Mudhalvan(1999)
Mudhalvan is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language political action film directed by S. Shankar. It stars Arjun Sarja, Manisha Koirala, and Raghuvaran in lead roles. The story follows a TV journalist who accepts a challenge to become Chief Minister for one day and ends up being elected for real. The film features an award-winning soundtrack by A. R. Rahman and cinematography by K. V. Anand. It was a major commercial success, becoming the second highest-grossing Tamil film of 1999. The film ran for over 100 days in theatres and won several regional awards. It was released on 7 November 1999 for Diwali.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube Movies
- OTT Release Date
- 14 July 1999
- Theatrical Release
- 7 November 1999
- Director
- Shankar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 55m
- Rating
- 5.5/10
Storyline
A fearless TV journalist named Pugazhendi interviews the corrupt Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister challenges him to take over the job for one day. Pugazh accepts and immediately starts fixing the state's problems. His success leads to a political crisis and a new election.
“One day to change everything.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Mudhalvan
Cast reunions in this film: Vadivelu & Manivannan (24 films together), Vadivelu & Vijayakumar (22 films together), Manivannan & Vijayakumar (14 films together), Vadivelu & A. R. Rahman (13 films together), Manivannan & Raghuvaran (13 films together), and Shankar & A. R. Rahman (10 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Mudhalvan' means 'The First' or 'The Leader' in Tamil, reflecting the protagonist's rise.
- Director Shankar originally planned to cast Rajinikanth in the lead role before finalizing Arjun.
- The movie was remade in Hindi as 'Nayak' starring Anil Kapoor, with a similar plot.
- A real-life Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's convoy was reportedly used for a key scene to add authenticity.
- The film's climax was shot at the Madras High Court, a rare permission granted for a commercial film.
- Composer A.R. Rahman created the song 'Shakalaka Baby' with Western pop influences, which became a chartbuster.
- The movie faced some political controversy upon release for its critical portrayal of corruption.