An intriguing title-teaser not too long ago dropped on digital platforms. The new movie had a title that harked again to a superhit which lit up Madras screens and the relaxation of Tamil Nadu in the early Nineties. Surely, Idhayam Murali should ring a bell. Back in 1991, Idhayam, starring Murali, was a blockbuster.
Cut to the current, the late actor’s son, Atharvaa, will play the lead in Idhayam Murali, a romantic drama that is an apparent hat-tip to the mellow love tales Murali headlined in the Nineties, particularly Idhayam. It was a story of one-sided love concluding with an open-ended climax that hinted at the chance of Cupid ultimately prevailing.
Runaway hits
Directed by Kathir, Idhayam had a beautiful background rating and chartbusters, thanks to Ilaiyaraaja. While medical pupil Raja, performed by Murali, struggled to specific his love for collegemate Heera, who starred as Geetha, the pathos of seemingly unrequited love and the naughty streaks on a sprawling campus have been musically highlighted by Ilaiyaraaja.
The songs have been runaway hits, particularly Pottu vaitha oru vatta nila and April Mayilae, even when the latter by at this time’s requirements is likely to be deemed as eve-teasing couched in a dance quantity that Prabhudeva helmed. Both school college students and the household viewers thronged the film halls and Rajinikanth praised the songs in a operate.
For readers of a sure classic, these songs could remind them of school excursions to Ooty and Kodaikanal with Idhayam numbers being the most well-liked soundtrack whereas minivans hustled up the ghats. Murali had acted in lots of movies starting from Mani Ratnam’s Pagal Nilavu to Vikraman’s Pudhu Vasantham, however the everlasting reference level to him usually stops with Idhayam. Such was the movie’s resonance amongst the followers.
It is not any shock that the previous hit’s title and Murali’s legacy is being perpetuated by way of his son. Atharvaa’s 2013 movie Paradesi was an excellent movie about the travails of plantation staff, and he has been a regular presence in Tamil movies.
Roots in Karnataka
For these fascinated with trivia, Murali, like Rajini, Arjun, Mohan, and Prakash Raj, has his roots in Karnataka. Hailing from a movie household, he grew up in Madras, had a temporary stint in Bangalore and in Kannada movies, earlier than shifting again to the coastal metro and hanging gold in Tamil celluloid.
Murali handed away in 2010 and his departure at 46 shocked Kollywood. Atharvaa has in his personal manner tried to prolong his father’s legacy and maybe Idhayam Murali will strike a chord with those that distinctly bear in mind a Nineties hit during which a medical pupil discovered his heart ablaze in love however by no means discovered the phrases to reveal the emotion.
Published – February 23, 2025 11:09 pm IST
