Ulagam Sutrum Valiban

Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (transl. Globetrotting Youngster) is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language science fiction film,[1] directed and produced by M. G. Ramachandran and co-produced by R. M. Veerappan.[2] The film stars MGR in the lead role, along with Manjula, Latha, Chandrakala, Thai actress Metta Roongrat, M. N. Nambiar, R. S. Manohar and S. A. Ashokan, Nagesh play supporting roles. The film score and soundtrack were composed by M. S. Viswanathan.

Ulagam Sutrum Valiban
Theatrical release poster
Directed byM. G. Ramachandran
Produced byM. G. Ramachandran
R. M. Veerappan
Story byR. M. Veerappan
S. K. T. Sami
Ve. Lakshmanan
StarringM. G. Ramachandran
Manjula
Latha
Chandrakala
Metta Roongrat
M. N. Nambiar
R. S. Manohar
S. A. Ashokan
Nagesh
Music byM. S. Viswanathan
CinematographyV. Ramamoorthy
Edited byM. Umanath
Production
company
Emgeeyaar Pictures
Release date
  • 11 May 1973 (1973-05-11)
Running time
178 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

Murugan (MGR) is an Indian scientist who has recently discovered how to store a part of the energy unleashed from lightning. He reports this in the Hong Kong scientists' conference. He subsequently announces that he wouldn't reveal his discovery since the world is at the brink of World War III and his research may be used for destructive purposes.

Scientist Bairavan (S. A. Asokan) claims Murugan is falsely claiming that his research is successful. Murugan thus conducts a demonstration and destroys the vital research notes, which upsets other scientists. Bairavan offers $100 million to persuade him to sell the research to a foreign country, which Murugan refuses.

Murugan then departs with his girlfriend, Vimala (Manjula) for a world tour. He discloses to Vimala that he pretended like destroying the research notes and he has kept them in some safe place. He indeed had plans of using them further so that his research is used for productive purposes. Bairavan, who has been following them, overhears this. Bairavan plans to steal the research notes. While in Singapore, Bairavan shoots Murugan with a special gun (not killing him). Vimala faints on seeing this.

Murugan, who seemingly suffers a mental disorder is subsequently taken into Bairavan's custody.

Shortly, Vimala too is abducted by Bairavan, expecting the former to cure Murugan, so that he could get information on the whereabouts of the research documents.

Raju (MGR), a CBCID officer and Murugan's younger brother arrives in Singapore in search of his brother. How he finds his brother and what happens to others forms the rest of the story.

Cast
  • M. G. Ramachandran as Murugan (Scientist) / Raju (alias Jayaraj) (CBCID officer and Murugan's younger brother) (Duel act role)
  • Manjula as Vimala (Murugan Lover)
  • Latha as Lily (Bairavan Secroty Who later Become Raju's Grilfriend and more)
  • Chandrakala as Rathnadevi (Raju Lover and later his Wife)
  • M. G. Chakrapani as (The narrator in the credits of opening, his name appears in the title as production consultant)
  • M. N. Nambiar (Guest-star) as (The Karateka, one of the Bairavan's henchmen Enemy role)
  • R. S. Manohar as (Lilly's Brother, Bairavan Spy Enemy role)
  • S. A. Ashokan as Bairavan, (Scientist and the Enemy role)
  • Nagesh as Markandeyan (Sea View hotel bearer who later becomes Raju's friend)
  • V. Gopalakrishnan as (The doctor and the gunsmith of Bairavan Enemy role)
  • Thengai Srinivasan as (The driver and one of Bairavan's henchmen Enemy role)
  • Som Saï (Guest-star) as Som Sai, Metta's father
  • Shiyam Sundar as One of Bairavan's henchmen
  • Metta Roongrat (เมตตา รุ่งรัตน์)[3] (Guest-star) as Metta, Som Saï's daughter

The casting is established according to the original order of the credits of opening of the movie, except those not mentioned.

Release

The film was one of Ramachandran's all-time blockbuster movies and completed a 217-day run at the box office in Tamil Nadu. It yielded ₹1.3 crore in entertainment tax revenue to the State exchequer grossing record ₹4.55 crore (worth ₹455 crore in 2019 gold prices). It celebrated Silver Jubilee in Devi Paradise, Agasthia in Chennai, Madurai – Meenakshi (217), Trichy – Palace (203) Kovai – Raja (199) & Sri Lanka - Capital and Kottayam - 200 days. It crossed 100 days in 33 theatres. Booking reservations within three hours of opening 100 shows were full. There was no advertisement, posters and publicity of releasing the film. It was displayed on a blackboard. It was the first Indian movie to break the record collection of the English-language movie "Mckenna's Gold" in a single theatre; Devi Paradise.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

Awards

Best movie (Sirandha Thiraipadam)

Best director (MGR) (Sirandha Iyakkunar)

Best producer (MGR), under his Emgiyaar Pictures Limited (Sirandha Thayaripalar)

Filmfare Special Award for Excellent Production Values - M. G. Ramachandran[10]

Trivia

It is the voice of M. G. Chakrapani, the elder brother of MGR that we hear at the beginning of the movie, when the scholar (MGR) finds the formula.

The director P. Neelakantan brought precious help on the shooting. Moreover, MGR thanks him in the opening title.

The score and soundtrack were composed by M. S. Viswanathan.

2 songs, of which "Aval Oru Navarasa..." and "Nilavu Oru..." results from an unfinished movie of MGR entitled INAINTHA KAIKAL.

There are in ULAGAM SUTRUM VALIBAN several big instrumental pieces and very different themes in the orchestration.

The first choice of MGR for the soundtrack was Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, the Indian classical music violinist.

Although the big singer K. J. Yesudas lends for the first time his voice for MGR, it is not the first movie of MGR for him.

Indeed, he was already on the soundtrack of another movie of MGR, in 1966, PARAKKUM PAAVAI with the title " Sugam Yethilae... " accompanied by the famous dueo, T. M. Soundararajan-L. R. Eswari. He lent his voice to the actor J. P. Chandrababu.

The film celebrated silver jubilee in 7 screens (Devi Paradise - 182 days, Agasthiya - 176 days in Chennai, Madurai- Meenakshi 217 days, Trichy - Palace 203 days, Kovai - Raja 175 days and in Sri Lanka - Capital - 203 days -Kottayam-200 days

This movie is the kick-off, in a way, for running in the nomination for the post of chief-minister of Tamil Nadu, India, for MGR, under his own political persuasions, Anna D.M.K..

Jayalalithaa, in an interview with the media, said that Ramachandran owed his popularity to her; irked by this, Ramachandran fired her from Ulagam Sutrum Valiban, and replaced her with Manjula.[11] The climax scene was shot at Expo 70.[12]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan.[13]

No.SongSingersLyricsLength (m:ss)Position in the movie
1"Aval Oru Navarasa"S. P. BalasubrahmanyamKannadasan03:328th, MGR-Latha in the tank-fish
2"Bansaayee" (ten thousand years)T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. EswariVaali04:447th, MGR-Chandrakala in Japan
3"Lilly Malarukku"T. M. Soundararajan, P. SusheelaKannadasan05:202nd, MGR-Manjula in the train
4"Nilavu Oru"T. M. SoundararajanVaali04:224th, MGR-Manjula and S.A. Asokan
5"Oh My Darling" (In the album)T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela04:03(Not in the movie, not held)
6"Pachchaikili"T. M. Soundararajan, P. SusheelaKannadasan04:376th, MGR-Metta Roongrat in a park
7"Sirithu Vaazhavendum"T. M. Soundararajan, chorusPulamaipithan04:293rd, MGR-Latha, Nagesh and the children in the Tiger Balm Garden
8"Thangath Thoniyile"K. J. Yesudas, P. SusheelaVaali03:245th, MGR-Chandrakala in a boat near The Kai Tak Airport
9"Ulagam Ulagam"T. M. Soundararajan, S. JanakiKannadasan03:399th, MGR-Chandrakala in The Expo '70, Suita
10"Namadhu Vetriyai Naalai"Seerkazhi GovindarajanPulavar Vedha02:571st, The credits of opening of the movie with red flowers
11"Ninaikkum Pothu" (In the album)P. SusheelaVaali03:34(Not in the movie, not held)
12"Chimasa"² (Japanese song)Female singer and male singerUnknown00:57Ginza street by night
13"Sayonara"² (Japanese song)Male singerUnknown02:58In search of professor Murugan, during The Expo '70
14Instrumental pieceChorusNo lyrics04:46On the first meeting of the beautiful dancer Rathna (Chandrakala)
15Instrumental pieceChorusNo lyrics02:29The track race of the long-tailed boats (Ruea Hang Yao), MGR-Chandrakala-Nagesh vs S. A. Asokan
16Instrumental pieceChorusNo lyricsFor the last fight, with the roller-skateboard against the men in sabres

Sequel

Ramachandran intended to make a sequel to this film titled Kizhakku Africavil Raju, but the project never came to fruition when he was alive. An animated sequel with the same title, but a different script is being directed by M. Arulmoorthy.[14]

References
  1. "TAMIL SCIENCE FICTION CINEMA AND THE CULTURAL UNCONSCIOUS: A 'VISIONARY' JUNGIAN READING OF 7AUM ARIVU (2011) AND 24 (2016)". Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems. 2017. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Elements of science fiction are, by no means, new to Tamil cinema, with films as early as Kaadu (1952), Kalai Arasi (1958) and Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973) utilizing science fiction tropes and premises.
  2. Guy, Randor (30 April 2016). "Blast from the Past: Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban (1973)". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  3. http://www.thaiworldview.com/tv/act.php?myChoice=Metta%20Roongrat&mySearch=2
  4. USV industrial record
  5. USV poster
  6. USV first week record
  7. USV second week record
  8. USV twenty-fifth week record
  9. USV sixtieth week record
  10. The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 1974. p. 155.
  11. https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/chennaitalkies/jayalalithaa-her-hero-s-rival/
  12. Bould, Mark (2014). Solaris. Macmillan International Higher Education. p. 91. ISBN 9781844578078.
  13. "Ulagam Sutrum Valiban Songs". raaga. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  14. "Akshara Gowda in MGR animation film". The Times of India. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
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