Susheela (1963)

Susheela

Release date : 10 May 1963

Inspired from the huge box-office hit of Kumudham (1961), its producers made Susheela (1963), heavily borrowing situations, plot lines and characters from the original for Malayalam. And success followed in Malayalam too ! This was the first and last film Miss Kumari did with the brilliant KS Sethumadhavan at the helm. One can only imagine the creative possibilities that might have been, had she remained in the industry longer. Miss Kumari probably played the only blind role in her film career in Susheela, as the titular character, and was paired opposite Prem Nazir, in probably his first grey-shaded role. This was also her swan song in Malayalam cinema.

Movie Handbill

Movie Still form Susheela (1963)

More about the Movie

Prem Nazir	Miss Kumari
Sathyan	Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair
Pankajavalli	Ambika Sukumaran
Adoor Bhasi	Adoor Pankajam
Bahadoor	Sheela
O Madhavan	Madhavan Chembukkavu

Director	KS Sethumadhavan
Producer	NS Dravyam
Story	Ganesh Subrahmaniam
Screenplay	KS Sethumadhavan
Dialogues	Ponkunnam Varkey
Music	V Dakshinamoorthy
Lyrics	P Bhaskaran, Abhayadev, Vallathol
Playback Singers	S Janaki, P Susheela, P Leela, PB Sreenivas, Kamukara, KP Udayabhanu, ML Vasanthakumari, Prabha
Cinematography	P Ramaswami

Copyrights & Courtesy : The Hindu (B Vijayakumar’s MetroPlus Kochi Column)

Madhavi Amma (Pankajavally), a widow, has two children – Ravi (Sathyan) and daughter Suseela (Miss Kumari). Suseela is blind. Ravi is employed in a bank. Ravi’s uncle Sankunni Menon (Thikkurissi) is rich and owns a factory in the town. Incidentally, Ravi’s father was cheated by Sankunni Menon and had managed to get hold of his wealth. Ravi loses his job when the bank went on liquidation. He also loses the money he had deposited in the bank, which he had specifically set aside for his sister’s marriage.

Ravi gets a good job in Singapore with the help of his neighbour Unnithan. Unnithan also brings a proposal for Suseela. But the bridegroom backs out when he comes to know that Suseela is blind. Unnithan’s friend Chandran (Prem Nazir) comes to their rescue. He agrees to marry Suseela. However, Chandran does this only because of Suseela’s wealth. He runs away with her wealth and gets a manager’s job in Sankunni Menon’s factory. Menon’s daughter Nalini (Ambika) falls in love with Chandran. But Menon dismisses Chandran from the factory when he comes to know about his daughter’s affair with him. The lovers elope.

Madhavi Amma dies, while Suseela is in search of her husband. Ravi returns from Singapore. Menon requests Ravi to take charge of the factory. Ravi does so reluctantly. Nalini gives birth to a child and dies soon after. Chandran puts the child in an orphanage along with a letter addressed to Nalini’s father. Ravi takes the child home.

In the meanwhile, Ravi meets his friend Chandran quite accidently and without knowing that it was Suseela’s husband brings him home. Suseela recognises Chandran by his voice but keeps silent. She undergoes an eye surgery and regains her eyesight. Chandran reveals his identity to Suseela. Ravi who overhears their talk gets furious and attacks Chandran. Suseela tries to save her husband from her brother and in the melee falls down from the stairs. Suseela loses her vision again. Chandran repents for his cruelty. Suseela forgives him. They live happily along with Nalini’s child. Ravi marries Hema (Sheela), daughter of Unnithan.

Despite its unusual twists and turns the film turned out to be a big success. The expert handling of the story by KS Sethumadhavan and brilliant acting by Miss Kumari were other highpoints.