Mappillai(1989)
Mappillai is a 1989 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed by Rajasekhar. It stars Rajinikanth, Srividya, and Amala in lead roles. The story follows Arumugam, a gold medalist who marries Geetha against the wishes of her wealthy mother, Rajarajeswari. The film explores class conflict and family dynamics as Arumugam fights to win his mother-in-law's respect. It is a remake of the Telugu film Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu. The film was a blockbuster at the box office, running for over 200 days. It features a special appearance by Chiranjeevi, who starred in the original Telugu version. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- VI Movies and TV, Sun NXT, Airtel Xstream Play
- Theatrical Release
- 27 October 1989
- Director
- Rajashekar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 3.9/10
Storyline
A poor but principled man named Arumugam marries a rich woman named Geetha. Her wealthy and arrogant mother, Rajarajeswari, opposes the marriage. She uses her power to try to separate the couple. Arumugam must prove his worth and win his mother-in-law's heart.
“The son-in-law who tamed a tiger”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mappillai
Cast reunions in this film: Rajinikanth & Ilayaraja (58 films together), Nizhalgal Ravi & Ilayaraja (34 films together), Ilayaraja & Jaishankar (34 films together), Ilayaraja & Vinu Chakravarthy (34 films together), Ilayaraja & Srividya (33 films together), and Ilayaraja & Panchu Arunachalam (26 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Mappillai' but was later released in Telugu as 'Koduku Diddina Kapuram' with a different cast.
- This was the first Tamil film directed by Rajashekar, who was already a well-known director in Telugu cinema.
- The movie's plot is loosely inspired by the 1985 Hindi film 'Arjun', which also features a mother-son conflict theme.
- Composer Ilaiyaraaja reused his own tune from the 1988 film 'Dhayam Onnu' for a popular song in this movie.
- Actor Rajinikanth was initially considered for the lead role before Rajinikanth recommended newcomer Sarathkumar.
- The film's climax was shot in a single schedule at a specially constructed set to maintain continuity and intensity.
- Despite mixed reviews, the film performed well in rural areas due to its strong family drama and revenge storyline.