lang (தமிழ்: பட்டினத்தார்) is a 1936 Indian Tamil film written and directed by T. C. Vadivelu Nayakar and produced by M. T. Rajan. Music by Gopal Sharma is an added asset to the film. The film stars M. M. Dandapani Desikar (his acting debut) playing the titled role with other actors like V. N. Sundaram, D. R. Muthulakshmi, T. K. Rukmini, M. S. Radhabai and P. G. Venkatesan portraying supporting roles. The film was a major success, and ran for 25 weeks and established Desikar as an excellent singer - actor on the ladder of success. Pattinathar is about saint who lived in Kaveripoompattinam, his devotion to Lord Shiva and the miracles the saint performed.

Plot

The film is about Pattinatthar, the saint who lived during10th Century in Kaveripoompattinam inTamil Nadu. Lord Shiva, on the report of Dharmavathi about the atrocities committed by men in the world, sends Kubera from Kailas to be born as Thiruvengadar at Kaveripoompattinam. At the age of 20, Thiruvengadar, marries Sivakalai and leads a happy, successful and pious life with her, with the only sorrow that they are childless. Siva Sarama, a poor Brahmin of Thiruvidaimarudur, finds a child under a Bilva tree and presents the child named Marudhavaanan to Thiruvengadar, who offers gold equal to the child's weight to the temple and brings him up as his son. When Marudhavaanan is 16 years old, he goes on a pleasure trip on a boat and encounters a big fish. By his touch, Marudhavaanan ends the curse of the Gandharva (cursed to be the giant fish). Marudhavaanan goes on business voyage with merchandise and returns with only a small box and two bags of sand.