Nadodi Mannan recently completed 65 years since its release. The film premiered on August 22, 1958, and became a massive box office hit. It maintained its screening in 23 theatres globally for 100 consecutive days. Despite being made on a budget of nearly Rs 18 lakh, the film grossed over Rs 1 crore, surpassing MG Ramachandran’s Madurai Veeran.
An action-adventure film, Nadodi Mannan featured MG Ramachandran in dual roles alongside M NNambiar and Bhanumathi Ramakrishna. Actors including MG Chakrapani, TK Balachandran and Chandrababu were also seen in pivotal roles.
The film revolved around a king kidnapped before his coronation and replaced by his look-alike. The imposter initiates reforms benefiting the poor, angering the chief priest. Unaware, the real king, resembling the impersonator, is held captive. The rest of the story follows the impersonator saving the real king and foiling the priest’s scheme.
Following the launch of Alibaba and 40 Thieves in 1954, MG Ramachandran unveiled the advertisement for Nadodi Mannan. He intended to adapt the English film The Prisoner of Zenda and portray the nomad king.
The film was co-produced by MG Ramachandran under the banner of Em.Gee.Yar Pictures. Penned by C Kuppusami, K Srinivasan and P Neelakantan, Nadodi Mannan received a huge appreciation from the audience. The music was composed by SM Subbaiah Naidu and NS Balakrishnan and the cinematography was handled by GK Ramu.
The movie’s pre-production spanned about a year and a half. Tragically, during this time, K Ramnath passed away, leading MG Ramachandran to take over the directorial responsibilities. The filming process extended for around 156 days. Originally, the film was to be directed by K Ramnath.
On October 16, 1958, DMK President Annadurai presented MG Ramachandran with a golden sword in front of a crowd of over 2 lakh at Madurai’s Tamukkam Maidan. Later, MG Ramachandran donated the sword to the Mookambikai Temple.
Nadodi Mannan was filmed in both black and white as well as Gevacolor. The film received favourable reviews from the critics. It earned over Rs 1 crore during its run. This made it the second Tamil film, after Ramachandran’s Madurai Veeran, to cross the Rs 1 crore mark and earn a silver jubilee status. The movie attained cult status in Tamil cinema and marked a significant turning point for MG Ramachandran in his acting and political journey.
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