Lovely(2001)
'Lovely' is a 2001 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film written and directed by S. K. Jeeva (credited as Sakthi). The film stars Karthik, Malavika, and Monal in lead roles, with Vivek, Manivannan, Nizhalgal Ravi, and Vinu Chakravarthy in supporting roles. The story follows a young couple who trick the bride's father by pretending the groom's friend is the real lover. Set in Ooty, the film blends comedy with family drama. The music was composed by Deva. 'Lovely' received mixed reviews, with praise for its visuals and humour but criticism for its convoluted ending. It was later remade in Telugu as 'Andamaina Abaddham' in 2008. The film was released on 6 July 2001.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 6 July 2001
- Director
- Shakti Chidambaram
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 40m
- Rating
- 2.6/10
Storyline
Chandru loves Niveditha, but her father Mahadevan hates love marriages. To win his approval, Chandru and Niveditha pretend that Chandru's funny friend Azhagesh is the real lover. Mahadevan sends goons after Azhagesh, while Chandru secretly becomes friends with the family. The plan works until a shocking twist threatens to destroy everything.
“Love is a beautiful lie”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Lovely
Cast reunions in this film: Manivannan & Deva (53 films together), Vivek & Deva (29 films together), Pandu & Deva (29 films together), Deva & Vijayakumar (29 films together), Vivek & Manivannan (23 films together), and Vivek & Pandu (20 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director Shakthi is the son of veteran actor-director Manivannan, who also plays the lead role of Mahadevan.
- This was the Tamil film debut of actress Malavika, who was primarily known for her work in Malayalam cinema at the time.
- The movie's title 'Lovely' is ironic, as the central plot revolves around a father who despises the concept of love.
- Composer Vidyasagar, known for many hit albums, provided the music, but the soundtrack did not achieve major commercial success.
- The film is an official remake of the 1999 Malayalam blockbuster 'Ustaad', which also starred Manivannan in the same role.
- A key comedy subplot involves a character pretending to be a Singapore-returned NRI, a popular trope in early 2000s Tamil cinema.
- Despite the family drama premise, the film underperformed at the box office compared to the original Malayalam version.