Rojavanam (transl.Beautiful Rose or Rose Forest) is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by Selva and produced by Kavithalayaa Productions. The film stars Karthik, Laila and Malavika. It was released on 30 July 1999.

Rojavanam
DVD cover
Directed bySelva
Written byMurthy Ramesh
Nagulan Ponnusamy (dialogues)
Screenplay bySelva
Story bySelva
Produced byRajam Balachandar
StarringKarthik
Malavika
Laila
CinematographyR. Raghunatha Reddy
Edited bySuresh Urs
Music byBharadwaj
Production
company
Release date
  • 30 July 1999 (1999-07-30)
Running time
150 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Plot edit

Muthu is the favourite employee at Rojavanam, an old age home jointly by two friends in Ooty. Sindhu is a psychology student staying near to the home who falls in love with Muthu. But Muthu develops a liking towards Roja, the daughter of his boss, and later learns that the boss and his friend had decided long ago that their children would be married, and this has resulted in the friend's son Siva growing up enamoured of Roja. Roja also has a liking towards Muthu and her father accepts Muthu as his son-in-law, but his friend, angered at this, decides to bulldoze Rojavanam to the ground. Muthu steps in to solve the problem and convinces Roja to marry Siva as per their parents wishes, so that Rojavanam will be saved. Muthu makes Roja understand Siva's love for her and gets them both married. Siva and Roja's parents feel happy and Rojavanam is saved. In the end, Sindhu is married to Muthu.

Cast edit

Production edit

The team of the successful tamil film Pooveli (1998) came together to make Rojavanam and chose Karthik to play the lead role again. Initially the team approached Isha Koppikar to play the lead female role, but her unavailability led to the team casting newcomer Laila.[1] Four songs were shot abroad in France and Geneva, Switzerland.[2]

Jai Akash, a Tamilian of Sri Lankan origin settled in London, sent his modelling photographs to the "Star Search" service run by Suhasini's entertainment portal website TamilTalkies.com during the late 1990s. K. Balachander, when casting a new actor to portray a small role in the film, used the "Star Search" platform and selected Akash to be in the film.[3]

Soundtrack edit

The soundtrack was composed by Bharadwaj collaborating with the Pooveli team for the second time. Lyrics were written by Vairamuthu and Palani Bharathi.[4][5]

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Adi Aathadi"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam4:49
2."Enna Idhu Enna Idhu"Anuradha Sriram5:42
3."Maname Maname"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam5:46
4."Maname Maname"Srinivas5:47
5."Pollacchi Santhaiyile"Yugendran5:12
6."Unnai Partha Kangal"Hariharan5:27
Total length:32:43

Release and reception edit

Rojavanam was released on 30 July 1999.[6] K. P. S. of Kalki wrote that director Selva got an amazing concept about old age home but since love was given too many importance, it felt like thorns hanging from the strung flowers.[7] Thamarai Manalan of Dinakaran wrote, "Director Selva has chosen a heart-touching subject but the extreme type of the romantic extravaganza of the old-age inmates of the house has lessened the importance and the basic merit of the central concept of the picture".[8] Sify wrote, "As the soft spoken man who humours everybody and defuses situations Karthik has done a good job and is aided well by Laila as the pretty girl in love. Malavika has very little to do. An offbeat music by Bharadwaj and cinematography by Raghunath Reddy add to the film's value".[9] Dinesh won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Stunt Coordinator.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ Gobichetipal, Chandra (March 1999). "Dream-team again". Minnoviyam. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  2. ^ Rajitha (26 July 1999). "Going great guns". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  3. ^ "A SUCCESS STORY !". TamilTalkies.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2001. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Rojavanam". JioSaavn. 13 November 1999. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Rojavanam Audio Cassette By Bharadwaj". Banumass. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  6. ^ "ரோஜாவனம் / Rojavanam (1999)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  7. ^ கே. பி. எஸ். (22 August 1999). "ரோஜாவனம்". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 13. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ Manalan, Thamarai (29 August 1999). "Review: "Rojavanam"". Dinakaran. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Rojavanam". Sify. Archived from the original on 29 December 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Tamil Nadu State Film Awards announced: Padaippa best film". Mass Media in India. Publications Division. 2002. pp. 151–152. ISBN 8123010095.

External links edit