Mani Rathnam (film)
{{Short description|1994 Tamil-language film by K. Jayabalan}}{{Not to be confused with|Mani Ratnam}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| director = K. Jayabalan
| writer = K. Jayabalan
| producer = A. Suresh
| starring = {{ubl|Napoleon|Anand Babu|Mohana|Chandni}}
| cinematography = K. Hanumaan
| editing = M. Thirunavukarasu
| music = Sirpy
| studio = Trax Creations
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1994|11|02}}
| runtime = 135 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
Mani Rathnam is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. Jayabalan. The film stars Napoleon, Anand Babu, Mohana and newcomer Chandini, with Vadivelu, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Jafar Azad and Vittal Prasad playing supporting roles. It was released on 2 November 1994. The film failed at the box office.{{Cite web |title=Manirathnam ( 1994 ) |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/allCast.cgi?id=1805 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618014849/http://www.cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/allCast.cgi?id=1805 |archive-date=2004-06-18 |access-date=26 February 2024 |website=Cinesouth}}{{Cite web |last=Sitaraman |first=Sandya |date=1996-01-09 |title=Tamil Movie News--1995 Review |url=https://groups.google.com/g/soc.culture.tamil/c/fwLpyN6aWTk/m/R4FfCjmQ3AsJ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719063625/https://groups.google.com/g/soc.culture.tamil/c/fwLpyN6aWTk/m/R4FfCjmQ3AsJ |archive-date=19 July 2021 |access-date=26 February 2024 |website=Google Groups}}
Plot
Rathnam (Napoleon) is a potter in his village and he is a short-tempered person. He has a sister Kavitha (Mohana) studying in the city. Rathnam finally marries his relative Thangamani (Chandini) who has been in love with Rathnam since her childhood.
Sivalingam (Jafar Azad) is a wealthy and wicked man in his village, his son Nadarajan (Babloo Prithiveeraj) is mentally ill. Sivalingam wants absolutely to build a factory in the village. Sivalingam already bought all the lands he needed in his village, he needs only one land : Rathnam's land which is near the temple. Rathnam refuses : he does not want to see the village temple being demolished by Sivalingam. When Sivalingam sends his henchmen to demolish the temple, Rathnam intervenes and beats them all. In the meantime, Kavitha and Mani (Anand Babu) fall in love with each other in the city. Actually, Nadarajan is in love with Kavitha since school days and Sivalingam asks Thangamani to marry his mentally ill son to Kavitha but Thangamani rejects and insults him.
Later, Rathnam picked his sister up at the railway station, and at their return to home, they see Thangamani hanged. What transpires later forms the crux of the story.
Cast
{{cast listing|
- Napoleon as Rathnam
- Anand Babu as Mani
- Mohana as Kavitha
- Chandini as Thangamani
- Vadivelu as Chappani/Chappani Samiyar
- Babloo Prithiveeraj as Nadarajan
- Jafar Azad as Sivalingam
- Vittal Prasad as Kanakku
- Loose Mohan
- K. K. Soundar as Thangam's father
- Raja as Raja
- Thillai Rajan
- Idichapuli Selvaraj as wine shop customer
- Vellai Subbaiah
- Karuppu Subbiah as wine shop customer
- Oru Viral Krishna Rao
- Kullamani
- Vichithra
- Anuja
- Thayir Vadai Desigan as Armstrong, wine shop customer
- Premi as Thangam's mother
- Pasi Sathya
- Ramya
- Kovai Senthil as conductor
- Mahendran
- Marthandan as Chinna Thambi
- Dhamu (uncredited role)
- Vaiyapuri (uncredited role)
}}
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Sirpy.{{Cite web |title=Vietnam Colony / Mani Ratnam Tamil Audio CDs By Ilaiyaraaja – Sirpy |url=https://www.vintageav.shop/product/vietnam-colony-mani-ratnam-tamil-audio-cds-by-ilaiyaraaja-sirpy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226134507/https://www.vintageav.shop/product/vietnam-colony-mani-ratnam-tamil-audio-cds-by-ilaiyaraaja-sirpy/ |archive-date=26 February 2024 |access-date=26 February 2024 |website=Vintage AV}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singer(s) !! Lyrics !! Duration | |||
| "Adi Aatti" | Swarnalatha, Malgudi Subha | Thamizhmani | 4:31 |
| "Kadhal Illaathathu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | rowspan=2|Vairamuthu | 4:40 |
| "Oh Rasa" | Malgudi Subha | 4:16 | |
| "Dingu Dakka" | Mano, Vinoth | Ravi | 5:29 |
| "Neerodai Thaalampottu" | Arunmozhi, Sujatha | Neeraja | 4:30 |
| "Kuzhanthaikku Pasiyeduthal" | Arunmozhi, Sujatha | Vairamuthu | 5:03 |
Reception
Malini Mannath of The Indian Express gave the film a positive review and called the film "fairly engaging".{{Cite news |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=1994-11-11 |title=Furious Obsession |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19941111&printsec=frontpage |access-date=2016-10-10 |work=The Indian Express |pages=6 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}
References
{{reflist}}