Pagal Nilavu

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For the TV series, see Pagal Nilavu (TV series).
Pagal Nilavu
Pagal Nilavu.jpg
Poster
Directed by Mani Ratnam
Written by Mani Ratnam
Dialogue by A. L. Narayanan
Produced by T. G. Thyagarajan
Starring Murali
Revathi
Sathyaraj
Cinematography Ramachandra Babu
Edited by B. Lenin
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Production
company

Sathya Jyothi Films

Release date

28 June 1985

Running time
145 minutes[1]
Country India
Language Tamil

Pagal Nilavu (transl. The Daytime Moon) is a 1985 Indian Tamil-language gangster

film[2] directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Murali, Revathi and Sathyaraj. It is
about a carefree youth caught between his loyalty to a mafia don and his love for a
cop's sister.

The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Ilaiyaraaja which were widely
acclaimed, while the cinematography of the film was handled by Ramachandra Babu.
Pagal Nilavu marked Mani Ratnam's entry into Tamil cinema.
Contents

1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Soundtrack
5 Release
6 References
7 Bibliography
8 External links

Plot

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Selvam is an aimless youth in Muttam, Kanyakumari. Out of a sense of deep

gratitude, he ends up joining the gang of Devaraj alias Periyavar and complications
arise when he falls in love with Jyothi, the sister of Peter, an honest and
committed police inspector who is newly posted to the town. Periyavar pretty much
runs the town and though he helps people in need, he is a diabolical kingpin who
will not compromise on his hold of the town for anything. He wins Selvam's undying
loyalty when he helps him with money and power at a critical juncture to save his
mother.

In this backdrop Peter takes charge and moves into the town with his sister and
daughter. Being uncompromising in his morals, Peter is automatically drawn into a
game of one-upmanship with Periyavar and his gang. He also consequentially cannot
stand Periyavar's chief henchman Selvam, and is consequentially drawn into
continuous verbal and physical duels with him. Selvam meanwhile falls hook line and
sinker to Jyothi and tries every trick in the book to woo her and eventually wins.
Cast

Murali as Selvam[3]
Revathi as Jyothi[3]
Sathyaraj as Devarajan[3]
Sarath Babu as Peter[3]
Raadhika as Thulasi
Goundamani as George Kutty[4]
Nizhalgal Ravi
Poovilangu Mohan
Venu Arvind
Isari Velan as mudaliyar

Production

Mani Ratnam and T. G. Thyagarajan of Sathya Jyothi Films were childhood friends as
both their fathers were partners of Venus Movies and after the latter became a
producer, he was keen to make a film directed by Ratnam.[5] Like with the producer
of Unaroo (1984), Ratnam initially narrated the script of Mouna Ragam (1986), then
under the title of Divya, but Thyagarajan wanted an action film; the pair
eventually began work on Pagal Nilavu. The producer suggested that Sathyaraj should
play a character, while Murali and Revathi were also signed on for the lead roles
in the film. Sarath Babu and Raadhika were also selected to portray supporting
roles. As the film was set in a small town milieu, Ratnam felt that he could not do
justice to the local dialogues and A. L. Narayanan was drafted in to help work on
the dialogues.[6] The film was Ratnam's first in Tamil.[7] Since Raadhika's
character was a dancer, the actress had to undergo training.[8]

Pagal Nilavu was the first Mani Ratnam film to have standalone songs, which had to
be picturised and he shot the videos of "Maina Maina" and "Nee Appothu", one after
another. To make the film more commercially viable, Thyagarajan included a comedy
subplot written by J. Livingston and Kumar, featuring Goundamani as a Malayali.[9]
Cinematography was handled by Ramachandra Babu, and editing by B. Lenin.[1]
Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Gangai Amaran.[10][11]

No. Title Singer(s) Length
1. "Poovilae Medai" P. Jayachandran, P. Susheela 2:39
2. "Vaidhegi Raman" S. Janaki 4:22
3. "Maina Maina" Ilaiyaraaja 4:23
4. "Poo Maalayae" Ilaiyaraaja, S. Janaki 4:21
5. "Nee Appothu" Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja 4:24
6. "Vaarayo Vaanmathi" Ramesh, Usha Srinivasan 4:33
Release

Pagal Nilavu was released on 28 June 1985,[12] and was unsuccessful at the box
office.[13]
References

Rangan 2012, p. 289.

Narayanan, Sujatha (30 September 2018). "Thamizh Talkies: Bringing the style back
to gangster films". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.
Retrieved 31 August 2021.
Rangan 2012, p. 1.
Rangan 2012, p. 27.
Suganth, M. (19 February 2022). "40 Years Of Moondram Pirai — Balu Mahendra, Kamal
Haasan, Sridevi & Ilaiyaraaja's classic film". The Times of India. Archived from
the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
Rangan 2012, pp. 24–26.
Rangan 2012, p. 24.
Ramanujam, Srinivasa (16 January 2020). "Kollywood power couple Sarathkumar and
Radikaa on reuniting on-screen with 'Vaanam Kottatum'". The Hindu. Archived from
the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
Rangan 2012, pp. 27–28.
"Pagal Nilavu". JioSaavn. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved
30 August 2021.
"Pagal Nilavu Tamil Film LP VInyl Record by Ilayaraja". Mossymart. Archived from
the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
"Pagal Nilavu / பகல் நிலவு". Screen4Screen. Archived from the original on 31 August
2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.

"Happy birthday Ilaiyaraaja and Mani Ratnam!". Deccan Herald. 2 June 2018.
Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.

Bibliography
Rangan, Baradwaj (2012). Conversations with Mani Ratnam. Penguin Books India.
ISBN 978-0-670-08520-0.