Annakili, the Tamil film released in 1976, was a trendsetter in many ways. Rooted in a rural backdrop, the film revolved around Annam, a remarkable woman who eked out a living as a midwife, played memorably by Sujatha. The film also showcased the phenomenal talent of Ilaiyaraaja and his brothers.
As May 14 marks the film’s 50th anniversary, actor Sivakumar, the film’s hero Thyagarajan, shared his memories with The Hindu.
The search for the perfect village
The film’s journey began during the 50-day celebration of Uravu Solla Oruvan in 1975. Story writer Panchu Arunachalam asked the team to find a suitable location for Annakili. Sivakumar took directors Devaraj–Mohan and others across Coimbatore district – Bhavanisagar Dam, Sathyamangalam, and several other spots.
But they were not fully satisfied. Then art director Babu suggested a place called Thengumarahada – a village thickly populated with coconut trees, about 22 kilometres through hilly roads from Bhavanisagar Dam.
Life in Thengumarahada
Around 180 acres of land there were cultivated by about 20 families practising cooperative farming. Only a few had watched movies; others did not even know what cinema was.
The entire cast – Sujatha, M.N. Rajam, Thengai Srinivasan, Senthamarai, and others – went there for the shoot. The residents vacated their houses for the team to stay. Actresses stayed in houses with toilet facilities; the rest used the riverbank in the morning.
Devaraj and Mohan completed 70 per cent of the shooting in 20 days at Thengumarahada.
The music that changed everything
All the songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja – “Machana Paartheengala,” “Annakili Unnai Theduthe,” “Sontham Illai Bandham Illai,” and “Sutha Samba Pachanellu” – became huge hits.
Sivakumar said, “Fifty per cent of the credit for the film’s success should go to Ilaiyaraaja’s music.”
A memorable feast from Sathyaraj’s father
One unforgettable figure during the shoot was Mathampatti Sivakumar, who became Sivakumar’s friend. He left a jeep at the crew’s disposal. One day, he arrived with mutton biryani, chicken kurma, and boiled eggs for 100 people by noon.
The crew devoured the feast, having gone nearly 15 days without proper food. A youth accompanied Mathampatti Sivakumar – it was actor Sathyaraj.
The film’s historic run
Annakili was released on May 14, 1976. The 58th day was celebrated at Idhaya Theatre. The 100th-day celebration was at Prasad Studios on August 21, 1976, attended by K. Balachander and others. The silver jubilee celebrations were on November 27, 1976. The film’s 200th day was celebrated in Madurai in 1977.
Sivakumar noted, “A black-and-white film running successfully for 200 days was remarkable, and much of that achievement was due to the songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja.”
Fifty years later, Annakili remains a landmark in Tamil cinema – for its music, its rural authenticity, and the brotherhood with which it was made.
