Vishwa Thulasi

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Vishwa Thulasi
Directed bySumathy Ram
Written bySumathy Ram
Produced byRamki
Starring Mammootty
Nandita Das
Cinematography B. Kannan
Edited by Suresh Urs
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
M. S. Viswanathan
Release date
  • 22 October 2004 (2004-10-22)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Vishwa Thulasi is a 2004 Tamil-language drama film directed by Sumathy Ram, starring Mammooty and Nandita Das. This film's score and soundtrack were composed by Ilayaraaja and M. S. Viswanathan. [1] The film was notable for having a female director. [2] [3]

Contents

Plot

The film, set in the 1940s and moving to the 1960s, revolves around the emotional story of Thulasi returning to her village to become a dance teacher. She cannot bring herself to forget Vishwa, a man she has been in love with for two decades. Memories of Vishwa haunt her constantly, and upon a chance meeting with him, she discovers he too is struggling with his love for her. Both are haunted by the memory of Thulasi's cousin, a figure who is unable to control his obsession for his cousin and hide his resentment at Thulasi's feelings for Vishwa.

Thulasi comes to Sundarapuri after her guardians — her grandma and uncle — pass away, to work as teacher in a dance school. It is in Sundarapuri that Vishwa, the Zamindar whom she had met 20 years ago, lives. They meet again and the feelings that had blossomed in their hearts as teenagers, are revived. Vishwa is unmarried and Thulasi has gone through an unceremonious ritual in the name of matrimony, but fear of societal stigma and innate inhibition keep them asunder.

Sensing their intense love for each other, Pattabhi, the manager at Vishwa's house, helps them overcome their fears. It is then that fate enters in the form of Shiva.

Cast

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack were composed and orchestrated by M. S. Viswanathan. Background score of the movie was done by Ilaiyaraaja. [4] Except for song "Engu Piranthathu" which was composed by Ilayaraja, rest of the songs were composed by Viswanathan.

No.SongSingersLyrics
1"Aaya Kalaikalin" Srinivas, AparnaSumathy Ram
2"Engu Piranthathu" Tippu, Chinmayi Ilaiyaraaja
3"Kanavilavathu" Gopika Poornima, Karthik
4"En Maname"Dippu, Gopika Poornima
5"Kannamma Kanavillaiya S. P. Balasubrahmanyam Sumathy Ram
6"Mayakkama"Srinivas, Sujatha
7"Nizhalin Kathai Ithu"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
8"Vishwa Thulasi" Bhavatharini Ilaiyaraaja

Reception

Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote that "Though one can appreciate the debutant director's sincerity to give a clean, aesthetic, lyrical film, quite different from the dance-fight-romance routine, one feels 'Vishwa Thulasi' would have made a pleasant video-album. Stretching it to two hours, is stretching it a bit too much!" [5] Indiaglitz wrote "As a story, there is nothing much to write home about. But its treatment and the strict adherence to artistic excellence deserve plaudits. Mammooty and Nanditha just ease through their roles". [6] Bizhat wrote "Viswa Thulasi is an amateurish attempt at film making. Every film has- or should have- a logic, this one defies all logic". [7]

Awards

The film has won the following awards since its release:

2005 WorldFest Houston (United States)
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

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References

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