Meendum Kokila

{{more plot|date=March 2021}}

Subramaniam, a lawyer is married to Kokila and has a daughter. Things go well until he meets Kamini, a movie star in a party. He gets attracted towards Kamini and becomes ready to sacrifice his own family for her. Kokila's efforts in bringing back her husband forms the rest of the story.

{{Cast listing|

• Kamal Haasan as Subramaniam
• Sridevi as Kokila
• Deepa as Kamini
• Suruli Rajan as Film Director
• S. N. Parvathy as Neighbour
• A. R. Srinivasan as Auditor
• "Nagesh" Krishnamurthy as Moorthy
• Baby Anju as Manju Subramaniam
• Thengai Srinivasan as Nattuvanar
• T. K. S. Natarajan as Film Star

}}

The film was originally directed by Mahendran with Sridevi, Kamal Haasan and Bollywood actress Rekha—in her Tamil cinema debut—playing the lead roles.{{Cite news |date=16 June 2008 |title=வரலாற்றுச்சுவடுகள் – திரைப்பட வரலாறு 944 – கமல்–ஸ்ரீதேவி நடித்த மீண்டும் கோகிலா |work=Dina Thanthi |language=ta}}{{Cite magazine |year=1980 |editor-last=Ramachandran |editor-first=T.M. |title=Rekha's first Tamil movie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WHpTAAAAYAAJ&q=Meendum+Kokila |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324191823/https://books.google.com/books?id=WHpTAAAAYAAJ&q=Meendum+Kokila |archive-date=24 March 2021 |access-date=7 June 2013 |magazine=Film World}} Rekha was the original choice for the role of Kamini, and scenes featuring her were shot till 3000 feet. Mahendran opted out of the film after a song sequence was shot. Later as the film progressed Rekha pulled out citing no reason. It was Haasan who requested G. N. Rangarajan to take over the film as director. Rekha's father Gemini Ganesan claimed he told her not to play "second fiddle" to Sridevi.{{Cite news |last=Vijiyan |first=K.N. |date=18 August 1998 |title=Gemini speaks his mind |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tsBhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yxQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6754%2C4522934 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001181832/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tsBhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yxQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6754%2C4522934 |archive-date=1 October 2023 |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=New Straits Times |pages=23 |via=Google News Archive}} Rekha was replaced by Deepa.{{Cite web |last=Panicker |first=Prem |date=10 October 2003 |title=The magic that is Rekha |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/oct/10rekha.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919072830/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/oct/10rekha.htm |archive-date=19 September 2013 |access-date=7 June 2013 |website=Rediff.com}}{{Cite news |date=31 May 1981 |title=Malayalam actress Deepa stumbles on a role that paves the way for a glittery future |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/eyecatchers/story/19810531-malayalam-actress-deepa-stumbles-on-a-role-that-paves-the-way-for-a-glittery-future-772921-2013-11-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324191823/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/eyecatchers/story/19810531-malayalam-actress-deepa-stumbles-on-a-role-that-paves-the-way-for-a-glittery-future-772921-2013-11-22 |archive-date=24 March 2021 |access-date=24 March 2021 |work=India Today}} Haasan's character in the film twitches his eye, for which he took inspiration from Krishnamachari Srikkanth.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2020 |title=I was supposed to play Yugi Sethu's role in Panchathanthiram: Srikkanth |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/i-was-supposed-to-play-yugi-sethus-role-in-panchathanthiram-srikkanth/articleshow/73760558.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415090824/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/i-was-supposed-to-play-yugi-sethus-role-in-panchathanthiram-srikkanth/articleshow/73760558.cms |archive-date=15 April 2020 |access-date=24 March 2021 |website=The Times of India}} After the film was screen for the Central Board of Film Certification, Rangarajan feared it would be given an A (adults only) certificate, but to his relief it was given U (unrestricted) without any cuts.{{Cite magazine |date=21 November 1982 |title=கமலை டா போட்டு அழைப்பவர் |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1982-11-21/kalki1982-11-21.pdf |access-date=12 April 2024 |magazine=Kalki |pages=52–53 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.{{Cite web |title=Meendum Kokila |url=https://avdigital.in/products/meendum-kokila |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722024357/https://avdigital.in/products/meendum-kokila |archive-date=22 July 2020 |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=AVDigital}}{{Cite web |title=Meendum Kokilla (1981) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000095 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005071402/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000095 |archive-date=5 October 2013 |access-date=6 October 2013 |website=Raaga.com}} The song "Radha Radha Nee" is set in the raga Shuddha Saveri whereas "Chinnan Chiru Vayathil" is set in Abheri.{{Cite web |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=3 August 2012 |title=A raga's journey: Joyful Suddha Saveri |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/joyful-suddha-saveri/article3722266.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607085030/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/joyful-suddha-saveri/article3722266.ece |archive-date=7 June 2015 |access-date=12 September 2016 |website=The Hindu}} For the dubbed Telugu version Chilipi Mogudu, lyrics were written by Rajasri and Aarudra.

;Tamil

;Telugu

Nalini Sastry of Kalki lauded Rangarajan's direction, Ananthu's dialogues, Viswanathan's cinematography and the performances of the main cast.{{Cite magazine |last=சாஸ்திரி |first=நளினி |date=8 February 1981 |title=மீண்டும் கோகிலா |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1981-02-08/page/n53/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230328025600/https://archive.org/details/kalki1981-02-08/page/n53/mode/2up |archive-date=28 March 2023 |access-date=26 September 2022 |magazine=Kalki |pages=52–53 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}} Sridevi received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil;{{Cite book |last=Sir Stanley Reed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xU3jAAAAMAAJ |title=The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who |publisher=Bennett, Coleman. |year=1984 |pages=234 |access-date=7 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729074809/https://books.google.com/books?id=xU3jAAAAMAAJ |archive-date=29 July 2020 |url-status=live}} the first of her four Filmfare Awards.{{Cite web |date=13 August 2012 |title=Hawa Hawai girl Sridevi turns 49 |url=http://www.sify.com/news/hawa-hawai-girl-sridevi-turns-49-news-default-minpM8edfjb.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330222712/http://www.sify.com/news/hawa-hawai-girl-sridevi-turns-49-news-default-minpM8edfjb.html |archive-date=30 March 2018 |access-date=7 June 2013 |website=Sify}} Just 17 years old, when released, the film's success consolidated Sridevi's position as the highest paid actress in South Indian cinema.{{Cite news |date=24 September 2012 |title=Don't want Jhanvi in films at this age: Sridevi |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/dont-want-jhanvi-in-films-at-this-age-sridevi/1007086/0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324191827/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/dont-want-jhanvi-in-films-at-this-age-sridevi/1007086/0 |archive-date=24 March 2021 |access-date=24 March 2021 |work=The Indian Express}}

The film's digitally restored version was released on 15 December 2017.{{Cite web |last=Bharadan |date=17 November 2017 |title=Kamal Haasan and Sridevi in theatres again |url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/kamal-haasan-sridevi-starrer-meendum-kokila-to-be-released-on-december-15.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120065644/https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/kamal-haasan-sridevi-starrer-meendum-kokila-to-be-released-on-december-15.html |archive-date=20 January 2018 |access-date=19 January 2018 |website=Behindwoods}}{{Cite news |last=Subramanian |first=Anupama |date=18 November 2017 |title=An image makeover for Meendum Kokila |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/181117/an-image-makeover-for-meendum-kokila.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119181419/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/181117/an-image-makeover-for-meendum-kokila.html |archive-date=19 January 2018 |access-date=19 January 2018 |work=Deccan Chronicle}}{{Cite news |date=16 April 2017 |title=Kamal Haasan's classic hits to be re-release on the big screen |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/kamal-haasan-classic-hits-to-be-re-release-on-the-big-screen-4615632/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324191827/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/kamal-haasan-classic-hits-to-be-re-release-on-the-big-screen-4615632/ |archive-date=24 March 2021 |access-date=19 January 2018 |work=The Indian Express}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|0187273}}

{{G. N. Rangarajan}}

Category:1980s Indian films

Category:1980s Tamil-language films

Category:1981 films

Category:1981 romantic comedy films

Category:Films about adultery in India

Category:Films about lawyers

Category:Films directed by G. N. Rangarajan

Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja

Category:Films with screenplays by Ananthu (screenwriter)

Category:Indian romantic comedy films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films