Arunachalam(1997)
Arunachalam is a 1997 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed by Sundar C and written by Crazy Mohan. The film stars Rajinikanth in a dual role as the title character and his father, alongside Soundarya and Rambha. It follows a simple village headman who discovers he is the adopted son of a deceased billionaire. To inherit the ₹3,030 crore fortune, he must secretly spend ₹30 crore within 30 days without making donations or holding assets. The film is loosely based on the 1902 novel Brewster's Millions. It won three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, including Best Film. Arunachalam was released on 10 April 1997 and became a box office success.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 10 April 1997
- Director
- Sundar C.
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 37m
- Rating
- 6.1/10
Storyline
A respected village headman learns he is the orphaned son of a billionaire. To inherit his father's ₹3,030 crore estate, he must spend ₹30 crore in 30 days without telling anyone. Four corrupt businessmen try to stop him, while he struggles to keep his love and his secret.
“Spend ₹30 crore. Save ₹3,030 crore.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Arunachalam
Cast reunions in this film: Nizhalgal Ravi & Deva (21 films together), Rajinikanth & Jaishankar (15 films together), Deva & Raghuvaran (15 films together), Sundar C. & U.K. Senthil Kumar (14 films together), Rajinikanth & V. K. Ramasamy (13 films together), and V. K. Ramasamy & Jaishankar (13 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Arunachalam' is the real first name of actor Rajinikanth, who was the producer's original choice for the lead role.
- Director Sundar C made his directorial debut with this film, which launched his successful career in commercial Tamil cinema.
- A popular comedy scene involving a 'cell phone' was a major highlight, as mobile phones were still a novelty in India in 1997.
- The movie's soundtrack, composed by Deva, was a huge hit, with the song 'Kadhal Rojave' remaining a classic romantic track.
- The film is loosely inspired by the 1985 Hindi film 'Geraftaar', which itself was inspired by the Hollywood film 'The Big Steal'.
- Actor Vivekh, who played a key supporting role, improvised many of his comedy lines, which became very popular with audiences.
- Despite mixed reviews, the film was a commercial success, establishing Sundar C as a bankable director for mass entertainers.