|
Kandukondain Kandukondain
|
Kandukondain Kandukondain (Tamil: கண்டுகொண்டேன் கண்டுகொண்டேன்) (English: I Have Found It) is a 2000 Tamil musical and romantic film. Directed and co-written by Rajiv Menon and produced by Kalaipuli S. Dhanu, it stars Mammooty, Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, Ajith Kumar and Abbas in the lead roles. Srividya and Raghuvaran, prominent actors from the south Indian film industry, played other pivotal roles in the movie.
The film based around, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility features two young sisters with differing views on love find themselves with three suitors. The elder sister attracts the attention of an aspiring film director, while a wounded commando falls for her younger, hopelessly romantic sister but hesitates because he is much older than she. Meanwhile, the younger sister meets and falls for a businessman with a passion for poetry. However problems lap up from different directions, resulting in emotional turmoil for both sisters. Whom the sisters marry at the end of the film form the crux of the story.
The film opened to Indian audiences after several delays, on May 4, 2000 just after the Tamil New Year, and in the process, becoming one of the biggest multi-starrers in Tamil cinema gistory. The film received positive reviews on the actors' performances and the complex storyline, with the film went on to become a major hit at the South Indian box office. Owing to its success, it was later dubbed into the Telugu language and released as Priyuraalu Pilichindi. Furthermore, the film went on to win several awards in different competitions, with Shankar Mahadevan winning a National Award in the process.
Synopsis
Set in modern India, it's a classical tale of the trials and tribulations of a family consisting of a mother and three daughters and about the men who walk into the lives of the elder two girls of marriageable age. In a cruel interplay of destiny and betrayal, the family stripped of their house and belongings sets out to the city to build a new life. How they eventually find success and love and learn to live a life of dignity
Cast
The cast featured five lead actors, who shared equal impotance. As per other Rajiv Menon films, the supporting cast was elaborate with several guest appearances by prominent artistes including A. R. Rahman, Dino Morea and Pooja Batra.
- Mammooty as Bala. Bala lost his leg in an army mission in Sri Lanka and uses a wooden leg. His drinking habits, make him unpopular initially but his kind-hearted work and his occupation of being a florist help attract Meenkashi. He carries love for her and is annoyed with Srikanth, but opts to help her out thn nurse his own ambitions.
- Aishwarya Rai as Meenakshi. A loving and an optimistic young woman, who aspires to become a singer. Furthermore, her passions include poems of Bharathi, a famous Tamil poet. She has ambitions of how her husband should be and is surprised to find that Srikanth fits the bill.
- Tabu as Sowmiya. The responsible elder sister of Meenakshi, who is branded as being "unlucky" for prospective grooms, following the death of her fiance. Despite opting to avoid marriage altogether, she begins an emotional topsy-turvy relationship with Manohar.
- Ajith Kumar as Manohar. A film director, who opts not to continue his father's business despite having studied in America. He is determined to direct his own feature film, but his relationship with Sowmiya slows him down, prompting the couple to quarrel and have misunderstandings.
- Abbas as Srikanth. A prominent Indian businessman, who like Meenakshi has a passion for claasical music. He first appears as a "dream boy" to Meenakshi, only to marry a mortgager's daughter, after his business nearly collapses.
- Srividya as Mahalakshmi. The mother of Sowmiya and Meenakshi, who lives as a widow with her father, estranged from her brother.
- Raghuvaran' as '. Plays a vital cameo as the boss of Sowmiya, who helps her regain confidence in life, by offering her a place in an American company.
- Manivannan' as '. Plays the uncle to Bala, who tries to help him get together with Meenakshi. Provides comic relief.
- Shamili' as '. The youngest sister of Sowmiya and Meenakshi who has a passion for science.
Production
Development
The original script for the film was set to be directed in 1997 with the title of Aandavan by filmmaker, Mani Ratnam, with the star cast of Sanjay Dutt, Aishwarya Rai and Tabu. However the film failed to start and the respective members of the production moved onto their other projects. In February 1999, producer Kalaipuli S. Dhanu announced the film Kandukondain Kandukondain, with Rajiv Menon making his second appearance as a director. As like his previous film, A. R. Rahman was signed onto compose the music to Vairamuthu's lyrics. Sujatha wrote the dialogues for the film, whilst Menon decided not to cinematograph the film, allowing Ravi K. Chandran to handle the camera. Choreogaphy duties were shared between Farah Khan and Raju Sundaram, whilst, Vikram Dharma handled the stunts in the movie. The script was an Indian version of Jane Austen's novel, Sense and Sensibility, with several chaarcters from the novel being portrayed in the film.
From the original cast of the film back in 1997, the heroines were retained and Dutt was replaced by the prominent Malayalam actor, Mammooty. Ajith Kumar was given a role in the film whilst Abbas was assigned the final lead male role after Prabhu Deva and then Prashanth had opted out of the film.[2] Senior actor Srividya was selected to play the mother of the heroines, whilst Manivannan, Raghuvaran and Nizhagal Ravi were also given senior roles in the film. Shamili, Ajith's sister-in-law, made her first appearance as an actress since her National Award-winning role in Anjali, whilst Bollywood actors Pooja Batra and Dino Morea appeared in minuscule roles in the film. Menon's mother, Kalyani Menon, noted music director, A. R. Rahman and Malaysia Vasudevan all made cameo appearances as themselves in the project.
Soundtrack
Credits
Cast
Crew
Trivia
- Cinematographer Ravi K Chandran has made a big impact in cinema visuals in the South Indian Film Industry since the release of this film.
- Tamil actor Vikram had given his playback for Abbas in this film.
- Director Rajiv Menon once worked for Mani Ratnam, one of India's best directors in the 1990s, and the duo were to team up for the Bollywood hit Guru in 2007.
- The film was also dubbed in telugu as "Priyaralu Pilichindhi".
External links
|
