Oru Kaidhiyin Diary

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia


Oru Kaidhiyin Diary
File:Oru Kaidhiyin Diary poster.jpg
Poster
Directed byBharathiraja
Produced byChandraleela Bharathiraja
Screenplay byBharathiraja
Story byK. Bhagyaraj
Starring
Music byIlaiyaraaja
CinematographyB. Kannan
Edited byV. Rajagopal
Production
company
Janani Art Creations
Release date
  • 14 January 1985 (1985-01-14)
[1]
Running time
152 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Oru Kaidhiyin Diary (transl. A Prisoner's Diary) is a 1985 Tamil-language action thriller film directed by Bharathiraja and written by K. Bhagyaraj. The film stars Kamal Haasan. It was high financially successful and completed 175 day run in theatres become silver jubille film, and was remade in Hindi as Aakhree Raasta (1986), directed by K. Bhagyaraj.

Plot[edit]

David, a prisoner, tries to escape from prison, but is caught and gets his sentence increased multi-fold as a result. He gets released from prison after 22 long years and visits his dear friend Velapan. The flashback shows that David and Rosy were married and had a happy life. David is politically active in the grassroots movement and introduces his wife and newborn son to the leader of his party, the powerful politician Suryaprakasam, whom David trusted and for whom he had a high regard. The child is named James, with Suryaprakasam's blessings. However, Suryaprakasam is an evil man and was smitten by Rosy, when he saw her. He concocts a dastardly plan; he organises a political protest that obstructs oncoming rail traffic with David as the leader, knowing David will get arrested; thereby allowing him access to Rosy.

Suryaprakasam succeeds in his evil plan. Rosy then comes to him for help in getting David released. Suryaprakasam manipulates her child away from her and then attempts to disrobe her, but Rosy escapes. However, Suryaprakasam was prepared—his sidekick threatens to harm James unless she submits—Rosy was forced to submit and come back—Suryaprakasam then rapes her violently with his henchmen's help. Shamed and humiliated, Rosy then commits suicide by hanging herself and leaves her husband a handwritten note with the details. Meanwhile, Velapan bails out David. David, who is proud to have gone to jail for Suryaprakasam's protest, comes home singing his praises (with Velapan sobbing as he knows what happened to Rosy), until he sees Rosy hanging dead and reads her note. Upset, David confronts Suryaprakasam at his birthday function and makes a scene. Inspector Viswanathan and Dr. Unnikrishnan pretend to help David but are actually Suryaprakasam's friends. They successfully manipulate Rosy's note away from David and destroy it, thereby the entire evidence of the crime, laughing all the while at the hapless David.

The trio then frames David for Rosy's murder, lies in court, and easily wins the case. David gets sentenced to prison for killing his wife. He leaves his only son with his close friend Velappan, who promises to raise David's son as a hardened thug, who will help David avenge Rosy's humiliation and death, and David's wrongful imprisonment. Upon release from prison, David sees that Velapan is a changed man, no longer engages in questionable activities, educated David's son, and raised him in a righteous way. David's son James is now called "Shankar" and is a well-respected and courageous police inspector. David is upset at this news, knows he cannot count on Velapan and his own son, and vows his revenge against the trio who framed him by himself, without anyone's help.

David comes to a church and confesses to the priest that he would kill 3 people, without naming them or himself. The priest informs this to the police, who publish the news in the press and try in vain to capture the unknown would-be killer. David starts his revenge; he tricks his way into Police Headquarters by posing as a priest who knows about the would-be killer and victims, and insists that he will only discuss matters with the now Superintendent (SP) Viswanathan. He succeeds in entering SP Viswanathan's office, identifies himself, and reminds the SP of his horrific betrayal and at gunpoint makes him call his friend, Dr. Unnikrishnan. He then sets up a Rube Goldbergian contraption—a hanging trap, tied to the office door. Dr. Unnikrishnan comes to the SP's office as planned; when he opens the door, SP Viswantahan is hanged and kicks out in the throes of death, watched by the aghast Dr. Unni Krishnan. David then escapes from the pursuing police led by Inspector Shankar. Unfortunately, David left clues in a tape-recorded conversation at SP Viswanathan's office, and Inspector Shankar investigates and identifies the other two victims as Dr. Unnikrishnan and Suryaprakasam. Undaunted, David then kills Dr. Unnikrishnan, too, with a telescopic rifle, despite strong police protection, and escapes again. David is supported by Sharadha, the love of Shankar, who knows about and sympathises with his revenge and wife's rape. The climax shows David killing his last target, Suryaprakasam, and how Shankar has to do his duty of shooting his father.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Kamal Haasan and Bharathiraja initially began production on a film titled Top Takkar. After 5,000 feet (1,500 m) was canned, the film was shelved as Bharathiraja felt it was becoming too similar to his and Haasan's earlier film Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), and decided to collaborate with Haasan on a different film, which eventually became Oru Kaidhiyin Diary.[3] The makeup for Kamal was provided by Michael Westmore.[4]

Soundtrack[edit]

Oru Kaidhiyin Diary
Film score by
Illayaraja
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length17:36
LanguageTamil
LabelEcho
External audio
Audio Jukebox at YouTube

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu.[5] The song "ABC Nee Vasi" is based on "L'Arlesienne" by Georges Bizet,[1] and is set to the Carnatic raga known as Mohanam.[6] The song "Ponmaane" is set in Sivaranjani raga.[7] For the Telugu-dubbed version Kaidhiveta, all lyrics were written by Rajashri.[8]

Tamil
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."ABC Nee Vasi"VairamuthuK. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam4:01
2."Ithu Rosa Poovu"VairamuthuVani Jairam, Gangai Amaran & Chorus4:30
3."Naan Thaan Sooran"VairamuthuS. P. Balasubramanyam, S. P. Sailaja & Chorus4:31
4."Ponmane Kovam Yeno"VairamuthuVijay, Uma Ramanan4:34
Total length:17:36
Telugu
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Abc Chadavali"  S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja 4:00
2. "O Myna"  S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja 4:38
3. "Oka Roja Puvvu"  S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja 4:53
Total length:
 13:32

Remakes[edit]

Oru Kaidhiyin Diary was remade in Hindi as Aakhree Raasta (1986), directed by Bhagyaraj.[9] Despite having a dubbed version in Telugu titled Khaidi Veta,[10] Oru Kaidhiyin Diary was remade in the same language as Marana Homam (1987).[11]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Paneerselvam Umamaheswaran; Shravan Ramachandran; Shivadas D S (2020). "Retrospective Analysis of Plagiaristic Practices within a Cinematic Industry in India – a Tip in the Ocean of Icebergs". Journal of Academic Ethics. 18 (2): 143–153. doi:10.1007/s10805-020-09360-7.
  2. ↑ "கமலும், கதாபாத்திரங்களும் - பிறந்தநாள் ஸ்பெஷல்!" [Kamal and his characters – Birthday Special]. Dinamalar (in தமிழ்). 7 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "எதிர்வினை: ஒரு கதையின் டைரி!" [Reaction: A Story's Diary!]. Hindu Tamil Thisai (in தமிழ்). 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Haasan, Kamal (20 October 2012). "'Of course Velu Nayakan doesn't dance'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Oru Kaidhiyin Diary (1985)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Sundararaman (2007) [2005]. Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music (2nd ed.). Pichhamal Chintamani. p. 121.
  7. ↑ Mani, Charulatha (28 September 2012). "Sivaranjani for pathos". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Kaidhiveta". Spotify. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  9. ↑ Jeshi, K. (25 December 2010). "Of wit and humour". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  10. ↑ Sri (12 June 2010). "K.Bhaagya Raj – Chitchat". Telugucinema.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Arunachalam, Param (2020). BollySwar: 1981–1990. Mavrix Infotech. p. 683. ISBN 9788193848227.

External links[edit]

Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We kindly request your support in maintaining the independence of Bharatpedia. As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on small donations to sustain our operations and provide free access to reliable information to the world. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to consider donating to our cause, as it would greatly aid us in our mission. Your contribution would demonstrate the importance of reliable and trustworthy knowledge to you and the world. Thank you.

Please select an option below or scan the QR code to donate
₹150 ₹500 ₹1,000 ₹2,000 ₹5,000 ₹10,000 Other


Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/index.php?title=Oru_Kaidhiyin_Diary&oldid=143823"