In Indian cinema, it is usually stories from the epics or folk tales that are made in multiple languages because of their wide appeal across regions. However, one story, essentially a murder mystery about a man killed on a moving train, Neelagiri Express , was made into a movie some decades ago in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi, with different casts, writers and different directors. The first version was in Malayalam in 1967, titled Cochin Express, starring Prem Nazir as the CID officer solving the case. Directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by T.E. Vasudevan Nair, the film was a hit and was remade in Tamil as Neelagiri Express in 1968.
The Tamil version had the action hero of the day, Jai Shankar, playing CID Shankar. (Under this name, Modern Theatres made many films featuring Jai, many of them rather successful.)
Coming back to the story, a rich man (V. S. Raghavan) is murdered on a running train for the jewels he is carrying in his suitcase. Cho (S. Ramaswami) gives a brilliant performance as the man who notices the body in the carriage. One of Cho’s co-passengers is an attractive, young woman (Vijayalalitha) with a mysterious background. CID Shankar is in love with a young woman (Vijayanirmala), but since his parents do not approve of her, she leaves him. Some months later, Shankar happens to meet her in a hotel where she works as a receptionist, but she is not keen to revive the relationship. Shankar senses that there is a mystery behind her life and tries to solve it.
Meanwhile, there are quite a few suspects implicated in the train murder, including his chain-smoking brother-in-law (Ramadas) and a bald villain with an eye-patch (Asokan). In the climax, the CID officer, disguised as a rich Muslim, meets a dancer (Vijayalalitha) who reveals herself as his sweetheart by taking off her facial mask (Vijayanirmala). She dies in his arms after consuming poison. Shankar realises she has been used as a pawn by the killers (the bald man and his gang). Neelagiri Express was directed by Thirumalai-Mahalingam, who were working with A. Bhim Singh. The music was composed by T.K. Ramamurthi and the lyrics were by Kavignar Kannadasan. G. Vittal handled the camera and Pauldoraisingam was the editor. A box office success, it was remade in Telugu as Circar Express with Krishna, Vijayanirmala and Vijayalalitha. This version and the 1970 Hindi version, The Train , featuring Rajesh Khanna as the cop with Nanda and Helen did well at the box office. There were some attempts to make a Kannada version, but no reports are available about whether it came about.
Remembered for: the interesting storyline, gripping on-screen narration and fine performances by Jai Shankar and Cho who wrote the screenplay and dialogue.
In Indian cinema, it is usually stories from the epics or folk tales that are made in multiple languages because of their wide appeal across regions. However, one story, essentially a murder mystery about a man killed on a moving train, Neelagiri Express , was made into a movie some decades ago in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi, with different casts, writers and different directors.
The first version was in Malayalam in 1967, titled Cochin Express, starring Prem Nazir as the CID officer solving the case. Directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by T.E. Vasudevan Nair, the film was a hit and was remade in Tamil as Neelagiri Express in 1968.
The Tamil version had the action hero of the day, Jai Shankar, playing CID Shankar. (Under this name, Modern Theatres made many films featuring Jai, many of them rather successful.)
Coming back to the story, a rich man (V. S. Raghavan) is murdered on a running train for the jewels he is carrying in his suitcase. Cho (S. Ramaswami) gives a brilliant performance as the man who notices the body in the carriage. One of Cho’s co-passengers is an attractive, young woman (Vijayalalitha) with a mysterious background.
CID Shankar is in love with a young woman (Vijayanirmala), but since his parents do not approve of her, she leaves him. Some months later, Shankar happens to meet her in a hotel where she works as a receptionist, but she is not keen to revive the relationship. Shankar senses that there is a mystery behind her life and tries to solve it.
Meanwhile, there are quite a few suspects implicated in the train murder, including his chain-smoking brother-in-law (Ramadas) and a bald villain with an eye-patch (Asokan). In the climax, the CID officer, disguised as a rich Muslim, meets a dancer (Vijayalalitha) who reveals herself as his sweetheart by taking off her facial mask (Vijayanirmala). She dies in his arms after consuming poison. Shankar realises she has been used as a pawn by the killers (the bald man and his gang).
Neelagiri Express was directed by Thirumalai-Mahalingam, who were working with A. Bhim Singh. The music was composed by T.K. Ramamurthi and the lyrics were by Kavignar Kannadasan. G. Vittal handled the camera and Pauldoraisingam was the editor. A box office success, it was remade in Telugu as Circar Express with Krishna, Vijayanirmala and Vijayalalitha. This version and the 1970 Hindi version, The Train , featuring Rajesh Khanna as the cop with Nanda and Helen did well at the box office. There were some attempts to make a Kannada version, but no reports are available about whether it came about.
Remembered for: the interesting storyline, gripping on-screen narration and fine performances by Jai Shankar and Cho who wrote the screenplay and dialogue.
