Dhanam Tamil Movie

Sangeetha plays the title role in this film produced by Sri Nandimedu Chelliamman Movies. Debutant Siva is the latest addition to the ranks of cinematographers who have turned directors.

The storyline: Sangeetha hails from a family where women ('Dasis') traditionally entertain men customers to earn money. Having brought up in such an environment, Sangeetha develops revulsion towards this way of life and wants to free herself. She eventually fails and is pushed into the family occupation. How and under what circumstances she surrenders, albeit reluctantly, is what the story is about.

Sangeetha plays the character which has to do more with body language and emotions than talking. She believes that she got a more important role in "Dhanam" than in her earlier films.

One of the rapturous scenes has been shot in a dilapidated building at Kumbakonam where Sangeetha wallows in a filthy pond filled with garbage. She surprised the unit members who doubted whether she would get into the stinking water in the pond. The next day she was down with fever. Director Siva is all praise for Sangeetha's commitment and hard work.

Girish Karnad, Kota Srinivasa Rao and Ashish Vidyarthi play important roles. The cast includes Rajalakshmi, Prem, Ilavarasu, Manobala, Rajkapoor, Santhana Bharathi, Manojkumar and Sasimohan. Karunas, M.S. Bhaskar, Chinni Jayanth, Singamuthu, Crane Mohan and 'Scissor' Manohar constitute the comedy track.

Siva's technical team included cinematographer Jeeva who died of attack in Russia during the shooting of his film "Dhaam Dhoom". After his death, his assistant Srinivasan picked up from where Jeeva had left. Srinivasan also is a protégé of ace cinematographer P.C. Sriram.

Music maestro Ilayaraja has scored the music. There are seven Carnatic, 'kuthu' and melody songs. He has also done the background score. He has sung one of the numbers "Koothu Onnu, Koothu Onnu". Poet Kannadasan's daughter Vaishali has written the lyric for the song "Kannukku Enna Vendum...". Ilayaraja's daughter Bhavatharani has rendered this song. Besides Vaishali, the other lyricists are Vaali, M. Mehta, Muthulingam and Palanibharathi. Thotta Tharani is the art director. Editing is by Lenin. Director Siva has written the story, screenplay and dialogues.

Those associated with the project say "Dhanam" will make people sit up and think and it is in a sense revolutionary in concept.