Tamil Nadu - Chennai

82 years on, it still remains novel

The cover of the re-launched book.

CHENNAI: It is a rebirth for a novel which was made into a successful movie, but had been completely forgotten.

Karungkuil Kuntrathuk Kolai, a Tamil thriller, first published in 1926, was re-launched on Tuesday after a gap of 82 years, thanks to the efforts taken by the author D.S.Duraisami’s great-grandson.

When Joseph D’ Sami ransacked the bookshelves in search of his grandfather’s novel, he found the pages were crumbling and were beyond redemption.

Joseph D. Sami, known as JD in the film world, said he finally traced it in the office of Sarvaviyabi magazine in Puducherry in which the novel was serialised. He photocopied the work and had it republished.

D.S.Duraisami a native of Kumbakonam, had worked as a salt inspector during the British rule.

The novel was made in to a movie Maragatham allathu Karungkuil Kuntrathuk Kolai starring late Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and J.P. Chandrababu.

Veena Balachander had done the screen play besides playing a role.

Writer Jayamohan who has written a detailed introduction and analysis of the novel, said the prose was modern compared to the contemporary literary works. “The author was a voracious reader of English novels and it had reflected in his style,” he said.

Prof. Bernard D. Sami another great-grandson of Durasami said that the author had translated two plays of the Shakespeare. It was an adaptation of a novel by English writer Walter Scott.

Film director Balu Mahendra released the book and art critic Dhenuka received the first copy.

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