Sorgavasal

Sorgavasal (transl.Gateway to heaven) is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language historical drama film, directed by A. Kasilingam and written by C. N. Annadurai, credited as Arignar Anna. It is based on his play of the same name. The film stars K. R. Ramasamy, Padmini, S. S. Rajendran and Anjali Devi. It was released on 28 May 1954.^[2] The film was subject to political controversies and faced trouble with the censor board, resulting in many scenes being cut.^[3]^[4]

Cast

K. R. Ramasamy as Madivannan^[1]
Padmini as Queen Kumara Devi^[5]
S. S. Rajendran as Muthu Manikam^[5]
Anjali Devi as Thilagavathy^[1]
R. Balasubramaniam as Court Priest^[5]
P. S. Veerappa as King Vetrivelan^[5]

Production

The film is based on the play of the same name by C. N. Annadurai.^[4] He had written screenplay and dialogues for films earlier and was credited as Annadurai. But, for the first time, in this film he was credited as Arignar Anna. The song "Aagum Neriyedhu" was originally written as "Asthigam Edhu, Naasthigam Edhu". It was recorded and released in records as such. When the film went to the censor board, they objected to these lines. Therefore, the lyricist Udumalai Narayana Kavi altered it as "Aagum Neri Edhu, Aagaa Neri Edhu".^[6]^[4]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.^[7] Lyrics were by Udumalai Narayana Kavi.^[6] The song "Raajamagal Raani" became popular.^[8]

Reception

According to historian Randor Guy, the film underperformed at the box office because of its controversies and "mauling" by the censor board yet attained cult status due to its controversial content.^[4]

References

1 2 3Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 338.
↑"Sorgavasal". The Indian Express. 28 May 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 18 December 2019– via Google News Archive.
↑"1954-2014: 11 Kollywood Movies That Took a Hit by Controversies and Protests". The New Indian Express. 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
1 2 3 4Guy, Randor (4 February 2010). "Sorgavaasal 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
1 2 3 4Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 339.
1 2Neelamegam, G. (2014). Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 72.
↑"Sorga Vasal (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". Apple Music. 1 December 1954. Archived from the original on 5 May 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
↑Guy, Randor (26 June 2009). "Using cinema to propagate reformative ideas". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2026.

Bibliography

Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute and Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-563579-5.

External links

Sorgavasal at IMDb

[FOOTNOTERajadhyakshaWillemen1998338-1] 1 2 3Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 338.

[2] "Sorgavasal". The Indian Express. 28 May 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 18 December 2019– via Google News Archive.

[3] "1954-2014: 11 Kollywood Movies That Took a Hit by Controversies and Protests". The New Indian Express. 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.

[Randor_Guy-4] 1 2 3 4Guy, Randor (4 February 2010). "Sorgavaasal 1954". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.

[FOOTNOTERajadhyakshaWillemen1998339-5] 1 2 3 4Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 339.

[Thiraikalanjiyam-6] 1 2Neelamegam, G. (2014). Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Manivasagar Publishers. p. 72.

[7] "Sorga Vasal (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". Apple Music. 1 December 1954. Archived from the original on 5 May 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2023.

[8] Guy, Randor (26 June 2009). "Using cinema to propagate reformative ideas". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2026.

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