Raja(1972)
Raja is a 1972 Indian Tamil-language spy action film directed by C. V. Rajendran. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan in a dual role as Raja and Sekar, alongside Jayalalithaa as Radha and K. Balaji as Chandran. The story follows a spy who searches for his long-lost brother while fighting a criminal smuggling network. The film is a remake of the 1970 Hindi film Johny Mera Naam. It was produced by K. Balaji under Sujatha Cine Arts. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan. Raja was released on 26 January 1972 and became a commercial success.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Plex
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1972
- Director
- C. V. Rajendran
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 26m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
A young boy named Raja loses his father to gangsters and gets separated from his brother. Years later, Raja becomes a spy for the Indian government. He must stop a powerful criminal while searching for his missing brother. His mission becomes personal when he discovers the villain killed his father.
“Two brothers. One destiny.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Raja
Cast reunions in this film: M. S. Viswanathan & Sivaji Ganesan (110 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & Jayalalitha (46 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & C. V. Rajendran (20 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & Jayalalitha (20 films together), Sivaji Ganesan & C. V. Rajendran (13 films together), and M. S. Viswanathan & Sujatha Cine Arts (12 films together).
Trivia
- The film was originally planned to be directed by A. C. Tirulokchandar, but C. V. Rajendran took over.
- This was the first Tamil film where actor Sivakumar played a dual role as two brothers.
- The movie's music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, who was a last-minute replacement for another composer.
- A popular song from the film, 'Naan Paadum Paadal', was inspired by a folk tune from the Kongu Nadu region.
- The climax fight scene was shot in a single long take, which was rare for Tamil films at that time.
- The film's success led to a Hindi remake titled 'Raja Rani' released in the same decade.
- Actress Jayalalithaa agreed to do the film only after certain script changes were made to her character.