Avvai Shanmughi

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Avvai Shanmugi (1996) is a Tamil film directed by K.S. Ravikumar. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Meena, Gemini Ganesan, Delhi Ganesh, Nagesh, Manivannan, and Nassar. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Deva. It was an Indian take on the successful comedy, Mrs. Doubtfire. The film had a big star cast and was a critical and commercial success. It was released on Deepavali day 1996 together with Prabu Deva's Mr. Romeo. A year later Kamal remade the movie as Chachi 420 in Hindi.

[edit] Plot

The film starts off with a courtroom sequence where Meena is fighting for divorce from Kamal. She offers various flimsy reasons for wanting divorce which is granted. She married Kamal against her father's (Gemini Ganesan) wishes but being rich and spoilt, she wasn't able to come to terms with living in a small house with no amenities. Kamal is an assistant dance director and so he is not able to spend much time with the family too. All this accumulates and she decides she's had it and gets the divorce. The court orders that Kamal can meet his daughter once a week and this is the only solace. His daughter however loves him a lot and doesn't like the arrangement.

Nasser is a Muslim friend who works in a hotel as a chef. He advises Kamal to somehow get the child from her mom and Kamal goes about trying to do the same. In doing so he is discovered and now he cannot meet her at all. Then Kamal finds out that Gemini has advertised for a lady to look after his granddaughter. Nagesh is a makeup man and in conversation with him, Kamal gets the idea of playing an old lady so that he can be with his child and Meena without them knowing. Nagesh agrees to this plan and the transformation is done from Pandian to Avvai Shanmugi.

Heera plays the girl who is in love with Pandian but is constantly rebuffed. Nasser plays the role of a dumb Iyer cook and is admitted into Gemini's house on the recommendation of Avvai Shanmugi but is caught later while doing his Namaz, thereby shattering both lies, the dumb part and the Iyer part. Hilarious instances follow and slowly Avvai Shanmugi manages to convince the household of "her" sincerity.So much so that Gemini Ganesan begins to develop a liking for "her" and in fact proposes to "her" too! Manivannan is the houseowner of the place where Kamal (Pandian) lives. Once, he happens to bump into Avvai Shanmugi who was hurrying up the stairs. This bumping happens many times and he too begins to develop a liking for "her".

Meanwhile Avvai Shanmugi slowly begins to learn that Meena hasn't totally forgotten her husband. "She" also rebuffs Gemini's proposals by saying that her husband is alive. Adding to the confusion "she" says Nagesh is her husband while Pandian tells Delhi Ganesh (Gemini Ganeshan's PA in the movie) that Manivannan is Avvai's husband. Confusion follows and it is all cleared finally. Avvai Shanmugi hints to Gemini that Meena's rightful place is by her husband and Gemini realises this. Gemini tells Meena that she has no place in the house and this drives Meena to depression. Meena leaves and attempts suicide, but Avvai Shanmugi stops her and reveals "her" identity as Pandian. Meena and Pandian reconcile.

[edit] Cast

Full cast and credit listing available.

[edit] Soundtrack

[edit] Trivia

• K.S Ravikumar and his associates Ramesh Khanna and Kumaresan at first objected the idea of doing a Tamil adaptation of Mrs.Doubtfire. It was Kamal who forced them to proceed with the project.
• Actor/Director Seran was one of K.S Ravikumar's assistants in the film.
• This is the first time Kamal and music director Deva worked together. On the 150th day celebration of Avvai Shanmughi, Kamal presented a gold ring to Deva which Deva values as his treasure together with the gold chain presented by Rajini for Annamalai.
• The making of the film montage can be seen at the ending credits.
• Kamal dedicates this movie to his theatre guru Avvai T.K Shanmugam.

[edit] Awards

• Six Cinema Express Best Actress Awards for Meena.

• DINAKARAN Tamil News Paper's Best Actress Award for Meena.

• Tamil Nadu State Award,Filmfare Award and a few more for the Child actor "Baby Annie"

[edit] External links

• Avvai Shanmugi at the Internet Movie Database