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Bharathi
Bharathi
	Poster
Directed by	Gnana Rajasekaran
Written by	Gnana Rajasekaran
Produced by	Sujatha; M. Varadaraja; K. Maniprasad
Starring	Sayaji Shinde; Devayani; Nizhalgal Ravi; Ramesh Kumar
Cinematography	Thangar Bachan
Edited by	B. Lenin; V. T. Vijayan
Music by	Ilayaraja
Production; company	Media Dreams
Distributed by	Media Dreams
Release date	1 September 2000;
Running time	149 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil
Budget	₹1.5 crores

Bharathi is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language biographical film based on the life of Subramania Bharati starring Sayaji Shinde, Devayani and Nizhalgal Ravi. The film was directed by Gnana Rajasekaran^[2] and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for the year 2000.

Plot

It is a biographical film based on the life of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati.

Cast

Sayaji Shinde as Subramania Bharathi
- Pushpak Ramesh as young Subramania Bharathi
Devayani as Chellamal
Ramesh Kumar as Subramania Bharathi's friend
Nizhalgal Ravi as S. P. Y. Surendranath Arya
T. P. Gajendran as Kuvalai kannan
Srikanth
Junior Balaiah
Delhi Kumar
Balu Anand
Bala Singh
Kumar Natarajan
Amarasigamani
Ganesh Babu as Bharathi's son-in-law^[3]

Production

During his days as a district collector, Gnana Rajasekaran was invited as guest for an event where a student suggested him to make a film on poet Subramania Bharati which created a spark in him and went to Coimbatore and read books about him.^[1] The director wanted to cast Kamal Haasan in the lead role, but the film's budget did not allow it. So he chose Marathi actor Sayaji Shinde, who made his debut in Tamil cinema.^[4]^[5] The dubbing voice for Shinde was given by actor Rajeev.^[6]

The female lead role was initially offered to actress Suvalakshmi, whose refusal prompted the team to sign on Devayani.^[7] The filming was held at locations like Kadaya, Ettayapuram, Kasi and Pondicherry. The film's budget was 11⁄2 crores.^[1]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The song "Nirpadhuve" is set in Kalyani raga.^[8] Sajahan Waheed of New Straits Times wrote "Isaignani Illayaraja showcases his three-decade experience in the Tamil music industry thorough this brilliant effort".^[9]

All lyrics are written by Subramania Bharati (Except noted)

Track listing
No.	Title	Lyrics	Singers
1.	"Agini Kunjondru"		K. J. Yesudas
2.	"Baratha Samuthayam"		K. J. Yesudas
3.	"Ethilum Ingu"	Pulamaipithan	Madhu Balakrishnan
4.	"French Music"		Ilaiyaraaja
5.	"Keladaa Manida"		Rajkumar Bharathi
6.	"Mayil Pola Ponnu onnu"	Mu. Metha	Bhavatharini
7.	"Nallathor Veenai"		Ilaiyaraaja, Mano
8.	"Ninnaichcharan Adainthen"		Bombay Jayashree
9.	"Ninnaichcharan"		Ilaiyaraaja
10.	"Nirpathuve Nadapathuve"		Harish Raghavendra
11.	"Vante Matharam"		Madhu Balakrishnan

Reception

Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu said, "THE MAJESTIC GAIT, the intimidating, piercing eyes that sparkle with a mix of eccentricity, anger, defiance and passion – Shayaji Shinde is indeed a remarkable choice for the role of Bharati" and "It is another fantastic break for Devyani as Chellamma, the wife of Subramania Bharati. Her soft, vulnerable docility and her helpless effete submission to her husband's impractical way of life have been beautifully portrayed".^[10] Rediff.com said, "Sayaji Shinde as Bharati is simply splendid. His is an impressive performance, with nary an inkling of the trepidation that he is enacting Bharati's role -- he, a Maharashtrian and Tamil, an alien tongue".^[11]

Tamil Star wrote "Bharathi" may not be a commercial success. All said and done, with its superior quality it is certain that the film is bound to bag plenty of awards in near future".^[6] Seetha Ravi of Kalki praised the acting of Shinde and other actors, Ilaiyaraaja's music, Thangar Bachan's cinematography and Krishnamoorthy's art direction.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "வாழும் பாரதி!" (PDF). Kalki (in Tamil). 17 September 2000. pp. 28–30. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via Internet Archive.
^ Viswanathan, S. (10 November 2000). "In search of an Answer". Frontline. Vol. 17, no. 22. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
^ ஜெயந்தன், ஆர்.சி. (22 January 2021). "மரங்களுக்குள்ளே ஒரு மரபணுக் கூட்டம்! - இ.வி. கணேஷ் பாபு நேர்காணல்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
^ Subramanian, Anupama (7 July 2018). "Sayaji Shinde joins Aghori bandwagon". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
^ "Movie on Bharathiyaar". Minnoviyam. Archived from the original on 30 October 2000. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Movie: Bharathi". Tamil Star. Archived from the original on 25 August 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
^ Rasika. "It's a call sheet from fortune". Chennai Online. Archived from the original on 2 November 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
^ Parthasarathy, Dhanya (18 December 2004). "The walking Google of Tamil film songs". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^ Waheed, Sajahan (16 November 2000). "Brilliant and enchanting". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Rangarajan, Malathi (8 September 2000). "Film Review: Bharati". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ Aarkay (26 September 2000). "To the poet born". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ ரவி, சீதா (17 September 2000). "பாரதி". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 71. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023 – via Internet Archive.