ErnestBuntine9 at 04:49, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T04:49:19Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Maha Prabhu.jpg
| caption = DVD cover
| director = [[A. Venkatesh (director)|A. Venkatesh]]
| writer = A. Venkatesh<br />[[Pattukkottai Prabakar]] <small>(dialogues)</small>
| producer = Janaki Devi
| starring = {{ubl|[[R. Sarathkumar]]|[[Sukanya (actress)|Sukanya]]|[[Vineetha]]}}
| cinematography = D. Vijayagopal
| editing = [[B. Lenin]]<br />[[V. T. Vijayan]]
| music = [[Deva (composer)|Deva]]
| studio = Sri Sai Theja Films
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1996|01|26}}
| runtime = 144 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Maha Prabhu''''' is a 1996 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[masala film]] directed by [[A. Venkatesh (director)|A. Venkatesh]], making his directorial debut. The film stars [[R. Sarathkumar]], [[Sukanya (actress)|Sukanya]] and [[Vineetha]]. It was released on 26 January 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=maha prabhu ( 1996 ) |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/newfilmdb.cgi?name=maha%20prabhu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061029131127/http://cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/newfilmdb.cgi?name=maha%20prabhu |archive-date=29 October 2006 |access-date=20 January 2013 |website=Cinesouth}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Shanmugavel, a corrupt and influential politician, is operating with impunity, and even the police can't touch him for his crimes. His son Bhaskar is spreading terror among college students and professors, doing dirty work like killings for his father's illegal trades. Bhaskar attempts to kill honest minister Deivamurugan by implanting a bomb, but it ends up killing another politician instead. Bhaskar's men then direct the minister to hoist a flag, and despite the tight security provided by honest police officer Eswarapandiyan, they manage to kill the minister.

Meanwhile, Dhamodaran "Dhamu" is selling black cinema tickets alongside his friends Sethu and Vicky. Dhamu is known for being an angry man who frequently fights with the government for basic amenities in his slum. Jothi, Dhamu's neighbour, is in love with him, but he doesn't reciprocate her feelings. Mahalakshmi "Maha", an orphan, moves into the house opposite Dhamu's and joins as a lecturer in the college where Bhaskar is causing trouble. Bhaskar verbally humiliates Maha on her first day, while Dhamu develops feelings for her. When Dhamu comes to drop Maha off at college, Bhaskar and Dhamu clash, and Bhaskar sends his goons to attack Dhamu. However, Dhamu subdues them all. Dhamu's mother, Vellaiyamma, asks him to leave violence, and he promises to do so.

Dhamu then attempts to propose to Maha, and she expresses her desire for a husband like him. Inspired, Dhamu leaves his black ticket-selling business and mends his ways, impressing Maha. He starts working at a two-wheeler mechanic shop. As Dhamu and Maha's love grows, Jothi sacrifices her love for Dhamu and decides to marry another man. Eswarapandiyan confronts Shanmugavel, determined to arrest him for the brutal rape and murder of a girl. In retaliation, Shanmugavel brutally kills Eswarapandiyan's wife, Uma, in front of him. Shanmugavel spares Eswarapandiyan's life but cuts off one of his legs, intending to intimidate other police officers. Meanwhile, Bhaskar loses the college's chairman election and mistakenly assumes that Maha motivated students not to vote for him. Seeking revenge, Bhaskar announces that he'll publicly molest Maha. Fearing Bhaskar's wrath, Maha takes a few days' leave from college. Unable to share her fears with Dhamu, who has promised his mother to avoid violence, Maha considers leaving town.

However, Dhamu stops her and decides to fight Bhaskar, supported by his mother, Vellaiyamma. When Bhaskar and his henchmen arrive to molest Maha, the corrupt police officer removes Dhamu from the scene. Vellaiyamma tries to protect Maha but is beaten and pushed into a sewer. In a desperate bid to protect her modesty, Maha sets herself on fire. Dhamu escapes from police custody and rushes to the scene, only to discover the dead bodies of Maha and Vellaiyamma. Consumed by rage, Dhamu brutally beats and kills Bhaskar by suffocating him in the sewer and burning his half-dead body. Dhamu is later arrested by the police and subjected to torture in custody. Shanmugavel taunts Dhamu, challenging him to kill him. However, Eswarapandiyan saves Dhamu from police custody, and they team up with others who have suffered at Shanmugavel's hands. Together, they start detonating and ruining Shanmugavel's illegal properties. Shanmugavel seeks protection from the DGP, but Eswarapandiyan kidnaps the DGP at gunpoint and confronts Shanmugavel at his industry.

A violent shootout ensues between Dhamu and Shanmugavel's henchmen, and Dhamu manages to overpower them and hold Shanmugavel captive. Dhamu questions the police about whether a corrupt and influential person like Shanmugavel would be punished by the law, but the police remain silent. In the end, Dhamu kills Shanmugavel in public, avenging the deaths of his mother and lover, Maha. Simultaneously, Eswarapandiyan shoots Shanmugavel, avenging the death of his wife, Uma, and the mutilation of his leg.

== Cast ==
{{cast listing|
*[[R. Sarathkumar]] as Dhamodaran "Dhamu"
*[[Sukanya (actress)|Sukanya]] as Mahalakshmi "Maha"
*[[Vineetha]] as Jothi
*[[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Vellaiyamma, Dhamu's mother
*[[Sarath Babu]] as Eswarapandiyan
*[[Goundamani]] as Sethu
*[[Senthil]] as Vicky
*[[Rajan P. Dev]] as Shanmugavel
*[[Vaishnavi (Malayali actress)|Vaishnavi]] as Uma, Eswarapandiyan's wife
*[[Shiju]] as Bhaskar (credited as Vishal)
*Kannan as a [[Chief minister (India)|Chief minister]]
*[[Samikannu]] as Shanmugavel's servant
*[[Ennatha Kannaiya]] as a politician
*[[Ajay Rathnam]] as a corrupt inspector
*[[K. K. Soundar]] as Jothi's father
*[[Kumarimuthu]] as Gnana Kannan
*[[Kovai Senthil]] as a salesman
*[[Nellai Siva]] as a local politician
*[[Mahendran (actor)|Master Mahendran]] as a young boy in the slum
*[[Vikram Krishna]] in a cameo appearance as a visitor in the theatre (uncredited)
*[[Alphonsa (actress)|Alphonsa]] as Saroja, a dancer in the song "Kadalai Enna" (uncredited)
}}

== Production ==
Despite the film ''[[I Love India]]'' (1993) failing at the box-office, star Sarathkumar decided to collaborate again with the same producer for another film which eventually became ''Maha Prabhu''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=சிவா |date=21 September 2023 |title=ஃபிளாப்புக்காக மறுபடி ஒரு படம்!. ஆனா சரத்குமார் செஞ்ச வேலையில சின்னாபின்னமான விஷால் அப்பா!.. |trans-title=A film again for a flop!. But Vishal's father is ruined by Sarathkumar's work.. |url=https://cinereporters.com/sarathkumar-made-vishal-father-wait-for-long-time/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250521105757/https://cinereporters.com/what-happened-to-dhanush-idly-kadai-movie-why-opposes-in-tamil-cinema/ |archive-date=21 May 2025 |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=Cinereporters.com |language=ta}}</ref> The film marked the directorial debut of A. Venkatesh and it was reported to be based on a real life event which happened when he worked as a reporter for ''[[Maalai Malar]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=8 May 1994 |title=இந்தியா விற்பனைக்கா? |trans-title=Is India for sale? |url=https://archive.org/download/kalki1994-05-08/kalki1994-05-08.pdf |access-date=19 May 2023 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=32–34 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Deva (composer)|Deva]], with lyrics written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 1995 |title=Mahaprabhu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/mahaprabhu-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1577992028 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519044504/https://music.apple.com/in/album/mahaprabhu-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1577992028 |archive-date=19 May 2023 |access-date=19 May 2023 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahaprabhu – Veeramani Tamil Audio CD |url=https://banumass.com/shop/mahaprabhu-veeramani-tamil-audio-cd-tamil-pyramid-audio-cd/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602091823/https://banumass.com/shop/mahaprabhu-veeramani-tamil-audio-cd-tamil-pyramid-audio-cd/ |archive-date=2 June 2023 |access-date=2 June 2023 |website=Banumass}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Song !! Singer(s) !! Duration
|-
| "Baava Vaa" || [[S. Janaki]], [[Shahul Hameed]] || 4:39
|-
| "Jackie Chan" || [[K. S. Chithra]], [[Mano (singer)|Mano]] || 6:02
|-
| "Kadalai Enna" || [[Gangai Amaran]], S. Janaki || 4:43
|-
| "Myna, Myna" || S. Janaki, [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]], [[G. V. Prakash Kumar]] || 4:55
|-
| "Missy Missy Dol" || Mano, [[Swarnalatha]] || 4:20
|-
| "Sollavaa" || S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sunandha || 4:03
|}

== Critical reception ==
D. S. Ramanujam of ''[[The Hindu]]'' wrote, "The action sequences are tightly edited (Lenin and V. T. Vijayan) and framed (camera: T. Vijayagopal) right from the start and the screenplay of the director, backed by his dialogue, make it worth the time".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=D. S. |date=16 February 1996 |title=Cinema: Meendum Savithri/Mahaprabhu/Amman Koil Vasalilae/Yuddham |url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/960217/03/1627a.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221105200/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/960217/03/1627a.html |archive-date=21 December 1996 |access-date=12 July 2023 |work=[[The Hindu]] |pages=27}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
Senthil's dialogue "No Comments Simbly Waste" entered Tamil vernacular, often used by people when tired of responding to questions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=U |first=Saradha |date=15 February 2022 |title=Enna Koduma Saravanan Idhu: Tamil film dialogues that are part of everyday lingo |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/enna-koduma-saravanan-idhu-tamil-film-dialogues-are-part-everyday-lingo-160997 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314083913/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/enna-koduma-saravanan-idhu-tamil-film-dialogues-are-part-everyday-lingo-160997 |archive-date=14 March 2022 |access-date=8 March 2022 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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

{{A. Venkatesh (director)}}

[[Category:1990s masala films]]
[[Category:1996 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1996 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1996 films]]
[[Category:1996 Indian films]]
[[Category:Films directed by A. Venkatesh]]
[[Category:Films scored by Deva (composer)]]
[[Category:Indian films about revenge]]
[[Category:Indian films based on actual events]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

{{Improve categories|date=May 2025}}

Maha Prabhu - Revision history

ErnestBuntine9 at 04:49, 3 March 2026