Exploring Marmayogi: Tamil Cinema’s First A Certified Film

The film ‘Raja Kumari’ marked the debut of M.G.R as a lead actor and was directed by A.S.A. Samy. Despite the success of the film in 1947, M.G.R realized that the credit for its success did not belong to him. He requested A.S.A. Samy to write a script that would highlight his full potential, which led to the creation of ‘Marmayogi’.

Being a fan of Hollywood action legends like Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn, M.G.R preferred action-packed stories. The film was influenced by the novel ‘Vengeance’ by Marie Corelli and Hollywood films like ‘Macbeth’ (1948) and ‘Robin Hood’. The plot revolves around a king who marries a dancer, only to be betrayed and murdered by her. She then burns down the palace and claims the throne while a mysterious avenger named Karikalan rises to challenge her.

Directed by K. Ramnath, the movie featured Anjali Devi as the female lead, replacing originally cast Bhanumathi. The film also starred notable actors like Nambiar, Javar Seetharaman, Madhuri Devi, and S.A. Natarajan. The music was composed by S.M. Subbaiah Naidu and C.R. Subbaraman, and it was produced by Jupiter Pictures.

Interestingly, M.A. Thirumugam, who later directed many M.G.R films, worked as the editor of this movie. Initially titled ‘Karikalan’, it was later changed to ‘Marmayogi’ to avoid being mistaken as a historical film. The film earned recognition for its dialogues, especially M.G.R’s iconic lines, and thrilling sword fights. The climax was later re-shot as the original ending didn’t satisfy the director.

‘Marmayogi’ also holds the distinction of being Tamil cinema’s first film to receive an ‘A’ certificate due to supernatural elements. It was released on February 2, 1951, and remains a thrilling classic to this day.