Valluvar Kottam’s sprawling premises — with its giant chariot, massive carved wheels, and mirror-sheen flooring — has set the tone for many movie song sequences.
| Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN
In the heart of Chennai, the towering stone chariot that houses the ancient Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue in Valluvar Kottam has been a silent witness to countless public gatherings and cultural events and occasionally, to the magic of cinema unfolding beneath its shadow.
Just as the iconic landmark has long been a familiar backdrop for political rallies and protest meetings, the monument’s sprawling premises — with its giant chariot, massive carved wheels, and mirror-sheen flooring — has set the tone for soft-paced movie song sequences filmed under the night lights.
One of the most memorable on-screen moments shot at Valluvar Kottam is the one from the timeless song Mounamana Neram in the Tamil film Salangai Oli, starring Kamal Haasan and Jaya Prada. The sequence opens with the granite wheels and its intricate textures dominating the frame and creating a calm ambience in sync with the song’s gentle melody. The glossy flooring, mirroring the actors’ silhouettes in a few shots, lends a perfect visual cue in harmony with the song’s lyrics and mood. The grandeur of the Valluvar Kottam has been featured in several other Tamil films since 1980s. In yet another popular duet Seer Kondu Vaa from the film Naan Paadum Paadal, featuring actors Sivakumar and Ambika, the majestic granite elephants at the base of the chariot and the pillars along the corridor draped in grey and black hues form the regal backdrop that complements the lead pair’s charm.
Spread over five acres, Valluvar Kottam was constructed between 1974 and 1976 as a memorial monument for Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar. Its spectacular architecture was designed by architect V. Ganapati Stapathi. It also featured in the comedy scenes from Coimbatore Mappillai, featuring actors Vijay and Goundamani as unemployed characters idling away at a public place.
Jayanthi Kannappan of ALS Productions and daughter-in-law of veteran producer A.L.Srinivasan recalled memories of Ponnar Shankar, a Tamil historical drama film starring Prasanth. Many scenes in the film, which was based on the former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s novel, were shot in Valluvar Kottam. “I used to visit the massive set that recreated an ancient town in stunning detail, complete with traditional houses and warriors carrying swords and bows. It used to transport me to a bygone era and some scenes were filmed in the main hall. The set remained for three or four months. Kalaignar often visited the shooting spot,” she said.
Recently, the monument received a major facelift at a cost of ₹80 crore.
Published – August 16, 2025 01:14 am IST
