Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1959)

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Sivaji Ganesan brings the real kattabomman in front of our eyes. The powerful dialogs pierces swords in our minds. The movie portrays how the British East India Company set up trading centers, loaned money with huge amount of interest to the nawabs, and gained the tax collecting rights from the palayams(group of villages) in the south.The brave king kattabomman says, "if you want money we will lend it to you, or give it free for you, but you cannot try to control us and get tax from us". He started the freedom struggle with his fearless attitude refusing to bow down to the empire.Must watch movie....

What can i say about this movie. Even a kid in Tamil Nadu born today will know the speech that Sivaji Ganesan made in this movie. Songs are extremely nice and sivaji is awesome in this movie.What caused Veerapandiya Kattabomman to revolt may be shrouded in mystery. But revolt he did and paid the ultimate price of giving up his life. who better than Sivaji Ganesan to etch out this role. I suspect the real V. Kattabomman would not have been half as magnificent but he did deserve the belated accolades bestowed upon him through Sivaji.With its taut screenplay and powerful dialogues together with a spirited performance from Sivaji and the ensemble cast, no wonder the movie went on to become such a monster hit. Though dialogues of ParAsakthi, ManOhara, ThiruvilayAdal, ThillAna MohanAmbAL etc (incidentally all starring Sivaji) were extremely popular with people, I don't think any movie dialogue had the reach of VBKB - Jackson Durai conversation. You can still see 5 year old kids performing the scene in KaNmaNi PoongA kind of programmes, even after 40 years.

There are movies that can be reviewed. And there are movies one has to watch in wonder and salute it! We're incapable in our limited intellect and capacities to even comment about them. We just reverently watch them and salute them! This movie is of the second kind. Rather I should say the performance of Shivaji Ganesan in this movie is of the second kind! What a movie! This is an all-time classic! Shivaji Ganesan's career role! He got the best actor award in the Afro-Asian film festival at Cairo for this movie. One of the best performances ever by any actor in any movie. The supporting cast is uniformly good. When someone is inspired, he or she gives up all his individuality and in that surrender something everlasting is produced. This is the case in the movie. Shivaji is clearly inspired. Whew! After watching the movie, your step, your look, your demeanor will have a confidence and a swagger for days! DON'T MISS IT IF YOU GET A CHANCE!

A classic for all time, Sivaji's portrayal of Kattabomman is awesome, and his famous lines have become part of popular culture. Grandiose sets, elaborate war sequences, terrific music and fine lyrics, magnificent dialogue, competetnt acting from the rest of the cast....Don't miss it for the world.