Kalaignan
Encyclopedia
Kalaignan is a 1993
Tamil-language
Indian
feature film
directed
by G.B.Vijay, starring Kamal Haasan
, Gur Dutt, Bindiya, Sivaranjani, Sindhuja and Nirmalamma
.
in the lead role of the protagonist and Kannada actor Gur Dutt as antagonist. He is a K.Balachander find in Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
.
While investigating about her sister, she is attacked in a bar but coincidentally Indrajeet saves her and takes her to his concert. During the concert, Indrajeet gets flashes of his parent’s death in an accident in his childhood and breaks down into tears. At the end of the concert, a girl gets on stage and kisses him to the bemusement of all. That night, the girl who got on stage earlier, is killed by someone wearing Indrajeet’s coat. Still with no concrete evidence the police began to keep a closer eye on Indrajeet and find that Divya seems to have an interest in him. To warn her, police reveal to Divya that Indrajeet is her sister’s death’s main and only suspect.
Divya plans to out Indrajeet with the help of Sivaranjani’s friends, who attacked her earlier in the bar mistakenly. She feigns to have fallen for Indrajeet and she stages a kidnapping to test Indrajeet’s skill with the knife (all the girls murdered where skillfully cut by the murderer). He turns out to be quite good with the knife. But the next day, he sees her talking to the kidnapper and manages to determine that she was faking her love.
So he comes clean to her about her sister. Divya’s sister was an unstable substance abuser who had a thing for him, but he didn’t reciprocate. She even had threatened to commit suicide if he didn’t reciprocate but he manages to save her and that was the last he had seen her. The killer, who has pictures of this, which looks like incriminating him has been blackmailing him into coming to the murder scenes just minutes after the murder takes place. Divya believes him and falls for him.
One afternoon, while with Divya, the killer calls and demands Indrajeet to come to a place out of town or he will kill another person. He refuses as he has had enough and tells the killer that he can tell the truth to the police even if the pictures are handed to them. But Divya, in order to find her sisters killer slips away and goes to that location in their car. Indrajeet, worrying about her, goes to the location.
The killer’s next victim happens to be Divya’s grandmother who had car troubles but had accepted the help of the killer, having recognized him. The killer strangles her in her car and takes a picture of the dead body and leaves. Divya arrives and calls the police. Indrajeet arrives at the scene and notices that the police have found one of his glove in the murder scene and he is their suspect. He escapes the police and runs away to his manager’s house. The police arrive at the manager’s house and he asks Indrajeet to hide in the closet. Indrajeet find a jacket similar to his in the closet and also the other glove found at the murder scene. He realizes that his manager is the killer and flees. The manager sneakily lead the police to his closet but finds Indrajeet gone.
Indrajeet calls his manager ( Gur Dutt ) and impersonates a forest official who has photographed his murder earlier and asks for money. He specifies a location and asks the manager to get there soon. He enters the house when the manager leaves and looks around. He is able to find a secret room filled with photographs of his victims. He calls the manager again and makes him run to another location. After that he reveals his true identity and says that he now has proof of his innocence since the killers reflection is on the car window when he took the photograph earlier. Shocked, he stumbles out but runs into Divya. He kidnaps her and tells Indrajeet to come to an abandoned house outside the city with the photographs.
The police spot Indrajeet and chase him. Meanwhile the manager reveals to Divya that he has started killing because her sister turned down him and laughed at him for being a lesser man than Indrajeet. He, in his jealous rage killed her and other girls who liked Indrajeet. Indrajeet manages to escape the police and rescue Divya. The manager is killed and the police find the truth when the grandmother (Nirmalamma
), who had only been unconscious, ousts the killer.
1993 in film
The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
Tamil-language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Indian
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by G.B.Vijay, starring Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
, Gur Dutt, Bindiya, Sivaranjani, Sindhuja and Nirmalamma
Nirmalamma
Nirmalamma was one of the most versatile and natural character artists in the Telugu film industry of India. She has acted in more than 800 films. She was well known for her grandmother roles in several films.-Film career:...
.
Plot
Kalaignan is an action/murder mystery starring Kamal HaasanKamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
in the lead role of the protagonist and Kannada actor Gur Dutt as antagonist. He is a K.Balachander find in Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal is a 1989 Indian Tamil language Drama film directed by K. Balachander starring Rahman, Sithara, Geetha, Janagaraj, Jayachitra, Poornam Vishwanathan, Sowcar Janaki, Vivek and Ilaiyaraaja.- Plot :...
.
Summary
The movie revolves around a Tamil pop Singer Indrajeet (Kamal Hassan) based in Bangalore who has a large female following. The movie opens with the death of a back up dancer (Sivaranjani) in Indrajeets group and soon a police detective (Nasser) is put in charge of the investigation. Although, the police suspect Indrajeet, as he is very short tempered, they have no evidence linking him to the crime. Meanwhile Divya (Bindiya), the sister of the dancer, arrives to her grandmother’s house to find out the truth about her sister’s death. She goes to meet Indrajeet but is put off by his arrogance. She also talks to his manager and other musicians who all have differing opinions about her sister.While investigating about her sister, she is attacked in a bar but coincidentally Indrajeet saves her and takes her to his concert. During the concert, Indrajeet gets flashes of his parent’s death in an accident in his childhood and breaks down into tears. At the end of the concert, a girl gets on stage and kisses him to the bemusement of all. That night, the girl who got on stage earlier, is killed by someone wearing Indrajeet’s coat. Still with no concrete evidence the police began to keep a closer eye on Indrajeet and find that Divya seems to have an interest in him. To warn her, police reveal to Divya that Indrajeet is her sister’s death’s main and only suspect.
Divya plans to out Indrajeet with the help of Sivaranjani’s friends, who attacked her earlier in the bar mistakenly. She feigns to have fallen for Indrajeet and she stages a kidnapping to test Indrajeet’s skill with the knife (all the girls murdered where skillfully cut by the murderer). He turns out to be quite good with the knife. But the next day, he sees her talking to the kidnapper and manages to determine that she was faking her love.
So he comes clean to her about her sister. Divya’s sister was an unstable substance abuser who had a thing for him, but he didn’t reciprocate. She even had threatened to commit suicide if he didn’t reciprocate but he manages to save her and that was the last he had seen her. The killer, who has pictures of this, which looks like incriminating him has been blackmailing him into coming to the murder scenes just minutes after the murder takes place. Divya believes him and falls for him.
One afternoon, while with Divya, the killer calls and demands Indrajeet to come to a place out of town or he will kill another person. He refuses as he has had enough and tells the killer that he can tell the truth to the police even if the pictures are handed to them. But Divya, in order to find her sisters killer slips away and goes to that location in their car. Indrajeet, worrying about her, goes to the location.
The killer’s next victim happens to be Divya’s grandmother who had car troubles but had accepted the help of the killer, having recognized him. The killer strangles her in her car and takes a picture of the dead body and leaves. Divya arrives and calls the police. Indrajeet arrives at the scene and notices that the police have found one of his glove in the murder scene and he is their suspect. He escapes the police and runs away to his manager’s house. The police arrive at the manager’s house and he asks Indrajeet to hide in the closet. Indrajeet find a jacket similar to his in the closet and also the other glove found at the murder scene. He realizes that his manager is the killer and flees. The manager sneakily lead the police to his closet but finds Indrajeet gone.
Indrajeet calls his manager ( Gur Dutt ) and impersonates a forest official who has photographed his murder earlier and asks for money. He specifies a location and asks the manager to get there soon. He enters the house when the manager leaves and looks around. He is able to find a secret room filled with photographs of his victims. He calls the manager again and makes him run to another location. After that he reveals his true identity and says that he now has proof of his innocence since the killers reflection is on the car window when he took the photograph earlier. Shocked, he stumbles out but runs into Divya. He kidnaps her and tells Indrajeet to come to an abandoned house outside the city with the photographs.
The police spot Indrajeet and chase him. Meanwhile the manager reveals to Divya that he has started killing because her sister turned down him and laughed at him for being a lesser man than Indrajeet. He, in his jealous rage killed her and other girls who liked Indrajeet. Indrajeet manages to escape the police and rescue Divya. The manager is killed and the police find the truth when the grandmother (Nirmalamma
Nirmalamma
Nirmalamma was one of the most versatile and natural character artists in the Telugu film industry of India. She has acted in more than 800 films. She was well known for her grandmother roles in several films.-Film career:...
), who had only been unconscious, ousts the killer.
Trivia
- This is the second film for director G.B.Vijay. His first film is Nalaya Seithi starring Prabhu GanesanPrabhu GanesanPrabhu Ganesan is a Tamil film actor and producer. He is the son of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan.-Personal life:A native of Tamil Nadu, Prabhu was born to Sivaji and Kamala Ganesan. He has an elder brother Ramkumar Ganesan who is a film producer, and two sisters, Shanthi and Thenmozhi. He did his...
and Kushboo SundarKushboo SundarNakhat Khan , better known by her stage name Kushboo is an Indian actress, television hostess and producer.-Early life:...
released in 1992. - The film was produced by Sivaji GanesanSivaji GanesanViluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
through his production house Sivaji Films. - Although a technically a well-made film, it done only average business at the box-office, but since then it has became a cult film for its outstanding theme and cinematography through repeat TV telecast.
- The director G.B Vijay was previously associate director for Prathap Pothan and has worked with Kamal in 1989 film Vetri VizhaVetri Vizhaவெற்றி விழா is a 1987 Tamil language film starring Kamal Haasan in the lead role of the protagonist. Prabhu Ganesan, Amala, Sasikala and Kushboo Sundar played supporting roles. The story was of an amnesiac who struggles to find his past after memory loss...
which was directed by Pothan and also produced by Sivaji Films. - Malayalam cinematographer Jayanan VincentJayanan VincentJayanan Vincent is an Indian cinematographer. He is the son of veteran cinematographer, A. Vincent. He started his career with Malayalam films in the late 80's; and went on to become a prominent cinematographer in the Telugu industry...
's stylish photography and Padmashree Thotta TharaniThotta Tharani- Film career :Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right...
's disco themed sets was well praised by the critics. - The market scene was a reharshed version copied from Steven SpielbergSteven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's 1981 film Raiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
. - The lavish climax chase sequence was directed by Kamal's friend the late Vikram DharmaVikram DharmaVikram Dharma was a stunt director in the Tamil film industry in India. He died of a heart attack in early 2006.-External links:...
.
Track listing
- Edekku Muddakanna - S.P BalasubramanyamS. P. BalasubrahmanyamSripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam is a multilingual Indian playback singer, actor, music director, voice actor and a film producer. He is referred to as S. P. B. or Balu by the media. He has won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer six times closely following K. J. Yesudas...
(Opening song, picturised on Kamal on the disco sets) - Kalaignan Kattu - S.P BalasubramanyamS. P. BalasubrahmanyamSripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam is a multilingual Indian playback singer, actor, music director, voice actor and a film producer. He is referred to as S. P. B. or Balu by the media. He has won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer six times closely following K. J. Yesudas...
(Picturised on Kamal on the disco sets with wire works) - Kokkarakko - Kamal HaasanKamal HaasanKamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
(Picturised on Kamal and ShivaranjaniShivaranjaniShivaranjani or Sivaranjani is a musical scale used in Indian classical music. There are two scales, one each in Hindustani music and Carnatic music...
rehearsing for show) - Dillu Baru Jaane - ManoMano (singer)Mano is an Indian playback singer. He sings in Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi.-Biography:Mano was born in a Muslim family and his original name is Nagoor Babu; he was rechristened Mano by Ilayaraja...
, Chithra (Picturised on Kamal and Bhindiya on Dandhiya styled sets) - Endhan Nenjil - K.J YesudasK. J. YesudasKattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
, S.JanakiS. JanakiS. Janaki is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 35...
(Picturised on Kamal and Bhindiya.