Thaikkupin Tharam

Thaikkupin Tharam
Film poster
Directed by	M. A. Thirumugam
Produced by	Sandow M.M.A.Chinnappa Devar
Written by	Kannadasan S. Ayyapillai
Starring	M. G. Ramachandran P. Bhanumathi P. Kannamba T. S. Balaiah Kaka Radhakrsihnan
Music by	K. V. Mahadevan
Cinematography	R. R. Chandran
Edited by	M. A. Thirumugam M. A. Mariappan M. G. Balu Rao
Production company	Devar Films
Distributed by	Devar Films
Release date	21 September 1956
Running time	157 mins
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Thaaikkuppin Thaaram (After Mother the Wife) is a Tamil language film starring M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role. The film was released on 21 September 1956. It is most notable for Ramachandran (or MGR) using an older film as a flashback in the film. The story was a simple rural tale of love and valour. One of the box office hits of the year 1956 and ran 100 days in major cities

Muthaiyan (MGR) is the brave son of Ratnam Pillai (E. R. Sahadevan) and Meenakshi (P. Kannamba). They are landed gentry and are highly respected in the village for their noble qualities. Meenakshi’s brother Doraiswami (T. S. Balaiah), on the other hand, is despised by all for his arrogance, cruelty and dishonourable ways. The two families are not in speaking terms ever since Doraiswami tried to usurp Ratnam Pillai’s traditional rights at the temple festival. Doraiswami’s daughter, Sivakami (P. Bhanumathi), however, is a good-natured girl who is in love with Muthaiyan. Muthaiyan too reciprocates her love and they are determined to surmount all hurdles and get married. When Doraiswami’s men capture Muthaiyan and keep him a prisoner on the pretext that he had hurled stones at Doraiswami’s prized bull when he had caught it grazing on his crops, Sivakami comes to his rescue.

Meanwhile accosting Doraiswami demanding his son’s release, Ratnam Pillai declares bravely that he would overpower the touted bull. But the bull gores him to death. In his dying breath, he elicits a promise from Meenakshi that she would ensure that their son sets right this slur on their honour. Muthaiyan’s mother makes him promise that he would not even think of Sivakami anymore. Sivakami’s father too has isolated her in house arrest and has started looking out for a suitable husband for her.

How Muthaiyan wins the hand of Sivakami after overpowering the mighty bull Senkodan and reforming his wily uncle forms rest of the tale.

The movie was directed by M. A. Thirumugam, the younger brother of Sandow M.M.A.Chinnappa Devar. Thirumugam had already been as an editor while working for Jupiter Pictures, and Thaaikkuppin Thaaram was the first movie he directed. Devar took Thirumugam to famous directors like K. Ramnoth and L. V. Prasad and sought their blessings and guidance. The shooting commenced on 5 July 1955 in the sets put up at the Vauhini Studios, with Nagi Reddy cranking the camera for the first shot.