Sathyaa

Sathyamurthy "Sathyaa" is an unemployed youth who battles injustice and stays with his father Rajarathnam Mudaliar, the sole breadwinner for his family despite his old age, stepmother, and stepsister Sudha. One day, Sathyaa beats a group of rogues who are thrashing a tea vendor for not paying extortion money. These ruffians are the henchmen of a local goon named Rangan, who works for the local MLA Mariappa. With this incident, Sathya's life changes as he invokes Rangan's wrath. In retribution, Rangan and his men humiliate Sudha in public, forcing Sathya to thrash Rangan and destroy his bar.

Sathya falls in love with Geetha Nair, who works as a salesperson in a cloth shop. Sathyaa begins to grab public attention as he and his friends start taking the law into their own hands, thrashing anyone who tries to break the law. Mariappa also learns about Sathyaa and thinks that he is working for his arch-rival Dhandapani, a social reformer. Mariappa orders that Sathyaa and his friends be eliminated. Mariappa's gang attacks and kills Sathya's friend Sundar in full public view. Though Sathyaa tries his best, no one comes forward to give witness to the murder out of fear, and the murderers are soon released due to lack of evidence. An enraged Sathyaa thrashes the murderers on their release and is arrested but is released on bail by Dhandapani.

Sathyaa's family disowns him for his activities, following which he is approached by Dhandapani, who convinces him to move to his own house and work for him. With Dhandapani's help, Sathyaa manages to have Sudha marry her boyfriend, the local Inspector; saves the marriage of his other stepsister by paying the dowry of {{INRConvert|20000|r|year=1988}}; and also ensuring that his father's employer treats his father with respect. Finally, Dhandapani tells Sathyaa to get some secret files and documents against Mariappa, which can be used to expose him in public. Risking his life, Sathyaa gets a hold of the files. Sathyaa later discovers that Dhandapani is corrupt and a double-crosser who used the evidence against Mariappa to join hands with him and contest in the upcoming election in his place. Sathyaa also learns that none of the evidence collected has been published anywhere.

Later, Dhandapani expels Sathyaa from the house. Enraged and betrayed, Sathyaa barges into a political meeting where Mariappa and Dhandapani are present and tries to expose Dhandapani but is forced out and thrashed by the workers of Mariappa's party. Some days later, Sathyaa sneaks into Dhandapani's house and takes the file containing evidence of both Mariappa's and Dhandapani's illegal activities. While on the run from Dhandapani's henchmen, Sathyaa gets shot and seriously injured but manages to survive and gets hospitalized. After regaining consciousness, Sathyaa learns that the evidence against Mariappa and Dhandapani is destroyed as he used the file as a shield against the gunshots. Sathyaa escapes from the hospital, confronts and kills both Mariappa and Dhandapani. He then awaits the arrival of police.

{{cast listing|

• Kamal Haasan as Sathyamurthy (Sathyaa){{Cite web |last=Vinoth Kumar |first=N |date=7 November 2019 |title=Celebrating 60 years of movie magic that's Kamal Haasan |url=https://thefederal.com/the-eighth-column/celebrating-60-years-of-movie-magic-thats-kamal-haasan/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216101515/https://thefederal.com/the-eighth-column/celebrating-60-years-of-movie-magic-thats-kamal-haasan/ |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=20 February 2021 |website=The Federal}}
• Amala as Geetha Nair{{Cite news |date=15 September 2018 |title=Dha Dha 87 Trailer {{!}} Charuhasan, not Kamal Haasan, to come back as 'Sathya' |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/sep/15/dha-dha-87-trailer--charuhasan-not-kamal-haasan-to-come-back-as-sathya-1872252.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131165308/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/sep/15/dha-dha-87-trailer--charuhasan-not-kamal-haasan-to-come-back-as-sathya-1872252.html |archive-date=31 January 2020 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=The New Indian Express}}
• Rajesh as Mariappa
• Janagaraj as Naidu
• Bahadoor as Rajarathnam Mudaliar (Sathyaa's father)
• Kitty as Dhandapani{{Cite news |date=7 November 2017 |title=Dasavathaaram: Ten 'anti-establishment' avatars of Kamal Haasan |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/641528/dasavathaaram-ten-anti-establishment-avatars.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221104344/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/641528/dasavathaaram-ten-anti-establishment-avatars.html |archive-date=21 February 2021 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Deccan Herald}}
• Nassar as Seena Thana
• G. M. Sundar as Sundar, Sathya's friend
• Anand as Anand, Sathya's friend
• Ravi Bharath as Sathya's friend
• Arun as Sathya's friend
• Kaviyoor Ponnamma as Malayali shop owner
• Vadivukkarasi as Sathya's stepmother
• Indira as Radha, Sathya's sister
• Rasi as Sudha, Sathya's sister
• S. N. Parvathy as Radha's mother-in-law
• Munni
• Huma Khan as Chittu
• Ramesh as Inspector Ravi
• Pradeep Shakthi as Pradeep, Dhandapani's henchman
• Azhagu as Azhagu, Mariappa's henchman
• T. K. S. Natarajan as Nair
• Idichapuli Selvaraj as House owner
• Nellai Sarathy as School teacher
• Sethu Vinayagam as Mariappa's assistant
• R. S. Shivaji as Anand's neighbour
• Jayaprakasam as Rangan
• Kavithalaya Krishnan as Paint shop owner
• S. Sathyendra as Mental pickpocket (uncredited){{Cite news |last=Venkatraman |first=Lakshmi |date=23 March 2012 |title=Meet Mr. Versatile |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/meet-mr-versatile/article3198308.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216033702/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/meet-mr-versatile/article3198308.ece |archive-date=16 December 2023 |access-date=30 October 2024 |work=The Hindu}}

}}

;Guest appearances

• Delhi Ganesh as Ramanathan
• Vaali as Mariappa's associate
• Lakshmi Narayanan as Mariappa's associate

Sathyaa is a remake of the 1985 Hindi film Arjun. It marked the directorial debut of Suresh Krissna who earlier assisted K. Balachander.{{Cite book |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |location=New Delhi |pages=145 |orig-date=2012}}{{Cite web |last=Rajamani |first=Radhika |date=12 June 2008 |title='Dasavathaaram will be mind-blowing' |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jun/12sssuresh.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419112829/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jun/12sssuresh.htm |archive-date=19 April 2022 |access-date=19 April 2022 |website=Rediff.com}} Krissna avoided creating a shot-for-shot remake of Arjun; according to him, "we took only basic theme from the original and worked on it".{{Cite web |last=Sri |date=11 March 2009 |title=Interview with Sureshkrissna |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/stars/interview_sureshkrissna_2009.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090314173800/http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/stars/interview_sureshkrissna_2009.php |archive-date=14 March 2009 |access-date=16 February 2021 |website=Telugucinema.com |page=1}} Kitty, who played one of the antagonists, had his voice dubbed by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.{{Cite web |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=4 June 2020 |title=ஐஸ்க்ரீம் குரல்... அற்புதக் குரல்... குரலிசை நாயகன் எஸ்.பி.பி! |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/557814-spb.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221102607/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/557814-spb.html |archive-date=21 February 2021 |access-date=21 February 2021 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} The film was dedicated to M. G. Ramachandran, to whom Kamal Haasan considered it as "Guru Dakshina".{{Cite web |last=Vinoth Kumar |first=N |date=18 December 2020 |title=Of human bondage: How Kamal can claim a share of MGR's legacy |url=https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/of-human-bondage-how-kamal-can-claim-a-share-of-mgrs-legacy/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218015620/https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/of-human-bondage-how-kamal-can-claim-a-share-of-mgrs-legacy/ |archive-date=18 December 2020 |access-date=21 February 2021 |website=The Federal}}

The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and lyrics were penned by Vaali.{{Cite web |title=Sathya (1988) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000410 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131231174357/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000410 |archive-date=31 December 2013 |access-date=31 December 2013 |website=Raaga.com}}{{Cite web |title=Sathya Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraja |url=https://mossymart.com/product/sathya-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja-3/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012044845/https://mossymart.com/product/sathya-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja-3/ |archive-date=12 October 2022 |access-date=12 October 2022 |website=Mossymart}} The song "Valayosai" was initially intended for Ilaiyaraaja's studio album How to Name It?. It had been composed, but not recorded, and was included in Sathyaa at Haasan's insistence.{{Cite news |last=Kolappan |first=B. |date=6 February 2022 |title=Lata Mangeshkar rendered a few all-time greats in Tamil films |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/lata-mangeshkar-rendered-a-few-all-time-greats-in-tamil-films/article38387785.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213050800/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/lata-mangeshkar-rendered-a-few-all-time-greats-in-tamil-films/article38387785.ece |archive-date=13 February 2022 |access-date=17 February 2022 |work=The Hindu}} After learning that Lata Mangeshkar would be visiting Madras to sing for another project, Haasan asked Krissna if she could also sing for Sathyaa. Krissna agreed, and the song was "Valayosai". As Mangeshkar did not know Tamil, Balasubrahmanyam helped her with diction.{{Cite web |last=Suganth |first=M. |date=6 February 2022 |title=SPB sir helped Lata Mangeshkar ji with the pronunciation for Valayosai song: Suresh Krissna |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-kind-of-effort-lata-mangeshkar-ji-took-to-sing-valayosai-was-incredible-suresh-krissna/articleshow/89382867.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206101529/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-kind-of-effort-lata-mangeshkar-ji-took-to-sing-valayosai-was-incredible-suresh-krissna/articleshow/89382867.cms |archive-date=6 February 2022 |access-date=7 February 2022 |website=The Times of India}} The song is set in Sindhu Bhairavi, a Carnatic raga.{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=10 May 2013 |title=Light and melodious |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/light-and-melodious/article4702358.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924003210/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/light-and-melodious/article4702358.ece |archive-date=24 September 2019 |access-date=3 May 2020 |work=The Hindu}} In May 2015, the FM radio station Radio City commemorated Ilaiyaraaja's 72nd birthday by broadcasting the composer's songs in a special show titled Raja Rajathan for 91 days. "Valaiyosai" was one of the most-requested songs on the show.{{Cite news |last=Srinivasan |first=Sudhir |date=9 May 2015 |title=Salute to Ilaiyaraaja, the king |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/salute-to-ilaiyaraaja/article7188356.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920115654/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/salute-to-ilaiyaraaja/article7188356.ece |archive-date=20 September 2015 |access-date=11 July 2023 |work=The Hindu}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Eley Thamizha

| extra1 = T. Sunderrajan, Saibaba

| length1 = 4:29

| title2 = Ingeyum

| note2 = not included in the film

| extra2 = Lata Mangeshkar

| length2 = 4:15

| title3 = Nagaru Nagaru

| extra3 = Lalith Sahari, T. Sunderrajan, Saibaba

| length3 = 4:24

| title4 = Potta Padiyudhu

| extra4 = Kamal Haasan, T. Sunderrajan, Saibaba

| length4 = 4:50

| title5 = Valaiyosai

| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Lata Mangeshkar

| length5 = 4:33

| total_length = 22:31

}}

Sathyaa was released on 29 January 1988.{{Cite web |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=2023-02-01 |title=35ம் ஆண்டில் 'சத்யா' : மொட்டைத்தலை, தாடி, கையில் காப்பு... ஸ்டைல் காட்டிய கமல்! |url=https://kamadenu.hindutamil.in/cinema/in-the-35th-year-of-satya-shaved-head-beard-arm-bracelet-kamal-showed-style |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201172954/https://kamadenu.hindutamil.in/cinema/in-the-35th-year-of-satya-shaved-head-beard-arm-bracelet-kamal-showed-style |archive-date=2023-02-01 |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=Kamadenu |language=ta}} Angela Joseph of Screen called Sathyaa "another gem in [Haasan's] mission for good cinema and acting. By shrewdly intertwining commercial ingredients with a good story and brilliant acting, Kamal is propagating love and appreciation for good cinema among the masses".{{Cite magazine |last=Joseph |first=Angela |date=22 April 1988 |title='Nayakan' and 'Kamal' are now part of history |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EEUFac9UUAAq7Lo?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190921100257/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EEUFac9UUAAq7Lo?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 |archive-date=21 September 2019 |access-date=10 June 2021 |magazine=Screen |page=32}} Kitty won the Cinema Express Award for Best Villain Actor.{{Cite news |date=11 March 1989 |title=Cinema Express readers choose Agni Nakshathiram |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19890311&printsec=frontpage |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=The Indian Express |pages=4 |via=Google News Archive |agency=Express News Service}}{{cbignore}}

Haasan's looks as Sathyaa became a rage among the public.{{Cite news |date=7 November 2016 |title=கமல் என்றொரு 'ஸ்டைல் ஸ்டேட்மெண்ட்!' |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/89793-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221102610/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/89793-.html |archive-date=21 February 2021 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} The 2017 film Sathya was titled after the 1988 film after its lead actor Sibi Sathyaraj got permission from Haasan.{{Cite news |last=Rajendran |first=Gopinath |date=6 December 2017 |title=I asked Kamal sir for the title without going through appa: Sibiraj |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/dec/06/i-asked-kamal-sir-for-the-title-without-going-through-appa-sibiraj-3423.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813170953/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/dec/06/i-asked-kamal-sir-for-the-title-without-going-through-appa-sibiraj-3423.html |archive-date=13 August 2020 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Cinema Express |language=en}} A spiritual successor to Sathyaa, Dha Dha 87, was released in 2019,{{Cite news |last=Sekhar |first=Arunkumar |date=1 March 2017 |title=Dha Dha 87 Review: An earnest story buried in a convoluted mess |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2019/mar/01/dha-dha-87-review-vijay-sri-g-charuhasan-10336.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025193343/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2019/mar/01/dha-dha-87-review-vijay-sri-g-charuhasan-10336.html |archive-date=25 October 2020 |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=Cinema Express}} and featured Janagaraj reprising his role.

{{reflist}}

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Category:1980s gangster films

Category:1980s Indian films

Category:1980s Tamil-language films

Category:1988 directorial debut films

Category:1988 films

Category:Fiction about unemployment

Category:Films about corruption in India

Category:Films directed by Suresh Krissna

Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja

Category:Films with screenplays by Ananthu (screenwriter)

Category:Indian gangster films

Category:Tamil remakes of Hindi films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films