Karagattakaran

Karakattakaran
Karakattakaran
Directed by	Gangai Amaran
Produced by	Karumari Kandasamy J. Durai
Written by	Gangai Amaran
Starring	Ramarajan Kanaka Goundamani Santhana Bharathi Chandrasekhar Senthil Kovai Sarala Kanthimathi Shanmuga Sundaram
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography	A. Sabapathy
Edited by	B. Lenin V. T. Vijayan
Production company	Vijaya Movies
Distributed by	Vijaya Movies
Release date	16 June 1989
Running time	138 mins
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Karakattakaran (English: The Karagattam Dancer) is a 1989 Tamil-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Gangai Amaran and produced by Karumari Kandasamy and J. Durai.The film stars Ramarajan, debutant Kanaka in lead roles while Goundamani, Senthil, Santhana Bharathi, Chandrasekhar, Ganthimathi and Kovai Sarala play supporting roles. Its story is about a male Karagattam dancer who falls in love with a female Karagattam dancer who reciprocates his feelings, but unfortunate circumstances and their egoistic nature prevents them from confessing their love for one another. How they overcome forms the rest of the story.

The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and all the songs were well-received and, in particular, the song "Maanguyilae Poonguyile" has become a classic. The film was released on 16 June 1989 and was a mega blockbuster and completed a 425-day run at the box office. It was also Goundamani´s Senthil´s 100th movie as a combo. Goundamani and Senthil´s banana comedy got well known among the people and is still known today.

Muthaiya (Ramarajan) is the lead performer of a karagattam group based out of a village. His troupe consists of Goundamani, Senthil, Kovai Sarala, Junior Balaiah etc. Muthaiya’s mother Kanthimathi was his dance guru. Similarly Kamakshi (Kanaka) is also a karagattam dancer in the nearby village and she performs regularly during temple festival of that village. Chinnarasu (Santhana Bharathi) is the village panchayat board president and he sets an eye on Kamakshi. But Kamakshi hates Chinnarasu. To avenge her, Chinnarasu invites Muthaiya’s dance troupe to perform during temple festival instead of Kamakshi’s performance.

Muthaiya performs well and is widely appreciated by the villagers. Kamakshi also likes Muthaiya’s performance. Kamakshi’s father Shanmuga Sundaram invites Muthaiya to his home. And to his shock, Shanmuga Sundaram understands that Muthaiya is his nephew but does not reveal it to him. Muthaiya and Kamakshi fall in love with each other. Chinnarasu gets to know about Muthaiya and Kamakshi’s love affair and plans to separate them.