Manikanda

Raja lives in Mumbai with his father. Mahalakshmi goes to Bombay to get the blessings of a godwoman but since she is unable to meet Mataji immediately, she is forced to stay in Mumbai for ten days and rents a guestroom among the many run by Raja. Love blossoms between Raja and Maha and when she returns to her village Maniyoor, he follows a few days later on her invitation. After he lands there, he discovers his own link to the village.

{{cast listing|

• Arjun as Manikandan / Raja (dual role)
• Jyothika as Mahalakshmi (Maha)
• Uma as Lakshmi Manikandan
• Vadivelu as Madhayaanai
• Ashish Vidyarthi as Balasingam
• Chandrasekhar as Veerasamy
• Nalini as Mahalakshmi's mother
• P. Vasu as Mahalakshmi's grandfather
• Pasupathy
• Malavika
• Poovilangu Mohan
• Periya Karuppu Thevar
• Madhan Bob
• Aryan
• Singamuthu
• Thennavan
• Bonda Mani
• Halwa Vasu
• Priyanka as Maha's friend
• Jeeva
• O. A. K. Sundar
• Satya Prakash
• Vijay Ganesh
• Chelladurai
• Nellai Siva
• Kovai Senthil
• Siva Narayana Murthy as Mumbai Dhadha
• Sampath Ram

}}

The film was completed by mid-2005, but faced delays.{{Cite web |date=11 March 2005 |title="Aanai" from Arjun |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/03/11/stories/2005031100230200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050511115700/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/03/11/stories/2005031100230200.htm |archive-date=11 May 2005 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=The Hindu}}

Soundtrack was composed by Deva.{{Cite web |title=Manikanda |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/manikanda/Z-dJscL3mPQ_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124014836/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/manikanda/Z-dJscL3mPQ_ |archive-date=24 January 2022 |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=JioSaavn |date=23 March 2007 |language=en}} The song "Mama Mama" from Kumudham was remixed in this film.{{Cite web |date=15 March 2005 |title=Arjun's Manikanda restarted |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/News/15-3-05/arjun_manikanda.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923183250/http://www.behindwoods.com/News/15-3-05/arjun_manikanda.htm |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=19 May 2012 |website=Behindwoods}}

S. R. Ashok Kumar of The Hindu wrote the film "looks outdated" and added "It may not be a new storyline but with experienced artists and technicians it could have made an impression if it had been released on time".{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=S. R. Ashok |date=6 April 2007 |title=Looks outdated – Manikanda |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/04/06/stories/2007040602130300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509020328/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/04/06/stories/2007040602130300.htm |archive-date=9 May 2007 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=The Hindu}} Indiareels wrote, "Taking the Pappapatti, Keeripatti issue as the crux, director Selva has tried to do something novel. But the clichés of commercial cinema had pulled his legs and stopped Selva from doing so. Being an end-to-end Arjun film, Maniganda too is no exception from thrilling action blocks. However, the movie fails to woo masses, since all the efforts were made sans logic in many scenes".{{cite web |title=Maniganda (2007) |url=http://www.indiareel.com/Tamil/reviews.asp?MovieNo=254 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117054747/http://www.indiareel.com/Tamil/reviews.asp?MovieNo=254 |archive-date=17 November 2007 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=Indiareel}} Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote, "The scenes are disjointed, have many loose ends, and lack uniformity and a smooth flow. It's only towards the end that it perks up. But by then it's a bit too late to salvage matters".{{Cite web |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=16 April 2007 |title=Manikanda |url=http://chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/2007/04manikanda.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011065524/http://chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/2007/04manikanda.asp |archive-date=11 October 2007 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=Chennai Online}} Chennai Vision wrote, "Being an end-to-end Arjun film, Maniganda too is no exception from thrilling action blocks. However, the movie fails to woo masses, since all the efforts were made sans logic in many scenes".{{Cite web |title=Warning bell against caste system - Manikanada |url=http://www.chennaivision.com/cinevision/movie_reviews/manikanada.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513033828/http://www.chennaivision.com/cinevision/movie_reviews/manikanada.asp |archive-date=13 May 2008 |access-date=29 April 2025 |website=Chennai Vision}}

{{reflist}}

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{{Selva (director)}}

Category:2000s Indian films

Category:2000s masala films

Category:2000s Tamil-language films

Category:2007 action drama films

Category:2007 films

Category:Films directed by Selva (director)

Category:Films scored by Deva (composer)

Category:Films set in Mumbai

Category:Films shot in Mumbai

Category:Indian action drama films

Category:Tamil remakes of Telugu films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films