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Kannodu Kanbathellam

Kannodu Kanbathellam (pronounced [kaɳɳːoːɖu kaːɳbaðellːaːm] transl. All that is seen by the eyes) is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language romantic thriller film written and directed by Prabhu Solomon in his directorial debut. The film stars Arjun and Sonali Bendre, while Suchindra, Ruchita Prasad, Manivannan, Crazy Mohan, Anu Mohan, Kovai Sarala and Nizhalgal Ravi portray supporting roles. Music was composed by Deva. The film was released in August 1999. The film's name is based on a song from the Tamil film Jeans (1998).

Kannodu Kanbathellam
Title card
Directed byPrabhu Solomon
Screenplay byPrabhu Solomon
Story byM. Ravi
Produced byK. Prabhakar
StarringArjun
Sonali Bendre
CinematographyG. Ramesh
Edited bySuresh Urs
Music byDeva
Production
company
Release date
  • 13 August 1999 (1999-08-13)
Running time
143 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

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Seetharam is a well-respected businessman who lives with his PA Muthuswamy in Chennai. Although short-tempered and tense, Seetharam is good at heart and helps people in need. He soon meets and falls in love with Kalyani. After a couple of meetings she sees his good nature and falls in love with him.

But, Seetharam faces problems in the form of another loving couple, Akash and Akhila due to an argument between Akhila and Akash and Akhila acts as Seetharam's fiancé so that she can get rid of Akash just before he proposes to Kalyani. Kalyani, being innocent and gullible, believes her words and goes away from Seetharam. An enraged and betrayed Seetharam therefore seeks revenge against Akash and Akhila by trying to separate them. But, he fails in all of his attempts. He also attempts to stop the love marriage between Akash and Akhila, which is arranged by Madana Gopal, Akash's father.

Akash and Akhila meet Seetharam and apologises to him, but Seetharam adamantly refuses to forgive them and sends goons to kill them. Seetharam, now a changed man, saves Akash and Akhila from the goons, who had never seen Seetharam in person and is not aware that he was the one who hired them. Seetharam apologises to Akash & Akhila, he tells the couple the incident that made him change his mind. Seetharam met Kalyani at a shopping mall and learns that she is married to a blind man, Rajasheker. She tells him that, after they broke up, she was struggling with crippling depression and Rajasheker was the beacon of light that saved her from this darkness, Akash & Akhila met her & explained what actually happened on that day, Kalyani realised this is what made her misunderstand Seetahram. She says that even though her husband is blind, she is content with her life now. Kalyani's husband tells Seetharam that God gave him a wonderful wife, in place of hos lost eyes. An emotionally distraught Seetharam wishes them "Best of Luck", and they invite Seetharam to their home. Akash & Akhila asks Seetharam whether they could find him a marriage alliance. Seetharam agrees to them, but he reveals them that it was just a prank as he cannot forget Kalyani & leaves them.

Alternate climax

After sending goons to kill both Akash and Akhila, Seetharam has a change of heart and decides to save them from the goons. After a prolonged fight with the goons, who are unaware that Seetharam was the one who hired them, Seetharam manages to save Akash and Akhila. He tells the couple the incident that made him change his mind. In a surprising turn of events, he met Kalyani at the airport with her blind brother. She told him that Akash and Akhila met her and apologised for their behaviour and revealed the truth behind the incident with Seetharam. Kalyani's brother requests Seetharam to accept his sister to which Seetharam happily accepts. The film ends with Seetharam and Kalyani united.

Cast

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Production

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Anbalaya Films offered debutant Prabhu Solomon an opportunity to direct a film for their production house, after he had helped them complete the post-production works for Murai Mappillai (1995) when director Sundar C walked out. Prabhu Solomon chose to feature Raghuvaran and Bhanupriya in the leading roles, though Anbalaya Films were reluctant to cast a character artiste in the lead role. Prabhu revealed he met Arjun in Tenkasi during the making of Mudhalvan (1999), at the insistence of his producer and actively tried to make a poor impression. Arjun, nonetheless, was keen and worked on the film.[1] Debutant Suchindra Bali (son of actress Vyjayanthimala) and Ruchita Prasad, who previously appeared in Kannada films were chosen to portray a young couple in love.[2]

Soundtrack

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Soundtrack was composed by Deva.[3][4]

Song Singers Lyrics Length
"Ae Kuruvi" Mano Thamarai 05:29
"Ai Yamma" Naveen, Swarnalatha Vaali 04:57
"Iruvathu Vayathu" 1 S. Janaki, Hariharan Kalaikumar 05:49
"Iruvathu Vayathu" 2 S. Janaki 05:49
"Iruvathu Vayathu" 3 Hariharan 05:44
"Mona Mona" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sujatha Mayil 05:20
"Tajmahal Ondru" Hariharan 05:45

Release and reception

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K. Vijiyan of New Straits Times felt that the film should have been done by "someone more experienced".[5] K. P. S. of Kalki wrote that the director who moved the story by giving different touch to love messed up the climax but praised Arjun's acting and Deva's music.[6] D. S. Ramanujam of The Hindu wrote, "`Action King' Arjun pits his experience in full measure to delineate a two-faced personality". He added, " Debutant director Prabhu deals with the new theme of M. Ravi, who has also written the dialogue with panache", and Pravin Bali "makes a fairly impressive debut, while another newcomer Ruchita, proves to be promising", also appreciating the cinematography.[7]

Several days after the film's release, owing to public demand, the climax was changed to show a more optimistic ending where Arjun's character reunites with Sonali Bendre's character.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Menon, Neelima (23 December 2014). "Prabhu Solomon Interview: The Perfect Wave". Silverscreen India. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  2. ^ Ramanujam, D. S. (16 April 1999). "Laced with humour". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 October 1999. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Kannodu Kanbathellam (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Apple Music. 15 February 1999. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Kannodu Kanbathellam / Barani". AVDigital. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  5. ^ Vijiyan, K. (4 September 1999). "Greenhorn director flops". New Straits Times. pp. Arts 4. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2019 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ கே. பி. எஸ். (12 September 1999). "கண்ணோடு காண்பதெல்லாம்". Kalki (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ^ Ramanujam, D. S. (20 August 1999). "Film Reviews: Kannodu Kaanbathellam/Amarkallam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 4 June 2001. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Kannodu Kaanbathellam ending changed". New Tamil Films Online. 26 September 1999. Archived from the original on 6 March 2001. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
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