Samrajyam

2022-06-30T10:57:49Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Samrajyam
| image = Samrajyam poster.jpg
| caption = Poster designed by [[Gayathri Ashokan]]
| director = [[Jomon (director)|Jomon]]
| producer = D. Ajmal Hassan
| screenplay = [[Shibu Chakravarthy]]
| story = Jacob Jomon K.J
| narrator =
| starring = [[Mammootty]] Sonia [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]] [[Srividya]] [[Captain Raju]] [[Vijayaraghavan (actor)|Vijayaraghavan]]
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| cinematography = [[Jayanan Vincent]]
| editing = K. P. Harihara Puthran
| studio = Arifa Productions
| distributor = Shyni Films Release
| released = 22 June 1990 ([[Kerala]])
| runtime = 122 minutes
| country = India
| language = Malayalam
| budget = 
| gross = 
}}

'''''Samrajyam''''' ({{trans|Empire}}) is a 1990 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[gangster film]] directed by [[Jomon (director)|Jomon]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Prasad |first=Ayyappa |date=20 November 1992 |title=Malayalam films cross boundaries |pages=7 |work=[[Indian Express]] |location=Madras |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19921120&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> The film stars [[Mammootty]] as Alexander, a powerful underworld don. The film narrates the story of his rise and fall. The film features [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]], [[Srividya]], [[Ashokan (actor)|Ashokan]], [[Captain Raju]] and [[Vijayaraghavan]] in supporting roles. The film features original music composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]], while the cinematography was handled by [[Jayanan Vincent|Jaynan Vincent]].<ref name="sequel">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120617064443/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/samrajyam-2-to-be-directed-by-perarasu/265787-71-210.html 'Samrajyam 2' to be directed by Perarasu – South Cinema – Malayalam News – ibnlive]</ref>

The film was a major commercial success and ran for more than 200 days in Kerala box office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=10 Mollywood films that ran for the longest time|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/photo-features/10-mollywood-films-that-ran-for-the-longest-time/photostory/52523593.cms|access-date=2021-06-27|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The film found greater success in Andhra Pradesh. The film brought by distributor for about 10 prints went on to play in 400 prints due to the huge demand in theatres.<ref>{{Cite web|last=കുമാർ|first=എഴുത്ത്-ബൈജു പി സെൻ, ചിത്രങ്ങൾ- വി പി പ്രവീൺ|title=തീയില്‍ മുളച്ച അലക്‌സാണ്ടര്‍.... സാമ്രാജ്യം പിറന്ന കഥ പങ്കുവെച്ച് സംവിധായകന്‍|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/features/jomon-samrajyam-malayalam-movie-mathrubhumi-star-and-style-1.4434392|access-date=2021-06-29|website=[[Mathrubhumi]]}}</ref> The film and its protagonist ''Alexander'' has developed a [[cult following]] in the years following its release. {{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

A sequel titled ''[[Samrajyam II: Son of Alexander]]'' starring [[Unni Mukundan]] was released in 2015. The sequel tells the story of Alexander's son Jordan, 25 years after the events that take place in ''Samrajyam.''

==Premise==
Alexander, a powerful mafia leader, faces several trials and tribulations while trying to juggle his estranged relationship with his policeman father Balakrishnan and rule the underworld.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Mammootty]] as Alexander/ Vinu
* [[Madhu (actor)|Madhu]] as IG Balakrishnan
* [[Srividya]] as Lakshmi
* Sonia as Alexander's sister
* [[Ashokan (actor)|Ashokan]] as Anil
* [[Captain Raju]] as Krishnadas
* [[Vijayaraghavan (actor)|Vijayaraghavan]] as Khadir
* [[Sathaar]] as Mathews
* [[Jagannatha Varma]] as K. M. Shah
* [[Sadiq]] as James
* [[C. I. Paul]] as Priest
* [[Balan K. Nair]] as Maashe / Appacha
* [[Prathapachandran]]
* [[Jagannathan (actor)|Jagannathan]] as Lakshmi's father
* [[Bheeman Raghu]]
* Vishnukanth as Alexander's son
* Thapasya as Alexander's wife
}}

==Release==
The film was released on 22 June 1990.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

=== Reception ===
The film received positive reviews from critics and was praised for its direction and effects.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=17 August 1990 |title=Samrajyam |pages=7 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19900817&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=28 April 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Box office===
The film was a major commercial success at the Kerala and Andhra Pradesh box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/mammoottys-pan-indian-appeal-proves-hes-a-bonafide-star-regardless-of-how-yatra-performs-6042191.html|title=Mammootty's pan-Indian appeal proves he's a bonafide star regardless of how Yatra performs|author=Neelima Menon|work=[[Firstpost]]|date=7 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/mobile/movies-music/news/samrajyam-movie-jomon-mammootty-amitabh-bachchan-wanted-to-remake-in-hindi-1.3619400|title=സാമ്രാജ്യം കണ്ട് ബച്ചന്‍ ബോളിവുഡിലേക്ക് ക്ഷണിച്ചു, പിന്നീട് സംഭവിച്ചത്; ജോമോന്‍ പറയുന്നു|work=[[Mathrubhumi]]|date=4 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/fans-compares-dulquer-salmaans-kurup-look-with-mammoottys-alexander-look-in-samrajyam/amp_articleshow/73083412.cms|title=വാപ്പയെ പോലെ തന്നെ! 'കുറുപ്പി'നെ 'അലക്സാണ്ടറി'നോടുപമിച്ച് സോഷ്യൽമീഡിയ|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=4 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The film ran over 200 days in Kerala and 600 days in Andhra Pradesh box office. The film remains to be the longest running Malayalam film in Andhra Pradesh, It ran for more than 400 days in multiple centers in AP and even crossed the 600 day mark in some theatres.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/photo-features/10-mollywood-films-that-ran-for-the-longest-time/photostory/52523474.cms|title=10 Mollywood films that ran for the longest time|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=31 May 2016}}</ref>

==Legacy==

The film ran for more than 200 days in [[movie theatres]] in [[Kerala]]. The film ran for more than 400 days in several centers in [[Andhra Pradesh]], the film crossed the 600 day mark in some movie theaters in Andhra. This makes ''Samrajyam'' the longest running Malayalam film in Andhra Pradesh , a record that remains unbeaten to this day.

==Sequel==
''[[Samrajyam II: Son of Alexander]]'' starring [[Unni Mukundan]] in the lead was released in 2015. The movie was the debut Malayalam venture of Tamil director [[Perarasu]]. Twenty five years from the original, this sequel tells the story of Alexander's son. The film was a [[Box-office bomb|box office bomb]] and received negative reviews from critics <ref name=sequel/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0271768|Samrajyam}}

[[Category:1990 films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:1990s Malayalam-language films]]
[[Category:Indian gangster films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Malayalam films in series|Jyam1]]
[[Category:1990 directorial debut films]]

{{1990s-Malayalam-film-stub}}

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Samrajyam