| Paadum Vaanampadi | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Directed by | M. Jayakumar |
| Story by | Babbar Subhash |
| Based on | Disco Dancer |
| Produced by | R. Chandrasekhar |
| Starring | Anand Babu Jeevitha Nagesh |
| Music by | Bappi Lahiri Shankar–Ganesh |
Production company | K. R. Cine Arts |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Paadum Vaanampadi (transl. Singing skylark) is a 1985 Indian Tamil-language dance film released in 1985 produced by K. R. Cine Arts starring newcomer Anand Babu, Jeevitha and Nagesh. The film was the Tamil remake of the Hindi film Disco Dancer.[1] It was released on 24 February 1985,[2] and became a blockbuster hit and ran for more than one hundred days at Chennai and other centres.[3] Music was by Bappi Lahiri and Shankar–Ganesh.
Plot
Even as a young child, Anand is the sole provider for his family consisting of his widowed mother and younger sister, Viji. His older brother Raja ran away from home unable to bear the humiliation after their father was falsely accused of theft and sent to jail by his boss Dharmalingam. Anand is a street performer that sings with his mentor, Muthu. He befriends Radha, Dharmalingam's daughter, during a performance. Upset over the friendship, Dharmalingam has Anand's mother arrested on a false charge. The impoverished family leaves the city in disgrace.
Years later, Dharmalingam's son Shyam is a famous disco dancer that's let his fame go to his head. He clashes with his manager Raja and fires him. Raja is determined to find another dancer to unseat Shyam. He sees Anand dancing in the street and quickly raises him to be more popular than Shyam. Raja also discovers that Anand is his younger brother and the fractured family is reunited. Anand also reunites with Radha and the two fall in love. An increasingly frustrated Shyam sets out to woo Viji in an attempt to get revenge on Raja and Anand. Dharmalingam is also out for revenge after his ill-dealing of the family is made public. Dharmalingam and Shyam create chaos the siblings must deal with to succeed.
Cast
- Anand Babu as Anand
- Jeevitha as Radha
- Rajeev as Raja
- Nithya as Viji
- Senthamarai as Dharmalingam
- Nizhalgal Ravi as Shyam
- Manimala as Raja, Anand and Viji's mother
- Janagaraj as Mani aka Mr. Bell
- Vennira Aadai Moorthy as Saguni
- Nagesh as Muthu (Guest Role)
- Delhi Ganesh as Raja, Anand and Viji's father (Guest Role)
Soundtrack
Soundtrack was composed by Bappi Lahiri and Shankar–Ganesh.[4][5] The highlight of the album is the disco song "Naanoru Disco Dancer".[6][7] "Aatathil Naanthaan Raja Raja" is a cover of "Video Killed the Radio Star".
| Song | Singers | Lyrics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| "En Ninaivuthaane Enguthe" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Vaali | |
| "Naanoru Disco Dancer" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | vaali | |
| "Mayangaathe (Vaazhum Varai)" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Vairamuthu | |
| "Adi Kanne Ilam Penne" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Na. Kamarasan | |
| "Aatathil Naanthaan Raja Raja" | Malaysia Vasudevan, Vani Jairam | Na. Kamarasan | |
| "Vaazhum Varai" | SPB, Latha Kannan | Vairamuthu | |
| "Anbe Anbe Anbe" | P. Susheela | muthulingam |
Reception
Kalki criticised the film for having too many stunt sequences, but said the scene where a monkey trains Anand Babu in stunts was first class.[8]
References
- ↑ Raghavan, Nikhil (20 July 2013). "Etcetera". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ↑ "Paadum Vaanampadi (1985)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ↑ Babu, Ramachandra (22 January 2012). "Ramachandra Babu: My Unreleased Tamil Films – 2". Ramachandra Babu. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ↑ "Paadum Vaanampadi Tami Film LP Vinyl Record by Bappil Lahiri". Mossymart. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ↑ "Paadum Vanampadi". JioSaavn. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ "Kamal's 'Annathey Aduraar' to Sai Pallavi's 'Rowdy Baby': 16 Tamil dance party songs". The News Minute. 24 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ↑ "'Naan Oru Disco Dancer' to 'Papa Rita': Bappi Lahiri's disco music in south cinema". The News Minute. 16 February 2022. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ↑ "பாடும் வானம்பாடி". Kalki (in Tamil). 10 March 1985. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2022.