Chanakyan

Chanakyan
Promotional poster designed by RK
Directed by	T. K. Rajeev Kumar
Written by	Sab John T. K. Rajeev Kumar
Produced by	Navodaya Appachan
Starring	Kamal Haasan Urmila Matondkar Jayaram Thilakan Madhu
Cinematography	Saroj Padi
Edited by	V. N. Raghupathi
Music by	Mohan Sithara
Production company	Navodaya Studio
Release date	1 September 1989
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Chanakyan is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language thriller film produced by Navodaya Appachan under Navodaya Studio and directed by T. K. Rajeev Kumar in his directorial debut. Starring Kamal Haasan, Urmila Matondkar, Jayaram, Madhu, and Thilakan. The film was a critical and commercial success.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Plot[]

The film opens with a high tech person named Johnson attempting to kill Chief Minister Madhava Menon using a radio-operated toy car planted with a bomb, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he fails. Later, Johnson happens to watch a Mimicry show of an artist named Jayaram imitating several celebrity voices. Johnson convinces Jayaram himself as a government employee and makes him to mimic the voice of Madhava Menon reading out and recording a fake Republic Day message - filled with false promises. Later, Johnson plants the latter tape replacing the original tape containing the Chief Minister's message, at the All India Radio Station, Thiruvananthapuram. Madhava Menon is stunned to hear the broadcast of the duplicitous tape and faces severe criticism from his Party for altering the previously approved message.

Madhava Menon appoints his friend, DIG K. Gopalakrishna Pillai to investigate this case and he finds out the foul play. While hearing the broadcast Jayaram confronts Johnson. The flashback shows Johnson falling in love with Renu, the daughter of Madhava Menon, then an ambitious local politician and he dislikes their relationship. So he decimates and disgraces Johnson's family, which included his parents and three sisters, by arranging the arrest of the family through a unscrupulous police officer on the false charges of prostitution and pimping, due to which all the members of the family commit suicide, but Johnson survives. Renu also commits suicide.

At present, Johnson wants to take revenge on Madhava Menon - with him being a revered politician, even possessing admirers in the Opposition with his charisma and ascending to the position of the Chief Minister. Johnson asks the help of Jayaram for this. Initially Jayaram, who was not aware of Johnson's antecedents and intentions, disapproves and later supports Johnson - and builds a strong rapport with him. They humiliate and assassinate the character of the Chief Minister - by intervening the broadcasting of a televised message delivered by the C.M and stating outrageous comments regarding the hapless unemployed youth of the State, the visuals in the television broadcast being dubbed by Jayaram. The last nail is thrusted with the swindling of a huge amount from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, utilising the mimicked voice of Madhava Menon. Johnson forces Madhava Menon to shoot him and Johnson dies which was witnessed by the police, thus making the C.M a murderer and destroying his political career.

Cast[]

Production[]

The film was initially written for Mammootty, who was unable to do the film. The role subsequently went to Kamal Haasan, who was shooting for Apoorva Sagodharargal in Kochi.^[7]

The film marked the first of several collaborations between Jayaram and Kamal Haasan, with the pair becoming friends on set.^[8]

Music[]

1. "Kaalvari Kunnil Kannyasuthan" (Bit)
2. "Music Of Love"
3. "Theme Music"

References[]

External links[]

• Chanakyan at IMDb