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Thalapathi

  • 1991
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 37m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
16K
YOUR RATING
Mammootty, Amrish Puri, Rajinikanth, and Arvind Swamy in Thalapathi (1991)
Thalapathi Official trailer
Play trailer3:15
1 Video
19 Photos
ActionCrimeDrama

An orphan named Surya raised in a slum befriends a good crime boss named Devaraj and works for him. Their existence is threatened when a new honest district collector arrives.An orphan named Surya raised in a slum befriends a good crime boss named Devaraj and works for him. Their existence is threatened when a new honest district collector arrives.An orphan named Surya raised in a slum befriends a good crime boss named Devaraj and works for him. Their existence is threatened when a new honest district collector arrives.

  • Director
    • Mani Ratnam
  • Writers
    • Mani Ratnam
    • Umesh Sharma
  • Stars
    • Rajinikanth
    • Mammootty
    • Shobana
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.5/10
    16K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mani Ratnam
    • Writers
      • Mani Ratnam
      • Umesh Sharma
    • Stars
      • Rajinikanth
      • Mammootty
      • Shobana
    • 39User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins total

    Videos1

    Thalapathi trailer
    Trailer 3:15
    Thalapathi trailer

    Photos19

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    + 14
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    Top cast16

    Edit
    Rajinikanth
    Rajinikanth
    • Surya
    Mammootty
    Mammootty
    • Devaraj
    Shobana
    Shobana
    • Subbulaxmi
    Arvind Swamy
    Arvind Swamy
    • Arjun
    • (as Arvind Swami)
    Srividya
    Srividya
    • Kalyani
    Bhanupriya
    Bhanupriya
    • Padma
    Amrish Puri
    Amrish Puri
    • Kalivardhan
    Jai Sankar
    • Arjun's Dad
    Geetha
    Geetha
    • Devaraj's Wife
    Charlie
    Charlie
      Charu Haasan
      Charu Haasan
      • Subbulaxmi's Father
      Thalapathi Dinesh
      • Henchman
      Manoj K. Jayan
      Manoj K. Jayan
      • Manoharan
      Nagesh
      Nagesh
      Nirmalamma
      Nirmalamma
      Sonu Walia
      Sonu Walia
      • Dancer (special appearance)
      • Director
        • Mani Ratnam
      • Writers
        • Mani Ratnam
        • Umesh Sharma
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews39

      8.515.5K
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      10

      Featured reviews

      8scrapforscrap

      Gem

      Modern friendship of karna & Duryodhana . Good movie, music & cinematography is excellent

      Plot : A fourteen-year-old Kalyani gives birth to a boy alone and, fearing societal backlash and incapacity, abandons him inside a moving goods train. A slum dweller finds the baby, takes him home, names him Surya and raises him. Surya grows up to be intolerant of injustice, especially to the poor, and wonders why his biological mother abandoned him. The only item from his mother is the yellow shawl in which she had placed him. Devaraj, a powerful gangster, who is kind but feared by most, fights injustice with violence. Surya attacks and kills Ramana, an auxiliary of Devaraj. Surya is arrested for murder and faces brutal torture from police, but Devaraj bails him out after perceiving Ramana's felony and realises Surya's cause was genuine. Surya and Devaraj, who share an ideology, come to understand each other. Devaraj declares Surya as his Thalapathi (commander) and best friend.
      8adarshkrockz

      Best of Rajini

      I think it's one of the best movie of Rajini Kanth. Excellent performance of Mammookka. I watched this movie on Mammookka's 69th B'day. I know it's too late. Regretted on the late watch. And the direction part - nothing to say , its from Legend. Mani Ratnam sir
      8avisheksahu99

      High Drama

      Gangs are unrepentantly personal in matters of business when cash is handled by others to keep business in the know of exigencies embedded in his thesis deeming enemy the enemy as long as the women around have an eye for details keeping mothers in abeyance as a choice of business over cash or enemies in abeyance to keep cash over business. Either way, you lose one or the other to keep at the game of war in the name of love until the mother wants him dead for enemies out of line in search of the mother avering thereby and therein that women kept the money for mothers till enemies of substance battle it out over which one to be held guilty of cash and which one to be held guilty for business when militaries take it all to keep doors and windows redundant in witnessing wars of enemies.
      10aglingam_18

      The Best Of The Best

      The opening scene in black and white, prove Maniratnam as a director who emphasize color as emotions in movie.When it combines with Ilayaraja's Chinna Thaiyaval tune will made anyone's heart melt.Superstar's entry scene is really exciting.No doubt Maniratnam can make fight sequence as real as possible.Superstar had brought up his acting talents for a new level in this movie.Although gangsterism is should be the main theme, friendship tend to overtake it.But in some ways it might be a plus point too.For Arvindsamy, he do his best for a first movie.With Mani anyone will do best for the first movie it self.Action,Drama,Real Tamil Cinema defines Talapathi. I'm not sure how many times i watch this movie.But i want to watch it again and again.Best combination of Tamil cinema:Manirathnam, Ilayaraaja and Superstar.I wonder if this team would meet up again.If does, it will be another milestone in Tamil Cinema.Although I had watched Talapathi years ago, i choose today to write here because i had a dream today; I dream of watching Talapathi show on first day of its release(which i missed).The feeling was REALLY amazing.Although this dream will never come true,I like the dream.
      10GoodFella1980

      Best of Rajnikanth

      A fight between two brothers (Rajnikanth and Arvindswamy) is a classy version on Modern Mahabbaratha, is truly unique. Maniratnam has adapted the screenplay to the modern version and it's really awesome. Mammootty as Rajnikanth's friend Deva is amazing. Music and cinematography by Illayaraja and Santosh Sivan (The terrorist) commend each other. For me it's the best gangster movie made in India. Just loved the movie from beginning till end.

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      Crime
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      Drama

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The movie is based on Mahabharata, with Rajinikanth representing Karnna, Mammootty playing Duryodhana and Arvind swamy playing Arjuna, all in contemporary world. The characters are brilliantly written to fit into modern day life, yet retaining the original traits.
      • Quotes

        Surya: Do you know what friendship is? Do you know what it means to be a friend? Do you know what it means to be Surya?

      • Connections
        Featured in Spadikam (1995)
      • Soundtracks
        Yamunai Aatrile
        Written by: Vaali

        Produced by: Ilaiyaraaja

        Performed by: Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik

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      FAQ18

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      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • November 25, 1991 (India)
      • Countries of origin
        • India
        • Philippines
      • Language
        • Tamil
      • Also known as
        • Commander
      • Filming locations
        • Mysore, Karnataka, India(Exterior)
      • Production companies
        • G.V. Films Ltd.
        • Shradha Entertainers
        • Viva Films
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Gross worldwide
        • $6,547
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        • 2h 37m(157 min)
      • Color
        • Color

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