Thiruvilayadal

I was fortunate in chancing upon this extraordinary film on YouTube-- and with English subtitles-- though there is also one with better visual quality and no subtitles. This is pure Tamil Indian cinema without a trace of Bollywood or any westernized or modernized elements (aside from some of the language in the subtitles). The imagery, the dance, the music are a feast for the eyes and ears, and the tales of Shiva and his doings quite engrossing and instructive. For a total immersion in the splendors of Hindu tradition, this can't be excelled. I wish I'd been able to see it fifty years ago! The subtitled print wasn't in the best condition when transferred, but the rough patches soon pass. The subtitles themselves are often rather odd in translation, but entertaining in their own right. Shiva is most pleased after witnessing the fabulous opening devotional performance of horned drummers, Seven Sages, Seven Maidens... the god declares that he feels 'groovy'! A delightful moment that only adds to the overall charm of this classic.

There are few movies that can be termed as an icon and a model to other movies. In fact there are really very very few. Thiruvilayadal makes it to the top of that list.

There are various reasons for making that statement. I am saying this because, the year 1965 was not an era when India could use the latest technology that was available with the rest of the world. The resources were limited and in spite of that, coming out with a movie like this makes it a world class.

The graphics are outstanding. I try to compare with the Ramayan that was shown in the 80s and Thiruvilyadal still beats it. The color is so rich and suits the mythological mood.

About the Music, I do not have words to express its beauty and melody. Every song is a gem. "Phazam nee appa" is a song that will stand as a testimony to the Carnatic music and devotional song for years and generations to come. The "Pattum Naane" song is another gem. To sum it up, all the songs put together makes an exquisite ornament for the movie.

Sivaji as Lord Shiva is a perfect suit. How did they do the casting? I get goosebumps thinking of all this. I read somewhere that after watching this movie, some people thought that Lord Shiva would look like Sivaji. I would definitely agree.

Nagesh makes that fine garnish to the movie by providing that perfect humor and not taking away the essence.

In all, this movie is a must watch and should be in your collection if you own movies. I have enjoyed this movie, its language and the songs and all this being a non-Tamil. I would recommend that everybody should watch this movie at least once to understand the craftsmanship our movie producers (actors, music directors, singers, technicians) had many decades ago.

Often I am asked the question: "do you like Bollywood movies?"

My answer to this question is usually, 'No, not really.' Why?

First of all the title 'Bollywood.' Wikipedia quote: "Bollywood s the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema".

This Bombay/Hollywood mix title has been created and populated by the media, and to be honest even the most Indian film makers are not really happy with it.

The films currently created by this so called 'Bollywood' are mostly packed with flashy scenes, fancy cinematography and very little space for actual stories or moral value's. The common accessories of these movies are almost nude and hyperactive dancers trying to recreate the common western MTV hype of the month. This is understandable considering the amount of films that 'Bollywood' has to produce and still keep the public entertained.

But for me these current 'Bollywood' movies really do not represent the moral value and the culture rich India that I know of.

So which movie does? To really witness the true power of Indian movie magic we must travel back in time, as far as the 60's, to the south of India.

A time where words had meaning, flowers where ornaments, science and mythology lived in harmony, and where good moral values where always available.

The time of 'Thiruvilayadal'(1965) a epic mythological movie full of symbolism moral value, and the best opening scene and music spectacle of the worlds film history. Even the special FX are amazing for its time, remember Peter Jackson the maker of the Lord of The rings trilogy was still in his dippers at this time.

The main characters in this film represents the elements of our universe, and the thoughts behind them can be as advanced as your brain can handle. Beside the breathtaking settings and music compositions, this movie glides on moral values, and valuable lessons.

Vighnesh M. Peters

I admit to not knowing that much about Hindu mythology. I'm not even sure what their scared text is. I think there are actually numerous, with maybe the most important being the Vedas. I admit that other religions seem weird to me. Then again, I guess they're no weirder than my religion. It's obvious that this is just a religion that seems to fit some people.

I was so impressed at how bright and colorful this movie was. There were tons of dance numbers and a lot of it really does hold up. This is sort of an anthology series as it features different stories. I was able to follow most of them. I always want to learn about other cultures. This has over 3 million views on YouTube, but only a few reviews here. ***1/2

I have seen many such mythological movies and I would consider this to be the best so far. The reasons why this is so much fun to watch are 1. The usage of very basic animations and using them very effectively to show some idea. 2. Really nice dialogs in a very good Tamil. And the characters have done a great job of executing their roles. 3. The songs are just out of this world. 4. Its really nice to see this movie after so many years. 5. Nagesh was at his best in this movie and so was Shivaji.

I would suggest this movie to anyone who likes watching mythological movies which have a lot of small stories that you have been told in your childhood.