Muthal Mariyathai

This movie is a diamond in the hat of Indian Cinema. Music director Ilayaraja has done phenomenal work and his music composed in Tamil folk song style will transverse through your heart. The scenes shot in Talakadu, Mysore by epic director Bharathiraja will take you through the realistic life and scenery of village. Further, the acting by 'Nadigar Thilagam' Shivaji was equally challenged by his counterpart ' Radha' with her powerful eyes. The director has taken a very delicate subject showing the love between Village head old man and an young women who belonged to the so called lower caste. Vairamuthu's vaira lyrics and the dialects by Vadivukkarasi are amazingly beautiful.

Please watch this movie.

I first saw this movie when I was 7 or 8 years old. But had a chance to see this movie couple of times later in DD during Sunday Regional movies. This is one of the rare Indian films which makes you to watch again and again. Though I was not a big fan of Shivaji since I belonged to a different generation :) but the way he acted in this movie and how he had handled the delicate role made me take notice of his wonderful acting skills. And could understand why he is know as the King of Acting. The story & scenes were simple as it was village love story but with a different dimension. This is one of the best movies of the noted director Bharthyiraja. Finally this is one of the classic films of Tamil Film Industry and could probably say the director of Chenikum should have watched this movie 100 times before making his masterpiece.

This is one of cult classic of Tamil Cinema. Bharathiraja exploits the script for the best possible limits , added with Sivaji's , Vadikarasi and Radha's performance makes this rare combination. Taking a very unsual storyline for its times, handling with sensitivity in shoestring budget, Bharathiraja showed that he is master in this art . Story of Mid age man , unhappy with his marriage , seeks happiness in every small thing in the world, when a new firecracker enters the village, unknowingly he falls for her. Circumstances shows why line between right and wrong is always bleak. Nothing more can be said about the music of Illayaraja and Malayasia Vasudevan , that helped absorb every feeling the movie generated embed into your minds.

A very newbie Radha, who did typical dancing around Tree roles, was an exceptional with cute facial expression and boldness in ensuring she generates interest in the Old Man and shows the attraction in a natural and cute way also showing why such relationships are possible. Returning from retirement, Sivaji's acting and facial expression showed why he is considered the best actor of all times. His joyful Innocence in the initial playful scenes with Radha to the bold scenes where he shows his anger, Sivaji's verstality came out best in this movie. Man of verstalite There was so much that Sivaji had to offer which the Tamil Cinema never used. Last comes the best, the most underrated Actress of all times , Vadivukkarasi , though she was in her late 20s/early 30s probably during this movie, executed this role with so much rigor and passion with outstanding dialogue delivery ever by anyone. Something that probably came naturally to her, but her casting ensured, you cannot always define every circumstance between right and wrong, why life can be complicated. Bharathiraja showed how a movie can really move you emotionally , the pace of the movie builds up the emotion, however the everything falls in natural manner ,at the right pace, one could imagine how well this script was written. The Slang coupled with the Nativity of the villagers really takes you to the 80s setup of the movie. Showing his master touches, are many scenes, be it the one why Sivaji takes the Arwal angerily towards the end, and his bird cage drops , showing tradegy will happen. His love for his small bird Kuyil , also Radha's name. When kids run ,splashing water on Vadivukkarasi's face erasing her bindi , showing Satyaraj was her hidden lover. There are unlimited such mystery tied into the script. A masterpiece movie, one of best 10 movies in Tamil cinema.

Muthal Mariyathai is easily one of Bharathiraja's best films. It portrays a relationship of a middle aged married man with an young girl. A tricky proposition, but delicately handled.

The film tends to drag at places, but is a must watch. The music by Ilayaraja is the soul of the movie. As for the rerecording, one needs to watch this film to know what a genius Ilayaraja is.

Coming to the performances, Sivaji & Radha are terrific. In fact, radha has matched sivaji which cannot be said of any other actress,save savithri. Seems she acted only for 11 days for this film.

She missed out on the national award to suhasini (Sindhu Bhairavi), maybe because her voice was dubbed.

As for Sivaji, this is one of those very very few films where he does not overact. Seems the director told him before the shoot "Sir, please come & stand before the camera, that is enough".

Bharathiraja has kept a very tight leash on sivaji, something which his earlier directors, save bheemsingh (to some extent) did/could not do.

It is a pity that sivaji, in his later stages did not do similar movies & instead chose to do run of the mill stuff.

The one actress in this film, who did not get credit was Vadivukarasi. As the paan chewing venomous wife of sivaji, she is fantastic. Janakaraj too has done a good job.

There is a nice cameo by sathyaraj nearing the climax which is the turning point of the film. Debutants deepan & rajani are adequate.

One of the best tamil films of all times.

This, in my opinion, is definitely of of the classics of Indian Cinema. I had watched this movie couple of decades back, and I still remember how I was blown away by the content and presentation of the movie. The performances by Sivaji Ganeshan and Radha were terrific, and Radha was so close to winning the national award for this (which in that year went to Suhasini for her performance in Swati I think). Bharatiraaja, in his inimitable style extracted terrific performances from everyone to present the human emotions so well.

As I reminisce, I express my appreciation to the artists specially Radha and Bharatiraaja, who brought this movie to the world.

Ravi