M Karunanidhi stole my script: Film writer

Namakkal: A nonagenarian Tamil film lyricist from Namakkal has come up with an explosive allegation against the DMK president M.Karunanidhi. P.K.Muthusamy, 96, accuses the DMK patriarch and famous Tamil writer of having “stolen his film script and storyline.” about 65 years ago.

The writer who is languishing in poverty claimed that he had given the “storyline” of the movie Marudhanaattu Illavarasi to the DMK chief in Decemeber 1949. “But without my knowledge, he stole the storyline and made a movie,” Muthusamy alleged. “I picked up a quarrel with Kalaignar over the issue,” he added.

Muthusamy has written over 60 songs for Tamil films including the one titled Chinna Nadai Nadanthu vandhu in the movie, Kaveriyin Kanavan. A school drop-out, Muthusamy took a fancy to theatre, writing short stories, songs and verses. He lost all his property trying to produce the movie Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum.

His son, Mannar Mannan is a cinematographer, After his wife’s death in 2003, he is living alone in a rented house in Namakkal. “I have given the publishing rights for my works to a publisher in Chennai. With the money the publisher gives me and the monthly pension of Rs.1,500 given for indigent writers by the Tamil Nadu government, I am managing my life,” he sighs. Interestingly, he has written several odes and verses in praise of chief minister Jayalalithaa and the former Chief Ministers C.N.Annadurai and MGR.