Manamagal

Manamagal
Poster
Directed by	N. S. Krishnan
Produced by	N. S. Krishnan
Written by	Mu. Karunanidhi (dialogues)
Screenplay by	Mu. Karunanidhi
Based on	Suprabha by Munshi Paramu Pillai
Starring	Padmini Lalitha S. V. Sahasranamam T. S. Balaiah
Music by	C. R. Subbaraman
Edited by	Punjabi
Production company	NSK Films
Distributed by	NSK Films
Release date	15 August 1951 (1951-08-15)
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Manamagal (The Bride) is a 1951 Indian Tamil drama film, directed and produced by N. S. Krishnan. The film stars Padmini, Lalitha, S. V. Sahasranamam and T. S. Balaiah in lead roles. The film had musical score by C. R. Subbaraman. This film was based on a popular Malayalam play Suprabha by playwright Munshi Paramu Pillai. The film was dubbed into Telugu as Pelli Kuthuru.

Based on a popular Malayalam play Suprabha by playwright Munshi Paramu Pillai, Manamagal had dialogue by Mu. Karunanidhi. N. S. Krishnan directed the film, besides playing the role of a social reformer. The title refers to the heroine (Padmini) who chooses to remain a bride and never a wife because of the lecherous nature of her husband (T. S. Balaiah). Krishnan decided to adapt the play into a film after being impressed by the plotline. Krishnan met Munshi and paid him Rs. 500 for the rights.

Krishnan chosen M. Karunanidhi to write the dialogues. The film was launched at Newton Studios at 31 December 1950.A. Bhimsingh who was one of the assistant directors in the film was assigned the job to dub the film in Telugu. Some scenes were shot in Telugu to make it look like a straight Telugu film. According to film producer and writer G. Dhananjayan, S. S. Rajendran made his acting debut with this film in a role of a beggar, but his portions were edited out the film by the Censor Board as they felt his dialogues were too revolutionary. Dhananjayan also noted that Rajendran's name still appears in the credits, though there are no scenes featuring him. The film marked the acting debut of Padmini as a lead actress. In the film, Krishnan introduced a technical innovation by showing the behind-the-screen-technicians on screen.

The music was composed by C. R. Subburaman.

The song "Ellam Inbamaayam" was well received and catapulted its singer M. L. Vasanthakumari to fame. This song was composed based on six ragas of Carnatic music. The song "Ellam Inbamayam", based on the Kalyani raga, starts with Simhendramadhyamam and having a ragamalika suite of Mohanam, Hindolam and Darbar. The song "Chinnanchiru Kiliiye" based on the poem by Subramaniya Bharati was sung by VN Sundaram. This song is based on Kapi raga. Originally, GNB was supposed to sing this song with Vasanthakumari. GNB had some rehearsals too, when T.R. Balu protested that GNB should not sing for the film he opted out.