Ambikapathy (1957 film)

Ambikapathy
Directed by	P. Neelakantan
Produced by	V. Arunachalam
Written by	P. Neelakantan
Screenplay by	Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy Chinna Annamalai M. Lakshmanan
Starring	Sivaji Ganesan P. Bhanumathi M. K. Radha Chittor V. Nagaiah M. N. Nambiar Rajasulochana N. S. Krishnan T. A. Madhuram K. A. Thangavelu A. Karunanidhi K. D. Santhanam
Music by	G. Ramanathan
Cinematography	V. Ramamoorthy (black and white) W . R. Subba Rao (Gevacolor)
Edited by	R. Devarajan
Production company	A. L. S Productions
Distributed by	A. L. S Productions
Release date	22 October 1957
Running time	149 mins
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Ambikapathy (also spelled Ambikapathi) is a Tamil film starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi as the main cast. The film was released in the year 1957.

This story, passed on through centuries through traditional verse and folklore, dates back to the early 12th century during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I. The movie version of the story is this: Kambar, the kavichakravarthi whose name in enshrined forever as the author of Ramavatharam, the Tamil version of Ramayana, is a poet in Kulothunga’s court in Urayur. Despite his erudite scholarship, deep learning of Sanskrit and Tamil and extraordinary poetic skills, Kamban remains a humble, unassuming, deeply pious man, and a loyal subject of the King. All this earns Kamban a special place in the heart of Kulothunga who treats him with utmost deference and affection. Ottakoothar is another great poet in the King’s court, and Kamban’s ascent in the firmament and the King’s unabashed admiration for Kamban’s poetry has Ottakoothar simmering in jealousy.

It is in this backdrop that the love story blossoms. Amaravathi, the beautiful princess and Ambikapathy, the handsome and talented son of Kambar, fall in love. Ambikapathy is a bold, assertive and supremely self-confident youth, who even at that age, exhibits poetic skills equal to that of his illustrious father. Ottakoothar is doubly dismayed when he hears of this affair, for he had planned to bring about the marriage of Amaravathi with his stooge, Prince Kulasekharan of Vengi. With a brilliant, cunning mind at work, Ottakoothar sets about poisoning the King’s mind against Ambikapathi and contrives to bring about various situations wherein Ambikapathi might fall to disgrace. Luck seems to be on Ambikapathi’s side as he comes unscathed through these traps.

However, when Kamban discovers his son’s love for the princess and realizes the gruesome retribution that would undoubtedly follow, he pleads with Ambikapathi to give up his love. Meanwhile, Ottakoothar gets possession of a verse that Ambikapathi had penned as an ode to Amaravathi’s beauty and loses no time to showing the parchment to the King. The King is shaken by this clinching evidence of the love affair, and is determined to put it to an end. However, wishing to avoid any unwanted publicity and not willing to take any drastic measures, at the suggestion of Kamban, the King orders Ambikapathi to go to the distant Pushpaga Theevu, apparently to propagate the greatness of Tamil. A storm leads to the ship in which Ambikapathy is traveling being wrecked; and hanging on to a log, Ambikapathi is washed ashore in Shenbaga Theevu. Coming to know of the developments in Uraiyur, Ambikapathy hastens in disguise thereto.