Vasanthi(1988)
Vasanthi is a 1988 Indian Tamil-language comedy-drama film directed by Chithralaya Gopu and produced by AVM Productions. The lead cast includes Mohan, Madhuri, Devilalitha, Manorama, S. S. Chandran, Vinu Chakravarthy, and Loose Mohan. The story follows Raju, a young thief who steals to survive on the streets, and his transformation after meeting the kind-hearted Vasanthi. The film is a remake of the 1955 Telugu classic Donga Ramudu. It balances serious themes of redemption and mistaken identity with humour provided by characters like Kuppusamy. S. S. Chandran won the Cinema Express Award for Best Comedy Actor for his performance. The music was composed by Chandrabose with lyrics by Vairamuthu. Vasanthi was released on 2 December 1988.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1988
- Director
- Chitralaya Gopu
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Rating
- 3.2/10
Storyline
A homeless young thief named Raju survives by stealing from people. When he tries to rob a flower shop owned by the kind Vasanthi, she catches him but offers him food instead of punishment. Moved by her compassion, Raju decides to change his life. But his criminal past and a look-alike thief threaten to destroy his chance at love and redemption.
“A thief's second chance at love”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
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Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Vasanthi
Cast reunions in this film: Manorama & Vinu Chakravarthy (13 films together), S. S. Chandran & Vinu Chakravarthy (11 films together), Manorama & S. S. Chandran (10 films together), Chandrabose & Manorama (8 films together), Mohan & Manorama (6 films together), and Chandrabose & S. S. Chandran (6 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director Chitralaya Gopu was better known as a legendary comedy writer, making this a rare dramatic directorial venture for him.
- The movie was released the same year as Kamal Haasan's 'Sathya', which also dealt with a protagonist forced into crime.
- Composer Shankar–Ganesh, known for their peppy numbers, provided the music for this gritty social drama.
- Actress Radha, a major star then, played the female lead, contrasting with the film's dark storyline.
- The film's plot of a man searching for his sister shares thematic similarities with other Tamil films of the era like 'Velaikaran' (1987).
- It was produced by Sujatha Cine Arts, a production house active in the late 1980s but not widely remembered today.
- The title 'Vasanthi' is the name of the protagonist's sister, making the story's central motivation a search for family.