Gauravam is a 1973 Tamil legal drama film directed by Vietnam Veedu Sundaram. Gauravam stars Sivaji Ganesan in a dual role.
Veteran lawyer Rajinikanth (Sivaji Ganesan) has never lost a case in the court. He is a self made man with a rags to riches story. Hence he does not ask for favours from anyone, except in the aspiration of being appointed as a Judge/ Justice of supreme court, where he expects the Bar Council of the court to favour him. Kannan (Sivaji Ganesan) is his nephew who is brought up like a son by the childless Rajinikanth and his wife. Kannan is an antithesis of Rajinikanth; he is a god fearing, amiable, domesticated young man.
Rajinikanth is shocked to know that an undeserving person has been promoted as supreme court judge. Meanwhile, Mohandas (Major Sundarajan) murders his wife and beseeches lawyers to appear on his behalf and save him. Rajinikanth feels that the Bar council has not recognized his prowess in jurisprudence and decides to seek his revenge by gaming the system and fighting for Mohandas despite the latter’s guilt. Mohandas is thus acquitted by the court, thanks to Rajinikanth’s expertise in law. This deeply hurts Kannan who does not say anything at that time out of respect for his uncle.
Under unnatural circumstances, Mohandas’s fiance dies in the bath tub. Once again Mohandas is convicted. Once again, Rajinikanth appears on Mohandas’s behalf. But this time around, Kannan protests and walks out of the house to become the prosecution lawyer facing Rajinikanth. Kannan defeats Rajinikanth due to his meticulous preparation as well as Mohandas neglecting to mention some very important details about the case which he believed to be irrelevant and Rajinikanth’s pride (gowravam) not allowing him to ask for some more time to study the new developments.
With his very first defeat at the hand of Kannan proves too much to handle. An anguished Rajinikanth succumbs to death, just before the news of him being appointed as a judge is announced showing that his pride (gouravam) was paramount to him and he lived and died with it.
Directed by Vietnam Veedu Sundaram
Produced by S. Rangarajan
Written by Vietnam Veedu Sundaram
Starring Sivaji Ganesan, Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan, Ushanandini, Pandari Bai
Music by M. S. Viswanathan
Cinematography A. Vincent
Edited by R. Devarajan
Production Vietnam Movies
Distributed by Vietnam Movies
Release dates 25 October 1973
Running time 136 mins
Country India
Language Tamil
