Irattai Roja(1996)
Irattai Roja is a 1996 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Keyaar. The film stars Ramki, Urvashi, and Khushbu in lead roles. It is a remake of the 1994 Telugu film Subhalagnam, which itself was based on the American film Indecent Proposal (1993). The story follows Uma, a middle-class woman who sells her husband Balu to a wealthy woman named Priya for one crore rupees. The narrative explores themes of greed, love, and regret. Khushbu won the Cinema Express Award for Best Actress – Tamil for her performance. The film was released on 5 April 1996 and received mixed to positive reviews for its bold subject and emotional depth.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 5 April 1996
- Director
- Keyaar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 4.8/10
Storyline
Uma marries Balu, an honest civil engineer, hoping he is rich. When she discovers he is middle-class, she becomes obsessed with money. A wealthy woman named Priya offers Uma one crore rupees to marry Balu. Uma accepts, forcing Balu into a second marriage. But Uma soon regrets her decision and fights to win her husband back.
“What would you sell for a crore?”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Irattai Roja
Cast reunions in this film: Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja (42 films together), Ilayaraja & Srividya (33 films together), Kushboo & Ilayaraja (32 films together), Chinni Jayanth & Ilayaraja (25 films together), Pandu & Ilayaraja (21 films together), and Ramki & Ilayaraja (15 films together).
Trivia
- The film's director Kothandam Ramaiah was primarily known as a successful comedy actor, and this was one of his rare directorial ventures.
- The movie's plot is a remake of the 1995 Telugu film 'Sisindri', which also starred Rajendra Prasad in the lead role.
- Actress Roja, who played Priya, was a major star in Telugu cinema at the time, and her casting was a notable draw for Tamil audiences.
- The film's title 'Irattai Roja' translates to 'Twin Roses', symbolizing the two female leads, Uma and Priya, in the protagonist's life.
- Comedy actor Vadivelu, who appears in a supporting role, was in the early phase of his career and his popularity grew significantly after this period.
- The story's central conflict involving a monetary offer for a husband was considered a bold and unconventional theme for a mainstream family drama in the 1990s.
- Despite its dramatic plot, the film incorporated significant comedy tracks, a common practice in Tamil cinema of that era to balance genre appeal.