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{{About||the 2015 film|Kaaki Sattai}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Kaakki Sattai poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Rajasekhar (director)|Rajasekhar]]
| story = Sathya Movies Story Department<br />Radha Veerannan
| producer = {{unbulleted list| G. Thyagarajan | V. Thamizhazhagan}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Kamal Haasan]]
* [[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]]
* [[Maadhavi (actress)|Maadhavi]]
* [[Sathyaraj]]
* [[Rajeev (Tamil actor)|Rajeev]]
}}

| cinematography = V. Ranga
| editing = K. R. Krishnan
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| studio = Sathya Movies
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1985|04|11}}
| runtime = 143 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Kaakki Sattai''''' ({{translation|[[Khaki]] Shirt}}) is a 1985 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[action film]] directed by [[Rajasekhar (director)|Rajasekhar]], starring [[Kamal Haasan]], [[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]], [[Maadhavi (actress)|Maadhavi]], [[Sathyaraj]], [[Rajeev (Tamil actor)|Rajeev]] and [[Thengai Srinivasan]]. The film, released on 11 April 1985, during the week of [[Puthandu]], became a major box office success.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2023 |title=ரஜினியின் படத்தை முந்திய கமல் படம்.. 38 வருடங்களுக்கு முன் புத்தாண்டில் நடந்த பரபர போட்டி! |trans-title=Kamal's film that beat Rajini's film.. A huge competition that took place on Tamil New Year's Day 38 years ago! |url=https://tamil.news18.com/photogallery/entertainment/cinema-38-years-ago-kamal-kaaki-sattai-movie-beat-rajini-naan-sigappu-manithan-movie-937165.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412183503/https://tamil.news18.com/photogallery/entertainment/cinema-38-years-ago-kamal-kaaki-sattai-movie-beat-rajini-naan-sigappu-manithan-movie-937165.html |archive-date=12 April 2023 |access-date=15 April 2023 |website=[[News18]] |language=ta}}</ref> It was loosely remade in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Guru (1989 film)|Guru]]'' (1989).<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2014 |title=Kamal's Kaakki Sattai was remade |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know-/Kamals-Kaakki-Sattai-was-remade/articleshow/37170040.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731013837/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know-/Kamals-Kaakki-Sattai-was-remade/articleshow/37170040.cms |archive-date=31 July 2017 |access-date=27 July 2016 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Murali is a young man who trains very hard to become a police officer. Uma is his neighbour and they fall in love with each other while Uma supports Murali to achieve his goal but he is rejected after the physical test due to not having influence or money.

Angered by the rejection, Murali turns into a local rowdy. He causes trouble in his district and comes to the attention of a notorious smuggler and murderer, Vicky and his partner Anand. After initial conflict between the two, Vicky recruits the rowdy Murali into his gang. Murali becomes his most trusted member. He grows intimate with a girl, Anita, who is looking for personal revenge against Anand.

But soon Vicky's activities time and again, are foiled by the police and he finds out that they have a mole in his gang. Uma spots the changed Murali with Anita and becomes furious and breaks up with him. Then Murali reveals the truth to her. He was not rejected by the police but was recruited by a senior officer to bring down Vicky and Anand's gang. He became a rowdy to get into the gang and is acting as a mole to bring the gang down. They patch things up but Vicky finds out the truth too. In the climax, Anita kills Anand. Vicky kidnaps Uma after killing Anita and when police arrive to arrest him and blackmails Murali to help him escape. After initially helping his escape, Murali rescues Uma and Vicky is killed in the blast.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
*[[Kamal Haasan]] as Muralidharan "Murali"
*[[Sathyaraj]] as Vicky
*[[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]] as Uma
*[[Maadhavi (actress)|Maadhavi]] as Anitha
*[[Rajeev (Tamil actor)|Rajeev]] as Anand
*[[Thengai Srinivasan]] as Vicky's assistant
*[[Bob Christo]]
*[[V. Gopalakrishnan (actor)|V. Gopalakrishnan]] as [[Inspector-general of police|IG]]
*[[Kallapetti Singaram]] as Murali's father
*[[Y. Vijaya]] as Singari
*[[Senthamarai (actor)|Senthamarai]] as Bhaskar
*[[Thavakalai]] as Murali's friend
*Kanchana
}}

== Production ==
{{empty section|date=August 2025}}
<ref>{{Cite web |title=பிளாஷ்பேக்: வில்லனை ஆதரித்த கமல் |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/131416 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729070909/https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/131416 |archive-date=29 July 2025 |access-date=30 August 2025 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |language=ta}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kaaki Chattai (1985) |url=http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000066 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102154213/http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000066 |archive-date=2 January 2014 |access-date=21 December 2013 |website=[[Raaga.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=kakki Sattai Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraja |url=https://mossymart.com/product/kakki-sattai-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120122455/https://mossymart.com/product/kakki-sattai-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |archive-date=20 January 2022 |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=Mossymart}}</ref> He finished composing the songs in half-a-day, well before the three-day schedule.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=Srinivasa |date=31 May 2018 |title=The Ilaiyaraaja interview: 'Why should filmmakers know about music creation?' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-film-composer-ilayaraaja-interview-on-his-75th-birthday/article24045311.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615113301/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-film-composer-ilayaraaja-interview-on-his-75th-birthday/article24045311.ece |archive-date=15 June 2018 |access-date=1 November 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=பாலசுப்ரமணியன் |first=வி. |date=2 June 2018 |title=கற்பனையால் ரசிகர்களை வியக்க வைப்பதே வெற்றி; எல்லாவற்றையும் தாண்டிய இசை ஒன்று இருக்கிறது!: இசைஞானி இளையராஜா சிறப்பு நேர்காணல் |trans-title=Success is surprising the audience with imagination; there is music that transcends everything!: Musician Ilaiyaraaja Special Interview |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/131027-.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415044854/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/131027-.html |archive-date=15 April 2023 |access-date=1 November 2021 |work=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=ta}}</ref> The guitar portions of the song "Vaanile Thenila" were performed by Ilaiyaraaja's brother-in-law Sasidharan Muniyandi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sundar |first=Anusha |date=2 February 2021 |title=Bass Guitarist Sasidharan Muniyandi Dies at 60 |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/music/news/bass-guitarist-sasidharan-muniyandi-dies-at-60/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20241111061128/https://silverscreenindia.com/music/news/bass-guitarist-sasidharan-muniyandi-dies-at-60/ |archive-date=11 November 2024 |access-date=11 November 2024 |website=Silverscreen India |language=en}}</ref> [[Charulatha Mani]] believes the song "Kanmaniye Pesu" is set in [[Shivaranjani]], a [[Carnatic raga]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=28 September 2012 |title=Sivaranjani for pathos |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/sivaranjani-for-pathos/article3945587.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201050204/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/sivaranjani-for-pathos/article3945587.ece |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=30 July 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> while Carnatic musicologist Sundararaman believes it is in Pahadi.{{Sfn |Sundararaman |2007 |p=136}} "Vaanile Thenila" is set in [[Chakravakam (raga)|Chakravakam]].{{Sfn |Sundararaman |2007 |p=165}}

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Kanmaniye Pesu
| extra1 = [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]], [[S. Janaki]]
| lyrics1 = [[Pulamaipithan]]
| length1 = 4:35
| title2 = Namma Singaari Saraku
| extra2 = S. P. Balasubramanyam
| lyrics2 = [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]]
| length2 = 4:28
| title3 = Poo Potta Dhavani
| extra3 = S. P. Balasubramanyam, S. Janaki
| lyrics3 = [[:ta:அவினாசி மணி|Avinasi Mani]]
| length3 = 4:20
| title4 = Vaanile Thenila
| extra4 = S. P. Balasubramanyam, S. Janaki
| lyrics4 = [[Na. Kamarasan]]
| length4 = 4:33
| title5 = Pattu Kannam
| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, [[P. Susheela]]
| lyrics5 = [[Muthulingam (poet)|Muthulingam]]
| length5 = 4:21
| total_length = 22:17
}}

== Critical reception ==
[[Subha (writers)|Jayamanmadhan]] of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' praised the performance of Haasan and Sathyaraj, stunt choreography and Ilaiyaraaja's music but felt Rajeev's character was unnecessary.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=5 May 1985 |title=காக்கிசட்டை |trans-title=Khaki shirt |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1985-05-05/page/n11/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230221150217/https://archive.org/details/kalki1985-05-05/page/n11/mode/2up |archive-date=21 February 2023 |access-date=15 April 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=10–11 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> Balumani of ''Anna'' praised the acting, music, stunts, dance and direction but felt dialogues criticising police force could have been avoided.<ref>{{Cite news |last=பாலுமணி |date=15 April 1985 |title=காக்கிச்சட்டை |url=https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_23_9_167/4.jp2/full/1000,1342/0/default.jpg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215104739/https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_23_9_167/4.jp2/full/1000,1342/0/default.jpg |archive-date=15 February 2025 |access-date=15 February 2025 |work=Anna |pages=4 |language=ta |via=[[Endangered Archives Programme]]}}</ref>

== Re-release ==
A digitally restored version of the film was released on 30 March 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 March 2018 |title=Digitally remastered 'Kaakki Sattai': Kamal Haasan's classic to re-release on March 30 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/digitally-remastered-kaakki-sattai-kamal-haasans-classic-to-re-release-on-march-30/articleshow/63462704.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730162347/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/digitally-remastered-kaakki-sattai-kamal-haasans-classic-to-re-release-on-march-30/articleshow/63462704.cms |archive-date=30 July 2021 |access-date=30 July 2021 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{Cite book |last=Sundararaman |title=Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music |publisher=Pichhamal Chintamani |year=2007 |edition=2nd |oclc=295034757 |orig-date=2005}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{Rajasekhar (director)}}

[[Category:1980 films]]
[[Category:1985 Indian films]]
[[Category:1980s police films]]
[[Category:1985 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1985 action films]]
[[Category:1985 films]]
[[Category:Fictional portrayals of the Tamil Nadu Police]]
[[Category:Films directed by Rajasekhar (director)]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:Indian action films]]
[[Category:Indian police films]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Tamil-language action films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Kaakki Sattai - Revision history

PQRS1 at 05:21, 3 March 2026