Thiruvilayadal (1965 film)

Thiruvilaiyadal
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	A. P. Nagarajan
Produced by	A. P. Nagarajan
Based on	Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam by Paranjothi Munivar
Starring	Sivaji Ganesan Savitri K. B. Sundarambal
Music by	K. V. Mahadevan
Cinematography	K. S. Prasad
Edited by	M. N. Rajan T. R. Natarajan
Production company	Sri Vijayalakshmi Pictures
Distributed by	Sri Vijayalakshmi Pictures
Release date	31 July 1965
Running time	155 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Thiruvilaiyadal (English: The Divine Game) is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language Hindu devotional film written, directed, produced, and distributed by A. P. Nagarajan. The film features Sivaji Ganesan, Savitri, and K. B. Sundarambal in the lead roles with T. S. Balaiah, R. Muthuraman, Nagesh, T. R. Mahalingam, K. Sarangapani, Devika, Manorama, and Nagarajan himself playing pivotal roles. The film's soundtrack and score were composed by K. V. Mahadevan, while the lyrics of the songs were written by Kannadasan and Sankaradas Swamigal.

The story of Thiruvilaiyadal was conceived by A. P. Nagarajan, who was inspired by the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, a collection of sixty-four Shaivite, devotional, epic stories written in the 16th century by the saint, Paranjothi Munivar, which record the actions and antics of Lord Shiva appearing on Earth in various disguises to test his devotees. Four of the sixty-four stories are depicted in the film. The first is about the poet Dharumi; the second concerns Dhatchayini (Sati). The third recounts how Shiva's future wife Parvati is born as a fisherwoman and how Shiva, in the guise of a fisherman, finds and remarries her. The fourth story is that of the singer Banabhathirar. The soundtrack was received positively and songs from it like "Pazham Neeyappa", "Oru Naal Podhuma", "Isai Thamizh", and "Paattum Naane" remain popular today among the Tamil diaspora.