Kadhal Mannan(1998)
Kaadhal Mannan is a 1998 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Saran. The film stars Ajith Kumar as Shiva and newcomer Maanu as Thilottama. The story follows a young mechanic who falls in love with a woman trapped in an arranged marriage by her strict father. The cast includes M. S. Viswanathan in his acting debut as Mess Viswanathan, alongside Vivek, Karan, and Girish Karnad. The film was noted for its clean entertainment without excessive violence or vulgarity. It won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Sound Recordist for A. R. Swaminathan. The film released on 6 March 1998 and became a commercial success, running for 80 days in theaters.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, Plex
- Theatrical Release
- 6 March 1998
- Director
- Saran
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 16m
- Rating
- 4.8/10
Storyline
Shiva is a carefree mechanic who loves taking on dares. When he is dared to deliver a letter to Thilottama, he falls in love with her at first sight. But Thilottama is engaged to a man chosen by her father Rudran, who hates the word 'love' and has already disowned one daughter for eloping. Shiva must find a way to win Thilottama's heart and convince her father that love is not a curse.
“Love is the only dare worth taking”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kadhal Mannan
Cast reunions in this film: Vivek & Karan (10 films together), Ajith Kumar & Ramesh Khanna (9 films together), Ramesh Khanna & Bharadwaj (9 films together), Ajith Kumar & Vivek (8 films together), Saran & Bharadwaj (8 films together), and Vivek & Bharadwaj (4 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Kadhal Mannan' was inspired by a popular Tamil song from the 1960s movie 'Paalum Pazhamum'.
- This was the first major film for actor Murali, who played the lead role of Shiva, after several supporting parts.
- Director Saran made his directorial debut with this film, launching a successful career in Tamil cinema.
- The movie's soundtrack, composed by Sirpy, became a hit, with the song 'Kadhal Vandhale' gaining particular popularity.
- A key filming location was the historic town of Kumbakonam, known for its temples and traditional architecture.
- The film's release faced competition from several other big-budget Tamil films that same year.
- Actress Rambha, who played Thilothama, was already a well-known star in Telugu cinema before this Tamil role.