Annai Velankanni

Annai Velankanni (transl. Mother Velankanni) is a 1971 Indian Tamil-language film directed by K. Thangappan. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, Jayalalithaa, Padmini, and K. R. Vijaya. Kamal Haasan briefly appears in an uncredited role as Jesus Christ. It comprises three stories pertaining to Catholic beliefs.

Annai Velankanni
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	K. Thangappan
Written by	Sham De Thomson
Produced by	K. Thangappan
Starring	Srividya Sivakumar Jayalalithaa Gemini Ganesan Padmini
Cinematography	G. K. Ramu
Edited by	N. M. Sankar
Music by	G. Devarajan
Production company	Giri Movies
Release date	15 August 1971 (1971-08-15)
Running time	148 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Premise

Velankanni, the film's setting, is a town in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, built over sites where three Marian apparitions are believed to have taken place since the 16th century.

Plot

Mary (Jayalalithaa) is a nurse in a hospital at Nagapattinam and is a devotee of Mary, mother of Jesus who is believed to have appeared in Velankanni thrice in the past. While the nurse is away from the hospital meeting her love interest Susainathan (Gemini Ganesan), the saint Mary assumes the nurse's form and attends to her duties.

Cast

• Srividya as Chellayee
• Sivakumar as Rangaiah
• Jayalalithaa as Nurse Mary
• Gemini Ganesan as Susai Nathan
• Padmini as Swarnam
• Master Sekhar as Raasa, Swarnam's Son
• Major Sundarrajan as Sudararajan, Head Doctor
• K. R. Vijaya as Kamakshi
• R. Muthuraman as landlord
• Devika as Kannamma, landlord's Wife
• Sachu as candle-selling woman
• Manorama as doll-selling Burmese woman
• S. V. Subbaiah as Father Francis
• Nagesh as Kannaiah
• Thengai Srinivasan as captain of a Portuguese India Armada
• Srikanth as Doctor Antony

Cameo appearances

• Kamal Haasan as Jesus Christ
• Baby Sumathi as patient
• S. Ramadoss as Karuppaiah, Chellayee's father
• Janaki as Velayee, Kamakshi's Neighbour
• I. S. R. as Thangaiah
• Gemini Balu as Mayandi
• Siva Sooriyan as villager
• A. Veerappan as villager
• Karikol Raju as villager
• G. Sakunthala as Annam
• S. Rama Rao as Sundaram
• V. R. Thilagam as Sundaram's wife
• Pushpamala in Cameo Appearance
• Master Prabhakar as Ayyakannu
• Suruli Rajan as Arunachalam, Village President
• Lakshmi Prabha as Susainathan's mother

Production

Annai Velankanni was produced and directed by K. Thangappan under the company Giri Movies. The film dialogues were written by Sham De Thomson.^[1] Kamal Haasan worked as the assistant director of the film and appeared in a cameo as Jesus Christ in the film.^[1][2] Srividya and Sivakumar paired first time in this movie.^[3]

Release and reception

Annai Velankanni was released on 15 August 1971.^[4] The film was dubbed Telugu-language as Mary Matha and released on 25 December 1971.^[5] The film was later dubbed into Malayalam-language as Velankanni Mathavu released on 27 May 1977.^[1] Historian B. Vijayakumar Stated in an article that the Tamil and Malayalam-dubbed versions were box office hits. Both versions were box office hits in Kerala.^[1]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by G. Devarajan, while the lyrics were written by Kannadasan, Vaali and Ayyasamy.^[6]

Song	Singers	Length
"Devamaindhan Pogindran"	T. M. Soundararajan	03:23
"Kadal Alai Thaalaattum"	P. Madhuri	04:01
"Karunai Kadale"	P. Susheela	03:40
"Karunai Mazhaiyae"	P. Susheela	03:39
"Neelakkadalin Oratthil"	T. M. Soundararajan, P. Madhuri	03:22
"Pera Orani"	T. M. Soundararajan, P. Madhuri	06:39
"Thandhana Thaana"	K. J. Yesudas, P. Madhuri	06:01
"Vaanamennum Veedhiyile"	K. J. Yesudas, P. Madhuri	03:12

Accolades

Annai Velankanni won the Chennai Film Fans' Association Award for Best Popular Film and Sekar won for Best Child Star.^[7]