Naanum Oru Thozhilali(1986)
Naanum Oru Thozhilali is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed and produced by C. V. Sridhar. The film stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role as Bharath and his disguised identity Raju, alongside Ambika as Meena. Jaishankar, V. S. Raghavan, and Devika appear in supporting roles. The story follows Bharath, who returns from abroad after his father's suspicious death and goes undercover as a factory worker to uncover corruption. The film was simultaneously shot in Telugu as Andarikante Ghanudu. It was released on 1 May 1986, Labour Day, but performed poorly at the box office. The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Naanum Oru Thozhilali is streaming on Eros Now and Amazon Prime Video.
Where to watch:Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Eros Now, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 1 June 1986
- Director
- C. V. Sridhar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 7m
- Rating
- 4.0/10
Storyline
After his father dies in a suspicious accident, Bharath returns home to find his family factory run by corrupt managers. He disguises himself as a worker named Raju to investigate. With help from a factory worker named Meena and a fellow employee named Kumar, he uncovers a web of theft, murder, and lies.
“Every worker deserves justice.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Naanum Oru Thozhilali
Cast reunions in this film: Kamal Haasan & Ilayaraja (60 films together), Sathyaraj & Ilayaraja (53 films together), Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja (42 films together), Ilayaraja & Jaishankar (34 films together), Ilayaraja & Ambika (32 films together), and Sathyaraj & Venniradai Moorthy (12 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Sakthi' and shot in Cinemascope in 1980, long before its 1986 release.
- It was intended to be the first lead pairing of Kamal Haasan and Ambika, with promotional stills of Ambika in a swimsuit creating early buzz.
- The movie's release was postponed partly due to local elections, as the director felt the original title 'Meendum Suryodayam' (Rising Sun) might be politically sensitive after the DMK's victory.
- Director C.V. Sridhar reunited with Kamal Haasan after their successful collaboration in the 1978 film 'Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu', which also starred Rajinikanth.
- The film underwent a last-minute title change from 'Meendum Suryodayam' to 'Naanum Oru Thozhilali' just before its final release.
- Despite the delays, the movie was part of a wave of Kamal Haasan films in the mid-80s that blended social drama with commercial action elements.
- The film's production troubles, including its six-year journey, reflect the volatile nature of Tamil cinema scheduling and financing in that era.