Saguni is a 2012 Indian Tamil-language political satire film directed by Shankar Dayal and produced by S. R. Prabhu. The film stars Karthi and Pranitha, while Santhanam, Prakash Raj, Kiran Rathod, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Radhika Sarathkumar and Nassar appear in supporting roles. It was released on 22 June 2012 to mixed reviews from critics.[1]
| Saguni | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Shankar Dayal |
| Written by | Shankar Dayal |
| Produced by | S. R. Prabhu |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | P. G. Muthiah |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | G. V. Prakash Kumar |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 151 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
editThe film starts with the IRP party's MLA meeting to select their new CM, where prominent leader and veteran Satyamoorthy is unanimously chosen as CM. He is then escorted to his car, where a party cadre accuses him of sexually harassing her by passing on a promiscuous video in a mobile phone. This leads to Satyamoorthy being heavily shunned by the public and causes the suicide of Satyamoorthy and his entire family. This entire sequence is a political plot planned by the same party's influential minister R. K. Boopathi. Two days earlier, Boopathi had asked Satyamoorthy to leave way for him as he has been waiting twenty years to directly become Chief Minister. Boopathi creates a scene at the funeral and then goes on to win MLA by-election in Satyamoorthy's constituency Karaikudi and becomes the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, Kamalakannan is forcibly taken as passenger by auto driver Rajini Appadurai near Chennai International Airport, seeing Kamal's rich clothing. Rajini assumes that Kamal is rich and drives him around the city to be profited from him. Kamal is actually a farmer and also runs a free-meal service in his village near Karaikudi. He has come to the capital city to meet concerned politicians and plead them to halt a Railways project, by which he could lose his only ancestral property in his village. He is the grandson of a humble person who serves unlimited food to the guests and passersby every day.
Kamal stays in his paternal aunt Dr. Rani's house, and love blossoms between him and her daughter Sridevi. Their love affair is ended when Kamal promises to forever leave Sridevi on Rani's demand, when Sridevi goes on a foreign tour. Kamal meets Boopathi, who once visited their village during the by-election campaign and had promised to do good deeds when required. Kamal learns that Boopathi is the one behind the project for his mistress, whom he had used to kill Satyamoorthy. Kamal, disillusioned with the system, becomes a shrewd political analyst and campaigner and makes moneylender Ramani the Mayor of Chennai by helping in her campaigns. He later gets the contact of Perumal, who is the leader of the opposition political party. Meanwhile, he joins Perumal's party and makes him win the election, making him the CM of Tamil Nadu. Boopathi is finally arrested for being the reason behind for Sathyamoorthy's suicide with his family. Kamal, at last, saves his property with his intelligence and unites with Sridevi.
Cast
edit- Karthi as Kamalakannan alias Kannan / Kamal
- Pranitha as Sridevi
- Santhanam as Rajini Appadurai / Pappu Kumaran
- Prakash Raj as Chief Minister R. K. Boopathi
- Kota Srinivasa Rao as Perumal
- Radhika as Ramani Aachi
- Nassar as Beedi Saamiyaar
- Roja as Dr. Rani, Sridevi's mother
- Kiran Rathod as Vasundhara Devi
- V. S. Raghavan as Ramachandran / Thota Raghavaiah Chowdary
- Manobala as Indru Oru Thagaval
- Aadukalam Naren as Boopathi's assistant
- Chitra Lakshmanan as Boopathi's sidekick
- Meera Krishnan as Mobile Court Judge
- Nellai Siva as Policeman
- Chandra Mohan as Satyamoorthy, CM of Tamil Nadu (guest character)
- Delhi Ganesh as Lawyer (cameo appearance)
- Devadarshini as CM's daughter (cameo)
- Anushka Shetty as Police Officer N. Anushka (cameo)
- Andrea Jeremiah as Andrea (cameo)
- Vani Shree as Sridevi's friend and Appadurai's love sick
- Blade Shankar as Beedi Samiyaar's assistant
Production
editThe film was first revealed in early April 2011, when it was reported that Karthi was considering a "social satire" script written by debutant film maker, Shankar Dayal, to be his next venture after the success of his previous film Siruthai.[2] Karthi confirmed the news and revealed he would feature in a new get-up for the film, although expressing that the script was still in development.[3] The film's title is a reference to Shakuni, a character in the Mahabharata.[4] Kannada actress Pranitha who made her debut in Tamil with Udhayan, was confirmed for the lead female role.[5]
Salim Ghouse was initially cast in the film. However, it was later announced that the makers were unimpressed with Ghouse's performance and replaced him with Prakash Raj.[6]
Filming began in May 2011.[7] The climax was shot in Hyderabad in December.[8] A song sequence was shot in Poland.[9] There were rumours that the film was based on Neera Radia but the makers denied it.[10] The team shot a scene at the famous shopping complex near Ashok Nagar in Chennai. The director and his crew were happy to complete the shoot before the place got uncontrollably crowded.[11]
Soundtrack
edit| Saguni | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 2 June 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2012 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 24:12 / 24:11 | |||
| Language | Tamil | |||
| Label | Gemini Audio T-Series | |||
| Producer | G. V. Prakash Kumar | |||
| G. V. Prakash Kumar chronology | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar. The song "Manasellam Mazhaiye" is based on the song "Chalisuva Cheluve" from the Kannada film Ullasa Utsaha and "Vella Bambaram" is based on "Priyathama" from the Telugu film Ullasamga Utsahamga, both composed by Prakash Kumar.[12] The audio launch was to be held on 11 May, but postponed to 2 June. The Telugu version released on 5 June. Two songs along with the videos were launched on 25 May, Karthi's birthday. The song "Kandha Kaaravadai" has been downloaded 75,000 times.[13] Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff.com wrote that it was "run-of-the-mill and has nothing new to offer".[14] Karthik Srinivasan of Milliblog wrote, "Saguni sees GV Prakash channeling his inner Harris Jeyaraj, particularly the one who works with director Hari".[15]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kandha Kaara Vadai" | Paramu | Shankar Mahadevan, Karthi | 5:11 |
| 2. | "Manasellam Mazhaiye" | Na. Muthukumar | Sonu Nigam, Saindhavi, G. V. Prakash Kumar | 5:27 |
| 3. | "Vella Bambaram" | Viveka | Baba Sehgal, Priya Himesh | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Pottadhu Pathala" | Annamalai | Velmurugan & Chorus | 4:51 |
| 5. | "Annachi Ammachi" | Shankar Dayal | Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Maya Manikandan & Chorus | 4:00 |
| Total length: | 24:12 | |||
Release
editThe distribution rights were bought by Vendhar Movies.[17] The film was given a U certificate by the censor board without any cuts.[18] It was slated to release in April initially,[19] but failed to meet the deadline and would be released on 22 June eventually.[20] Telugu rights were bought by Bellamkonda Suresh.[21]
Critical reception
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References
edit- ^ "Karthi defends Saguni". The Times of India. 28 July 2012. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Dedicated to his craft". Deccan Herald. 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 25 November 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ Raghavan, Nikhil (16 April 2011). "Itsy-bitsy". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ "Saguni". The Times of India. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Pranita is Karthi's heroine in Saguni". Sify. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ "Prakash Raj comes to 'Saguni's rescue". The New Indian Express. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Karthi gets going with Saguni". Sify. 2 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ "Karthi busy with Saguni climax at Hyderabad". KollyInsider. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Saguni song in Poland". The Times of India. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Subramanian, Anupama (3 January 2012). "'No Nira Radia connection'". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
- ^ "Karthis Saguni completes shopping scene". Kollytalk. 17 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
- ^ "Sonu Nigam conferred with Padma Shri: Popular Tamil songs of the singer". The Times of India. 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ "Audio of Saguni sets record". The Times of India. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 23 November 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ Srinivasan, Pavithra (6 June 2012). "Review: Saguni's music is pretty ordinary". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
- ^ Karthik (2 June 2012). "Saguni (Music review), Tamil – G V Prakash Kumar". Milliblog. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Saguni". JioSaavn. 1 January 2012. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Vendhar Movies acquires Thalaivaa". The Times of India. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Saguni gets 'U' certificate". Sify. 11 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Saguni to be released on April 14". The Times of India. 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ "Saguni releasing in Telugu & Tamil on same date". The Times of India. 11 June 2012. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Video: GV Prakash On 'Saguni'". News18. 1 June 2012. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Saguni Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ Srinivasan, Pavithra (22 June 2012). "Review: Saguni is a commercial entertainer". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (23 June 2012). "Saguni: The games people play..." The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Telugu Movie review – Shakuni". Idlebrain.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
External links
edit- Saguni at IMDb
- Saguni at Rotten Tomatoes
