Ponmudi
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ellis R. Dungan
Written by	Bharathidasan
Based on	Ethirparatha Mutham by Bharathidasan
Produced by	T. R. Sundaram
Starring	P. V. Narasimha Bharathi Madhuri Devi R. Balasubramaniam
Cinematography	J. G. Vijayam
Edited by	L. Balu
Music by	G. Ramanathan
Production company	Modern Theatres
Distributed by	Broadway, Sun & Saraswathi
Release date	14 January 1950 (1950-01-14)
Running time	170 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Ponmudi is a 1950 Tamil-language film directed by Ellis R. Dungan, produced by T. R. Sundaram of Modern Theatres and written by Bharathidasan. It is based on Bharathidasan's verse novel Ethirparatha Mutham (transl. The Unexpected Kiss).^[1] The film was released on 14 January 1950.

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Producer T. R. Sundaram of Modern Theatres wanted to make a film based on Edhirparatha Mutham, a novel written by the Tamil rationalist poet Bharatidasan. Ellis Dungan was hired to direct Bharathidasan's script. The film was made at the Modern Theatres studio in Salem. Some scenes were also filmed in Yercaud. For shooting beach scenes, Dungan had a beach set constructed in Salem, out of sand brought from Adyar beach. The film had intimate love sequences which were unusual in the (then) conservative Tamil film industry.^[1][2]

The music was composed by G. Ramanathan while the lyrics were penned by Ka. Mu. Sheriff and A. Maruthakasi.^{[citation needed]}

Ponmudi was released on Pongal day, 14 January 1950, and was distributed by Broadway, Sun & Saraswathi in Madras.^[3] It was a commercial failure as its intimate scenes shocked the Tamil audience.^[1] The film was criticised in the press for being "vulgar" and Dungan was accused of "corrupting the population with American ways".^[4] Despite this, J. G. Vijayam's cinematography was acclaimed and won him an award.^[1]

• Ponmudi at IMDb