Kovaithambi

Kovaithambi
Born	(1940-11-28) 28 November 1940 (age 84) Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality	Indian
Education	R. S. Puram Corporation Boys Higher Secondary School
Occupation(s)	Film producer, politician
Years active	1981–present
Spouse	Sita

Kovaithambi (born 28 November 1940) is an Indian film producer and politician who was active primarily in the 1980s, in Tamil cinema.

Early life

Kovaithambi was born on 28 November 1940 to Perumal Udayar and Sunthayi Ammal, a farming couple belonging to the Udayar caste. He did his schooling at the R. S. Puram Corporation Boys Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore. During that period, he was fascinated by the speeches of politicians such as M. G. Ramachandran, C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, E. V. K. Sampath, V. R. Nedunchezhiyan, Nanjil K. Manoharan and K. Anbazhagan. He also wrote and starred in many school plays.^[1]

Career

Politics

Kovaithambi joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) when it was formed by M. G. Ramachandran.^[1] Between 1977 and 1986, Kovaithambi served as the AIADMK's Coimbatore District Secretary. From 1980 to 1984, he served as the Perur constituency MLA. Kovaithambi left the AIADMK in 1988, following the death of Ramachandran in 1987. As of 2009, Kovaithambi was the state executive president of the Tamil Nadu Parkava Kula Sangam (TNPKS), an "umbrella body for the Udayar, Moopanar and Nainar communities".^[2]

Cinema

In 1981, Kovaithambi established Motherland Pictures, and the first film produced by this company was R. Sundarrajan's directorial debut Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982), which became a silver jubilee hit; Kovaithambi was credited for the film's story.^[1][3] He went on to produce more commercially successful films in the 1980s including Ilamai Kaalangal (1983),^[4] Idaya Kovil (1985),^[5] and Udaya Geetham (1985).^[6] After Chembaruthi (1992), Kovaithambi took a sabbatical from producing. In 2008, he attempted a comeback with Yen Ippadi Mayakinay,^[7] which ultimately never released; Kovaithambi's comeback film instead became Uyirukku Uyiraga (2014).^[8][9]

Personal life

Kovaithambi is married to Sita. Both are founders of Motherland Matriculation Higher Secondary School.^[10]

Filmography

Year	Film	Ref.
1982	Payanangal Mudivathillai	[1]
1983	Ilamai Kaalangal	[4]
1984	Naan Paadum Paadal	[11]
1984	Unnai Naan Santhithen	[12]
1985	Udaya Geetham	[6]
1985	Idaya Kovil	[5]
1986	Uyire Unakkaga	[12]
1986	Aayiram Pookkal Malarattum	[12]
1986	Mannukkul Vairam	[13]
1987	Mangai Oru Gangai	[14]
1988	Uzhaithu Vaazha Vendum	[15]
1992	Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren	[16]
1992	Chembaruthi	[7]
2014	Uyirukku Uyiraga	[9]

References

1. "டைரக்டராக ஆர்.சுந்தர்ராஜன் அறிமுகம்" [R. Sundarrajan's directorial debut]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 1 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
2. "Kovai Thambi gets back to politics". The New Indian Express. 31 March 2009. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
3. Shiva Kumar, S. (1982). "Kovai Thambi cheated". Mid-Day. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
4. "பயணங்கள் முடிவதில்லை படத்தைப் பார்த்த எம்.ஜி.ஆர்" [MGR saw the film Payanangal Mudivathillai]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
5. "மணிரத்னத்துக்கு வாய்ப்பு கொடுத்ததே தவறு: கோவைத் தம்பி" [It was a mistake to give Mani Ratnam a chance: Kovaithambi]. Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
6. ராம்ஜி, வி. (15 April 2019). "இளையராஜா சார் ஒரேயொரு பாட்டுக்கு ரொம்பநேரம் எடுத்துக்கிட்டார்" - 'உதயகீதம்' இயக்குநர் கே.ரங்கராஜ் பேட்டி" ["Ilaiyaraaja sir took too long for just one song" – Udaya Geetham director K. Rangaraj]. Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
7. Gupta, Rinku (2 June 2008). "Motherland turns 25". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
8. "மீண்டும் படம் தயாரிக்கிறார் கோவை தம்பி" [Kovaithambi to produce a film again]. Dinamalar (in Tamil). 18 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
9. "'Uyirukku Uyiraga'". Sify. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
10. "About Management". Motherlaand Matriculation School. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
11. "ஒரே வருடத்தில் மோகன் 15 படங்கள்; ஒரேநாளில் 3 படம் ரிலீஸ்; அத்தனையும் ஹிட்" [In just one year Mohan acted in 15 films; in just one day he had 3 releases; all were hits]. Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 5 December 2019. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
12. "மணிரத்னம் டைரக்ஷனில் இதயக்கோயில்" [Idaya Kovil in Mani Ratnam's direction]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 3 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
13. "மண்ணுக்குள் வைரம்: சிவாஜிகணேசனை வைத்து கோவைத்தம்பி தயாரித்த படம்" [Mannukkul Vairam: A film produced by Kovaithambi starring Sivaji Ganesan]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
14. "Mangai Oru Gangai". The Indian Express. 24 July 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
15. Krishnaswamy, N. (11 November 1988). "Uzhaiththu Vaazha Vendum". The Indian Express. p. 5. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
16. Chidambaram, S. (21 February 1992). "Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren". The Indian Express. p. 7. Retrieved 20 March 2020.

External links

• Kovaithambi at IMDb