Nala Damayanthi(2003)
Nala Damayanthi is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by Mouli and written by Kamal Haasan. The film stars R. Madhavan as Ramji, a naive Tamil Brahmin cook, with Geetu Mohandas and Shrutika in supporting roles. The story follows Ramji as he travels to Australia to work as a chef for a millionaire, only to lose his job and passport on the first day. Stranded and desperate, he agrees to a fake marriage with Damayanthi, a free-spirited Sri Lankan Tamil Christian, to obtain a work permit. The film explores themes of love, cultural clash, and the immigrant experience. It received positive reviews for its clean comedy, warm moments, and Madhavan's performance. The soundtrack, composed by Ramesh Vinayakam, includes the popular English folk song "Stranded On The Streets" sung by Kamal Haasan. The film was a box office success and was later remade in Hindi as Ramji Londonwaley (2005).
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 12 June 2003
- Director
- Mouli
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 18m
- Rating
- 6.4/10
Storyline
A kind-hearted village cook named Ramji travels to Australia to work for a millionaire. But the millionaire dies on his first day, and Ramji loses his passport and visa. To stay in the country legally, he must marry an Australian citizen. He agrees to a fake marriage with a free-spirited woman named Damayanthi. What starts as a business deal slowly turns into real love.
“Love is the best recipe.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Nala Damayanthi
Cast reunions in this film: Manobala & Sriman (11 films together), Manobala & Delhi Ganesh (11 films together), Kamal Haasan & Delhi Ganesh (11 films together), Kamal Haasan & Santhana Bharathi (10 films together), Manobala & Santhana Bharathi (7 films together), and Santhana Bharathi & Delhi Ganesh (7 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title references the epic love story of Nala and Damayanthi from Hindu mythology, but the movie is a modern comedy about a marriage of convenience.
- Actor Madhavan, who played the lead, learned basic cooking skills for his role as a village cook aspiring to be a chef.
- The movie was partly shot in Australia, which was a less common filming location for Tamil films at the time.
- Director Mouli is better known as a veteran playwright and actor in Tamil theatre and cinema; this was one of his few directorial ventures.
- The soundtrack by Vidyasagar included a popular romantic song 'Kangal Edho' that became a hit.
- The plot revolves around visa and immigration issues, reflecting real-life concerns of Indians seeking work abroad in the early 2000s.
- Actress Sada, who played Damayanthi, was known for her girl-next-door roles, and her character as a biker was a slight departure from that image.