Kadhalar Dhinam(1999)
Kadhalar Dhinam is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language romance film written and directed by Kathir. It stars Kunal and Preetha Vijayakumar in the lead roles. The story follows Raja, a poor Tamil boy from Dharavi, and Roja, the dean's daughter, who fall in love through internet chat rooms. Their relationship faces opposition from Roja's father, who has arranged her marriage to a wealthy man. The film was produced by A. M. Rathnam under Sri Surya Movies. It was noted for being an early Tamil film to explore online romance as a central plot device. The movie received positive reviews for its fresh concept and emotional storytelling. It was released in theaters in 1999.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video
- Theatrical Release
- 9 July 1999
- Director
- Kathir Subbiah
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 31m
- Rating
- 6.4/10
Storyline
A poor boy from the Dharavi slum and a rich college dean's daughter meet in an internet chat room. They fall in love without ever seeing each other. But her father has already chosen a wealthy groom for her. Can their online love survive the real world?
“Love knows no class”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kadhalar Dhinam
Cast reunions in this film: Nassar & Manivannan (18 films together), Manivannan & Goundamani (17 films together), Nassar & A. R. Rahman (16 films together), Nassar & Chinni Jayanth (9 films together), Nassar & Goundamani (9 films together), and Manivannan & Rambha (9 films together).
Trivia
- The film was inspired by the 1995 American movie 'The Net', adapting its internet romance theme for a Tamil audience.
- Actor Kunal was only 17 years old during filming, making him one of the youngest lead actors in Tamil cinema at that time.
- The song 'Ennai Kaanavillaye' was recreated from the 1996 Telugu film 'Maavichiguru', composed by the same music director, Deva.
- This was one of the earliest Tamil films to prominently feature internet chat rooms and email as central plot devices.
- Director Kathir also worked as the film's editor, a dual role he took on for several of his early movies.
- The movie's release coincided with the growing popularity of cybercafes in urban Tamil Nadu in the late 1990s.
- Actress Roja, who played the female lead, was already an established name in Telugu cinema before this Tamil debut.