Annamalai

A remake of the 1987 Hindi film Khudgarz, itself based on Jeffrey Archer’s 1979 novel Kane and Abel, it stars Rajinikanth, Khushbu and Sarath Babu with Radha Ravi, Nizhalgal Ravi and Manorama in supporting roles.

The film revolves around Annaamalai, a poor milkman, and Ashok, a wealthy hotelier, who have been friends since childhood, a friendship opposed by Ashok’s father who attempts to create a rift between the two.

Annaamalai was announced in March 1992 with the director Vasanth, who later opted out due to personal reasons. Suresh Krissna replaced him as director, and also contributed to the screenplay while Shanmugasundaram wrote the dialogues.

Principal photography began the same month and the entire filming process lasted 45 working days. The music was composed by Deva and lyrics for the songs were written by Vairamuthu. The cinematography was handled by P. S.

Prakash and editing by the duo Ganesh Kumar. Annaamalai was released on 27 June 1992.

Although its opening was threatened due to a newly established Tamil Nadu government rule where posters of films were prohibited in Madras, the lack of promos only increased the hype and worked to the film’s advantage; it ran for 175 days in theatres and was the highest-grossing film in Tamil cinema until 1995 when the record was broken by Baashha.

It was remade in Telugu in 1993 as Kondapalli Raja and in Kannada in 2003 as Gokarna.

They have been very close friends since childhood. Ashok’s father Gangadharan, however, never liked his son’s friendship with a poor milkman.

Annaamalai is kind-hearted and innocent, and falls in love with Subbulakshmi, a college girl he eventually marries. Ashok too falls in love with a poor girl, Shanthi, who works as his secretary.

Annaamalai arranges Ashok and Shanthi’s wedding which angers Gangadharan as he thinks Shanthi lacks the status to become his daughter-in-law. Annaamalai clashes with Ekambaram, an MLA, following which Ekambaram understands Annaamalai’s good nature.

Annaamalai’s small house along with a few cents of empty land is located in a prime location, to which Annaamalai held sentimental values to; Gangadharan pressures Ashok to buy it so that they can construct a star hotel.

Ashok is initially hesitant as he does not want to mix business and friendship, but later agrees. Annaamalai happily accepts and also agrees to give the land for free, emulating pure friendship.

Ashok feels proud of Annaamalai and informs his father that Annaamalai has to be made a shareholder in the new hotel. Gangadharan agrees, but decides to cheat Annaamalai and gets his signature in empty papers.

The star hotel is constructed and Gangadharan plans to demolish Annaamalai’s house which is located next to the hotel. Gangadharan and Ashok’s cousin Sargunam forge documents and take control of Annaamalai’s empty land.

Annaamalai learns of this plan and argues with Gangadharan. Ashok, oblivious to his father’s plan, gets angry with Annaamalai for fighting with him, and demolishes Annaamalai’s house which is in the remembrance of Annaamalai’s father.

In response, Annaamalai lays a challenge that he will become wealthy and take revenge on Ashok. Ekambaram helps Annaamalai to secure funds.

Annaamalai starts a small sweets business and, over the course of fifteen years, becomes one of the wealthiest hoteliers of Madras; he builds a star hotel in which becomes more popular than Ashok’s hotel.

Sargunam steals money from Ashok and knowing this, Ashok asks him to leave. Sargunam joins Annaamalai’s hotel and also marries Annaamalai’s sister, Kamala.

Annaamalai triumphs Ashok and becomes the president of the hotels association and Ashok faces financial troubles. When Annaamalai learns that his daughter Priya and Ashok’s son Deepak love each other, he opposes this because of his hatred for Ashok.

During the public auction of a plot, Annaamalai tricks Ashok into bidding for ₹120 million (equivalent to ₹920 million or US$12 million in 2023), even though it is not worth more than ₹30 million.

Ashok is forced to sell his bungalow to pay for the plot and Annaamalai purchases Ashok’s bungalow, but soon after he gives the registration document to his mother Sivagami and asks her to hand it over to Ashok itself thinking about the old friendship.

Ashok and Gangadharan realise their mistake and apologise to Sivagami knowing Annaamalai’s kind heart. Annaamalai learns about Gangadharan and Sargunam’s document forgery, and that Ashok was unaware of their plans.

Sargunam later hires Don, an assassin, to kill Ashok to usurp his wealth. But Annaamalai saves Ashok, kills Don and Sargunam seeks forgiveness. Annaamalai and Ashok reconcile, and fix their children’s marriage.