Ashok Kumar (film)

The Mauryan emperor Ashoka's son Kunalan is courted by Ashoka's second wife Tishyarakshai. When he rejects her advances, she falsely accuses him of trying to seduce her. He is thrown into prison and blinded. The story, however, comes to a happy end with his eyesight being restored by Gautama Buddha and the king acquits him of all the charges. == Cast ==

;Male cast ;Female cast == Production ==

Ashok Kumar is based on a legend involving the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, his son Kunalan and Ashoka's younger queen Thishyarakshai. It was the first Tamil film based on the legend, which was previously filmed in Hindi as Veer Kunal (1925). Telugu actress P. Kannamba played the role of Thishyarakshai. This was her second Tamil film and since she did not know the language, she was provided with a script in which Tamil words had been transliterated into Telugu. Ashok Kumar marked the debut of Ranjan (credited as R. Ramani), == Soundtrack ==

The songs were composed by Alathur V. Subramanyam and the lyrics were written by Papanasam Sivan. Music Credits ;Sharma Brothers Orchestra • R. N. Thambi – Veena • V. Govindasami – Fiddle • N. L. Ramalingam – Harmonium • R. V. Parikshithu – Mridangam == Release and reception ==

Ashok Kumar was released on 17 September 1941. Kay Yess Enn of The Indian Express praised the film for Kannamba's performance. == In other media ==

• Portions of "Bhoomiyil Maanida" were used in "Theepidikka", a song in Arinthum Ariyamalum (2005). • This song was also partly used as background music to a scene where tea estate workers march from the parade ground to the hills to pluck tea leaves, in the film Elephant Walk (1955) that was shot in Sri Lanka. == References ==