2005 Indian film
Majaa is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language masala film directed by Shafi, starring Vikram, Asin, Pasupathy, Vadivelu, Anu Prabhakar, Vijayakumar, Manivannan, Murali and Biju Menon (in his Tamil debut). The music was composed by Vidyasagar. It tells the story of two adopted children changing from their old, mischievous ways of life. The film is a remake of Shafi's own Malayalam film Thommanum Makkalum.
Plot
Govindan is a thief who has two sons: Aadhi and Mathi. Years go by and the brothers decide to stop stealing, mend their ways, and lead a hardworking life with their father. They migrate to a neighboring village and meet a retired agricultural officer Chidambaram, who is in deep debt and is under pressure from the village landlord Kalingarayar to clear his debts. In efforts to help Chidambaram, Mathi confronts Seetha Lakshmi, Kalingarayar's daughter, who comes to collect the money Chidambaram owes her father. Seetha Lakshmi starts to acquire a liking for Mathi, but keeps it hidden due to her father's atrocious temper. In an attempt to teach Kalingarayar a lesson, Mathi forcibly ties the mangalsutram around Seetha's neck. Kalingarayar, realizing his daughter's love for Mathi, comes down to arrange a grand remarriage between the two. But things go awry when Manicka Vel, Seetha Lakshmi's maternal uncle, comes to town in an effort to stop the wedding between the two as he has wicked plans of marrying her and usurping her family fortune.
Production
Vikram watched the Mammootty starrer Thommanum Makkalum, and requested director Shafi to remake it with him, in Tamil.[1] The film was launched at AVM Studios in 2005, a huge set of village was erected at studios.[2] The film was launched at AVM Studios in 2005, a huge set of village was erected at studios.[3] Initially, Trisha and Jyothika was considered for the lead female role, due to their unavailability Asin was chosen for the role.[4] The crew went to Austria to shoot a song.[5] Vikram worked as an assistant director under Shafi for this film.[1]
Release
The satellite rights of the film were sold to Raj TV.[6] The film was released on 1 November 2005 on the Diwali Day.
Reception
Sify wrote:"The major flaw of Majaa is its wafer-thin story and screenplay, a mediocre subject to be remade from Malayalam, sic the film gives you a dreary sense of déjà vu, a feeling that one has seen it before".[7] A critic from Chennai Online wrote that "'Thomanum Makkalum', the film's original Malayalam version, in which Mammootty starred, had some perfect casting for the trio. But here the combination of Vikram, Pasupathi and Manivannan somehow fails to jell together as a team".[8] A critic from Behindwoods wrote that "On seeing the movie spectators are enfolded with action, comedy, love, and emotion. Members of the family can sit together and enjoy this movie".[9] A critic from webindia123 wrote that "Overall it is a clean family entertainer worth a watch".[10] A critic from Kungumam called the film a Tamil film from a Malayalam origin made in a Telugu style and added that the film can be enjoyed in theatres during Diwali if you watch the film ignoring the pre-release hype.[11]
Box office
It was declared as an average grosser.[12][13]
