}</ref> Ganesan's home, Annai Illam, also features in the film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raman |first=Mohan |author-link=Mohan Raman |date=26 August 2020 |title=#MadrasThroughTheMovies: Tracing the parallel journey of MGR and Sivaji in Madras |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/madrasthroughthemovies-tracing-the-parallel-journey-of-mgr-and-sivaji-in-madras/articleshow/77749961.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612094346/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/madrasthroughthemovies-tracing-the-parallel-journey-of-mgr-and-sivaji-in-madras/articleshow/77749961.cms |archive-date=12 June 2021 |access-date=17 October 2022 |website=The Times of India}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/thirudan-t0002406 |title=Thirudan (1969) |website=Raaga.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909113503/http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/Thirudan-T0002406 |archive-date=9 September 2014 |access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Song !! Singers !! Length |- | "Pazhaniyappan Pazhaniyamma" ||T. M. Soundararajan|| 03.42 |- | "Kottai Mathilmele" ||T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari || 03.18 |- | "En Aasai Ennodu" ||P. Susheela|| 03.59 |- | "Ninaithapadi Kidaithathadi" ||L. R. Eswari|| 02.57 |}
== Release and reception == ''Thirudan'' was released in select theatres on 10 October 1969,<ref name="nadigarthilagam.com" /> and in others on 17 October.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 October 1969 |title=Thirudan |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19691017&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=7 September 2018 |work=The Indian Express |pages=5 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''The Indian Express'' called it an adaptation of ''Once a Thief'' "that the original has been mutilated beyond recognition". The reviewer praised Ganesan and Vijaya's performance and called K. Balaji's villainy "naive" and concluded, "If you care for entertainment with a lot of thrill here is the picture".<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 October 1969 |title=Entertainment with thrills |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19691025&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=1 May 2019 |work=The Indian Express |pages=8 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} {{A. C. Tirulokchandar}} Category:1969 action films Category:1969 Indian films Category:1969 Tamil-language films Category:1969 films Category:1969 black-and-white films Category:Films directed by A. C. Thirulokachandar Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan Category:Indian action films Category:Indian black-and-white films Category:Tamil remakes of Telugu films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:Films about theft