Thulladha Manamum Thullum


Thulladha Manamum Thullum is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by debutant Ezhil. The film stars Vijay and Simran, while Manivannan, Dhamu and Vaiyapuri among others play supporting roles. The film, produced by R. B. Choudary, has its score and soundtrack composed by S. A. Rajkumar and cinematography performed by R. Selva. The film won two awards at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards with Simran winning Best Actress and Vijay winning the MGR honorary award.

Plot

The film begins with Kutty waiting at the Pune rail station for the train back to Chennai. As he continues to wait, he tears off a paper scrap from a pillar that reveals a carving of the name "Rukmani". The train arrives and Kutty boards a cabin that is boarded by college students from Chennai who are musicians. During the train journey, Kutty starts singing "Innisai Paadivarum", which catches the attention of everyone and they all begin to sing along with him. After finishing the song, the students applaud Kutty for his singing and ask him whether he's a professional musician and his reason for coming to Pune. Kutty denies this and reveals that he's an ex-convict, having been released from Pune jail after 7 years. When asked why he was imprisoned for so long, Kutty explains the reason for his conviction as the film goes for a flashback.
Kutty is an aspiring singer while working as a local cable provider run by Mani in Chennai. His songs are appreciated by a college student Rukmani alias 'Rukku' and she wishes to meet him. But every time they meet, circumstances place Kutty in situations where Rukku dismisses him as a rowdy, unaware that the person she hates and is accusing of being a rowdy is the same person whom she admires. Kutty learns about Rukku's admiration for him and tries to reveal his identity to her, but he still ends up in situations that portray him as a transgressive element. One day while chasing after a pickpocket who stole his wallet, Kutty ends up in Rukku's college where he locates the pickpocket at the other side of a lab room that Rukku happens to be in. Kutty runs into the lab room in front of Rukku, and accidentally knocks over a flask containing reactive chemicals that fall into the ground, causing Rukku to go blind. Kutty doesn't learn about Rukku's loss of sight until one rainy day, when he sees her and tries to reveal his identity.
After learning that he became the cause for Rukku's blindness, Kutty is wracked with guilt and decides to devote himself to her from then onwards attending to her every need. Kutty begins to fall in love with Rukku and he regularly writes to his mother about the development of love he has for her. Rukku in turn learns to respect and love Kutty too, thinking that he is the singer she admires and not knowing that he is the same person she thought was a rowdy and the one who caused her eyesight loss. When Kutty's mother dies - much to his grief - she offers her eyes to Rukku. To meet the cost of the eye transplant, Kutty offers his kidney to a Pune-based rich man and travels to Pune with Rukku promising that she will never forget him and will wait for him to return. While at the Pune rail station waiting for the train back to Chennai, Kutty carves Rukku's name on one of the pillars. Unfortunately, Kutty is arrested by the police after unknowingly agreeing to look after the luggage - which turned out to contain explosives - of another man.
Back in the present day, the students ask Kutty whether he was able to get in touch with Rukku during the past 7 years to which Kutty replies he wasn't able to and misses her a lot. The students assure Kutty that he will find Rukku and wishes him the best of luck as the train arrives to Chennai. When Kutty arrives to the area he used to live, he finds that everything has changed during the past 8 years save for a shrine. While contemplating where Rukku might be and the changed environment around him, Kutty sees a passing ambassador car and finds that Rukku is riding in it. Kutty chases after the car while calling out to Rukku and ends up at a Collector's office where it is revealed that Rukku, who had studied for IAS, became a Collector. Kutty calls out to Rukku while being held by an officer whom he accidentally bumped into. However Rukku, having regained her eyesight, still thinks of Kutty as the rowdy who caused her eyesight loss and orders her officers to arrest him. A shocked Kutty is then knocked unconscious and dragged into the police jeep by the officers. As the jeep reaches the office gates, it collides with a rickshaw that happens to contain Kutty's local cable provider owner Mani. Finding Kutty at the back of the jeep and learning that Rukku gave the order to arrest him, Mani goes to the Collector's office entrance and angrily questions Rukku about Kutty's arrest. During the confrontation, a travelling bus full of people, who accompanied Kutty during his trip back from Pune, sing "Innisai Paadivarum". Rukku hears them and orders the officers to stop the bus chasing after it with Mani tailing behind. As Rukku boards the bus, she asks the passengers if any of them are Kutty. One of the students then reveals to Rukku that Kutty has come back from Pune and is looking for her. Just then Kutty, who regained consciousness and got out of the police jeep, begins singing "Innisai Paadivarum". Everyone hears him and runs towards him. As Kutty continues singing, Rukku realizes that the person who she accused of being a rowdy and accidentally caused her blindness and the person who she admired as a singer and took care of her when she was blind has been Kutty this whole time. After Kutty finishes singing, a guilt stricken Rukku expresses her joy of finally being able to meet him after so long and tearfully begs for his forgiveness. Kutty forgives her and the two reunite with each other.

Cast

Development

The film saw director Ezhil, an erstwhile assistant to Robert-Rajashekhar, Panneer and Parthiban, make his debut as a film-maker under R. B. Choudary's production house. The film's concept was inspired from Charlie Chaplin starrer City Lights which Ezhil had watched during a film festival. Earlier version of the script showed Vijay's character as a painter. Initial title for the film was "Rukmanikkaga". But producer RB Chaudhary told the director that he "wanted a title like Paarthaal Pasi Theerum" and it was titled as Thullatha Manamum Thullum.

Casting

Initially, Ezhil wanted comedian Vadivelu to play the lead role. Vadivelu, who was impressed with the story, has said to Ezhil that the story line was too good and he doesn't know whether it will work with him in the lead. Vadivelu also asked Ezhil to wait for six months, if he didn't get anyone hero then he will act in it then he was replaced by Vijay. On the suggestion of his friends, he decided to make it with a commercial hero and changed the entire script retaining only the emotional core of City Lights. Murali was also considered for the lead role before Vijay was selected. Prior to release, the role of Vijay's mother in the film was kept under wraps with the media speculating who would play the role. Eventually, no actress played the role although the character played a pivotal part in the film. Vijay took a pay cut for the film, accepting only 30 lakh instead of 50 lakh, as he had signed the film before the release of his film Kadhalukku Mariyadhai. Rambha was initially supposed to do the project, but as the project underwent changes, the actress opted out before she was replaced by Simran.

Filming

The film's shoot began with the "Dhuddu" song as the director felt it would give the team some time to gel. This was the first Vijay song which Raju Sundaram choreographed. The story takes place in Triplicane because Ezhil had lived there for a while in his uncle's house. The team scouted for long to find a suitable location that fit the story's requirements however a chance visit to the set of a Malayalam film at Murugalaya Studios convinced Ezhil that erecting a set would be far more cost-effective and thus set resembling Triplicane was erected.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the film was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, while lyrics were written by Vairamuthu and Muthu Vijayan. Rajkumar agreed to compose the music for this film after coming to know that Ezhil had assisted Robert-Rajasekaran, the duo who introduced him in films.
The song "Meghamaai Vandhu" which was supposed to be the theme song of the film was inspired from punjabi song sing by Janoon band in 1997 in Pakistan"Saiyoni" as Ezhil wanted Tamil version of it. But after the song was recorded, he came to know that Deva had used the same tune for "Salomiya" from Kannedhirey Thondrinal. SA Rajkumar told him not to worry and gave him the tune of "Innisai Paadi Varum".

Release

Reception

A critic from the Deccan Herald mentioned that "the experience of seeing the film is simply thrilling", mentioning that the success comes from "the naivete, the simplicity, the absolute lack of sophistication, and from the delightful hero ".

Accolades

;Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Owing to its success, the film was remade in Kannada as O Nanna Nalle, in Telugu as Nuvvu Vastavani, in Bengali as Sathi, in Odia as I Love You and in Bhojpuri Pyar Jab Kenhu Se Hoi Jala.

Legacy

The success of the film led to more offers for Simran, who with Thulladha Manamum Thullum and Vaali, established herself among the leading actresses in Tamil films. Vijay and Simran were also paired together in several other films after the success of Thulladha Manamum Thullum, with projects titled Priyamanavale and Udhaya launched weeks after this film's release.