Arunachalam!!

 

“Ini than arrambam - Arunachalam!!” (Now the game begins – written by Arunachalam)

These words echo in my head very frequently and also comes in at a critical juncture in the movie. This is one of Rajni’s most underrated movie in his glittering career. Sandwiched between Baasha and Muthu, this movie has not received the praise and adulation that it deserves.

Arunachalam is the story of the one-man army (Thalaivar at his best form), who everyone adores. The movie starts with one of the best build-up scenes wherein the heroine (played by late actor Soundarya) is amazed by the whole village talking about this person Arunachalam, without knowing that Rajni is the person she had been wanting to meet. A song and a fight later, it is revealed that the much respected Arunachalam is an orphan. The heroine’s parents refuse to get her married to him and he is cruelly taunted by his grandmother (Vadivukkarasi – some phenomenal acting in the movie). Dejected by the turn of events, he leaves his village for Madras (Chennai).

Through a series of twists and turns he finds out he is the son of a famous industrialist (played by Thalaivar again) who lays down a condition that in order to inherit his wealth, he has to spend 30 crores in 30 days (quite a big amount 23 years back) without anyone knowing about this condition. Initially Rajni rejects the offer, but later accepts it as he finds out that his father’s trustee related friends plan to usurp it.

Thalaivar gambles in horse-racing, produces movie and even enters politics to spend all the money. He is mistaken by his lover as well as his friends. He expertly navigates through all the traps set up by the villains and finally completes the task given to him. He donates all his father’s money and waits at the bus stop to go to some unknown destination dejected, when his family understands all his sacrifices and led by his grandmother, reunites him with the heroine.

This roller-coaster of a movie has one of the best BGM tracks (by Deva – who has given some of Rajni’s monumental hit songs). One could just play the audio of the entire movie and still be taken on an emotional ride.

This movie stuck a chord on my impressionable mind through my early days and I always remember it through my happy, sad and emotional days as always gives me the hope for good things in life. I just wish Rajni’s Annathae can re-create some of this movie’s magic.