| Thiruda Thiruda | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mani Ratnam |
| Dialogues by | |
| Screenplay by | Mani Ratnam |
| Story by | Mani Ratnam Ram Gopal Varma[1] |
| Produced by | S. Sriram Mani Ratnam |
| Starring | Prashanth Anand Anu Aggarwal Heera Rajagopal |
| Cinematography | P. C. Sriram |
| Edited by | Suresh Urs |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Aalayam Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 170 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Thiruda Thiruda (transl. Thief! Thief!) is a 1993 IndianTamil-languageblack comedycaper film directed byMani Ratnam written along withRam Gopal Varma. The film starsPrashanth,Anand,Anu Aggarwal andHeera Rajagopal whileSalim Ghouse andS. P. Balasubrahmanyam play supporting roles. The film's soundtrack and background score were composed byA. R. Rahman while the cinematography was handled byP. C. Sriram.[2] In 1994, the film premièred at theToronto International Film Festival.[3][4] It also won theNational Film Award for Best Special Effects.This is the only film that Anu Aggarwal has acted in Tamil.
Printed Indian currency from theReserve Bank of India security press atNasik with an estimated value of₹ 1000 crores, is stolen from a train by T. T. Vikram, a gangster and drug dealer living in London. The container is shipped off by Vikram's henchman and is on the move. The access card of the container goes to the possession of pop star Chandralekha, an acquaintance of Vikram.CBISP Lakshminarayanan is assigned to track down the stolen currency within the next ten days, on time for the upcoming budget allotment for the fiscal year.
Lakshminarayanan tracks down Chandralekha who tactfully escapes from him and tries to reach Vikram, when she comes across two small time burglars – Kadhir and Azhagu. The duo are on the run from the police after a successful burglary in the countryside. A village belle Rasathi, who tries to escape from her abusive relatives also tags along with the thieving duo. Chandralekha and the trio end up traveling together due to circumstances. When Chandralekha tries to double cross the thieves and escape, they steal her purse containing the access card as revenge. Realizing this, she comes back to them and only then does the duo realize the actual worth of the access card. They all make a plan to pursue the money container somehow, but Vikram tries to chase down and kill all of them to get the card back at any cost.
While on the run from the police and Vikram, they come across the very same truck containing the loot and manage to bring it under their possession. They hide it away from prying eyes with the entirety of the loot still intact inside the container. With Lakshminarayanan and his brigade of CBI officers close at his tail, Vikram stops at nothing to get his loot back, but is outwitted repeatedly by the thieves. Vikram finally manages to find Chandralekha, gets the access card from her and she is left to die in the forest, but is rescued and taken into custody by Lakshminarayanan, who interrogates her and she cooperates with them to find the container.
Meanwhile, Kadhir and Rasathi are mutually attracted to each other but Kadhir sacrifices his love for her after realizing that his best friend Azhagu is also in love with Rasathi. Rasathi, who does not want to continue with this love triangle, opts out and leaves them both, but Vikram captures her. Kadhir and Azhagu, in a bid to save her, point to the location of the currency container and Vikram escapes with the loot on a train, taking Rasathi as a hostage.
Lakshminarayanan finds that the loot is being transported on a train and is in hot pursuit, while Kadhir and Azhagu also get on the train to save Rasathi from Vikram. They save Rasathi together and subdue Vikram, who falls off the train. Azhagu also steals the access card from him. Now that they are finally in possession of the loot, Kadhir and Azhagu playfully argue about who would marry Rasathi and leave the other to manage the loot, each indicating that they are more interested in the money than their love for Rasathi, so she grabs the access card and throws it away and chases them around.
Lakshminarayanan arrives at the nick of time and takes the access card and the currency container back to the Indian government where it actually belongs and finally restores order.
In late 1992, Mani Ratnam chose to make thecaper filmThiruda Thiruda as his first directorial venture under his newly set-up production studio,Aalayam Productions, alongside his co-producerSriram. When writing the script of the film, Mani Ratnam went on a recce withRam Gopal Varma and both filmmakers spent a few days each fine-tuning each other's scripts. While Varma worked on parts ofThiruda Thiruda, Mani Ratnam helped script Varma'sGaayam (1993). With the script ofThiruda Thiruda, he wanted to attempt the caper genre for the first time and tookRajasekhar'sVikram (1986) and Varma'sKshana Kshanam (1991) as his initial inspirations.[5] He was also inspired by the ongoing financial scandal involving stockbrokerHarshad Mehta, which had made Indian national news during early 1992 and chose to adapt his script accordingly.[5] The American filmButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) was another influence onThiruda Thiruda.[6]
J. D. Chakravarthy was initially meant to play the role of Kadhir beforeAnand was selected.[7]Salim Ghouse, a renowned theatre artist, was roped into play an antagonist.[8] Before finalisingAnu Aggarwal for a role, Mani Ratnam consideredDimple Kapadia but opted against signing her as he wanted to select an actress new to Tamil cinema.[9] ActressMeena were also approached for role in the film but refused the opportunity due to other commitments.[10]K. V. Anand was amongP. C. Sriram's assistant cinematographers in the film.[11]
Thiruda Thiruda was released on 13 November 1993.[12] Malini Mannath wrote forThe Indian Express on 19 November, "Thiruda Thiruda is a technique conscious film that may seem sparkling and wondrous to the technique crazy cine-goer though it never really takes off after theinterval".[13] The film won theNational Film Award for Best Special Effects andNational Film Award for Best Choreography forSundaram.[14]
The soundtrack features 8 songs composed byA. R. Rahman, with lyrics byVaali &Vairamuthu. The film's songs are notable for two reasons—the introduction of relatively unknown vocalists into mainstream Tamil playback singing and the extensive use of experimental sounds in South Indian cinema. While vocalistAnnupamaa in thetechnopop song "Chandralekha" and the Filipina singer Caroline in "Thee Thee" sang their first mainstream songs, the late singerShahul Hameed was roped in to sing theA cappella numberRaasathi. The song "Veerapandi Kottayile" became a big hit across South India.[15] The tune of "Thee Thee" was originally composed by Rahman for an advertisement that never aired.[16]
The lyrics for the Tamil version were penned by Vairamuthu, while Rajashri and P. K. Mishra penned lyrics for the Telugu and Hindi versions.
| Song | Singer(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| "Kannum Kannum" | Mano, Sujatha, Caroline | 04:09 |
| "Chandralekha" | Annupamaa,Suresh Peters | 05:45 |
| "Veerapandi Kotayyile" | K. S. Chithra,Mano,Unni Menon | 06:31 |
| "Thee Thee" | Caroline, Noel James,A. R. Rahman | 04:57 |
| "Raasathi" | Shahul Hameed,Sujatha Mohan,Ganga Sitharasu,Minmini | 04:17 |
| "Putham Pudhu Bhoomi" | K. S. Chithra,Mano | 04:28 |
| "Title Theme" | Instrumental | 01:00 |
| "Aathukulla Ayira Meenu" | Srinivas,Suresh Peters | 01:26 |
| Song | Singer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| "Kotha Bangaru" | K. S. Chithra,Mano | 04:23 |
| "Aakatayi" | G. V. Prakash Kumar | 00:23 |
| "Koncham Neeru" | Annupamaa | 05:44 |
| "Veerabobbili" | K. S. Chithra,Unni Menon,Mano | 06:27 |
| "Kanulu Kanulanu" | Mano | 04:06 |
| "Ettilona" | Srinivas,Suresh Peters | 01:22 |
| "Sitaalu" | Shahul Hameed | 04:16 |
| "Thee Thee" | Sujatha Mohan | 04:56 |
| Song | Singer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| "Chandralekha" | Annupamaa | 05:41 |
| "Chor Chor" | G. V. Prakash Kumar | 00:24 |
| "Dil Hi Sanam Dil" | Sujatha Mohan | 04:55 |
| "Hum Bhi Tum Bhi" | Udit Narayan,Mano | 04:05 |
| "Jhoom Jhoom" | K. S. Chithra,S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 04:33 |
| "Joor Laga" | Srinivas,Suresh Peters | 01:28 |
| "Pyaar Kabhi" | K. S. Chithra,Udit Narayan,Mano | 06:33 |
The song "Kannum Kannum" was also sampled in Hindi as "Kunjam Kunjam Pyar Ki Baatein" for the film albumDeewana Sanam. This sampled version hasS. P. Balasubrahmanyam andS. Janaki as the singers andNikhil-Vinay as the composer.
The song "Kannum Kannum" inspired a 2020 film titledKannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal.[17] A film with the same name had earlier been planned byPandiarajan in 2002, but was later shelved.[18]
