Red (2002 film)
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Red 2002 poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Singampuli
| writer = Singampuli
| producer = S. S. Chakravarthy
| starring = Ajith Kumar
Priya Gill
| cinematography = R. D. Rajasekhar
| editing = A. Sreekar Prasad
| music = Deva
| studio = NIC Arts Productions
| released = {{Film date|2002|01|14|df=y}}
| runtime = 176 minutes{{Cite web |title=Red |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/red-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtnzu1nziz |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117133548/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/red-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtnzu1nziz |archive-date=17 November 2022 |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=British Board of Film Classification}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Red is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language action film directed by Singampuli (under the name Ram Sathya) and produced by S. S. Chakravarthy. The film stars Ajith Kumar (in the titular role) and Priya Gill in the lead roles, while Manivannan, Raghuvaran and Salim Ghouse played pivotal roles. The film's background score and soundtrack are composed by Deva. Red released on 14 January 2002. It had an average box office performance, but later garnered a cult following.{{Cite web |last=Krishnamoorthy |first=Mohan |date=7 December 2018 |title=ரெட் தோல்வி தான், காரணமும் இது தான் – இயக்குனரே வெளியிட்ட தகவல்.! |url=https://kalakkalcinema.com/red-movie-failure-reasons/13790/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115191611/https://kalakkalcinema.com/red-movie-failure-reasons/13790/ |archive-date=15 November 2023 |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=Kalakkal Cinema |language=ta}}{{Cite web |date=7 December 2018 |title='தல படத்துல ஒரு தப்பு பண்ணிட்டேன்' Red Movie Director Singam Puli Exclusive Interview... (video) |url=https://www.nakkheeran.in/cinema/cinema-news/singam-puli-exclusive-interview-share-about-ajith-and-red-tamil-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114044556/https://www.nakkheeran.in/cinema/cinema-news/singam-puli-exclusive-interview-share-about-ajith-and-red-tamil-movie |archive-date=14 January 2019 |access-date=13 January 2019 |website=Nakkheeran |language=ta}}
Plot
{{more plot|date=April 2025}}
Aathi is an orphan-gangster who is well known with his alias name RED, (Revolution, Education, and Development) at the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu who possesses a heart of gold, and when not bashing up mercenaries, he spends his time forcing schools to accept students without donations and taking care of orphans. Srini is his biggest enemy. RED falls for Gayathri, the daughter of his friend and confidante Narayanan, and helps her without her knowledge. She likes him but wants him to give up his life of violence. Meanwhile, reporter Manimegalai for Ananda Vikatan begins to serialise RED's life story under the name Aathi, and it becomes quite the rage among readers and rest forms the plot.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Ajith Kumar as Aathi alias RED
- Priya Gill as Gayathri
- Manivannan as Narayanan
- Raghuvaran as Sethupathy
- Salim Ghouse as Srini
- Rajan P. Dev as Sarathy
- Revathi as Janaki
- Kavitha as College principal
- Gandhimathi as Veeramma
- K. R. Vatsala as School principal
- Charle as Kaipulla
- Rajeev as Pachamuthu
- Anand as Radha Krishnan
- Ilavarasu as Pandi
- Aakash as Rahul
- Rajesh as Manimegalai
- Nizhalgal Ravi as Anand
- Vinu Chakravarthy as House owner
- Thalaivaasal Vijay as the Ananda Vikatan reporter
- Mahanadi Shankar as Srini's henchman
- Madhan Bob as Aaruchamy
- Bava Lakshmanan as Police officer
- Vindhya as Mayakka, in the song "Dil Dil Italy Kattil"
- Kanal Kannan as himself (cameo appearance)
- Sampath Ram as Srini's henchman (uncredited){{Cite web |last=Rajkumar |date=11 March 2020 |title=படத்தில் நீக்கப்பட்ட காட்சியை யூடியூபில் போட்டாங்க - இதான் அந்த வீடியோ. |url=https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actor-sampath-ram-shares-about-his-deleted-scene-in-yennai-arindhaal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311184504/https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actor-sampath-ram-shares-about-his-deleted-scene-in-yennai-arindhaal/ |archive-date=11 March 2024 |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=Behindtalkies |language=ta}}
- Ganesh as District Collector (uncredited){{Cite tweet |number=1260444204356034560 |user=Chrissuccess |title=Pic 1: VTV Ganesh's first appearance in Singampuli directorial #Red (2002) starring Ajith. |author=Christopher Kanagaraj |date=13 May 2020}}
}}
Production
NIC Arts, the producers of Ajith Kumar's previous films Vaali, Mugavaree and Citizen signed him to appear in a film titled Red directed by debutant Singampuli, an associate of Sundar C. The original plot point of Ajith's 1999 film Unnai Thedi was recommended by Singampuli, and Ajith had mentioned that if the film became a success he would feature in a future film to be directed by Singampuli.{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=S. R. Ashok |date=27 November 2010 |title=My First Break: Singam Puli |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/My-First-Break-Singam-Puli/article15718341.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626054824/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/My-First-Break-Singam-Puli/article15718341.ece |archive-date=26 June 2023 |access-date=19 April 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en}} Priya Gill was signed as heroine while the film has music by Deva and cinematography by Rajasekar. The shoot of the film started at Annapoorna Studios in July 2001, where art director Sabu Cyril erected a part of Madurai town for the film. Filming took place in and around Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad and also around some outskirts of Madurai while songs were filmed overseas.{{Cite web |title=Itihaasam and Red |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere05.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326191130/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere05.htm |archive-date=26 March 2012 |access-date=19 November 2017 |website=ajithkumar.free.fr}}
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features six songs composed by Deva. All lyrics written by Vairamuthu.{{Cite web |title=Red |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/red/8B3NXeX9Dek_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213152227/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/red/8B3NXeX9Dek_ |archive-date=13 February 2024 |access-date=19 April 2025 |website=JioSaavn}} The prelude of the song "Kannai Kasakkum" is based on "Catch the Fox" by Den Harrow.{{Cite web |last=S |first=Karthik |author-link=Karthik Srinivasan |title=Deva [Tamil] |url=https://itwofs.com/tamil-deva.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409013821/https://www.itwofs.com/tamil-deva.html |archive-date=9 April 2025 |access-date=19 April 2025 |website=ItwoFS}} The soundtrack became a success prior to release, with critics praising the songs particularly "Thai Madiyae".{{Cite web |title=Roaring Success 'Red' Songs |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere05.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326191130/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere05.htm |archive-date=26 March 2012 |access-date=19 November 2017 |website=ajithkumar.free.fr}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 36:52
| title1 = Kannai Kasakkum
| extra1 = SP Balasubramanyam
| length1 = 7:06
| title2 = Roja Kaathu
| extra2 = Hariharan
| length2 = 5:17
| title3 = November Madham
| extra3 = Hariharan, Mahalaxmi Iyer
| length3 = 6:04
| title4 = Olikuchi Udambukari
| extra4 = KK, Anuradha Sriram
| length4 = 6:25
| title5 = Dil Dil Italy Kattil
| extra5 = Silambarasan, Mathangi Jagdish
| length5 = 5:46
| title6 = Thai Madiyae
| extra6 = Tippu
| length6 = 6:14
}}
Critical reception
Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu opined that "When the film begins stating that the title is an earth-shattering acronym (Revolution Education and Development), you wait for something radical and path-breaking. But no ... there is compassion, some mindless violence, a docile retreat, an impulsive retaliation ... and that's about all".{{Cite web |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=25 January 2002 |title="Red" |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/red/article28570343.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231054830/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/red/article28570343.ece |archive-date=31 December 2019 |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=The Hindu}} A critic from Sify wrote that "Like it or not, in Red didacticism prevails over a clarity of vision, logic and reason. The films leaves you exhausted and stressed and is as avoidable as a migraine".{{Cite web |date=25 April 2003 |title=Red |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/red-review-tamil-pcluosggiijag.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502092622/https://www.sify.com/movies/red-review-tamil-pcluosggiijag.html |archive-date=2 May 2022 |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Sify}} Malini Mannath of Chennai Online said that "But the script is insipid, the scenes are repeated, and it gets all too monotonous towards the end".{{Cite web |last=Mannath |first=Malini |title=Red |url=http://www.chennaionline.com/moviereviews/tammov169.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050324063204/http://www.chennaionline.com/moviereviews/tammov169.asp |archive-date=24 March 2005 |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Chennai Online}}
References
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