Ilaiyaraaja’s trendsetter movie Annakili turns 50

Annakili, the Tamil film released in the year 1976, was a trendsetter in many ways. Rooted in a rural backdrop, the film revolved around Annam, a remarkable woman who ekes out a living as a midwife and finds solace amid sorrow, played memorably by Sujatha. The film also showcased the phenomenal talent of Ilaiyaraaja and his brothers, who would later go on to dominate the world of film music. As May 14 marks the film’s 50th anniversary, actor Sivakumar, the film’s hero Thyagarajan, shared his memories with this correspondent.

The 50-day celebration of Uravu Solla Oruvan was held at Shanmuga Theatre on September 6, 1975. The cast included R. Muthuraman, Sujatha, Padmapriya, and me. Poet Kannadasan, who attended the evening show, praised the film. He was the uncle of the late producer and writer Panchu Arunachalam.

It was then that story writer Panchu Arunachalam asked us to find a suitable location for Annakili. In those days, heroes, producers, and directors worked together and shared a rare sense of brotherhood. I did not think my job ended with acting alone. As part of our plan to tour Coimbatore district, I took directors Devaraj–Mohan, director Subbu, his brother Lakshmanan, and journalist Chitra Lakshmanan to my village.