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Reverting edit(s) by Kugan1997 (talk) to rev. 1039524384 by 2405:201:D001:40A2:D1EA:136B:3420:6BE6: see WP:FILMPLOT (from contribs) (RW 16.1)

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{{for|The TV series|Minnale (TV series)}}
{{short description|2001 Tamil film by Gautham Menon}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Minnale
| image = Minnale poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical poster marking the 100th day of its release
| director = [[Gautham Menon]]
| producer = [[Sunanda Murali Manohar]]
| writer = Gautham Menon<br />[[Vipul D. Shah]]<br />"Dhinanthorum" Nagarajan
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring = [[R. Madhavan|Madhavan]]<br />[[Abbas (actor)|Abbas]]<br />[[Reema Sen|Reema]]
| cinematography = [[R. D. Rajasekhar]]
| editing = [[Suresh Urs]]
| music = [[Harris Jayaraj]]
| studio = Cee (I) TV Entertainment
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|2001|2|2|df=y}}
| runtime = 171 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Minnale''''' ({{trans|Lightning}}) is a 2001 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[romance film]] directed by [[Gautham Menon]]. The story was written by [[Gautham Vasudev Menon|Gautham Menon]] and [[Vipul D. Shah]], starring [[R. Madhavan|Madhavan]], [[Abbas (actor)|Abbas]], [[Reema Sen|Reema]], [[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]] and [[Nagesh]], it tells the story of a love-struck man stealing the identity of his former college foe to pursue his lady love and the eventual repercussions he has to face when his cover is blown before he could come clean.

The film's original soundtrack composed by debutant music composer [[Harris Jayaraj]], became popular prior to the film's release. The cinematography of the film was handled by [[R. D. Rajasekhar]] and it was edited by [[Suresh Urs]]. ''Minnale'' was released on February 2, 2001. The film received positive reviews from critics and enjoyed commercial success at the box office.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/2001/10/27/stories/09270221.htm |title=More for Maddy's crowd |date=October 27, 2001 |website=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=September 18, 2017}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Menon remade the film the same year in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein]]'', which featured Madhavan reprising his role.

==Plot==
Sam and Rajesh are students at an Engineering college in [[Ooty]]. Sam is a top-performing [[Computer science|Computer Science]] and Engineering student who is very popular with the students and faculty, while Rajesh, a [[Mechanical engineering|Mechanical Engineering]] student with several arrears, is notorious for his rebellious, mildly violent and misogynistic attitude. This contrast in personalities puts the two students at loggerheads throughout their college days, with both of them engaging in constant fights and pranks with each other. Upon graduating, Sam and Rajesh decide never to see each other ever again. Sam goes to the United States for his higher studies while Rajesh decides to stay in India.

Two years later, Rajesh is a Software Engineering instructor in [[Chennai]] and roams around in his free time with his close friend Chockalingam "Chokku". He stays with his grandfather Subbuni, a librarian from the [[Aminjikarai]] neighbourhood of Chennai. Rajesh's affection for his grandfather is such that he even refuses to accept an on-site opportunity in Singapore so that he can be with him. While on a trip to [[Bangalore]], he comes across a young woman dancing with children in the rain and gets immediately smitten by her when he sees her face lit by the flash of a lightning bolt. He comes across this woman again during his friend's wedding and soon learns that the woman's name is Reena Joseph and she works as a [[chartered accountant]] at [[Ford India|Ford]] in Bangalore. Some days later, Rajesh, who is back in Chennai, notices Reena again, this time exiting a Ford office cab. He and Chokku pursue Reena, but lose track of her in a mall.

Rajesh and Chokku meet Reena's best friend Vasuki at a market, and enquire about Reena. Vasuki informs them that Reena has been transferred to Chennai, however, when she realises that Rajesh is in love with Reena, she angrily mentions that Reena has already been engaged to an Indian American software engineer from Seattle named Rajiv Samuel, who happens to be her childhood friend, hence it would be futile to pursue her. Rajesh is upset at this development; however, on learning that Reena has never seen Rajiv since her childhood, and on the goading and encouragement of Subbuni and Chokku, he decides to pursue Reena. He comes to her house impersonating Rajiv. Reena is smitten by Rajesh and within a few days, she reciprocates Rajesh's love. Rajesh decides to reveal his true identity to her, but before he can, the real Rajiv arrives in Chennai. When Reena realises that the "Rajiv" she loves is an impostor, she breaks up with him and warns him never to come near her again.

Rajesh, Chokku and their friends decide to meet Rajiv to somehow convince him to break his engagement with Reena. To Rajesh's shock, he finds out that Rajiv is Sam. Enraged at the fact that Rajesh cheated Reena, Sam refuses to break up their engagement. Rajesh also tries to seek Reena's forgiveness, to no avail, and stalks her while she is on a date with Sam at a restaurant. Sam notices this and both he and Rajesh engage in a brawl which is stopped by Reena, who again warns Rajesh never to come near her. Rajiv also threatens to kill Rajesh if he sees him at the same place as Reena ever again. Enraged, Rajesh, Chokku and their friends decide to beat up Sam in a parking lot, but Rajesh backs out at the last minute, accepting the bitter truth that Sam and Reena are going to marry.

Rajesh decides to accept the on-site opportunity in Singapore, which he had earlier rejected, to forget Reena. Meanwhile, Reena realises that she has fallen in love with Rajesh, even though he had cheated her. On the wedding day, Sam realises the love Reena has for Rajesh. He cancels the wedding and takes Reena to the [[Chennai International Airport|airport]], where Rajesh is about to board a flight to Singapore. Sam approaches Rajesh and tells him that although they will always be enemies, he cannot marry a girl who does not love him. He wishes Rajesh and Reena well and leaves. Rajesh and Reena reunite.

== Cast ==
{{colbegin}}
* [[R. Madhavan|Madhavan]] as Rajesh Shivakumar/Porki/Rajiv Samuel (fake)
* [[Abbas (actor)|Abbas]] as Rajiv Samuel (Sam)
* [[Reema Sen|Reema]] as Reena Joseph
* [[Nagesh]] as Subramanyam "Subbuni"
* [[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]] as Chockalingam 'Chokku'
* [[Kitty (actor)|Kitty]] as Joseph, Reena's father
* [[Fathima Babu]] as Shanthi, Reena's mother
* [[J. Rajiv Choudhry|Rajiv Choudhry]] as Rajiv's father
* [[Janaki Sabesh]] as Rajiv's mother
* [[A. C. Murali Mohan]]
* Raji Iyer as Vasuki, Reena's friend
* [[Pondy Ravi]] as Ravi, Reena's neighbour in Chennai
* [[Manish Borundia]] as Manish, Rajesh's classmate
* [[Krishna (director)|Krishna]] as the lorry driver
* [[Vidharth]] as Rajesh's classmate (uncredited)
* [[Gautham Menon]] as the flower deliveryman to Reena (uncredited)
* [[R. D. Rajasekhar]] as the flower deliveryman to Reena (uncredited)
* [[Nagendra Prasad]] as a dancer in ''Azhagiya Theeye'' song (uncredited)
* [[Shobi]] as a dancer in ''Azhagiya Theeye'' song (uncredited)
* [[Sridhar (choreographer)|Sridhar]] as a dancer in ''Azhagiya Theeye'' song (uncredited)
{{colend}}

== Production ==
Gautham Menon launched a Tamil romantic film ''O Lala'' in 2000 with the project eventually changing producers and title into ''Minnale'' with [[R. Madhavan|Madhavan]], who was at the beginning of his career, being signed on to portray the lead role.<ref name="olala">{{cite web|author=Kumar, Ashok|year=2009|title=My First Break|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2011-04-28|url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/07/03/stories/2009070350451600.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105012508/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/07/03/stories/2009070350451600.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-11-05}}</ref> About the making of the film, Menon revealed that he found it difficult as the team was new to the industry with only the editor of the film, Suresh Urs, being a prominent technician in the industry.<ref name="gvm3">{{cite web|author=Rangan, Baradwaj|year=2011|title=Shooting from the Lip|publisher=Baradwaj Rangan|access-date=2011-04-28|url=http://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/between-reviews-shooting-from-the-lip/|archive-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812054225/http://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/between-reviews-shooting-from-the-lip/|url-status=live}}</ref> Menon had come under further pressure when Madhavan had insisted that Menon narrated the story to his mentor, [[Mani Ratnam]], to identify if the film was a positive career move after the success of his ''[[Alaipayuthey (film)|Alaipayuthey]]''. Despite initial reservations, Menon did so and Ratnam was unimpressed; however Menon has cited that he thought that Madhavan "felt sorry" and later agreed to continue with the project.<ref name="gvm3" />

[[Miss World 1999]], [[Yukta Mookhey]] was considered to play the film's heroine during July 2000, as was [[Isha Koppikar]], but eventually they were left out and [[Reema Sen]], who appeared in her first Tamil film, was cast.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20030816141711/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/Hot%20News%20Just%20for%20U991.htm</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jul/21spice.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=21 October 2015 |archive-date=16 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516053658/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jul/21spice.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Minnale'' also saw Madhavan collaborating with Abbas for second time after Kannada film ''[[Shanti Shanti Shanti]]''. Post-release, Abbas felt that his scenes had been cut from the film and accused Madhavan of playing a role in editing his sequences out from the film.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/HOT%20NEWS%20-%2002061.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 April 2014 |archive-date=30 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430031016/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/HOT%20NEWS%20-%2002061.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Release ==
The film was advertised as a [[Valentine's Day]] release in 2001 but was released on February 2, 2001 and upon release it went on to become a large success commercially. Madhavan became extremely popular among the youth after the release of ''[[Alaipayuthey]]'', but had a setback as his next film flopped. ''Minnale'' made him once again popular among the youth. Savitha Padmanabhan of ''[[The Hindu]]'' claimed that the film had a "lot of verve and vigour" and that it was "sure to go down well" with the "yuppie, college-going youngsters".<ref name="minnrvw">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/02/09/stories/09090224.htm |title=Film Review: Minnale |last=Padmanabhan |first=Savitha |date=9 February 2001 |website=[[The Hindu]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021113225935/http://www.hindu.com/2001/02/09/stories/09090224.htm |archive-date=13 November 2002 |url-status=dead |access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref> A reviewer, Shilpa Kannan from [[Zee TV]], also gave the film a positive review, writing "the entire movie is given an advertisement like treatment by the director. It is glossy, stylish, youthful and trendy".<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20010408171811/http://cinema.zeenext.com/reviews/0603minnalereview.asp</ref> The movie was dubbed into [[Telugu language|Telugu]] under the name ''Cheli'' and also performed well at the box office, owing to Madhavan's popularity in Andhra Pradesh.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://movies.fullhyderabad.com/cheli/telugu/cheli-movie-reviews-279-2.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=14 February 2016 |archive-date=21 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621052614/https://movies.fullhyderabad.com/cheli/telugu/cheli-movie-reviews-279-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20010802075539/http://www.go4i.com/cinema/southsizzlers/southsizzlersstory20000906.shtml</ref>

The success of the film led to producer Vashu Bhagnani signing Menon on to direct the Hindi language remake of the film, ''[[Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein]]'', which featured Madhavan reprising his role. The Hindi version gained mixed reviews and subsequently went on to become an above average grosser at the box office.<ref name="rhtdmrvw">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/6838/index.html |title=Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein |last=Adarsh |first=Taran |author-link=Taran Adarsh |year=2001 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |access-date=2011-04-28 |archive-date=22 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922062043/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/6838/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the film belatedly gained popularity through screenings on television and subsequently developed a cult following amongst young audiences and the actors released a video thanking the film's admirers for their adulation on the fifteenth anniversary of the film's release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/discussion/bollywoods-cult-classics|title=Bollywood's Cult Classics|work=PINKVILLA|access-date=16 February 2016|archive-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203022640/http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/discussion/bollywoods-cult-classics|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rehna-hai-tere-dil-mein-turns-15-madhavan-delivers-the-dialogue-dia-mirza-gautham-menon/1/790656.html |title=Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein turns 15: Watch Madhavan deliver THE dialogue from the film |date=19 October 2016 |website=India Today |access-date=3 March 2018 |archive-date=10 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910202120/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rehna-hai-tere-dil-mein-turns-15-madhavan-delivers-the-dialogue-dia-mirza-gautham-menon/1/790656.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
{{main|Minnale (soundtrack)}}
The music and background score were composed by [[Harris Jayaraj]]. The audio cassette of the film was released in [[Chennai]] at a function in January 2001, where the songs were also screened.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20010204044200/http://www.chennaionline.com/eevents/minnale.asp</ref> Upon release, the soundtrack received critical acclaim and was a major contributor to the film's commercial success.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/my-first-break/article3021655.ece |title=Archived copy |access-date=17 December 2018 |archive-date=17 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217154620/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/my-first-break/article3021655.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Harris Jayaraj]] won his first [[Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil|Filmfare Best Music Director]] award in [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]]. The song "Vaseegara" is set in Natabhairavi raga<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170202103130/http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/18/stories/2004121802900600.htm ]</ref> marked the debut of poet [[Thamarai]] as a film song lyricist.

All songs except ''Ivan Yaaro'' and ''Iru Vizhi Unadhu (Ore Nyabagam)'' were reused in the film's Hindi version ''[[Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein]]'' by Harris himself.

== Legacy ==
The songs "Azhagiya Theeye" and "Vaseegara" inspired films of the same names.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prasanna-talks-about-mafia/article30860970.ece|title=I was devastated when Mysskin called me a 'sidekick': Prasanna on playing 'second-hero' roles, and his upcoming 'Mafia'|first=Srivatsan|last=S|date=19 February 2020|work=The Hindu|access-date=29 September 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224135524/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prasanna-talks-about-mafia/article30860970.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/01/10/stories/2003011001100200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030704163946/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/01/10/stories/2003011001100200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2003-07-04 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Films add glamour to harvest festival | date=2003-01-10}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb title|id=0357905|title=Minnale}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|minnale|Minnale}}

{{Gautham Menon}}

[[Category:2000s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:2001 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:2001 films]]
[[Category:Films about fraud]]
[[Category:Films directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon]]
[[Category:Films shot in Ooty]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian romance films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Harris Jayaraj]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:2000s romance films]]

Minnale - Revision history

imported>Ravensfire: Reverting edit(s) by Kugan1997 (talk) to rev. 1039524384 by 2405:201:D001:40A2:D1EA:136B:3420:6BE6: see WP:FILMPLOT (from contribs) (RW 16.1)