Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Soundtrack
5 Themes
6 Release & reception
7 Legacy
8 In popular culture
9 References
10 External links
11 Bibliography
Plot
Muthaiya (Ramarajan) is the lead performer of a karagattam group based out of a village. His troupe consists of Goundamani, Senthil, Kovai Sarala, Junior Balaiah etc. Muthaiya's mother Kanthimathi was his dance guru. Similarly Kamakshi (Kanaka) is also a karagattam dancer in the nearby village and she performs regularly during temple festival of that village. Chinnarasu (Santhana Bharathi) is the village panchayat board president and he sets an eye on Kamakshi. But Kamakshi hates Chinnarasu. To take revenge on her, Chinnarasu invites Muthaiya's dance troupe to perform during temple festival instead of Kamakshi's performance.
Muthaiya performs well and is widely appreciated by the villagers. Kamakshi also likes Muthaiya's performance. Kamakshi's father Shanmuga Sundaram invites Muthaiya to his home. And to his shock, Shanmuga Sundaram understands that Muthaiya is his nephew but does not reveal it to him. Muthaiya and Kamakshi fall in love with each other. Chinnarasu gets to know about Muthaiya and Kamakshi's love affair and plans to separate them.
Chandrasekhar is Kamakshi's innocent brother in law who works for Chinnarasu. Chinnarasu persuades Chandrasekhar to challenge a dance competition between Muthaiya and Kamakshi for which both accepts. In the meantime, Chinnarasu plans to kill Muthaiya during the dance program. But Kamakshi saves Muthaiya thereby getting stabbed by a knife in her leg after the dance. Now Kanthimathi gets furious knowing that Kamakshi is her niece and takes Muthaiya along with her and also does not permit their wedding to happen. Kanthimathi reveals a flashback that Kamakshi's father is her own brother and he eloped with the jewels that were meant to be sold to meet the medical expenses of Muthaiya's father which led to his death. But Kamakshi's father arrives there and reveals the truth that while he went to sell the jewels, he was caught by the police suspecting him to be a smuggler following which he was jailed for a few years.
Now Kanthimathi realizes her mistake and unites with her brother. Also she agrees for wedding between Muthaiya and Kamakshi. Chinnarasu accuses that Muthaiah and Kamakshi misbehaved in the temple and orders them to walk on fire in the temple to prove that they are pure. Muthaiya and Kamakshi successfully walk on fire while Chandrasekhar reveals Chinnarasu's true identity in front of villagers. Chandrasekhar also pushes Chinnarasu on to the fire but is saved by Muthiya which makes Chinnarasu realize his mistake. The movie ends with Muthaiya and Kamakshi getting united.
Cast
Ramarajan as Muththaiyaa
Kanaka as Kamakshi
Santhana Bharathi as Chinraasu
Chandrasekhar as Kamakshi's uncle
Goundamani as Thangavelu
Senthil as Naathas
Kovai Sarala
Shanmugasundaram
Kanthimathi
Kullamani
Periya Karuppu Thevar
Vellai Subbiah
Kokila as Chandrasekhar's wife
Ragapriya
Junior Balaiah
Gangai Amaran (Cameo)
Special Appearances(in the title song)
Ilayaraja
Barathiraja
Sivakumar
Vinu Chakravarthy
Production
Gangai Amaran revealed that he didn't plan anything for the movie and went on scene by scene and also said that Ilayaraja had composed the music without knowing the plot.[1] Kanaka, daughter of late actress Devika made her acting debut with this film.[2]
Soundtrack
The music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.[3] All the songs especially "Maanguyile Poonguyile" became famous and still remain as chartbusters till date. The song "Ooru Vittu" is based on Shanmugapriya Raga while "Mariyamma" is based on Mayamalavagowla Raga.[4][5]
Ilayaraja later adapted "Maanguyile" as "Endhirayyo" for the Telugu film Shiva Shankar (2004).[6] The song "Nandhavanathil Oru" was adapted by Yuvan Shankar Raja as "Muttathu Pakkathile" in Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum (2009).[7] The song "Ooru Vittu Ooru Vandhu" was remixed by Natarajan Shankaran in Kappal (2014).[8] S. Shankar, the producer of that film, did not acquire permission to remix the song, leading to Ilaiyaraaja taking legal action against him.[9]
No. Song Singers Lyrics Length (m:ss)
1 "Indha Maan" Ilaiyaraaja, K. S. Chithra Gangai Amaran 04:35
2 "Kudagu Malai" Mano, K. S. Chithra 04:31
3 "Maanguyilae" (Men) SP Balasubrahmanyam 04:37
4 "Maanguyilae" (Duet) SP Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki 04:25
5 "Mariyamma Mariyamma" Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra 04:31
6 "Mundhi Mundhi" Mano, K. S. Chithra 03:20
7 "Nandhavanathil" Gangai Amaran 01:05
8 "Ooruvittu Ooruvanthu" Malaysia Vasudevan, Gangai Amaran 04:34
9 "Paattaalae Buddhi" Ilaiyaraaja Ilaiyaraaja 04:37
Themes
Release & reception
Distributors refused to buy the film as they felt that "the rural setting and full-length comedy would not be acceptable".[11][12] The film ran for one year in Nadana Theatre at Madurai.[12]
