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Naalai Manithan
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Wikipedia article
'Naalai Manithan' is a 1989 Tamil-language science fiction horror film written and directed by Velu Prabhakaran. The film was produced by Thakkali Srinivasan under the banner Perfect Productions. PremiSrini composed the music for the film. It stars Ajay Rathnam playing the titular role with Prabhu, Amala and Jaishankar playing the protagonist roles. The film was inspired from the American film 'Silent Rage' directed by Michael Miller. The film was remade in Kannada as 'Manava 2022'.
Plot
In 2008 in Chennai, a doctor invents a drug which gives back life to the dead if injected within two hours of death. He works along with two other doctors. They experiment on the dead body of an orphan and succeed. Unknown to them, the drug induces side effects which makes the recipient immortal and, at the same time, feral and murderous. The orphan goes on a killing spree, and the city is soon flooded with murders. But he does not hurt the doctors as he trusts them, and returns to them every time he is wounded by bullets fired by the police.
A police officer starts investigating the crimes and is soon on the trail of the orphan and the doctors after suspecting their research work. When the doctor' assistants suggest to their superior that they kill the orphan to end to the rampage, the orphan overhears it and later tracks down the assistants and kills them all. Later he kills the doctor as well.
The police officer and his girlfriend finally track down the orphan, and after some intense bloodshed and fight, they roll him off a cliff in their car. Even after getting burnt, he comes back alive and attacks them. Finally, the police officer throws him into a deep watery pit, seemingly killing him, and leaves the place along with his girlfriend. However, the orphan comes out from the pit, having survived.
Cast
* Prabhu as the police officer
* Amala as Prabhu's girlfriend
* Ajay Rathnam as immortal john
* Jaishankar as the doctor
* Thakkali Srinivasan as the doctor's assistant
* Jayashree as Thakkali Srinivasan's wife
*Janagaraj as Sergeant Sekar
*Disco Shanti as Dancer
*J Livingston as TV Presenter guest appearance
*Senthamarai (Guest appearance) as Amala's Father
* Mohan as Host (Guest appearance)
* Jai Ganesh as Ramesh, another assistant of Jaishankar
Production
'Naalai Manithan' marked the directorial debut of Velu Prabhakaran, who also wrote the screenplay and served as cinematographer. Thakkali Srinivasan produced the film and also acted. Ajay Rathnam made his acting debut with this film.
Reception
N. Krishnaswamy of 'The Indian Express' wrote on 20 January 1989, "The murderous hunt is what the film is about and such sequences are put together with crisp finesse. 2008 notwithstanding, 'Naalai Manithan' is closer to what Cain did to Abel."
Soundtrack
Music was by PremiSrini. The background music and re-recording was by Manachanallur Giridharan.
Sequel
The sequel 'Adhisaya Manithan' was released in 1990, and was also directed by Prabhakaran.
References
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