MarlonBernhardt at 04:52, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T04:52:24Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Maanagara Kaaval
| image = Maanagara Kaaval.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = M. Thiyagarajan
| writer = M. Thiyagarajan<br />[[Liaquat Ali Khan (director)|Liaquat Ali Khan]] (dialogues)
| producer = [[M. Saravanan (producer)|M. Saravanan]]<br />M. Balasubramaniam
| starring = [[Vijayakanth]]<br />[[Suman Ranganathan|Suma]]
| cinematography = Shiva
| editing = G. Jayachandran
| music = [[Chandrabose (composer)|Chandrabose]]
| studio = [[AVM Productions]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1991|6|28|ref1={{sfn|Saravanan|2013|p=327}}}}
| runtime = 150 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Maanagara Kaaval''''' ({{Translation|City Police}}) is a 1991 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Political thriller|political]] [[action thriller film]] directed by M. Thiyagarajan. The film stars [[Vijayakanth]] and [[Suman Ranganathan|Suma]]. It is the 150th film of [[AVM Productions]]. The film was released on 28 June 1991.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 June 1991 |title=Maanagara Kaval |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19910628&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=7 January 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=5 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Ashok Metha, a senior politician, is enraged when a junior Roopavathi is made the Prime Minister of India. Though he pretends to accept his party's decision, he secretly plots to eliminate her. Meanwhile, a high-profile officer is killed in Delhi by a professional killer, Robin and Vidya witnesses the murder.

Vidya arrives in Chennai for a dance event and falls in love with Subash, an honest IPS officer who is mourning the loss of his beloved sister. He manages to impress Roopavathi by arresting Vannai Varathan, an MP from her party, for creating social unrest. She gives him a green signal, and Varathan is arrested. Varathan swears revenge. As the story progresses, Subash begins to develop feelings for Vidya.

Robin, who arrives in Chennai, tries to murder Vidya. But Subash catches him, and under the orders of his superior, IG Jayaprakash, he accompanies Robin to Delhi so as to hand him over to the Delhi police. Vidya also joins them. Robin manages to escape with the help of his gang, who pretend to be the concerned police officers, and Subash is suspended. However, Subash swears to find the culprits and stays in Vidya's house in Delhi. He is confronted by Gowtham IPS who was supposed to have taken Robin from the airport and accuses him of aiding an anarchist. Subash, on the contrary, believes Gowtham to be a mole.

After spotting and chasing Robin, Subash, much to his horror, comes across his dead sister Seetha. She reveals the circumstances that forced her to land there and also says that Gowtham is her husband. Parallel to these incidents, it is shown that Robin was hired by Metha to assassinate Roopavathi. The person whom the latter murdered in the beginning of the movie was Roopavathi, Chief Security Officer. Metha is indirectly helped by Vannai Varathan, who is out of the prison.

Subash discovers that the Inspector General of the Delhi police is the actual mole. However, before he can extract more information, the IG is killed. With the help of Gowtham, Subash manages to inform Roopavathi about Metha's treachery. Still, she is unable to take action against him due to his support and clean image in the party. Robin and his associates kidnaps and imprisons Gowtham, Subash and Seetha. After a prolonged struggle, Subash frees himself and kills Robin and Metha while an attempt was made on the life of Roopavathi.

== Cast ==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Vijayakanth]] as [[Assistant commissioner of police|ACP]] Subhash [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
* [[Suman Ranganathan]] as Vidhya
* [[M. N. Nambiar]] as [[inspector-general of police|IG]] Jayaprakash
* [[Lakshmi (actress)|Lakshmi]] as [[Prime Minister of India|PM]] Roopavathi
* [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]] as Gowtham [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
* [[Vaishnavi (Malayali actress)|Vaishnavi]] as Seetha
* [[Anandaraj]] as Robin
* [[P. J. Sarma]] as Ashok Metha
* [[Dubbing Janaki]] as Subhash & Seetha Mother
* [[Senthil]] as Alagappan
* [[Thyagu (actor)|Thiyagu]] as [[member of parliament|MP]] Vannai Varathan
* [[Chinni Jayanth]] as Seenu
* [[LIC Narasimhan]] as Sivasankar
* Ganga as Suresh
* Baby Vichitra as Seetha's daughter
* [[Ponnambalam (actor)|Ponnambalam]] as Fighter
* [[Thalapathy Dinesh]] as Fighter
* Murali Kumar as [[Police Inspector]]
}}

== Production ==
''Maanagara Kaaval'' was partially filmed at [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Palam airport]], New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Subramanian |first=Anupama |date=17 October 2017 |title=Hari shoots at Palam airport |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/171017/hari-shoots-at-palam-airport.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026091802/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/171017/hari-shoots-at-palam-airport.html |archive-date=26 October 2022 |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=[[Deccan Chronicle]]}}</ref> It was the 150th film produced by AVM.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=21 July 1991 |title=ஏ.வி.எம்: 1–150 |trans-title=AVM: 1–150 |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1991-07-21/kalki1991-07-21.pdf |access-date=13 May 2024 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=8–12 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The film became Thyagarajan's final film as director before his death in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 December 2021 |title=M Thyagarajan, the director of Vijaykant's 1991 blockbuster Maanagara Kaaval, found dead opposite AVM Studio |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2021/dec/08/m-thyagarajan-the-director-of-vijaykants-1991-blockbuster-maanagara-kaaval-found-dead-opposite-av-28295.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531090124/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2021/dec/08/m-thyagarajan-the-director-of-vijaykants-1991-blockbuster-maanagara-kaaval-found-dead-opposite-av-28295.html |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=4 January 2023 |website=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Chandrabose (composer)|Chandrabose]], with lyrics by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Managara Kaval (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/managara-kaval-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/885812556 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022042109/https://music.apple.com/us/album/managara-kaval-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/885812556 |archive-date=22 October 2022 |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maanagara Kaaval Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by Chandrabose |url=https://mossymart.com/product/maanagara-kaaval-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-chandrabose-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022044349/https://mossymart.com/product/maanagara-kaaval-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-chandrabose-2/ |archive-date=22 October 2022 |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=Mossymart}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singers !! Length
|-
| "Kaalai Neram" ||[[K. J. Yesudas]] || 04:21
|-
| "Thodi Raagam Paadava" ||[[K. J. Yesudas]], [[K. S. Chithra]]|| 04:57
|-
| "Thiruvarur Thanga Thear" ||[[S. P. Sailaja]]|| 03:59
|-
| "Vandikkaran Sontha Ooru" || [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]], [[S. P. Sailaja]] || 05:03
|-
| "Thalai Vari Poochudum" ||[[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]] || 04:36
|}

== Reception ==
N. Krishnaswamy of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote, "Even a film that sheet anchors itself on thrilling action, [..] in credibility by neat characterisation [..] but ''Maanagara Kaaval'' doesnt waste time on these".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=5 July 1991 |title=Maanagar Kaaval |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19910705&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=8 January 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=7 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> C. R. K. of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the film primarily for the cast performances.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=சி. ஆர். கே. |date=4 August 1991 |title=மாநகர காவல் |url=https://ibb.co/gJcyVqD |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025175521/https://ibb.co/gJcyVqD |archive-date=25 October 2022 |access-date=8 December 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=51 |language=ta}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Saravanan |first=M. |title=AVM 60 Cinema |publisher=Rajarajan Pathippagam |year=2013 |edition=3rd |language=ta |oclc=1158347612 |author-link=M. Saravanan (producer) |orig-date=2005}}

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

{{AVM Productions}}

[[Category:1991 Indian films]]
[[Category:1990s political action films]]
[[Category:1990s political thriller films]]
[[Category:1991 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1991 action thriller films]]
[[Category:1991 films]]
[[Category:AVM Productions films]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of prime ministers of India]]
[[Category:Films scored by Chandrabose (composer)]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian political action films]]
[[Category:Indian political thriller films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Maanagara Kaaval - Revision history

MarlonBernhardt at 04:52, 3 March 2026