Raman Abdullah (Tamil: ராமன் அப்துல்லா) is a 1997 Indian Tamil-language comedy film written, directed, photographed and edited by Balu Mahendra. The film stars Sivakumar, Karan and Vignesh. It is a remake of the 1994 Malayalam film Malappuram Haji Mahanaya Joji.[1] The film was released on 22 August 1997,[2] and failed at the box office.

Raman Abdullah
Title card
Directed byBalu Mahendra
Screenplay byBalu Mahendra
Story byBabu G. Nair
StarringSivakumar
Karan
Vignesh
CinematographyBalu Mahendra
Edited byBalu Mahendra
Music byIlaiyaraaja
Production
company
Anand Cine Arts
Release date
  • 22 August 1997 (1997-08-22)
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot

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Friends Abdullah and Raman go through misadventures to save their face from a strict Hajji.

Cast

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Production

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Director Balu Mahendra had offered a leading role to actor Vikram, who was unable to take up the offer as a result of schedule clashes with his work in Ullaasam (1997).[3] The film's shoot became the epicentre of a dispute that arose between the Tamil Film Producers Council and Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI). It was reported that members of FEFSI had stopped the filming of Raman Abdullah as Mahendra was engaging outside cast members in the film.[4] This led FEFSI to go for an indefinite strike which affected to the delaying of several Tamil films.[5][6][7] During production, the makers had to change the name of the film from Abdul Raaman to Raman Abdullah following protests from the Muslim community.[8]

Soundtrack

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The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.[9]

Song Singers Lyrics Length
"En Veettu Jannal" Bhavatharini, Arunmozhi Mu. Metha 05:06
"Puthithai Ketkum" K. S. Chithra Ravibharathi 05:07
"Sembaruthi Pennoruthi" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra Kamakodiyan 05:03
"Un Madhama" Nagore E. M. Hanifa Vaali 04:18
"Machan Un Machini" Malgudi Subha 05:18
"Muththamizhe Muththamizhe" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra Arivumathi 04:39

Reception

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R. P. R. of Kalki wrote Even though the story is familiar till the first half, the director hides the boredom with a comedy thread, but in later half he shouldn't have messed up with unnecessary fights, Bombay villain gangs and godown climax but called Ilayaraja's music as only relief and concluded except for the title and the song in the beginning there is anything special about religious unity in the film, it could have been even titled as Kuppusamy Munusamy.[10] The film was a commercial failure,[11] but won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film (Special Prize).[12]

References

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  1. ^ "இப்படியும் காப்பி அடிக்கலாம் - மலப்புறம் ஹாஜியும், பூவே உனக்காக விக்ரமனும்!". News18 (in Tamil). 13 April 2022. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  2. ^ ராம்ஜி, வி. (22 August 2022). "'ஆண்டவன் எந்த மதம்?'". Kamadenu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  3. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (29 December 2013). "Man of Steel". Caravan. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  4. ^ Baskaran, S. Theodore (2009). History through the lens: perspectives on South Indian cinema. Orient Blackswan. p. 114. ISBN 978-81-250-3520-6. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  5. ^ Kindem, Gorham Anders (2000). The International Movie Industry. SIU Press. pp. 50. ISBN 978-0-8093-2299-2.
  6. ^ "Madras film strike: Producers demand their pound of flesh". Rediff.com. 7 July 1997. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  7. ^ Sundaram, Nandhu (23 June 2022). "Arunachalam to Kadhalukku Mariyadhai: 1997 witnessed many huge hits in Tamil cinema". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  8. ^ "A-Z Continues..." Indolink. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "Raman Abdullah". AVDigital. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  10. ^ ஆர். பி. ஆர். (7 September 1997). "ராமன் அப்துல்லா". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 80. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  11. ^ Venkateswaran, N. (14 February 2014). "Balu Mahendra, who made his visuals speak, dies at 74". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Tamilnadu Government Cinema Awards For 1997 Announced: Best Film Award For "Arunachalam", "Surya Vamsam"". Dinakaran. 27 November 1998. Archived from the original on 3 February 1999. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
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