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Guna

  • 1991
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 47m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Kamal Haasan in Guna (1991)
DramaRomance

A neurodivergent individual escapes the family he despises and the asylum he is kept in by creating fantasies.A neurodivergent individual escapes the family he despises and the asylum he is kept in by creating fantasies.A neurodivergent individual escapes the family he despises and the asylum he is kept in by creating fantasies.

  • Director
    • Santhana Bharathi
  • Writers
    • Balakumaran
    • John Edathattil
  • Stars
    • Kamal Haasan
    • Roshini
    • Rekha
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Santhana Bharathi
    • Writers
      • Balakumaran
      • John Edathattil
    • Stars
      • Kamal Haasan
      • Roshini
      • Rekha
    • 18User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins total

    Photos58

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    Top cast13

    Edit
    Kamal Haasan
    Kamal Haasan
    • Guna
    Roshini
    • Abhirami…
    Rekha
    Rekha
    • Rosy
    • (as Rekha)
    Varalakshmi S.
    Varalakshmi S.
    • Mannonmani
    R.S. Shivaji
    R.S. Shivaji
    • The barber
    Janakaraj
    Janakaraj
      Girish Karnad
      Girish Karnad
      • Dr. Ganesh
      Kaka Radhakrishnan
      Ajay Ratnam
      • Inspector Moovendhar
      Pradeep Shakti
      • Ismail
      Anannthu
        S.P. Balasubrahmanyam
        S.P. Balasubrahmanyam
        • CBI Officer Ramaiah
        Sharat Saxena
        Sharat Saxena
        • Suresh Kumar
        • Director
          • Santhana Bharathi
        • Writers
          • Balakumaran
          • John Edathattil
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

        User reviews18

        8.23.4K
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        Featured reviews

        10kadavul-1

        Simple flawless movie!

        A flawless movie made in Tamil. Guna has nice twists and turns. Good pace. Strange events. The best Tamil movie recommended for non-Tamils too! Songs are great. Kanmani song was very creative, yet possible in real life. Unnai Naan Ariven was excellent in blending of diverse spots. Notice the little make up Rekha does just before entering a room for a customer – very real – attention to details! At the beginning of Paartha Vizhi – observe the sway in the queue. Songs are not just cut and paste bits. They all blended very nicely with the story flow. Guna is one of Ilayaraja's master pieces! Do we need to say anything more about the music? Just listen to all songs again and again and again….

        Kamalahasan and everybody else acted wonderfully. Kamalahasan contributed much in this movie making along with director Santhana Barathi. Both deserve high appreciation. When the plot moves from the congested place somewhere in Hyderabad to hillside somewhere else, you could really feel the change of climate. When I watched this movie in a theater I almost felt like suddenly breathing fresh chill air then (may be the theater guys lowered the temperature or turned on the fans?). The handling by the police force during the climax is very real. You could expect similar things in real police adventures too.

        Some may say that this movie cannot claim originality of the plot. As a matter of fact I did exactly have that same thought, what Guna had, when I was growing up – waiting for my dream girl. Many would have. It is simple common dream many boys and girls have, nothing new for a movie. But how the story portrayed makes all the difference.

        This was not a hit movie, may not be appealing to everybody. However, if you watch it, with little extra attention to details and a feeling for people who are not very regular, you will really enjoy this movie.

        Remember everybody is mad in this world. Mad about something or other. Among ourselves we brand only few as "mad". What kind of mad people we are!
        8Jithindurden

        Psychological masala done right

        From the one shot with which the movie begins, the one thing that kinda haunted me throughout the movie was how this really needs a restoration instead of this old capture for the VHS that doesn't do any justice to the technical mastery of this movie. The cinematography is outstanding with the use of so many long oners and other clever usage of shots which accentuates the themes as well as Kamal Haasan's brilliant performance.

        The film also seems to be highly influential in Indian cinema as I can see the influence in films of various languages. Although, there are aspects I'm not too fond of it too.

        Way too many people seemed to have interpretations that are closer to the trend of films this started where psychotic love was glorified. Here, they have tried to show how even the girl is broken inside, a bit like Alia in Highway but not that explicit. Gunaa's love is pure but that isn't pure love as many like to interpret it. The divine metaphors or Gunaa's delusions are there because of how the world treats people but at the same time, the film is also clear about not giving those delusions legitimacy. The existence of these thoughts itself is clearly shown as deliberate poisoning of his simpler mind. The film has some confusion here to confirm his victimhood or divinity because it wants to be both. But even with that, it was a pretty incredible film that tried to do a lot of things within its framework.
        10rums_fun

        Great Movie

        This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Of course, it takes a lot to understand the character of Guna in the movie. But it sure was a truly realistic character and Kamal Hassan is at his best in the title role. It is perhaps one of the best movies that describe what pure-love means to a guy who grows up totally devoid of it. The movie delves deep into the psyche of the viewers and the cast is really excellent. Ilayaraja's score and BGM add to the excellence of this movie. Not recommended for those who prefer the usual masala-junk seen in most of Indian movies. No wonder, it wasn't a hit among the tested-formula-preferring-mass of tamil audience. But I for sure have seen this movie over 10 times and this movie has stayed in my mind as one of THE GREATEST movies. Make sure you watch it coz, we don't get movies like these any more !!!
        10v_jana1

        The best movie of Tamil Cinema

        As the summary says, I think this is the best movie from Tamil Cinema. The intricacies displayed in this movie are unparalleled and something never seen in Tamil cinema!! That it comes as no surprise that this movie failed in the BO where junk-commercial movies are only expected to do well(Except in some urban centres where it was raved about, amongst the youth and Kamal Haasan's admirers). The film had since then acquired a cult status among the Tamil movie audience!

        The greatest thing about the movie is , as much as for its intricacies which goes uncomprehending for normal viewers, it is equally a simple movie! If you have seen the movie "One flew over the cuckoo's nest", then you will be able to grasp "Guna" better. The screenplay is one of the best to have been written for Tamil Cinema. The out of the world music rendering by Ilaiyaaraja and Kamal Haasan's brilliant poignant acting makes this movie a memorabilia! If this movie doesn't deserve 10/10 then NO Tamil movie does! A must see movie for ANYONE ! Even if you haven't ever seen a Tamil movie then make this the only one. You would get the glimpse of the best of Tamil cinema with THE best technicians of there Kamal Haasan, Ilayaraja, at their finest!
        10sagarvinod

        Awesome movie

        I saw this movie when I was 8, i was totally disappointed and don't know what was happening in the movie, totally hated. But, when when i was 20 i watched it again and said to myself, This is the best love story movie i have ever watched. More than Titanic. The music and bgm is the soul for this movie. Awesome bgm by Ilaiyaraaja.

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        Related interests

        Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
        Drama
        Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
        Romance

        Storyline

        Edit

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          The cave where Guna hides Roshini aka Abirami is situated in between three naturally arranged imposing boulders. Due to this fact, from outside, when fog passes the cave, rises and comes out of the chimney-like opening, it appears as though a devil is cooking. For this mere reason, it was originally called as the Devil's Kitchen. Since the movie's release this almost untrespassed location, gathered popularity and has been rechristened to Guna Cave. It is currently a tourist attraction in Kodaikanal, Tamilnadu.
        • Connections
          Referenced in Manmadhan (2004)
        • Soundtracks
          Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan
          Vaali

          Kamal Haasan, S. Janaki

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        FAQ16

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        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • November 5, 1991 (India)
        • Country of origin
          • India
        • Language
          • Tamil
        • Also known as
          • Gunaa
        • Production company
          • Swathi Chithra International
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Tech specs

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        • Runtime
          • 2h 47m(167 min)
        • Color
          • Color

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