{ "id": "epffy94241", "slug": "vedam-pudhithu", "title": "Vedam Pudhithu", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000", "label": "Tamil films before 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991", "label": "Released 1952 to 1991", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: Released 1952 to 1991", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000", "label": "Tamil films before 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991", "label": "Released 1952 to 1991", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Vedam Pudhithu (வேதம் புதிது, The New Veda) is a 1987 Tamil drama directed by Bharathiraja, starring Sathyaraj as atheist Balu Thevar; it won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and faced censorship controversy.", "snippet": "Vedam Pudhithu (வேதம் புதிது, The New Veda) is a 1987 Tamil drama directed by Bharathiraja, starring Sathyaraj as atheist Balu Thevar; it won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and faced censorship controversy.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1952-1991", "markdown": "# Vedam Pudhithu\n\n**Vedam Pudhithu** (வேதம் புதிது, \"The New Veda\") is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by [Bharathiraja](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharathiraja), centered on an atheist village leader of the Thevar community who protects an orphaned Brahmin boy and confronts caste prejudice in his village.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vedam-puthithu/movieshow/64971664.cms) • [2](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987) It was released on 27 December 1987, stars [Sathyaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/sathyaraj), Saritha, and [Amala Akkineni](https://www.edgepedia.org/amala-akkineni), and won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues along with three Filmfare Awards South in the Tamil category.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vedam-puthithu/movieshow/64971664.cms) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Release | 27 December 1987, Tamil language, drama genre[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vedam-puthithu/movieshow/64971664.cms) |\n| Director and writer | Directed by Bharathiraja; story and dialogues by K. Kannan, screenplay by Bharathiraja[4](https://jephmann.com/movies/film.php?id=106844) |\n| Principal cast | Sathyaraj as Balu Thevar, Saritha as Pechi, Amala Akkineni as Vaidehi, Raja as Sankarapandi, Charuhasan as Neelakanta Sastri, Janagaraj as Krishna Iyer[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/fullcredits/) |\n| Key crew | Producer S. Rangarajan (Janani Art Creations); music Devendran; lyrics Vairamuthu; cinematography B. Kannan; editing P. Mohanraj[4](https://jephmann.com/movies/film.php?id=106844) |\n| National honors | Silver Lotus Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and Best Editing at the National Film Awards[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/) |\n| Filmfare Awards South (1988) | Best Film, Best Actor (Sathyaraj), and Best Director (Bharathiraja); Amala Akkineni nominated for Best Actress[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/) |\n| Runtime | Reported as 130 minutes by streaming databases and 144 minutes (14 reels, 3,966.27 meters) in the censor record[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/vedham-pudhithu) • [2](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nBalu Thevar (Sathyaraj) and his wife Pechi (Saritha) belong to the Thevar community, a land-owning caste in southern [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu). Balu is an atheist who openly speaks against the caste system, yet the villagers tolerate and like him because of his helpfulness.[2](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987) • [7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) His only son Sankarapandi (Raja) returns home after completing his education in the city and falls in love with Vaidehi (Amala), daughter of the Brahmin priest Neelakanta Sastri ([Charuhasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/charuhasan)). Her father disapproves of the union because he regards the Thevars as lower in the caste hierarchy, while Sankarapandi's family accepts the relationship.[7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) • [8](https://letterboxd.com/film/vedham-pudhithu/)\n\nTo escape a marriage her father arranges with a Brahmin in a nearby village, Vaidehi fakes her suicide and takes refuge at the house of a widowed forest ranger ([Nizhalgal Ravi](https://www.edgepedia.org/nizhalgal-ravi), whose voice was dubbed by Bharathiraja).[7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) • [4](https://jephmann.com/movies/film.php?id=106844) Her father blames Sankarapandi for her supposed death; during the confrontation, Sankarapandi and Neelakanta Sastri fall from a cliff and die, while Vaidehi survives.[7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) • [2](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987)\n\n**The orphaned boy.** Vaidehi's younger brother Sankara (Master Dasarathi) is orphaned and shunned by his own community as inauspicious. Seeing him beg in the street, and having lost his own son, Balu takes the boy in; he and Petchi give up eating meat for the child's sake.[7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) The Brahmin community rejects the boy for living and eating in a lower-caste household and bars him from learning the Vedas, so Petchi enrolls him in an English-medium school. When the boy asks why Balu still keeps the caste surname \"Thevar\" while opposing the caste system, Balu gives up his caste-based identity.[7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) • [9](https://m.rediff.com/amp/movies/special/bharathirajas-10-tamil-classics/20260611.htm)\n\n**Ending.** Vaidehi, having survived, returns to be with her brother, but Krishna Iyer ([Janagaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/janagaraj)), the suitor originally chosen for her, turns the villagers against the household, arguing that a Brahmin whose death rites were already performed cannot live in a non-Brahmin's house. When Balu refuses to send her away, a fight breaks out and villagers opposed to him stab him to death. Dying, he asks the villagers to live in unity and not let caste divide them.[2](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987) • [7](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf)\n\n## Censorship and release\n\nThe film ran into trouble with the censor board. According to IMDb's trivia entry, [M. G. Ramachandran](https://www.edgepedia.org/m-g-ramachandran), then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, heard of the difficulties and requested a special screening at the AVM AC theater, sitting beside Sathyaraj; per Sathyaraj's account, MGR was so moved by the film that afterward he held the actor's hand and kissed it ten times.[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/trivia/) The *Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema* records the affair as a major censorship case in which the Madras Tamil Brahmins' Association called for the film to be banned, a call apparently supported by the then-[President of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/president-of-india).[11](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%20of%20Indian%20Cinema.pdf) Tamil-language press accounts also report that MGR helped the film's release when it ran into difficulties.[12](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/tamilnadu/tamil-cinema-actor-dubbing-artiest-dasarathy-interview-in-tamil-587813/)\n\n## Awards\n\nAt the [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards), the film won the Silver Lotus Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues (credited to Bharathiraja) and Best Editing for P. Mohanraj.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/) The Times of India lists three National Awards and three [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards) in the Tamil category for the film.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vedam-puthithu/movieshow/64971664.cms) At the 1988 [Filmfare Awards South](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards-south) it won Best Film, Best Actor for Sathyaraj, and Best Director for Bharathiraja, with Amala Akkineni nominated for Best Actress.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/) Cinema Express notes the film earned its accolades at the 35th National Film Awards.[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Jul/17/bharathiraja-binge-list-essential-films-of-legendary-director-born-on-this-date)\n\n## Reception and legacy\n\nContemporary critical assessment in the National Film Development Corporation's 1990 catalog was mixed. It acknowledged the film's progressive ending and its hope for a casteless humanism, the \"new Veda\" promised by the title, but judged that it fell short of the classic status of the Kannada films *Samskara* and *Ghata Shradha*, arguing that the love story was given too much latitude and too many songs, producing melodrama rather than the tragic economy of those films.[14](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/134_IPCatalogue1990.pdf)\n\nLater scholarship and criticism have treated the film as a landmark of anti-caste filmmaking in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema). A 2020 academic survey of caste in Tamil film counts *Vedham Pudhithu* among only two 1980s films that dealt explicitly with caste, alongside Bharathiraja's own *[Muthal Mariyathai](https://www.edgepedia.org/muthal-mariyathai)* (1985), and notes that director Bharathiraja criticizes stereotypes based on caste discrimination between Thevar and Brahmin families.[15](https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/328007935.pdf) Rediff's retrospective calls it one of few Tamil films to confront caste discrimination directly and fearlessly, highlighting the scene in which the boy challenges his benefactor's retention of the surname Thevar.[9](https://m.rediff.com/amp/movies/special/bharathirajas-10-tamil-classics/20260611.htm) The News Minute describes it as a stereotype-breaking anti-caste film that explored longing shaped by loss, caste, and separation.[16](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/longing-and-belonging-the-many-shades-of-love-in-bharathirajas-cinema) The film holds a 7.9 rating on IMDb, and as of recent checks it is not available for streaming in India, though it streams on Amazon Prime Video in Australia and four other countries.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/vedham-pudhithu)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Vedam Puthithu, Times of India eTimes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vedam-puthithu/movieshow/64971664.cms)\n2. [Vedham Puthithu (1987), Cinemaazi](https://www.cinemaazi.com/film/vedham-puthithu-1987)\n3. [Vedam Puthithu (1987) – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/awards/)\n4. [Vedham Pudhithu (1987), Jeffrey Hartmann film database](https://jephmann.com/movies/film.php?id=106844)\n5. [Vedam Puthithu (1987) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/fullcredits/)\n6. [Vedham Pudhithu streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/vedham-pudhithu)\n7. [Vedham Pudhithu, IJCSPUB paper](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf)\n8. [Vedham Pudhithu, Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/film/vedham-pudhithu/)\n9. [Bharathiraja's 10 Tamil Classics, Rediff.com](https://m.rediff.com/amp/movies/special/bharathirajas-10-tamil-classics/20260611.htm)\n10. [Vedam Puthithu (1987) – Trivia, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156166/trivia/)\n11. [Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema, indiancine.ma](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%20of%20Indian%20Cinema.pdf)\n12. [Dasarathy interview, Tamil Indian Express](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/tamilnadu/tamil-cinema-actor-dubbing-artiest-dasarathy-interview-in-tamil-587813/)\n13. [Bharathiraja binge list, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Jul/17/bharathiraja-binge-list-essential-films-of-legendary-director-born-on-this-date)\n14. [Indian Panorama Catalogue 1990, Directorate of Film Festivals](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/134_IPCatalogue1990.pdf)\n15. [The Paradigm Shifts in the Portrayal of Caste in Tamil Cinema, Nanzan Academic Society journal (2020)](https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/328007935.pdf)\n16. [Longing and belonging: The many shades of love in Bharathiraja's cinema, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/flix/longing-and-belonging-the-many-shades-of-love-in-bharathirajas-cinema)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films before 2000 › Released 1952 to 1991*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Vedam Pudhithu\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Vedam Pudhithu](https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu](https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Vedam Pudhithu\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/vedam-pudhithu. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Vedam Pudhithu is a 1987 Tamil drama directed by Bharathiraja, starring Sathyaraj as atheist Balu Thevar; it won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues and faced censorship controversy." }