Nandanar (1935 film)

Bhakta Nandanar Tamil is a 1935 Tamil film directed by Manik Lal Tandon. It marked the film debut of the carnatic singer and stage artist K. B. Sundarambal. She was paid a then unprecedented 100,000 equivalent of 60 million 2013 prices as salary for this film. This was also the first film for Ellis R. Dungan.

The film was directed by Manik Lal Tandon with Ellis Dungan shooting many scenes in his absence. Sundarambal was cast as a man the untouchable saint Nandanar. The same story had earlier been the subject of a 1932 Tamil film of the same name. Carnatic musician Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer was cast as the landlord Vedhiyar. He was paid 3000 Rs as salary. The script had a scene where Iyers character would prostrate before Nandanar. Due to the prevailing social norms and her respect for Iyer, Sundarambal refused to do the scene. Director Tandon filmed a compromise by changing the scene such that both prostrated before each other. The completed film cost three Lakh 3,00,000 Rupees to make and was 18000 feet long. Tunes of three songs from the 1934 Hindi film Chandidas were reused in this film.The story is based on the life of nandanar also known as Thirunaalai Povarthee who pilgrims tomorrow and his becoming of a Naayanar. For full story,see Nandanar. ........

Source: Wikipedia