Santhana Kaatru(1990)
Santhana Kaatru (transl. Sandal Air) is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Manivannan. The film stars Vijayakanth as Azhagiri, a military officer, and Gautami as his wife Raasathi. It follows Azhagiri's transformation from a decorated soldier into a vengeful killer after his wife commits suicide following a sexual assault. The supporting cast includes R. Sarathkumar as the antagonist Ramu, along with Sarath Babu, Vinu Chakravarthy, and Kovai Sarala. The music was composed by Shankar–Ganesh, with lyrics by Vaali, Karaikudi Venkatesh, and Jeeva Bharathi. The film was noted for its violent second half and emotional first half, though critics felt the pacing was uneven. It was released on 1 June 1990.
Santhana Kaatru (1990) OTT release date is not officially announced yet — GudVibe tracks its streaming availability daily.
Where to watch:Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 1 June 1990
- Director
- Manivannan
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Rating
- 3.4/10
Storyline
Azhagiri is a military officer with a loving wife and daughter. When his so-called friends betray him and drive his wife to suicide, the system fails to deliver justice. Azhagiri escapes from prison and begins a bloody hunt for each man responsible, one by one.
“Justice has a new face.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Santhana Kaatru
Cast reunions in this film: Vijayakanth & Sankar Ganesh (33 films together), Shankar & Sankar Ganesh (22 films together), Manivannan & Vinu Chakravarthy (20 films together), Sankar Ganesh & S. S. Chandran (20 films together), Manivannan & Kovai Sarala (15 films together), and Kovai Sarala & S. S. Chandran (15 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Sandhana Kaatru' translates to 'Evening Breeze', which contrasts sharply with its intense revenge plot.
- Director Manivannan was known for his strong political and social themes, and this film critiques systemic corruption.
- This was one of the earlier films where actor Vijayakanth played a military officer, a role type he became famous for.
- The movie was released the same year as Vijayakanth's massive hit 'Periyanna', which overshadowed its box office performance.
- The soundtrack by composer Ilaiyaraaja includes a famous melancholic song 'Poo Maalai Thottu' sung by K.J. Yesudas.
- A subplot involves the exploitation of handloom weavers, reflecting real socio-economic issues in Tamil Nadu at the time.
- The climax was noted for its raw action sequences, which were considered gritty and realistic for early 90s Tamil cinema.