Padithal Mattum Podhuma () is a 1962 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by A. Bhimsingh. Based on the 1961 novel Naa, by the Bengali writer Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, the film stars Sivaji Ganesan, K. Balaji, Savitri, M. R. Radha and Rajasulochana. It was released on 14 April 1962 and became a commercial success, running for more than 100 days at all centres in Tamil Nadu.
Raju and Gopal are close cousins raised together by the zamindar and Mangalam. Raju is educated and timid, while Gopal is uneducated and rough. A marriage broker arranges matches: Raju with the wealthy Meena and Gopal with the village girl Seetha. Due to a mixâÂÂup, Raju meets Seetha and falls for her, while Gopal impresses Meena by accident.
Unable to express his wishes, Raju sends anonymous letters defaming himself and Gopal, causing the families to swap the matches. Raju marries Seetha happily, but GopalâÂÂs marriage to Meena turns bitter when she discovers he is uneducated. Misunderstandings grow, and Gopal is wrongly blamed for the defamatory letters.
When the truth nearly surfaces, Gopal protects Raju, but tensions escalate. After being humiliated by MeenaâÂÂs family, Gopal loses control and goes into the forest with a rifle. Raju tries to stop him, and in the struggle the gun fires, killing Raju. Before dying, Raju makes Gopal promise not to reveal his guilt about the letter.
Gopal is arrested, but Mangalam later reveals the truth. Seetha testifies that no one knows who pulled the trigger, freeing Gopal. Gopal and Meena reconcile, while Seetha returns to her village.
One song depicting Ganesan's character riding a horse was shot at Raj Bhavan. The song "Pon Ondru Kanden" was shot at YMCA Swimming pool.
The underlying theme of the film is "how a deep friendship between cousins is affected due to both of them being besotted with a woman."
The music was composed by ViswanathanâÂÂRamamoorthy. The song "Pon Ondru Kanden" is set in the Hindustani raga known as Brindavani Sarang.
Kanthan of Kalki positively reviewed the film, saying watching it just once was not enough.