Engal Thangam

Engal Thangam is a 1970 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Krishnan–Panju. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. It was released on 9 October 1970 and became a success, besides winning three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Plot
Thangam, a truck driver comes to the rescue of Sumathi, his blind younger sister, by putting on (by assuming) the offences of Moorthy, her husband. Moorthy is a childhood friend of Thangam. Today, Moorthy fell to the hands of a mysterious group of burglars, because he is the best professional safe-cracker in the city. Thangam wants at all costs to save him from this gang and to stop them. Thangam will be helped in his quest by Kaladevi, his lover.

Production
On learning that M. Karunanidhi and Murasoli Maran were bankrupt, M. G. Ramachandran acted in Engal Thangam without taking any remuneration.

Themes
The colours of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) flag – red and black – are featured in the attire Ramachandran frequently wears in the film as his character. The song "Naan Sethu Pulachavanda", where he sings that he has risen from the dead, is a reference to Ramachandran having survived a gunshot wound inflicted on his throat by M. R. Radha in 1967.

Soundtrack
Music is composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Vaali. The song "Don't Touch Mr X" includes English lyrics. "Thangapadhakkathin Mele" was remixed in Vetrivel Sakthivel (2005).

Release and reception
Engal Thangam was released on 9 October 1970, and distributed by Venus Movies. The Indian Express criticised the film for not offering anything new, but lauded Ramachandran's performance of the harikatha and concluded, "One is tired of this kind of movie with a huge bag of morals". The film ran for over 100 days in theatres. It won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film – Second Prize, Vaali won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Lyricist, and Pushpalatha won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Character Artiste (Female).