Amaidhi Padai

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Amaidhi Padai
Amaidhi Padai.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Manivannan
Written by Manivannan
Produced by K. Balachandran
U. K. Senthikumar
K. N. Ilamurugan
Starring Sathyaraj
Manivannan
Ranjitha
Cinematography D. Shankar
Edited by P. Venkateshwara Rao
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Production
company

M. R. Films International
Release date

13 January 1994

Running time
160 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil

Amaidhi Padai (transl. Peacekeeping Force) is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language

political action film, written and directed by Manivannan. Sathyaraj played a dual
role as father and son in the film, with Ranjitha playing the female lead. The
story revolves around an ordinary man Ammavasai who builds his political career
through shortcuts and unethical means, while his son grows up to be an honest law
enforcer. The film was followed by the sequel Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA in 2013, also
starring Sathyaraj. It went on to run more than 25 weeks and was declared a
blockbuster. This film is touted as one of Sathyaraj's best performances and over
years has developed a strong cult following.[1][2]
Contents

1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
4 Soundtrack
5 Reception
6 Sequel
7 Remakes
8 References
9 External links

Plot

In 1967, Amavasai is a lazy transient man, but he is also rather shrewd. He gets
acquainted with politician Manimaran, a MLA of the Palladam constituency, near
Tiruppur. Amavasai helps Mani with some petty tasks during his election campaign.
He later becomes Mani's close associate. Meanwhile, Amavasai lusts after a
beautiful village belle Thayamma and manages to entrap her with false promises of
love. One day, he drugs and rapes the barely conscious Thayamma.

In 1971, Mani's party refuses to give him the ticket. An enraged Mani instructs
Amavasai to stand for the MLA election as an independent candidate to teach his
party a lesson. Amavasai ends up winning the election. He changes his name to
Nagaraja Cholan to elevate his social status. His behavior also changes as he grows
more arrogant much to the shock of Mani. Amavasai finds out that a rich zamindar is
looking for a groom for his daughter, Sivakami and he quickly arranges to be
married to her as he wants to become rich. He abandons the now pregnant Thayamma.
Distraught over this betrayal, Thayamma and her parents move out of the village to
avoid humiliation. Soon, Thayamma gives birth to a boy and dies. Amavasai marries
Sivakami and gets the latter's palace as dowry. Sivakami vows to be celibate as
Amavasai refused to adopt Thayamma's infant son.

Over the years, Amavasai grows into a highly influential and corrupt politician. He
builds a strong political network through shortcuts. He has been reelected to his
position as MLA for 5 elections. To remain in power, he kills anyone who comes in
his way. His ultimate goal is to become Chief Minister where he will have all the
power to do whatever he wants, and no one can stop him. He has no children with
Sivakami as refuses to let Amavasai touch her, because he had betrayed Thayamma and
refused to give Thayamma's son his name even after her death. Thayamma's son,
Thangavel becomes a Reserve Police constable who is deputed to Amavasai's
constituency. Thangavel is betrothed to a girl studying in +2, Kuyili. They fall in
love, but during their engagement event, a dispute arises as people ask about
Thangavel's father's identity, and the wedding is cancelled. An enraged Thangavel
asks his grandparents about his father, but they remain silent. He accuses his
mother of being characterless to which his grandfather slaps him and tells him
about Amavasai. Thangavel now learns of his real father, about the betrayal of his
mother and also his father's corruption. He seeks revenge.

Simultaneously, the state assembly is about to be dissolved earlier to hold the

general elections. Amavasai realizes that even if the party nominates him, the
voters will not support him as they are fed up with his corrupted ways. He
instigates caste-based riot in his constituency and pretends to stop it, so that
the people will re-elect him. A police inspector, who belongs to Dalit caste is
burned alive, and the riot intensifies. Thangavel is posted as the riot police's
head constable where he has to protect Amavasai. Thangavel saves Amavasai from an
assassination attempt. Later, he goes to Amavasai's house and reveals his identity.
He challenges his father that he will stop all his illegal activities and kill him.
Amavasai brushes off his threats.

Thangavel is transferred to regular police and gets posted as a Sub-Inspector in

the same area. Thangavel meets Sivakami and realizes she is a good woman. He begins
to see her as a motherly figure in his life. Thangavel informs CBI of the
activities of Amavasai while Sivakami plans to testify against Amavasai. Amavasai
learns of this and plans to kill both. Sivakami is murdered by Amavasai's henchman
and Thangavel is unable to save her. During her funeral, Amavasai acts as a
grieving widower which enrages Thangavel who beats Amavasai up in public. Thangavel
is arrested and jailed.

A crooked tantric advises Amavasai to get remarried to a young girl to ensure his
re-election. He kidnaps Kuyili and her younger sister. He forces Kuyili in agreeing
to marry him by threatening to kill her younger sister. He then takes part in a
tantric wedding ritual where his hair is tonsured, and he gets dressed in saffron
robes indicating that he has to be a sadhu before his wedding. Thangavel escapes
from prison. He finds his father's lair where he rescues the girls and stops the
tantric rituals. After fighting Amavasai and his henchmen, Thangavel holds Amavasai
at gunpoint. Amavasai begs Thangavel to spare his life. But remembering all the
atrocities committed by his father, including the deaths of his mother and
stepmother, Thangavel guns Amavasai down in a hail of bullets. In his dying
moments, Amavasai finally relents and wishes his son happiness in life.
Cast

Sathyaraj as Ammavasai (later MLA Nagaraja Cholan)/Inspector Thangavel

Manivannan as ex-MLA Manimaran
Ranjitha as Kuyili
Kasthuri as Thayamma
Sujatha as Sivakami
Malaysia Vasudevan as Kuyili's father
C. R. Saraswathi as Kuyili's mother
Baby Aarthi as Kuyili's sister
Meesai Murugesan as Sivakami's father
S. S. Chandran as Thayamma's father
Ganthimathi as Thayamma's mother
Halwa Vasu as Ammavasai's assistant
Rambo Rajkumar
R. Sundarrajan
Indraja
Vichithra
Thyagu
S. K. Muthukumar
Viswanath
Tirupur Ramasamy
Vellai Subbaiah as Astrologer
Seeman (uncredited)

Production

Sathyaraj was enjoying good success as a lead actor, when his friend Manivannan
narrated the script of Amaidhi Padai to him. He initially considered rejecting the
script as he was not interested in playing a negative role. But after being
impressed by the narration, he accepted to play the role.[3][4][5]
Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, while the lyrics were written by Vaali,
Pulamaipithan and Ponnadiyan.[6]
Track# Song Artist(s) Lyrics
1 "Sollividu Velli Nilave" Mano, Swarnalatha Vaali
2 "Enakku Unnai Ninaicha" Swarnalatha Pulamaipithan
3 "Ada Naan Aatchu" Mano Pulamaipithan
4 "Muthumani Ther Irukku" Mano, S. Janaki Vaali
5 "Vetri Varuthu" Mano, S. N. Surendar, Deepan Chakravarthy Ponnadiyan
6 "Amma Thaaye" Ilaiyaraaja
Reception

Amaidhi Padai was released on 13 January 1994, the week of Pongal.[7] Despite
facing competition from other Pongal releases like Mahanadhi, Sethupathi IPS and
Veetla Visheshanga, it emerged a major success.[8] Malini Mannath of The Indian
Express praised Sathyaraj's character and his performance.[9] K. Vijiyan of New
Straits Times wrote "A pretty much straight-forward story but it is Manivannan's
super handling and interesting dialogues that place this movie above the average".
[10]
Sequel

Manivannan directed the sequel of the film titled Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA (2013)
with Sathyaraj reprising the role of Amavasai.[11] Sathyaraj again reprised the
role in Tughlaq Durbar (2021).[12]
Remakes