Maya Macchindra, also titled alternatively as Alakh Niranjan, is the title of various films produced in different languages in India. The story is based on the life of Matsyendranath or Machindranath, one of the eighty-four Mahasiddhas, tantric yogic master and the founder of nath lineage, and his famous disciple, Gorakhnath.
Maya Machhindra was a popular legend in ancient India and Tibet about tantric masters, and was made into a movie in more than one language six times. It was first made in Marathi and Hindi in 1932, soon after India's first sound film Alam Ara was made in 1931. The film was produced and directed by Vankudre (for V.) Shantaram. Govinda Rao Tembe, played Machindranath. His disciple Gorakhnath was played by Vinayak, and the queen was played by Durga Khote.
Maya Machindra is a Tamil-language film, scripted by Lakshmana Das. The title role was essayed by M.K. Radha. The film was released in 1939 and had a successful run.[3]
According to MGR's autobiography 'Naan Yaen Piranthaen', M.G. Nadaraja Pillai was originally booked for the villain character role (Sooriya Kethu) in the movie, and MGR was given the minor role of Visaladcha Maharaja, a brother of Sooriya Kethu. This minor character would be killed in the first and only scene, he appears. But, one week before the scheduled shooting day in Calcutta, M.G. Nadaraja Pillai had died. As a result, MGR was given the Sooriya Kethu role, assigned to the deceased actor. MGR had praised M.G. Nadaraja Pillai, as the one who gave him 'good career enhancing break' by his death. Saradha Venkatachalam is the main role child artist whose only film was this. She is an adept in Carnatic music. She is the daughter of Shri Ramachandra Iyer a philanthropist. After this film she did not continue acting. She married Sh P K Venkatachalam Iyer. She died in 2019.
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