Aalayamani (Eng: Temple Bell) is a 1962 Tamil language movie directed by K. Shankar. The film features Sivaji Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, B. Saroja Devi, C. R. Vijayakumari and M. R. Radha in lead roles. The film, produced by P. S. Veerappa, had musical score by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and was released on 23 November 1962. The film was remade in Telugu as Gudi Gantalu (1964) and in Hindi as Aadmi (1968).
Aalayamani is a tale of possessiveness and distrust towards one’s partner and the eventual redemption by sacrifice. The story is an essential interplay of feelings and the shadows cast upon by darker feelings of one person and the effect it produces on himself and in his immediate circle of friends and family.
The Hero of the story is Thyagarajan (Sivaji Ganesan), a lonely rich bachelor, subjected to a deep seated trauma in the form of witnessing the death of a childhood playmate which is caused by his possessiveness. This is recurring theme in Thyagarajan’s life leading to disastrous results.
The movie starts off with an imposing bell being rung, a voice narrates to us the story of a poor man, Arumugam Pillai, who was about to commit suicide on the death rock but was stopped by the sound of the divine bell from the temple. He decides to take another chance with his life and soon he becomes a rich man and his son is none other than Thyagu, our hero!
Directed by K. Shankar
Produced by P. S. Veerappa
Written by Javar Seetharaman
Screenplay by Javar Seetharaman
Story by G. Balasubramaniam
Starring Sivaji Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, B. Saroja Devi, M. R. Radha, C. R. Vijayakumari
Music by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Cinematography Thambu
Edited by K. Shankar & K. Narayanan
Production P. S. V. Pictures
Distributed by P. S. V. Pictures
Release dates 23 November 1962
Running time 154 mins
Country India India
Language Tamil
