Oorkavalan(1987)
Oorkavalan is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by Manobala. The film stars Rajinikanth as Kangeyan, a village guard, alongside Radhika, Raghuvaran, and Pandiyan. The story follows Kangeyan's quest for justice after his brother is murdered by a fake godman and a wealthy landlord. Set in a superstitious village, the film critiques blind faith and the misuse of religion for personal gain. The soundtrack was composed by Shankar–Ganesh. Oorkavalan was a commercial success and received positive reviews for its performances and screenplay. It was released on 4 September 1987.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 4 September 1987
- Director
- Manobala
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 3h
- Rating
- 4.4/10
Storyline
A village guard named Kangeyan sets out to find the truth behind his brother's mysterious death. He discovers that a fake priest and a powerful landlord killed his brother using superstition. Now Kangeyan must expose their lies and bring them to justice before they destroy more lives.
“One man's fight against blind faith”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Oorkavalan
Cast reunions in this film: Shankar & Sankar Ganesh (22 films together), Rajinikanth & Senthamarai (12 films together), Venniradai Moorthy & Sankar Ganesh (12 films together), Raadhika Sarathkumar & Sankar Ganesh (10 films together), Manobala & Raadhika Sarathkumar (9 films together), and Rajinikanth & Raghuvaran (8 films together).
Trivia
- This film was directed by Manobala, who was better known as a popular character actor in hundreds of films.
- The story is a remake of the 1985 Telugu film 'Kattula Kondaiah', which also starred Rajinikanth in the lead role.
- Actor Sathyaraj, who plays the villain, was at the peak of his anti-hero phase in Tamil cinema during this period.
- The film's plot revolves around the custom of 'katta panchayath', a form of village justice, which was a common theme in 1980s cinema.
- Despite the serious drama, the film features comedy tracks typical of the era, including by actors like Goundamani.
- The movie was released during a period when Rajinikanth was experimenting with different genres beyond his usual action roles.
- Music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, but the soundtrack did not achieve the same massive popularity as his other works that year.