Dumm Dumm Dumm

Ganga lives in a small village in Thenkasi district of Tamil Nadu and yet secures state second rank in XII board exams. Although she wishes to pursue civil engineering, her father Veluthambi plans to get her married to young Lawyer Adhithya aka Adhi, who also hails from the same village. The reason for this alliance is that Adhi's rich dad was Veluthambi's former boss who helped him become a rich rice mill owner, and Velu wants to repay the moral debt. Adhi is a fun-loving person who has just completed his law degree and prefers to enjoy his bachelor life and is not interested in marriage.

Adhi comes to the village and meets Ganga trying to convey his feelings. To his surprise, Ganga is also not interested in marriage as she wants to study in Chennai. Both of them decide to somehow stop the wedding by creating some problem before the wedding, but all their efforts go in vain as both the families get even closer following their plans.

Slowly, Adhi and Ganga start liking each other and decide to get married. However, to their shock, on the day before the wedding, a small quarrel erupts between Veluthambi and Adhi's father while playing cards. Adhi's father accuses Veluthambi of cheating during the game, which was actually done by Adhi's relative Dr Kathamuthu. Veluthambi retaliates to prove his genuineness. The argument, which started in a funnier tone, gets serious slowly, and immediately, both of the families decide to get the wedding cancelled and in the tussle, Adhi's house servant is stabbed. Ganga's brother-in-law, a government school PT teacher, is blamed for the incident and is arrested.

Ganga is sent to Chennai to pursue engineering and stays with her paternal uncle Sivaji, who is a leading lawyer by profession. Adhi, who also lives in Chennai, meets Ganga, and they both now plan to get the cancelled wedding re-arranged again by their families. Adhi comes in place of his friend Jim as a junior lawyer to assist Sivaji, thereby meeting Ganga every day. Sivaji finds that Adhi has not come as a junior and instead for some other reason. However, he misunderstands that Adhi is in love with his own daughter and fears that his daughter might elope with Adhi someday. Adhi appears as lawyer for Veluthambi's son-in-law, and saves him based on lack of evidence.

Finally, Adhi's father understands that Veluthambi was innocent and apologizes to him. Adhi and Ganga are happily united in the end.

{{cast listing|

• R. Madhavan as Adhitya aka Aadhi
• Jyothika (voice: Savitha) as Ganga Veluthambi
• Manivannan as Sivaji
• Vivek as Jim
• Murali as Veluthambi, Ganga's father
• V. K. Ramasamy as Ganga's grandfather
• Delhi Kumar as Adhi's father
• Kalairani as Adhi's mother
• Chinni Jayanth as Sivaji's client
• Gowtham Sundararajan as Ganga's brother-in-law
• M. S. Bhaskar as Adhi's relative
• Kalpana as Pattamma
• Richa Ahuja as Asha
• Vaiyapuri as Saami
• Sridhar as Shree
• Shanthi Williams as Sivaji's wife
• S. N. Parvathy as Ganga's grandmother
• Preetha as Charu
• Sheela Kaur as Ganga's sister

}}

Mani Ratnam chose his assistant Azhagam Perumal to direct a film for his production studio, Madras Talkies in late 2000 and the pair worked on a screenplay together. Azhagam Perumal had earlier begun two projects, Mudhal Mudhalaaga in 1998 and Udhaya in 1998, but both films ran into production troubles, so his mentor Mani Ratnam was keen to launch him as a director. The basic plotline of the film was taken from the episode Love Story from Suhasini's 1991 miniseries Penn.{{cite web| url = https://ideallaedi.tumblr.com/post/155253598002/shobana-and-raja-in-love-story-a-short-skit-in-a| title = Where is my dabra ?| access-date = 8 August 2020| archive-date = 21 October 2023| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231021105512/https://ideallaedi.tumblr.com/post/155253598002/shobana-and-raja-in-love-story-a-short-skit-in-a| url-status = live}} While Mani Ratnam worked on writing the film's city portions, Azhagam Perumal wrote the portions set in the village.{{cite web| url = http://www.rediff.com/movies/2001/apr/24peru.htm| title = rediff.com, Movies: 'I'm jealous of Mani Ratnam!'| access-date = 16 February 2016| archive-date = 24 October 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024090709/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2001/apr/24peru.htm| url-status = live}} R. Madhavan, who played the lead role in Mani Ratnam's previous project Alaipayuthey (2000), was signed on to play the lead role alongside actress Jyothika.{{cite web| url = http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/we_rise_fast_fall_fast_jyothika.htm| title = "We Rise fast, fall fast": Jyothika| access-date = 16 February 2016| archive-date = 28 December 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131228071430/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/we_rise_fast_fall_fast_jyothika.htm| url-status = live}} It was initially reported that Madras Talkies had signed on composer Dhina to work on the film's soundtrack, but he was later replaced by Karthik Raja.{{cite web |url = http://tamilmovies.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?id=968265567 |title = Tamil Movies Online News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010129085300/http://tamilmovies.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?id=968265567 |archive-date=29 January 2001 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web| url = http://www.tfmpage.com/oldnews01.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021028073013/http://www.tfmpage.com/oldnews01.html| archive-date = 2002-10-28| title = TFM Old News Items}}

A song sequence was shot at Thanjavur Periya Koil and became the final film to shoot there until Kandaen released in 2011.{{cite web |url = http://www.screenindia.com/20010406/tamil.html#1 |title = Screen the business of entertainment-Regional-Tamil |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020108234446/http://www.screenindia.com/20010406/tamil.html#1 |archive-date=8 January 2002 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.supergoodmovies.com/17967/kollywood/Kanden-Preview-Preview-Details |title=Kanden — Preview |publisher=Supergoodmovies.com |date=2011-05-17 |access-date=2013-06-11 |archive-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401194633/http://www.supergoodmovies.com/17967/kollywood/Kanden-Preview-Preview-Details |url-status=live }} The film had a premiere on 13 April 2001 at Sathyam Cinemas in aid of the Ability Foundation, an organisation working for the welfare of the disabled.{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/04/17/stories/0417401z.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126021135/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/04/17/stories/0417401z.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=26 January 2013 |title=The Hindu : Premiere for a 'special' purpose |work=The Hindu |date=2001-04-17 |access-date=2013-06-11}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Dumm Dumm Dumm

| type = soundtrack

| artist = Karthik Raja

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 16 February 2001

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Feature film soundtrack

| length =

| label = Saregama
Cee (I) TV Audio

| producer =

| prev_title = Ullam Kollai Poguthae

| prev_year = 2001

| next_title = Mitr, My Friend

| next_year = 2001

}}

The soundtrack features six songs composed by Karthik Raja.{{cite web| url = https://gaana.com/album/dumm-dumm-dumm-tamil-0| title = Dumm Dumm Dumm Songs Download: Dumm Dumm Dumm MP3 Tamil Songs Online Free on Gaana.com| access-date = 7 May 2019| archive-date = 7 May 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190507081116/https://gaana.com/album/dumm-dumm-dumm-tamil-0| url-status = live}} The lyrics were penned by Vaali, Pa. Vijay and Na. Muthukumar. Indiainfo wrote "Once again the album does justice to the film producer Manirathnam whose music sense has always been above par. Kaarthik Raja is a talented son of a talented father".{{cite web|url=http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/audio/dum.html|title=Dum Dum Dum: Karthik Raja's Best|first=A|last=Swamy|website=Indiainfo|access-date=8 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011119060057/http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/audio/dum.html|archive-date=19 November 2001}}

Upon release on 13 April 2001, Dumm Dumm Dumm garnered predominantly positive feedback from critics. Chennai Online wrote "It is a youthful, clean entertainer from debutant director Azhagam Perumal. The film begins a little differently, the first part interspersed with enjoyable humour. Some of the scenes and song picturisation (like, 'Deising Raja….', the catchy tunes by Kartik Raja) have the Manirathnam touch. Not surprising, since the director has had his apprenticeship with Manirathnam. It is after the story shifts to the city that the narration lags a little and becomes confused".{{cite web |url = http://chennaionline.com/Moviereviews/tammov114.asp |title = Dumm Dumm Dumm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010624215650/http://chennaionline.com/Moviereviews/tammov114.asp |archive-date=24 June 2001 |url-status=dead}} The critic from Rediff.com cited that the film "has what it takes to come up with a box office bonanza" and said that "the real star, though, is director Azhagam Perumal."{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2001/apr/28dum.htm |title=The Rediff Review: Dum Dum Dum |publisher=Rediff |date=2001-04-28 |access-date=2013-06-11 |archive-date=16 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416034743/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2001/apr/28dum.htm |url-status=live }} Furthermore, the reviewer praised R. Madhavan and Jyothika, the lead pair, as "perfectly cast, and perform as per expectations," whilst labeling that Murali delivered a "measured performance." The Hindu's verdict was that the film was "a neat entertainer that seems to lose focus on and off," whilst drawing particular praise for the performance of the leading actors.{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/04/20/stories/09200223.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021113232633/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/04/20/stories/09200223.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=13 November 2002 |title=The Hindu : Film Review: Dumm...Dumm...Dumm... |work=The Hindu |date=2001-04-20 |access-date=2013-06-11}} New Straits Times wrote "Dumm Dumm Dumm is a surprisingly good effort from a new director and one suspects Maniratnam had a close hand in guiding him".{{cite web| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=x8G803Bi31IC&dat=20010421&printsec=frontpage&hl=en| title = New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search| access-date = 7 May 2019| archive-date = 30 May 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220530031414/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=x8G803Bi31IC&dat=20010421&printsec=frontpage&hl=en| url-status = live}} Likewise, a reviewer from Screen noted "Azhagam Perumal has shown a good grasp of the medium and the ability to finely blend the rustic charm and city slickness in a love story extracting fine performance from the lead pair, Madhavan and Jyothika."{{cite web |url = http://www.screenindia.com/20010427/tamil3.html |title = Screen the business of entertainment-Regional-Tamil-Preview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011119152743/http://www.screenindia.com/20010427/tamil3.html |archive-date=19 November 2001 |url-status=dead}} Cinesouth wrote "The tempo of the film has been maintained throughout as Selvaraj, Manirathnam and Alagam perumal have combined their brainwork very efficiently with regard to story, screenplay and direction. But more care could have been given to the final scenes. The Cinematography by Ramji and the edit by Sridhar Prasad are commendable."{{cite web|work=Cinesouth|url=http://cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/dumdum.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010624172705/http://cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/dumdum.shtml|title=டும் டும் டும்|archive-date=24 June 2001|access-date=1 September 2023}} Visual Dasan of Kalki praised the performances of Madhavan, Jyothika and other actors and also praised the director for directing the film well.{{cite magazine|magazine=Kalki|language=ta|title=டும் டும் டும்|access-date=1 September 2023|url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2001-04-29/page/82/mode/2up|pages=82–83|first=விஷுவல் |last=தாசன் |date=29 April 2001}} Indiainfo wrote "The film has not much of a storyline but the director scores in the screenplay and makes an impact extracting good performances from the artistes. Karthik Raaja's music, Ramji's camera and good choreography add to the film's entertainment value".{{cite web|url=http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/reviews/dumdum.html|title=Dum Dum Dum: A Real Enterainer|website=Indiainfo|access-date=8 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011214022551/http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/reviews/dumdum.html|archive-date=14 December 2001}}

The film went on to become a commercially successful venture at the Tamil Nadu box office.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/18/stories/2002091800310200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030701114213/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/18/stories/2002091800310200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2003-07-01 |title=Runaway success? |date=2002-09-18 |work=The Hindu |access-date=2013-06-11}} Subsequently, the film was later dubbed and released in Telugu as Dum Dum Dum.{{cite web |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mrg-dumdumdum.html |title=Telugu Cinema — Review — Dum Dum Dum |publisher=Idlebrain.com |date=2001-09-21 |access-date=2013-06-11 |archive-date=8 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108165547/http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mrg-dumdumdum.html |url-status=live }} It subsequently was awarded with several Cinema Express Awards and was the most awarded film at the award function with Karthik Raja winning Best Tamil Music Director Award for his work.{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/oct/15meera.htm |title=rediff.com, Movies: Meena wins award for best actress |work=Rediff.com |date=2001-10-15 |access-date=2012-12-06 |archive-date=18 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018134128/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/oct/15meera.htm |url-status=live }}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0386422|title=Dumm Dumm Dumm}}

{{Madras Talkies}}

Category:2001 films

Category:Films about Indian weddings

Category:2000s Tamil-language films

Category:2000s Indian films

Category:Indian romantic comedy films

Category:2001 directorial debut films

Category:2001 romantic comedy films

Category:Films scored by Karthik Raja

Category:Tamil-language Indian films

Category:Films produced by Mani Ratnam

Category:Films about lawyers

Category:Films about arranged marriage