Maanagaram

Maanagaram
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Lokesh Kanagaraj
Written by	Lokesh Kanagaraj Chandhru Anbazhagan
Produced by	S. R. Prabhu
Starring	Sri Sundeep Kishan Regina Cassandra
Cinematography	Selvakumar S. K.
Edited by	Philomin Raj
Music by	Javed Riaz
Production company	Potential Studios
Distributed by	Potential Studios
Release date	10 March 2017 (2017-03-10)
Running time	137 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil
Budget	₹4 crore[1][2]
Box office	est.₹10 crore[1]

Maanagaram (transl. Metropolis) is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film co-written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, and produced by S. R. Prabhu. The film stars Sri, Sundeep Kishan, and Regina Cassandra, and its soundtrack was composed by Javed Riaz. It is the feature directorial debut of Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film was released on 10 March 2017 to positive reviews from critics. It was remade in Hindi as Mumbaikar (2023).

Plot

Sri, an engineering graduate from small-town Trichy, arrives in Chennai to interview for an IT job in Business Process Outsourcing.^[3] Sri passes his interview with HR officer Regina Cassandra and celebrates at a bar with his friends. Another man at the bar, Sundeep Kishan, has had an unrequited love for Regina since they were in college. In a flashback, goons threaten to throw acid in Regina's face if she falls in love with Sundeep. Enraged, Sundeep punched one of the goons. In the present, the goons recognize Sundeep in the bar and hire some gang members to beat him. However, the gang members mistake Sri for their target and beat him when he leaves the bar, knocking him unconscious and stealing his phone and bag, throwing the latter into a taxi cab.

Charle came to the city to seek medical treatment for his son while driving a taxi rented from gangster PKP. He finds Sri's bag in his taxi with his academic certificates, which he takes to the police station. In the morning, Sri awakens in the street and calls a friend to take him home. He boards a bus to his new job, to explain about his missing academic certificates. Sundeep boards the same bus to attend a job interview at Regina's company. He recognizes the goon who threatened Regina and attacks him with acid then escapes with his friends. Sri is detained by the police, having unwittingly passed the bottle of acid to Sundeep. Fatigued by the hostility of the city, Sri argues with the police inspector who beats him until a constable intervenes. The constable talks with Sri at a tea stall, where Sri recognizes the man who told him to pass the acid bottle, and the constable arrests him.

The gang members plot to kidnap schoolboy Karthi for ransom, sending a man named Winnings to trick his teachers. Winnings is unprepared when there are five boys named Karthi, one of whom volunteers to go with Winnings in order to avoid a mathematics test. They take the boy but later realize he is the son of gangster PKP. Sri tells Regina that he no longer wants the job. She asks him to take the company's training so that she won't be held responsible for his quitting. They begin to argue about it and Sundeep, who is waiting for his interview, intervenes. The police arrive and take Sundeep away, saddening Regina who loves Sundeep but cannot accept his carefree nature. Sri tells Regina that he lost his academic certificates, and she agrees to cover for him for a day.

PKP orders his henchmen to hunt down his enemies in a search for Karthi. The gang demand a ₹1 crore (10 million rupees) ransom and PKP agrees to follow their instructions. Meanwhile, Sundeep is released by the police inspector, who is his uncle. Sundeep waits for Regina at a bus stop outside her hostel. Regina sees Karthi, who had escaped the kidnappers, hiding in a truck and instructs Sundeep to take Karthi home. Sundeep tries to call PKP but his phone is off. He then meets his uncle and leaves Karthi in the police inspector's custody. Winnings, who is terrified of PKP, confesses the kidnapping to the inspector, who commands Winnings to go through with the ransom exchange. Sundeep arrives and realizes the situation. The inspector shoots PKP and tries to shoot Winnings but Sundeep shoots the inspector in the leg and instructs Winnings to take PKP and Karthi to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Sri is riding in Charle's taxi when they are stopped and attacked by the gang who believe they are spying for PKP. They threaten to kill Charle if Sri does not bring PKP. To allow Charle to escape and take care of his sick son, Sri fights back against the gang who he recognizes as his attackers from the bar. Sri's lost academic certificates are returned to his home address. Outside the hospital, Sri and Sundeep each talk to their girlfriends. They are about to introduce themselves to each other when they are challenged by another gang hired by the goon Sundeep punched. Sundeep and Sri charge toward the gang to defend themselves.

Cast

As per the film's end credits.^[4]

• Sundeep Kishan
• Sri
• Regina Cassandra as the HR officer^[5]
• Charle as the taxi driver^[3]
• Munishkanth as Winnings^[3]
• Madhusudhan as P. K. Pandian a.k.a. PKP^[6]
• Ravivenkat as the police inspector^[7]
• Arun Alexander as Winnings' kidnapping gang member^[8]
• Sha-Ra as Winnings' kidnapping gang member^[8]
• Sathish as Winnings' kidnapping gang member^[8]
• Dheena as PKP's main henchman^[9]
• Karthik Yogi as Raamki a.k.a. Ramakrishnan^[9]
• Master Hamresh as the kidnapped boy^[8]
• R. S. Karthik as Sundeep's friend
• Vivek Prasanna as Sundeep's friend
• Rekha Suresh as the taxi driver's wife
• Tigergarden Thangadurai as Sri's friend
• Vinoth as another taxi driver
• Supergood Subramani as PT Master
• Pasupathi Raj

Production

In April 2015, actor Sundeep Kishan began working on the project with writer and director Lokesh Kanagaraj, produced by S. R. Prabhu's production house Potential Studios. Sundeep had earlier expressed an interest in producing the film himself, but later became busy with other commitments.^[10] Lokesh had previously worked as a director in Karthik Subbaraj's anthology film project, Aviyal (2016), in which his short film Kalam was included. The story was discussed with associate directors Maharajothi, Krisha, Archana and Gopi, titled Maanagaram and promoted as a dark comedy thriller. Actor Sri and Regina Cassandra were signed on to play other lead roles, with filming beginning later that month.^[11] Actors Charle and Munishkanth were subsequently signed and the project was completed by September 2015.^[12][13] The film was revealed to be based on hyperlink cinema with Regina's role constant throughout the film.^[14][15] The film was shot and completed within a period of 46 days.^[16] Potential Studios began promoting the film in February 2016, but later postponed efforts until early 2017 to get a better date for a theatrical release.^[17]

Music

Maanagaram
Soundtrack album by Javed Riaz
Released	22 August 2016
Recorded	2016
Language	Tamil
Label	Divo
Producer	Javed Riaz
Javed Riaz chronology
Aviyal (2016) Maanagaram (2016) Anbirkiniyal (2021)

The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Javed Riaz. The album was released on 22 August 2016 as part of Madras Day celebrations.^[18] Riaz previously collaborated with Kanagaraj for a segment in Aviyal. A writer from The Hindu called the song "Yendi Unna Pidikkuthu" as the album's highlight and added that "The song’s guitar-layered melody builds steadily, banking on Karthik’s vocal dexterity, even taking on a fantastic celtic sound midway and moving on to a punchy, highly-rhythmic interlude".^[19]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Iravu Vettai Aaduthey"	Lalithanand	Suraj Jagan	3:01
2.	"Yendi Unna Pidikkuthu"	Lalithanand	Karthik	3:45
3.	"Vaazhvey Oru Poro"	Lalithanand	Sharanya Gopinath, Suraj Jagan, Lawrence	3:42
4.	"Thollai Seiyum Kadhal"	Lalithanand	Aarthi N. Ashwin	3:18
5.	"It's a Story"	Anthony Faze	Sharanya Gopinath	2:58

Release

Maanagaram was released on 10 March 2017. Prior to release, the producers held preview shows for the film in Chennai.^[5] Both screenings were attended by film personalities, who widely praised the film.^[20][21]

The film had a simultaneous release for its Telugu dubbed version, Nagaram.^[5] The satellite rights of the film were sold to STAR Vijay.^[22]

Reception

Box office

The film became a commercial success at the box office, with screens being increased in its second week after it gained positive word-of-mouth reviews.^[23] After release, several other Tamil film personalities including Rajinikanth and Suriya voiced their praise for the film.^[24][25]

Critical response

Deccan Chronicle called the film "an absorbing emotional thriller that is a must-watch", adding "with a solid story, deft handling and a seamless screenplay (despite a complex script), extracting the best of performances from the entire cast, picture-perfect frames (Selvakumar), engrossing music (Javed Riaz) and crisp editing (Philomin Raj), Lokesh has weaved a captivating thriller which is not to be missed".^[7] Sify stated "Maanagaram is a gripping film that seizes your full attention" and that it was "one of most genuine films in recent times".^[26] Similarly, a critic from The Times of India noted "director Lokesh Kanagaraj gives us an exquisite, even-handed thriller — handsomely shot, tightly edited and propped up by a grungy score — that unobtrusively makes its points while narrating a gripping story".^[3] S. Shivakumar of The Hindu opined that "Each scene makes you eagerly await the next with a climax that is befitting".^[27] Baradwaj Rangan wrote for Film Companion, "The air-tight deliberateness of this structure is given room to breathe by the randomness of the characters, who behave in ways we don’t expect."^[28] The New Indian Express wrote that "All that it needs is a solid screenplay, deft treatment and a right selection of cast to make it an interesting and an eminently watchable fare. 'Maanagaram' is proof of that!"^[6] Srivatsan wrote for India Today, "Showcasing the capital of Tamil Nadu in a grim light, that too in his debut film is as close to jeopardising one's career as possible [...] But Lokesh Kanagaraj writing in Maanagaram is unparalleled, considering the recent set of sappy releases. Be it the characters that come throughout the film or tight screenplay, Lokesh's work doesn't seem amateurish".^[29]

Accolades

Date of ceremony	Award	Category	Recipient(s) and nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
11 January 2018	Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards	Best Comedian – Male	Munishkanth	Won	[30]
31 January 2018	Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards	Best Comedian	Munishkanth	Won	[31]
26 May 2018	10th Vijay Awards	Best Debut Director	Lokesh Kanagaraj	Won	[32]
		Best Editor	Philomin Raj	Won
		Best Screenplay	Lokesh Kanagaraj	Nominated
		Best Cinematographer	Selvakumar S. K.	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor	Charle	Nominated

Legacy

The film was remade in Hindi as Mumbaikar (2023).^[33] The screenplay book of the original film published by Pesaamozhi Publication was released in January 2023.^[34]

References

1. Chakraborty, Saikat (14 March 2023). "4 Lokesh Kanagaraj films to watch on OTT on his 37th birthday". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
2. Natarajan, Saradha (26 July 2023). "From Maanagaram at 45 days to Leo in 125 days: Here's a list of how many days Lokesh Kanagaraj took to complete shooting for his films". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
3. Suganth, M. (9 March 2017). "Maanagaram Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
4. "Maanagaram - Movie (English Subtitles) | Sundeep Kishan, Sree, Regina | Lokesh Kanagaraj". 9 July 2021 – via YouTube.
5. Devi Dundoo, Sangeetha (9 March 2017). "Nagaram: Life in a metropolis". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
6. Mannath, Malini (9 March 2017). "'Maanagaram' Review: The plot travels on multiple tracks". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
7. "Maanagaram review: An absorbing emotional thriller that is a must-watch!". Deccan Chronicle. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
8. "வாவ்...தமிழில் செம சினிமா! - 'மாநகரம்' விமர்சனம்" [Wow...A superb film in Tamil – 'Maanagaram' Review]. Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
9. "Maanagaram Review". Indiaglitz. 8 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
10. "Maanagaram: Was a challenge to showcase Chennai differently, says director". Hindustan Times. Indo Asian News Service. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
11. Kumar, Hemanth (4 April 2015). "Sundeep Kishan's next is a dark comedy". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
12. "Sundeep and Regina team up third time". Deccan Chronicle. 13 September 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
13. "Nayanthara Maya producer Potential studios next film Managaram". IndiaGlitz. 22 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
14. "Managaram based on Hyperlink". Tamil Star. 23 February 2016. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
15. "Hot actress Regina Cassandra next new movie Managaram". IndiaGlitz. 23 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
16. Anantharam, Chitradeepa (9 March 2017). "The lives of others". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
17. Jyothsna (23 February 2016). "MADRAS, KABALI, KASHMORA AND NOW…". Behindwoods. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
18. "Maanagaram musical and trailer treat as 'Madras Day' celebrations". Top10cinema. 20 August 2016. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
19. ""Yendi Unnda Pidikudhu"". The Hindu. 6 November 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
20. Hooli, Shankar (7 March 2017). "Maanagaram special screening: Sundeep Kishan and Regina Cassandra-starrer gets rave reviews". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
21. "T'town can't stop gushing abt Sundeep Kishan and Regina's Nagaram". The Times of India. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
22. "Special movies to be screened by popular TV channels on Deepavali". livechennai.com. 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
23. "'Maanagaram'- Rules the Box Office in its 3rd weekend". IndiaGlitz. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
24. Kumar, Karthik (15 March 2017). "Sundeep Kishan, Regina Cassandra-starrer Maanagaram wins over Rajinikanth". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
25. "Suriya heaps praise on 'Maanagaram'". Sify. 11 March 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
26. "Maanagaram review – A genuine attempt which is entertaining". Sify. 8 March 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
27. Shivakumar, S. (16 March 2017). "Shining without stars". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
28. Rangan, Baradwaj (10 March 2017). "Maanagaram Movie Review". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
29. Srivatsan (11 March 2017). "Maanagaram movie review: Every Chennaiite will love this fantastic thriller". India Today. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
30. "Vijay, Nayanthara, Bigg Boss Tamil win big at Vikatan Awards 2018 – here's the list of winners". Times Now. 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
31. "9th NTFF 2018: Official selection & Winners of Tamilar Awards 2018 Tamil Nadu !". Norway Tamil Film Festival. 2018. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
32. "Vijay awards 2018: Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi win best actor award, Dhanush and Anirudh perform together. See pics". Hindustan Times. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
33. "Santosh Sivan to direct Hindi remake of Maanagaram". The New Indian Express. 29 September 2020. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
34. "Lokesh Kanagaraj's four screenplay books released – Aspiring filmmakers rejoice". Indiaglitz. 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.

External links

• Maanagaram at IMDb