CaseyBroderick at 09:47, 2 May 2026

2026-05-02T09:47:59Z

New page

{{short description|1998 film by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Kaathala Kaathala poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]]
| screenplay = [[Kamal Haasan]]
| story = [[Crazy Mohan]]
| producer = [[P. L. Thenappan]]
| starring = {{plainlist|
* Kamal Haasan
* [[Prabhu Deva]]
* [[Soundarya]]
* [[Rambha (actress)|Rambha]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Tirru]]
| editing = N. P. Satish
| music = [[Karthik Raja]]
| studio = Saraswathi Films
| distributor = [[Raaj Kamal Films International]]
| released = {{Film date|1998|04|10|df=y}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Kaathala Kaathala''''' ({{translation|Oh love! Oh love!}}) is a 1998 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[romantic comedy]] film directed by [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]] and produced by [[P. L. Thenappan]]. The film stars [[Kamal Haasan]], [[Prabhu Deva]], [[Soundarya]] and [[Rambha (actress)|Rambha]]. It revolves around two men falling in love with two women, but end up creating a web of lies trying to impress their lovers' fathers.

''Kaathala Kaathala'' was initially expected to be directed by [[K. S. Ravikumar]], but he was replaced by Rao after he refused to sign the film until the [[Film Employees Federation of South India#June 1997|Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) strike of 1997]] had stopped. The film was released on 10 April 1998 and became a commercial success. It was later loosely remade in [[Hindi]] as ''[[Housefull (2010 film)|Housefull]]'' (2010).

== Plot ==
Ramalingam and Sundaralingam are orphans who care for orphaned children. While Sundaralingam paints shop banners and calendars, Ramalingam usually earns money by fraudulent means. Once, he even worked for a fake [[Godman (India)|godman]] Ananda Vikadanantha and regretted it. Sundari, an arts student, falls in love with Ramalingam. Her friend, Janaki, falls in love with Sundaralingam. Janaki's father, Paramasivam, objects to Janaki's wedding since Sundaralingam is poor, prompting Janaki and Sundaralingam to marry with the help of their friends.

Days go by, but Paramasivam still does not agree. This causes Sundari to ask Janaki to lie to Paramasivam and say that she has given birth to a son. Paramasivam, upon receiving the letter, changes his mind and gets ready to set off to Chennai. Sundari lies to her Chicago-based father, Balamurugan, that Ramalingam is a rich man. Janaki, to easily convince her parents, also fabricates a story that Sundaralingam has become rich. The girls rent a bungalow for three days; the owner, Noorjahan, mistakes Janaki and Ramalingam as a couple.

Balamurugan, who is supposed to come on that day, misses his flight. Janaki's parents wish to surprise her, and they end up coming on that day. Ramalingam mistakes Janaki's father for Sundari's father, and a comedy of errors ensues. Unable to tell the truth due to Noorjahan's presence, Janaki and Ramalingam let the mistaken identity stay as such. To keep the tale running, Janaki and Ramalingam introduce Sundari as the maidservant and Sundaralingam as the cook. Sundari borrows a child from a beggar woman, who stays in the house as the woman who supplies milk.

The four of them strive hard to hide the truth from Janaki's parents. While these happenings unfold, Varadhachaari, Paramasivam's friend, who knows the truth, comes over. The couples try to salvage the web of lies they have built by getting Varadhachaari and Paramasivam to agree. Unfortunately, they then meet with Janaki's maternal uncle, Singaram, a [[doubting Thomas]] who begins to suspect the veracity of the stories. All the same, he fails to convince his sister and brother-in-law of the possible untruths they have been led to believe.

Now that Balamurugan is also about to meet them, Paramasivam himself steps in to help them build a story involving Balamurugan's daughter, whom he views as a maidservant in the house. He concocts a complicated tale where Ramalingam is his son, Janaki and Sundaralingam reprise their real relationship, and worse, V. Anand (formerly Ananda Vikadanantha) is his cousin. The real reason Anand is at their place is to hide from the police, as he is wanted for his fraudulent ways. Soon enough, the elders begin to smell something fishy. To end the mess, Sundari reveals the complete truth to everyone. Singaram reveals to all that Anand is a crook and Ramalingam is now forced to prove his innocence.

A chase ensues when Anand is held hostage by his ex-partner, Junior Vikadanantha, for money that he looted. Inspector Chokkalingam arrives in time to find Ananda Vikadanantha and Junior, and Ramalingam is proven innocent. Paramasivam accepts Janaki and Sundaralingam, and Balamurugan is happy about Ramalingam and Sundari.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Kamal Haasan]] as Ramalingam<ref name="thefederal" />
* [[Prabhu Deva]] as Sundaralingam<ref name="thefederal" />
* [[Soundarya]] as Stella Sundari<ref name="thefederal" />
* [[Rambha (actress)|Rambha]] as Janaki<ref name="thefederal" />
* [[Vadivelu]] as Singaaram<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnakumar |first=Ranjani |date=11 June 2019 |title=Remembering Mohan, a man to whom being crazy came easy |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thread/arts-culture-society/remembering-mohan-a-man-to-whom-being-crazy-came-easy/article27801765.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611155003/https://www.thehindu.com/thread/arts-culture-society/remembering-mohan-a-man-to-whom-being-crazy-came-easy/article27801765.ece |archive-date=11 June 2019 |access-date=16 February 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
* [[Delhi Ganesh]] as the landlord<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 March 2020 |title=மக்கள் மனங்களை வென்ற குணச்சித்திரங்கள் : டெல்லி கணேஷ் |url=https://www.dailythanthi.com/Cinema/CinemaNews/2020/03/05163344/Characteristics-that-win-peoples-mindsDelhi-Ganesh.vpf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001217234800/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Reviews/articles/Kaathala_Kaathala_211544.html |archive-date=17 December 2000 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=[[Dina Thanthi]] |language=ta}}</ref>
* [[T. S. B. K. Moulee|Moulee]] as Balamurugan<ref name="dinamalarnellai" />
* [[Cho Ramaswamy|Cho]] as Varadhachaari
* [[Nagesh]] as Chokkalingam<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ramanujam |first1=Srinivasa |last2=S |first2=Srivatsan |last3=Kumar |first3=Pradeep |last4=Sunder |first4=Gautam |date=21 March 2020 |title=The best Tamil 'comfort films' to watch, while self-isolating |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-best-tamil-comfort-films-to-watch-while-self-isolating/article31129307.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404015350/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-best-tamil-comfort-films-to-watch-while-self-isolating/article31129307.ece |archive-date=4 April 2020 |access-date=20 April 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
* [[Srividya]] as Parvathy<ref name="dinamalarnellai" />
* [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Noorjahan<ref name="dinamalarnellai" />
* [[Kovai Sarala]] as Junior Vikadanantha's wife<ref name="dinamalarnellai" />
* [[Cochin Haneefa|V. M. C. Haneefa]] as Ananda Vikadanantha (V. Anand)<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2021 |title=Cochin Haneefa's 70th birth anniversary: Five memorable roles of the famous South Indian actor |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/cochin-haneefas-70th-birth-anniversary-five-memorable-roles-of-the-famous-south-indian-actor/photostory/82162657.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422082055/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/cochin-haneefas-70th-birth-anniversary-five-memorable-roles-of-the-famous-south-indian-actor/photostory/82162657.cms |archive-date=22 April 2021 |access-date=5 August 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
* [[M. S. Viswanathan]] as Paramasivam<ref name="dinamalarnellai" />
* [[Crazy Mohan]] as Junior Vikadanantha<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 May 2019 |title=கமல் - கலையும் கலைசார்ந்த இடமும்! - 05 - காதலா காதலா ஒரு பார்வை! |url=https://tamil.trendingonlinenow.in/a-view-on-kaathala-kaathala-movie/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821043551/https://tamil.trendingonlinenow.in/a-view-on-kaathala-kaathala-movie/ |archive-date=21 August 2025 |access-date=20 February 2021 |website=Trending Online Now |language=ta}}</ref>
* [[Neelu]]
* [[Ajay Rathnam]] as Williamson<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 April 2018 |title=''வாழ்த்துகள் கிரேஸி, கமல். யூ போத் ஆர் வெரி கிரேஸி!'' - #20YearsOfKaathalaKaathala |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/122318-special-story-for-20-years-of-kaathala-kaathala |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216101053/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/122318-special-story-for-20-years-of-kaathala-kaathala |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=[[Ananda Vikatan]] |language=ta}}</ref>
* [[Omakuchi Narasimhan]] as the astrologer
* [[Madhan Bob]] as the registrar
* [[Mahendran (actor)|Master Mahendran]] as an orphan child
* [[C. K. Saraswathi]] as Bhangaru Dhamodhar Naidu
}}

== Production ==
''Kaathala Kaathala'' was initially expected to be directed by [[K. S. Ravikumar]] who directed the successful ''[[Avvai Shanmugi]]'' with Kamal Haasan in the lead earlier, but he was later replaced by [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]] after he refused to sign the film until the [[Film Employees Federation of South India#June 1997|Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) strike of 1997]] had stopped.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krishna |first=Sandya |title=The Strike of 1997 |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/97/Oct/strike.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034545/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/97/Oct/strike.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=17 July 2016 |website=Indolink}}</ref> Actresses [[Meena (actress)|Meena]] and [[Simran (actress)|Simran]]'s unavailability led to [[Rambha (actress)|Rambha]] being cast in a lead role.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandya |date=18 October 1997 |title=December Vambugall |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/97/Dec/vambhu.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234146/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/97/Dec/vambhu.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=17 July 2016 |website=Indolink}}</ref> [[Nagma]] also opted against signing the film fearing that a potential clash may arise with actress Rambha, after the pair's alleged fall out on the sets of ''[[Janakiraman]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandya |title=Tamil Movie News |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/98/Mar/news3.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430054302/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/News/98/Mar/news3.htm |archive-date=30 April 2016 |access-date=17 July 2016 |website=Indolink}}</ref> After [[Soundarya]]'s death in 2004, Haasan paid tribute to her when he said, "she came forward to do the movie, when the rest of the industry was unwilling to work with me."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kannan |first=Ramya |date=18 April 2004 |title=An intelligent top star |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/04/18/stories/2004041803331000.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110112918/http://www.hindu.com/2004/04/18/stories/2004041803331000.htm |archive-date=10 November 2012}}</ref> [[Cho Ramaswamy]], wanting to express solidarity with Haasan's stand during the strike, asked him for a role in the film and got it. It eventually became his final film as actor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 May 2014 |title=Cho Ramaswamy requested Kamal Haasan |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/cho-ramaswamy-requested-kamal-haasan/articleshow/35558500.cms |url-status=live |access-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903202538/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/cho-ramaswamy-requested-kamal-haasan/articleshow/35558500.cms |archive-date=3 September 2023}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==

The soundtrack was composed by [[Karthik Raja]] and lyrics were written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2017 |title=Kaathala Kaathala |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/kaathala-kaathala/cxX9hA76dMw_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417105612/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/kaathala-kaathala/cxX9hA76dMw_ |archive-date=17 April 2019 |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=[[JioSaavn]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kadhala Kadhala |url=https://avdigital.in/products/kadhala-kadhala |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528124018/https://avdigital.in/products/kadhala-kadhala |archive-date=28 May 2023 |access-date=28 May 2023 |website=AVDigital}}</ref>

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Saravana Bhava
| extra1 = [[Kamal Haasan]], [[Karthik Raja]], Sripriya, [[Sujatha Mohan|Sujatha]]
| length1 =
| title2 = Madonna Paadala
| extra2 = Kamal Haasan, [[Kavita Paudwal]]
| length2 =
| title3 = Thakida Thathom Annachi
| extra3 = [[Ilaiyaraaja]], Jack
| length3 =
| title4 = Kaasumela
| extra4 = Kamal Haasan, [[Udit Narayan]]
| length4 =
| title5 = Madonna Paadala
| extra5 = [[Hariharan (singer)|Hariharan]], [[Bhavatharini]]
| note5 = II
| length5 =
| title6 = Laila Laila
| extra6 = Hariharan, Bhavatharini, Sripriya, Prasanna
| length6 =
}}

== Release and reception ==
''Kaathala Kaathala'' was released on 10 April 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=K. M. |date=27 July 1998 |title=Bollywood battles cable piracy as menace causes huge losses, producers fight back |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19980727-bollywood-battles-cable-piracy-as-menace-causes-huge-losses-producers-fight-back-826783-1998-07-26 |url-status=live |access-date=22 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903202538/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19980727-bollywood-battles-cable-piracy-as-menace-causes-huge-losses-producers-fight-back-826783-1998-07-26 |archive-date=3 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=கமல்ஹாசன் படங்களின் பட்டியல் |trans-title=List of Kamal Haasan films |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/kamal-films.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623061057/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/kamal-films.asp |archive-date=23 June 2022 |access-date=28 May 2023 |website=[[Lakshman Sruthi]] |language=Tamil}}</ref> D. S. Ramanujam for ''[[The Hindu]]'' wrote, "Veteran director Singeetham Srinivasarao (his penchant for comedy is well-known), actor and screenplay writer Kamal Hassan and story and dialogue writer ``Crazy{{''}} Mohan have a large say in sparking fun, Mohan being at his `craziest' best. The pun-laden lines come in such a wave that before one can enjoy one {{as written|humo|urous [sic]}} line, the other just smashes in".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=D. S. |date=17 April 1998 |title=Film Reviews: Kaathala Kaathala / Ninaithaen Vanthaai |pages=26 |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/980417/09/09170223.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000311163419/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/980417/09/09170223.htm |archive-date=11 March 2000}}</ref> R. Mahadevan of ''[[Dinakaran]]'' noted "writers like [Crazy] Mohan make this celluloid affair of filmy entertainment stand on a more fanciful ground of pure comedy --- with ease and veritable success".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahadevan |first=R. |title="Kaathalaa Kaathalaa" |url=http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/reviews/kadala.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040518134129/http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/reviews/kadala.htm |archive-date=18 May 2004 |access-date=17 September 2022 |website=[[Dinakaran]]}}</ref> Ji of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'', however, reviewed the film more negatively, criticising it for lacking the humour of Haasan and Mohan's previous ventures.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஜி |date=26 April 1998 |title=காதலா காதலா |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1998-04-26/page/n82/mode/2up |access-date=8 February 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=81 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The film was dubbed in Telugu as ''Navvandi Lavvandi'' in late 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gopalrao |first=Siddalur |date=1 January 1999 |title=నవ్వండి! లవ్వండి! చూసి బాగా నవ్వండి |url=http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1999/Jan/1-jan-1999.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913112242/http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1999/Jan/1-jan-1999.pdf |archive-date=13 September 2016 |access-date=20 August 2022 |work=[[Zamin Ryot]] |pages=9–11 |language=te}}</ref>

In 2010, the producer of the film [[P. L. Thenappan]] threatened legal action against the makers of the Hindi film ''[[Housefull (2010 film)|Housefull]]'' for remaking scenes from the film without permission. Thenappan revealed he had dubbed the film into Hindi in the late 1990s as ''Mirchi Masala'', but the version did not release.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=11 May 2010 |title=Housefull, a remake of Kaathala Kaathala? |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Housefull-a-remake-of-Kaathala-Kaathala/articleshow/5913183.cms |url-status=live |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033747/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Housefull-a-remake-of-Kaathala-Kaathala/articleshow/5913183.cms |archive-date=19 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 July 2010 |title=Madras High Court stays Housefull |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/madras-high-court-stays-housefull-news-tamil-kkfqe4jbgec.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818115456/http://www.sify.com/movies/madras-high-court-stays-housefull-news-tamil-kkfqe4jbgec.html |archive-date=18 August 2016 |access-date=17 July 2016 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
The line "Jaanaki enakku wife aagittathaala, Sundari velakkaari aayittaappaa" (Ever since Janaki became my wife, Sundari became a housemaid) became popular, and has since entered Tamil vernacular as a term used by people to "tease friends caught impersonating".<ref name="thefederal" /> The song "Kaasumela" became popular for Prabhu Deva's dance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Pradeep |date=3 April 2020 |title=Prabhudheva's best dance sequences: From 'Chikku Bukku' to 'Guleba' |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prabhudhevas-best-dance-sequences-from-chikku-bukku-to-guleba/article31246248.ece |url-status=live |access-date=20 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409191759/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/prabhudhevas-best-dance-sequences-from-chikku-bukku-to-guleba/article31246248.ece |archive-date=9 April 2020}}</ref> The title of the song inspired a 2018 film ''[[Kasu Mela Kasu]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Darshan |first=Navein |date=7 July 2018 |title='Kasu Mela Kasu' movie review: A wannabe comedy filled with objectionable ideas |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/jul/07/kasu-mela-kasu-movie-review-a-wannabe-comedy-filled-with-objectionable-ideas-1839358.html |url-status=live |access-date=11 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029201316/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/jul/07/kasu-mela-kasu-movie-review-a-wannabe-comedy-filled-with-objectionable-ideas-1839358.html |archive-date=29 October 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="thefederal">{{Cite web |last=Vinoth Kumar |first=N |date=7 November 2019 |title=Celebrating 60 years of movie magic that's Kamal Haasan |url=https://thefederal.com/the-eighth-column/celebrating-60-years-of-movie-magic-thats-kamal-haasan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216101515/https://thefederal.com/the-eighth-column/celebrating-60-years-of-movie-magic-thats-kamal-haasan/ |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=[[The Federal]] |language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="dinamalarnellai">{{Cite web |last=கணேஷ் |first=எஸ். |date=28 June 2017 |title=சாதனை புரிந்த தமிழ் படங்கள் – 301 |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/30182 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216101518/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/30182 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |place=Nellai |language=ta}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

{{Singeetam Srinivasa Rao}}
{{Kamal Haasan}}
{{RaajKamalFilmsInternational}}

[[Category:1998 Indian films]]
[[Category:1998 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1998 films]]
[[Category:1998 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]]
[[Category:Films produced by P. L. Thenappan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Karthik Raja]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Crazy Mohan]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Kamal Haasan]]
[[Category:Indian romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language romantic comedy films]]

{{Improve categories|date=February 2024}}

Kaathala Kaathala - Revision history

CaseyBroderick at 09:47, 2 May 2026