| Director: | Ellis R. Dungan |
| Starring: | P. V. Narasimha Bharathi Madhuri Devi R. Balasubramaniam |
| Producer: | T. R. Sundaram |
| Studio: | Modern Theatres |
| Distributor: | Broadway, Sun & Saraswathi |
| Music: | G. Ramanathan |
| Cinematography: | J. G. Vijayam |
| Editing: | L. Balu |
| Runtime: | 170 minutes |
| Country: | India |
| Language: | Tamil |
Ponmudi is a 1950 Tamil-language film directed by Ellis R. Dungan, produced by T. R. Sundaram of Modern Theatres and written by Bharathidasan. It is based on Bharathidasan's verse novel Ethirparatha Mutham .[1] The film was released on 14 January 1950.
Producer T. R. Sundaram of Modern Theatres wanted to make a film based on Edhirparatha Mutham, a novel written by the Tamil rationalist poet Bharatidasan. Ellis Dungan was hired to direct Bharathidasan's script. The film was made at the Modern Theatres studio in Salem. Some scenes were also filmed in Yercaud. For shooting beach scenes, Dungan had a beach set constructed in Salem, out of sand brought from Adyar beach. The film had intimate love sequences which were unusual in the (then) conservative Tamil film industry.[2]
The music was composed by G. Ramanathan while the lyrics were penned by Ka. Mu. Sheriff and A. Maruthakasi.
| Song | Singer(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| "Neela Vanum Nilavum Pol" | G. Ramanathan & T. V. Rathnam | |
| "Van Mazhaiyindri Vadidum Payir Pola" | G. Ramanathan & T. V. Rathnam | |
| "Nam Jeevaatharame Selvam Agume" | G. Ramanathan | |
| "En Prema Rooba...Inbathin Ellai Ithuthana" | T. V. Rathnam | |
| "Vaazha Venum Vaazha Venum" | Kali N. Rathnam | |
| "Aruyire Premai Amudha Variyil" | G. Ramanathan & T. V. Rathnam | |
| "Dhesamenggum Nalvalam" | G. Ramanathan | |
| "Meikadhal Arumbu Vazhvinile Poothathe Indre" | G. Ramanathan & T. V. Rathnam | |
| "Vaanam Kumurudhammaa" | U. R. Chandra & N. Lalitha | |
| "En Kaalamo Maranam" | G. Ramanathan |
Ponmudi was released on Pongal day, 14 January 1950, and was distributed by Broadway, Sun & Saraswathi in Madras.[3] It was a commercial failure as its intimate scenes shocked the Tamil audience. The film was criticised in the press for being "vulgar" and Dungan was accused of "corrupting the population with American ways".[4] Despite this, J. G. Vijayam's cinematography was acclaimed and won him an award.