Uzhaippali (pronounced [uɻaɪpaːɭi] transl. Hard worker) is a 1993 Indian Tamil-language action drama film, written and directed by P. Vasu. The film stars Rajinikanth and Roja. It was released on 24 June 1993 and became a box office success.
| Uzhaippali | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | P. Vasu |
| Written by | P. Vasu |
| Produced by | B. Venkatarama Reddy |
| Starring | Rajinikanth Roja |
| Cinematography | M. C. Sekar |
| Edited by | P. Mohanraj |
| Music by |
|
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Ramana Film Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 162 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
editThis article needs an improved plot summary. (February 2023) |
Rajini works as a coolie in a factory. He is asked by three brothers to feign to be a foreign-returned rich man, the heir of a property. Rajini acts, but always escapes as he doesn't want to face consequences. But then he discovers that he is indeed the heir to the property, his father was killed by the three brothers to take away the property and his mother became a mental patient. He avenges the death of his father by killing the villains. At last, he says he doesn't want to be an heir to money and always remains a coolie.
Cast
edit- Rajinikanth as Tamilarasan/Tamilazhagan[1]
- Roja as Vimala[2]
- Radha Ravi as Ragupathy[2]
- S. S. Chandran as Seethapathy[2]
- Nizhalgal Ravi as Gajapathy[2]
- Goundamani as P. A. of Lawyer Balasubramaniam[2]
- Vijayakumar as Tamilarasan's brother-in-law[2]
- Srividya as Tamilarasan's sister
- Visu as Lawyer Balasubramaniam[2]
- Sujatha as Janaki[2]
- Prathapachandran as Doctor[2]
- Vivek as Tamilarasan's friend[2]
- Mayilsamy as Tamilarasan's friend
- Charle as Tamilarasan's friend[2]
- Chokkalinga Bhagavathar as Tamilarasan's coworker
- Ravichandran as Tamilarasan's father[2]
- Rupini (Special appearance in the song "Oru Maina")[3]
- Pallavi (Special appearance in the song "Oru Maina")
- Shagufta Ali (Special appearance in the song "Oru Maina")
- Viji (Special appearance in the song "Uzhaippali Illatha")
- Raghava Lawrence (Special appearance in the song "Uzhaippali Illatha")[4]
Production
editUzhaippali marked the comeback of Vijaya Productions who stopped producing for 20 years. This was P. Vasu's third collaboration with Rajinikanth after Panakkaran and Mannan. Unlike those films, this was not a remake, but an original story written by Vasu.[5] Distributors issued a red card against Rajinikanth when he participated in a meeting with them and arguing about actors not slashing their salaries.[6]
Uzhaippali was launched with a pooja at Vijaya Vauhini studio on 5 February 1993. The pooja was conducted even though the distributors were not willing to distribute the film and the Red Card against Rajinikanth was not removed.[6]
During the shooting in Chikmagalur, the cast and crew were denied rooms in a five-star hotel because P. Vasu's manager forgot to book the rooms in advance and missed paying the booking amount, so Rajinikanth had to sleep in a car. Vasu completed the film in 58 days.[7]
Soundtrack
editThe soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and the lyrics were written by Vaali.[8]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Muthirai Eppodhu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Kavita Krishnamurti | 4:59 |
| 2. | "Oru Kola Kili" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | 4:56 |
| 3. | "Oru Maina" | Mano, K. S. Chithra | 5:05 |
| 4. | "Uzhaippali Illatha" | Mano | 5:05 |
| 5. | "Uzhaippaliyum Naane" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra | 5:01 |
| 6. | "Amma Amma" (Male) | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:58 |
| 7. | "Amma Amma" (Female) | Sunandha | 4:44 |
| Total length: | 34:48 | ||
Release and reception
editUzhaippali was released on 24 June 1993.[9] The film was much in news as distributors banned Rajinikanth films and to resolve the issue, Rajinikanth met Kamal Haasan and the next day, Uzhaippali was announced. The film was released straight in theatres without the support of distributors and become a hit by running more than 100 days.[10][11] When the film was ready for release, producer was in doldrums how to release it when there is Red Card on Rajinikanth. Rajinikanth came up with an idea to distribute the film directly to theatres. Rajinikanth distributed the film in NSC through his distribution company Ramana Film Distributors. In Chennai, Uzhaippali released in Albert, Abirami, Kamala, Crown and Sri Brinda. The film opening reservation was fabulous and almost 15 days houseful in reservation. The opening report was fantastic and became talk of the town. Uzhaippali had a non-stop run for 116 days in Chennai's Albert and Abirami and 150 days in Madurai's Cine Priya. The film released in overseas too especially in Singapore and Malaysia doing decent business.[5]
Malini Mannath of The Indian Express wrotem "Uzhaippali is a neat, unpretentious entertainer from reel one and Vasu has kept up the pace of narration without a moment's boredom".[12] At the 14th Cinema Express Awards, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam won the Best Playback Singer award.[13]
References
edit- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2014) [2012]. Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography. Penguin Books. p. 153. ISBN 9788184757965.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Uzhaippali Cast and Crew". Moviefone. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "26 வருடங்களுக்கு பின் மீண்டும் நடிக்க வந்த சினிமா நடிகை!" [The film actress who returned to act after 26 years!]. Cinemaascope (in Tamil). 19 December 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "#Throwback: Raghava Lawrence as a group dancer in Rajinikanth's Uzhaippali". The Times of India. 28 June 2020. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ a b "ஓல்டு இஸ் கோல்டு : 20 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பிறகு தயாரிப்பில் இறங்கிய படநிறுவனம் !" [Old Is Gold: The film company that went into production after 20 years!]. Dinamalar (in Tamil). Nellai. 24 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b Nikam, Girish (28 February 1993). "Offstage Melodrama". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "ரஜினி எங்கே? டைரக்டர் பி.வாசு தவிப்பு!: ஓட்டலில் ரூம் கிடைக்காததால் காருக்குள் படுத்து தூங்கினார்" [Where was Rajini? Director P. Vasu's suffering! Rajini slept in car due to unavailability of hotel rooms]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 12 January 2013. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ^ "Uzhaippali (1993)". Raaga.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ^ "Uzhaippali". The Indian Express. 24 June 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 6 January 2019 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "ரஜினியுடன் திரைப்பட விநியோகஸ்தர்கள் சமரசம்" [Rajini compromised with film distributors]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 11 January 2013. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ^ "தடையை மீறி தயாரான "உழைப்பாளி''" [Uzhaippali was made defying the ban]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ^ Mannath, Malini (25 June 1993). "Develop amnesia...and it is all new". The Indian Express. p. 6. Retrieved 5 January 2019 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ "Kizhakku Cheemayile adjudged best film". The Indian Express. Express News Service. 13 March 1994. p. 3. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2021 – via Google News Archive.
External links
edit- Uzhaippali at IMDb