Amarkalam
Encyclopedia
Amarkalam is a 1999 Tamil
action film directed by Saran
and produced by Venkateswaralayam. The film featured Ajith Kumar
and Shalini in the lead roles with Raghuvaran
, Raadhika and Nassar
in other pivotal roles. The film opened in August 1999 to positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success.
. He had a tortured childhood and wastes his days by drinking, fighting, and sleeping. It all starts when Vasu's friend Dhamu
loses a reel of the movie Annamalai
to Mohana (Shalini). Vasu and Mohana clash when Vasu attempts to retrieve the reel. Mohana's family are members of the police, headed by Birla Bose (Nasser), Mohana's father.
At this point, an ex-Mafia "Dada" who spent many years in jail because of Birla Bose, Tulasi Das (Raghuvaran
), comes to the theater. He doesn't like Bose, and hires Vasu to kidnap Mohana. He cries out his woes in the song "Satham Illatha." Mohana falls in love with him, after hearing his pain.
When Tulasi Das realizes Mohana loves Vasu, he hires Vasu further to pretend he loves her back. At first with Vasu it's just pretend, but then, he too begins to love her. Tulasi Das visits Birla Bose to inform him of his daughters love for a gangster and realizes that Mohana is indeed his daughter. A flashback showing the parted friendship between the two men and Ganga Raadhika who is the wife of Tulasi Das abandons him and their child when she comes to know that her husband is a don. Knowing that Mohana is his daughter, Tulasi Das instructs Vasu to give up his love. When Vasu refuses, Tulasi visits Mohana and tells her about his ploy and that Vasu's love for her was fake.
Eventually Vasu proves to Mohana that his love was true and unites with her after a clash between the cops and some goons of the locality.
and Saran
during Kadhal Mannan
, Venkateswaralayam had lost a lot of money on that film so Ajith insisted on doing another film for the studio. Saran initially approached Shalini, who was studying at the time and she refused but after a three month pursuit, he finally got her to sign on as well. The role of Tulasi Das was initially offered to Amitabh Bachchan
who accepted before later pulling out of the film.
The film began production in January 1999 and during the production of the film, the lead pair Ajith Kumar
and Shalini fell in love and eventually got married in April 2000.
The film went on to become a large commercial success at the box office, extending the lead actor Ajith Kumar
's success after his previous film Vaali
. Ajith went on to purchase Saran a car as a token of gratitude for the success. Due to the success of the film, it was subsequently dubbed into the Telugu language with title Adbhutam and produced by V. Sathyanarayana. It was later remade in Kannada as Asura starring Shiv Rajkumar and Raghuvaran
, who reprised his role, before there was also a 2004 version in Telugu titled Leela Mahal Center. A remake in Hindi featuring Vivek Oberoi
was also reported by the director in 2002, however the project failed to materialize.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
action film directed by Saran
Saran (director)
Saran is a Tamil film director from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. He was once an assistant to K. Balachander. He now owns a production house called Gemini Productions.-Life and Career:...
and produced by Venkateswaralayam. The film featured Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
and Shalini in the lead roles with Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
, Raadhika and Nassar
Nassar
Nassar is a Tamil actor, producer, writer, director, lyricist, and singer. He has appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English films. He is often cited as part of India's specialist character actors, along with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Nana Patekar...
in other pivotal roles. The film opened in August 1999 to positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success.
Plot
Vasu (Ajith), is a drunken rowdy who lives in a cinema theater owned by Vinu ChakravarthyVinu Chakravarthy
Vinu Chakravarthy is a Tamil actor, script writer and director who is known for acting in more than 1000 movies in Tamill, Telugu, Badaga and Malayalam mostly as a comedian, supporting actor or in a villanous role....
. He had a tortured childhood and wastes his days by drinking, fighting, and sleeping. It all starts when Vasu's friend Dhamu
Dhamu
Dhamu was a part of Gaana Galata Group a popular touring and acting comedy troupe. He was first spotted by Assistant Director Sukumaran in 1991 and made his debut in Tamil Film Malar starring young actor Prashant-playing the role of the annoying and self proclaimed comical rowdy of the district...
loses a reel of the movie Annamalai
Annamalai
Annamalai may refer to:*Annamalai , a Tamil cinema film starring Rajinikanth*Annamalai Hills, in Tamil Nadu state, India*Annamalai University, in Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India*Arunachaleswara Temple in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu...
to Mohana (Shalini). Vasu and Mohana clash when Vasu attempts to retrieve the reel. Mohana's family are members of the police, headed by Birla Bose (Nasser), Mohana's father.
At this point, an ex-Mafia "Dada" who spent many years in jail because of Birla Bose, Tulasi Das (Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
), comes to the theater. He doesn't like Bose, and hires Vasu to kidnap Mohana. He cries out his woes in the song "Satham Illatha." Mohana falls in love with him, after hearing his pain.
When Tulasi Das realizes Mohana loves Vasu, he hires Vasu further to pretend he loves her back. At first with Vasu it's just pretend, but then, he too begins to love her. Tulasi Das visits Birla Bose to inform him of his daughters love for a gangster and realizes that Mohana is indeed his daughter. A flashback showing the parted friendship between the two men and Ganga Raadhika who is the wife of Tulasi Das abandons him and their child when she comes to know that her husband is a don. Knowing that Mohana is his daughter, Tulasi Das instructs Vasu to give up his love. When Vasu refuses, Tulasi visits Mohana and tells her about his ploy and that Vasu's love for her was fake.
Eventually Vasu proves to Mohana that his love was true and unites with her after a clash between the cops and some goons of the locality.
Cast
- Ajith KumarAjith KumarAjith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
as Vasu - Shalini as Mohana
- RaghuvaranRaghuvaranRaghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
as Tulasi Das - Raadhika as Ganga
- Nassar as Birla Bose
- Vinu Chakravarthi
- DhamuDhamuDhamu was a part of Gaana Galata Group a popular touring and acting comedy troupe. He was first spotted by Assistant Director Sukumaran in 1991 and made his debut in Tamil Film Malar starring young actor Prashant-playing the role of the annoying and self proclaimed comical rowdy of the district...
- VaiyapuriVaiyapuriVaiyapuri is a Tamil film actor who mostly plays a comedian. He has appeared in many Tamil films and is also a guest judge on Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV in Chennai. He started his career in Balu mahendra Film "Raman Abdulla" with the servant role and has scored most in the first film...
- Charle
- Ramesh KhannaRamesh KhannaRamesh Kanna is a Tamil film actor and acts in supporting roles and comedian roles.Ramesh Khanna was born in Coimbatore and third child to the family. Ramesh Khanna arrived in Chennai in the late 1980s to have a career as an actor...
as Singampuli - AmbikaAmbika (actress)Ambika is an Indian film actress. She was worked in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu films. Ambika's sister Radha was also an actress. Both of them acted in a number of south Indian films in 80s and they have a movie studio called "ARS Studios"....
Production
The producers of the previous collaboration of Ajith KumarAjith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
and Saran
Saran (director)
Saran is a Tamil film director from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. He was once an assistant to K. Balachander. He now owns a production house called Gemini Productions.-Life and Career:...
during Kadhal Mannan
Kadhal Mannan
Kaadhal Mannan is a 1998 Tamil romantic film directed by Saran, which features Ajith Kumar and Maanu in the lead roles. The film also saw prominent music composer M. S. Viswanathan make his debut in a supporting role, whilst Vivek, Karan and Girish Karnad also played other roles...
, Venkateswaralayam had lost a lot of money on that film so Ajith insisted on doing another film for the studio. Saran initially approached Shalini, who was studying at the time and she refused but after a three month pursuit, he finally got her to sign on as well. The role of Tulasi Das was initially offered to Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
who accepted before later pulling out of the film.
The film began production in January 1999 and during the production of the film, the lead pair Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
and Shalini fell in love and eventually got married in April 2000.
Release
The film won predominantly positive reviews upon release with a reviewer describing the film as having an "okay storyline made very good because of its brilliant execution" whilst stating that the "climax is also very well-developed" and praising the performance of Ajith Kumar.The film went on to become a large commercial success at the box office, extending the lead actor Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai . A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with...
's success after his previous film Vaali
Vaali
Vaali is a 1999 Tamil thriller film written and directed by S. J. Suryah. The film stars Ajith Kumar in a dual role with Simran appearing in another leading role. The supporting cast of the film include Jyothika in her debut venture, Livingston and Vivek. The film's music is composed by the music...
. Ajith went on to purchase Saran a car as a token of gratitude for the success. Due to the success of the film, it was subsequently dubbed into the Telugu language with title Adbhutam and produced by V. Sathyanarayana. It was later remade in Kannada as Asura starring Shiv Rajkumar and Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
, who reprised his role, before there was also a 2004 version in Telugu titled Leela Mahal Center. A remake in Hindi featuring Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi is an Indian actor. He is the son of Bollywood actor Suresh Oberoi and Yashodhara Oberoi.- Early life :Vivek attended Mayo college in Ajmer. At an actors' workshop in London he was spotted by the director of New York University who took Vivek off to New York, where he completed his...
was also reported by the director in 2002, however the project failed to materialize.