Nala Damayanthi
Encyclopedia
Nala Damayanthi is a 2003 Tamil
film directed by Mouli and written and produced by Kamal Hassan. The film stars Madhavan
in the lead role, with Geetu Mohandas
and Shrutika playing supporting roles. The film released in June 2003 to an average response critically and commercially.
), a village cook from Palakkad
, goes to Australia
to become a chef at home of an Indian multi-millionaire. Unfortunately, the millionaire dies of indigestion the day Ramji arrives, leaving him jobless and without his passport and visa, which had been lost. Desperate to stay and earn, he starts working illegally as a cook in an Indian hotel owned by an NRI
Badri (Sriman
), but to stay on, he needs to get a legal work permit as the immigration police are after him. A solution comes up when Damayanthi (Geetu Mohandas
), a free-spirited motorbiker chick of Sri Lankan Tamil Christian background and the fiancee of Badri's friend Ivan (Bruno Xavier), agrees to marry the docile cook in order to settle her loans. Ramji converts to Christianity, becoming Robert, and then moves into Damayanthi's house. Constant stalking by the police forces the couple to stay together to avoid detection by authority. However, when Ramji meets and begins to learn karate from Suguna, Ivan's ex-wife, whom he left after taking all her money and leaving her to be supported by her distant relatives, he tries to tell Damayanthi the truth and initiates a fight with Ivan. Damayanthi, though, does not believe what Ramji says and throws him out of the house in the middle of the night. The next morning, Ramji returns to the house and the couple forgive each other. Eventually, Ramji invites Suguna to their house and Damayanthi learns the truth and realizes the love that Ramji has for her. She soon begins to fall in love with him and takes Ivan's car, which she previously bought for him, and withdraws all the money from the joint account to give to Ramji's sister Bhagyam (Divyadarshini
), who had trouble with her in-laws back in India and needed money to marry her childhood friend, Kicha. Eventually, Ramji answers more than he is asked at the immigration office then is forced to return to India. Damayanthi eventually comes along to Palakkad and the movie ends with a happy note where couple starts off a restaurant. Actors Kamal Haasan
and Jayaram
arrive to inaugurate the restaurant and wish the couple luck.
, Mouli asked Kamal Haasan to re-collaborate with this particular script but Kamal Haasan was uninterested. Madhavan
was selected by Kamal Haasan to replace him, after the pair had shot for Anbe Sivam
together in the period. Geetu Mohandas
was signed in February 2003 after Mouli had seen her picture in a magazine, and thus she made her comeback to the Tamil film industry after having appeared as the child in the 1988 film, En Bommukutty Ammavukku
.
Bruno Xavier, an Australia-based Sri Lankan Tamil actor, was roped in to play the antagonist's role after a successful audition.
The film was shot predominantly in Melbourne
, Australia
in February and March of 2003 to make most of the daylight hours.
Anu Hasan, daughter of producer Chandra Haasan, helped with production duties and cut costs of the team's shoot in Australia, as well leading post-production works.Ramesh Vinayakam's soundtrack for the film, which included an English folk song sung by Kamal Haasan, became a success.
also gave a verdict that the film was a "comedy caper" and a "clean comedy with some warm moment".
Kamal Haasan revealed that he intended of remaking the film in Hindi, with the title of Maharaj, but the project did not take off. Madhavan later wrote and starred in a Hindi version, Ramji Londonwaley, which released in September 2005 and eventually met with average reviews and collections.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film directed by Mouli and written and produced by Kamal Hassan. The film stars Madhavan
R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
in the lead role, with Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas is a Malayalam film actress who started off as a child artist and did mainstream roles later. She has acted in several other Malayalam films.-Career:Geetu's actual name is Gayathri Mohandas...
and Shrutika playing supporting roles. The film released in June 2003 to an average response critically and commercially.
Plot
Ramji (MadhavanR. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
), a village cook from Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
, goes to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to become a chef at home of an Indian multi-millionaire. Unfortunately, the millionaire dies of indigestion the day Ramji arrives, leaving him jobless and without his passport and visa, which had been lost. Desperate to stay and earn, he starts working illegally as a cook in an Indian hotel owned by an NRI
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
Badri (Sriman
Sriman (actor)
Sriman is a character artist who appears in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada language films. He is primarily known for his prominent roles in Aayutha Ezhuthu, Panchathanthiram, Pokkiri and Aegan. He is the son of noted producer, Prakash Reddy.- Early life :Sriman was born in Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh...
), but to stay on, he needs to get a legal work permit as the immigration police are after him. A solution comes up when Damayanthi (Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas is a Malayalam film actress who started off as a child artist and did mainstream roles later. She has acted in several other Malayalam films.-Career:Geetu's actual name is Gayathri Mohandas...
), a free-spirited motorbiker chick of Sri Lankan Tamil Christian background and the fiancee of Badri's friend Ivan (Bruno Xavier), agrees to marry the docile cook in order to settle her loans. Ramji converts to Christianity, becoming Robert, and then moves into Damayanthi's house. Constant stalking by the police forces the couple to stay together to avoid detection by authority. However, when Ramji meets and begins to learn karate from Suguna, Ivan's ex-wife, whom he left after taking all her money and leaving her to be supported by her distant relatives, he tries to tell Damayanthi the truth and initiates a fight with Ivan. Damayanthi, though, does not believe what Ramji says and throws him out of the house in the middle of the night. The next morning, Ramji returns to the house and the couple forgive each other. Eventually, Ramji invites Suguna to their house and Damayanthi learns the truth and realizes the love that Ramji has for her. She soon begins to fall in love with him and takes Ivan's car, which she previously bought for him, and withdraws all the money from the joint account to give to Ramji's sister Bhagyam (Divyadarshini
Divyadarshini
Divyadharshini is an Indian television presenter, anchor actress, dubbing artiste and TV anchor from Tamil Nadu. She has also appeared in a few Tamil films....
), who had trouble with her in-laws back in India and needed money to marry her childhood friend, Kicha. Eventually, Ramji answers more than he is asked at the immigration office then is forced to return to India. Damayanthi eventually comes along to Palakkad and the movie ends with a happy note where couple starts off a restaurant. Actors Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
and Jayaram
Jayaram
Jayaram is an Indian film actor who mainly acts in Malayalam and Tamil films. He is also a chenda percussionist and mimic artist. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contribution towards the arts.-Early life:...
arrive to inaugurate the restaurant and wish the couple luck.
Cast
- MadhavanR. MadhavanR. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
as Ramji Narayanaswami Iyer - Geetu MohandasGeetu MohandasGeetu Mohandas is a Malayalam film actress who started off as a child artist and did mainstream roles later. She has acted in several other Malayalam films.-Career:Geetu's actual name is Gayathri Mohandas...
as Damayanthi - Sruthika as Malathi
- SrimanSriman (actor)Sriman is a character artist who appears in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada language films. He is primarily known for his prominent roles in Aayutha Ezhuthu, Panchathanthiram, Pokkiri and Aegan. He is the son of noted producer, Prakash Reddy.- Early life :Sriman was born in Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh...
as Badri - Anu Hasan as Amloo
- Santhana BharathiSanthana BharathiSanthana Bharathi is a popular Tamil language film celebrity in Kollywood, the Tamil film industry in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He has directed several films such as Guna and the National Film Award winner, Mahanadhi...
- ManobalaManobalaManobala is a Tamil director and comedian actor who prominently plays supporting roles.-Career:Manobala has directed 40 films, 16 television serials and 3 tele-films during his career as a director. As an actor, he had appeared in 175 films as of July 2009...
- Vikram DharmaVikram DharmaVikram Dharma was a stunt director in the Tamil film industry in India. He died of a heart attack in early 2006.-External links:...
- Mouli
- Delhi GaneshDelhi GaneshDelhi Ganesh born in Tirunelveli as a veteran Tamil film actor, who mostly acts in supporting roles and is perhaps best known for his role in Kamal Hassan comedies and films like Nayagan and Michael Madana Kama Rajan. He has acted in more than 400 films from 1980 to present...
- Madhan BobMadhan BobS. Krishnamoorthy , better known by his screenname Madhan Bob, is a popular comedian and Tamil film actor from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He started his film career as a musician and became an actor instead. Apart from appearing in supporting roles in Tamil films he also appears in the Sun TV...
- VaiyapuriVaiyapuriVaiyapuri is a Tamil film actor who mostly plays a comedian. He has appeared in many Tamil films and is also a guest judge on Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV in Chennai. He started his career in Balu mahendra Film "Raman Abdulla" with the servant role and has scored most in the first film...
- DivyadarshiniDivyadarshiniDivyadharshini is an Indian television presenter, anchor actress, dubbing artiste and TV anchor from Tamil Nadu. She has also appeared in a few Tamil films....
as Bhagyam - Bruno Xavier as Ivan
- Mark Jensen as Hector
- Kamal Hassan as himself
- JayaramJayaramJayaram is an Indian film actor who mainly acts in Malayalam and Tamil films. He is also a chenda percussionist and mimic artist. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contribution towards the arts.-Early life:...
as himself - NassarNassarNassar is a Tamil actor, producer, writer, director, lyricist, and singer. He has appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English films. He is often cited as part of India's specialist character actors, along with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Nana Patekar...
as himself
Production
Kamal Haasan had written the script with himself in mind to play the lead role in the late 1990s, but never got down to making it because he felt it would not have been cost-effective. After the profitable Pammal K. SambandamPammal K. Sambandam
Pammal K. Sambandam is a 2002 Tamil comedy film directed by Moulee and scripted by Crazy Mohan. The film features Kamal Haasan in the title role alongside Simran with Abbas and Sneha in primary supporting roles. The film was produced by P. L. Thenappan under Media Dreams, while Deva composed the...
, Mouli asked Kamal Haasan to re-collaborate with this particular script but Kamal Haasan was uninterested. Madhavan
R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
was selected by Kamal Haasan to replace him, after the pair had shot for Anbe Sivam
Anbe Sivam
Anbe Sivam is a 2003 Tamil drama film directed by Sundar C and written by Kamal Hassan. The film stars Kamal Hassan and R. Madhavan. The music is composed by Vidyasagar....
together in the period. Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas is a Malayalam film actress who started off as a child artist and did mainstream roles later. She has acted in several other Malayalam films.-Career:Geetu's actual name is Gayathri Mohandas...
was signed in February 2003 after Mouli had seen her picture in a magazine, and thus she made her comeback to the Tamil film industry after having appeared as the child in the 1988 film, En Bommukutty Ammavukku
En Bommukutty Ammavukku
En Bommukutty Ammavuku is a 1988 Indian film starring Geetu Mohandas, Satyaraj, Suhasini and Raghuvaran is remake of Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku by Fazil.-Plot:...
.
Bruno Xavier, an Australia-based Sri Lankan Tamil actor, was roped in to play the antagonist's role after a successful audition.
The film was shot predominantly in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in February and March of 2003 to make most of the daylight hours.
Anu Hasan, daughter of producer Chandra Haasan, helped with production duties and cut costs of the team's shoot in Australia, as well leading post-production works.Ramesh Vinayakam's soundtrack for the film, which included an English folk song sung by Kamal Haasan, became a success.
Release
The film opened to above average reviews, with a critic citing that "even though the storyline doesn't seem very logical, it tries to sustain the viewers' interest till the end", whilst applauding that Madhavan "comes out with a convincing portrayal". SifySify
Sify Technologies Limited is an Internet service provider established in 1998, based in Chennai, India.-Company profile:...
also gave a verdict that the film was a "comedy caper" and a "clean comedy with some warm moment".
Kamal Haasan revealed that he intended of remaking the film in Hindi, with the title of Maharaj, but the project did not take off. Madhavan later wrote and starred in a Hindi version, Ramji Londonwaley, which released in September 2005 and eventually met with average reviews and collections.