Samrat(1997)
Samrat is a 1997 Indian Tamil-language crime thriller film directed by Sakthi Chidambaram in his directorial debut. The film stars Ramki in a dual role, alongside Vineetha and Rukma. The story follows a young man who assumes a false identity to infiltrate a wealthy family and exact revenge for his father's murder and mother's dishonor. The narrative is set in a village near Pollachi and later shifts to an urban environment. The film is a remake of the Hindi film Baazigar, which itself was adapted from the American film A Kiss Before Dying. Despite its intense plot and strong performances, Samrat was a commercial failure at the box office. It was released on 10 October 1997.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 10 October 1997
- Director
- C. Dinakaran
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 1h 55m 0
Storyline
A mysterious young man named Ashok arrives in a village and wins the heart of Damayanthi, the daughter of the richest man in town. After a secret wedding, he betrays her and vanishes. He then adopts a new identity as Samrat and targets Damayanthi's sister Chandramukhi, who is unaware of his dark past.
“Love is just a weapon for revenge”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Samrat
Cast reunions in this film: Ramki & Thalaivasal Vijay (2 films together), Ramki & Vineetha (2 films together), Ramki & Sabitha Anand (2 films together), Sakthi Chidambaram & Thalaivasal Vijay (2 films together), and Thalaivasal Vijay & Sabitha Anand (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director Sakthi Chidambaram is also a well-known dialogue writer, having penned lines for many Rajinikanth films.
- Actor Vijayakanth, who played the lead, was reportedly drawn to the complex psychological angle of his character Samrat.
- The movie features a cameo appearance by comedian Vadivelu in a brief but memorable comedy track.
- It was one of the few 1990s Tamil thrillers to centrally feature a protagonist with a clear mental disorder.
- The soundtrack by Deva included a hit romantic song, 'Kadhal Vandhachu', picturised on Vijayakanth and Roja.
- The film's plot involving revenge against a family was considered quite dark for mainstream Tamil cinema at the time.
- Despite its thriller genre, the film included typical commercial elements like comedy and dance sequences to appeal to wider audiences.