- Manmadan Ambu
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Manmadan Ambu 
Theatrical posterDirected by K. S. Ravikumar Produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin Screenplay by Kamal Haasan
Crazy Mohan (dialogues)Starring Kamal Haasan
R. Madhavan
Trisha Krishnan
Ramesh Aravind
SangeethaMusic by Devi Sri Prasad Cinematography Manush Nandan Editing by Shan Mohammed Studio Red Giant Movies Distributed by Red Giant Movies (worldwide)
Sree Gokulam Films (Kerala)[1]
Gemini Film Circuit (Andhra Pradesh)Release date(s) 23 December 2010 Running time 152 minutes Country India Language Tamil Budget 
50 crore (US$10.14 million)[2]Manmadan Ambu (Tamil: மன்மதன் அம்பு) is a 2010 Tamil romantic comedy film directed by K. S. Ravikumar.[3] Written by Kamal Haasan, it stars himself alongside R. Madhavan and Trisha Krishnan in the lead roles,[4] while featuring Ramesh Arvind, Sangeetha, Manju Pillai and Urvashi among others in supporting roles. The film features music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, with several songs written and sung by Kamal Haasan himself, while Manush Nandan and Shan Mohammed made their debut as cinematographer and editor.
After significant pre-production which included rehearsals of the entire script before filming, the film was extensively shot across Europe and on a cruise ship, whilst scenes were also canned across Chennai and Kodaikanal.[5] It was produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, Manmadan Ambu released worldwide on 23 December 2010. It was dubbed into Telugu as Manmadha Banam and distributed by Gemini Film Circuit. Upon release, the film opened to mixed responses and had an average run at the box office.
Contents
Plot
Madanagopal (Madhavan), a wealthy entrepreneur, suspects that his girlfriend, actress Ambujakshi alias Ambu/Nisha (Trisha) may be having a relationship with her colleagues in the film industry. To end that, he hires detective Major Raja Mannar (Kamal Haasan) to follow her when she goes on a cruise for a vacation in Barcelona. Mannar accepts, as he needs money to pay the hospital bills of his friend Rajan (Ramesh Arvind), who is afflicted with pailuse, and his wife Mallika (Urvashi). Contrary to Madanagopal's suspicions, Ambujakshi is loyal and virtuous; when Mannar reports this, Madan refuses to pay him as his suspicions were unfounded.
Disappointed, Mannar to save his dying friend Rajan fabricates a story and tells Madan that she is having a secret affair during her trip. In the process, he introduces himself as a tourist to Ambu, her friend Deepa (Sangeetha) and Deepa's children, and becomes close to the group. while getting closer to Ambu, Mannar says to Madhan that Ambu is good but the other guy is bad, but Madhan does not want to hear that and eventually breaks up with Ambu. While recollecting his past as an Army officer, he reveals that he lost his wife three years ago in a car accident. Ambujakshi realizes to her horror that the accident was caused by herself during an argument with Madan which was shown in an initial part of the movie. Both of them decide to confront each other with the truth, but Ambu misunderstands Kurup (Kunchan) as Madhan's detective and slaps him and tells that she loves Mannar. Meanwhile Rajan should undergo an operation immediately after the chemotherapy to keep him alive. To make things worse Madan announces that he will visit them in person at Venice. Ultimately, Mannar and Deepa stage a plan with the help of Kurup to deceive Madhan for the final break-up with Ambu.
Madhan arrives at the place and some mix-ups and misunderstandings take place among the characters. Madhan realises that Ambu has fallen in love with Mannar and accepts it with a heavy heart. Towards the end, Madan falls in love with Deepa.
Cast
- Kamal Haasan as Major. R. Mannar
- Trisha Krishnan as Ambujakshi
- Madhavan as Madanagopal
- Sangeetha as Deepa
- Ramesh Arvind as Rajan
- Urvasi as Mallika
- Kunchan as Kunju Kurup
- Manju Pillai as Manju Kurup
- Biriyaalayam Thurai as Thurai
- Usha Uthup as Indira (Madhavan's Mother)
- Oviya as Sunanda
- Caroline as Juliet
- Aasish Mahesh as Viswanath Srinivasan
- Sriman as Madanagopal's friend
- Suriya in a guest appearance as himself
- K. S. Ravikumar in a guest appearance as himself
- Devi Sri Prasad in a cameo appearance
Production
After Unnaipol Oruvan, Kamal Haasan opted against reviving his home production Marmayogi, and signed on for a film produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin. While the film went through months of pre-production, Trisha Krishnan, in December 2009,[6] and then R. Madhavan, in February 2010, were added to the project,[7] with K. S. Ravikumar being chosen as the director. Though early indications suggested the film would be titled Yaavarum Kaelir[8] or Karunyam,[9] the launch ceremony of the film, held on June 3, 2010, confirmed the title as Manmadan Ambu.[10] During the launch, Kamal Haasan said that prior to the shoot rehearsals were performed.[10]
Shoots were subsequently held aboard on a cruise liner from Dubai, and the film was shot across various regions of Europe including Paris and Marseille in France, Barcelona in Spain and Rome and Venice in Italy. Parts of the film were also shot in Kodaikanal in South India; remaining portions were completed in Chennai.
Release and Reception
This film released worldwide on 23 December 2010. This film grossed
4.62 Crore in Chennai alone over a period of 4 weeks. In the UK it grossed $77,360 and in Malaysia $653,942.[11]Reviews were mixed. Behindwoods.com gave 2.5 out of 5 and stated "Overall, Manmadhan Ambu is an entertainer but in parts" while Sify.com wrote "Manmadhan Ambu does impress but it lacks the punch to captivate the audiences". Rediff gave 3 out of 5 claiming that "Manmadhan Ambu defies characterization as either a romantic film or a comedy, largely because the two don't mix."
Soundtrack
Manmadan Ambu 
Soundtrack album by Devi Sri Prasad Released November 20, 2010 Recorded Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios Label Venus Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Behindwoods 
[12]Rediff [13]The film's music was scored by Devi Sri Prasad, after initially Shruti Hassan and later Thaman were reported to be the music composer. All lyrics by Kamal Haasan except where noted. The controversial song Kamal Kavidhai, had come under criticism due to lines about a woman's desire and for references to Hindu deities like Aranganathar and Sri Varalakshmi. Thus, producer Udhayanidhi Stalin opted to remove it from the film.
No. Title Lyrics Singer(s) Length 1. "Dhagudu Dhattham" Kamal Hassan 4:57 2. "Who's The Hero" Andrea Jeremiah 4:26 3. "Neela Vaanam" Kamal Hassan, Priya Himesh 4:27 4. "Oyyale" Viveka Mukesh, Suchitra 3:55 5. "Kamal Kavidhai" Kamal Hassan, Trisha Krishnan 5:12 6. "Manmadan Ambu" Devi Sri Prasad 4:21 7. "Theme Music" Instrumental 1:49 Critical Response
The album received average reviews from music critics. C. Karthik from Behindwoods rated the album 3/5 and quoted "Overall, DSP can be very proud of this album as he has deviated from his normal offerings. A westernised folk song, jazz, melodies, a poem and a kuthu...an album could not ask for more variety and DSP has delivered. Though the music gets a little heavy at times, he has Kamal, with his voice and lyrics, to save him. The new experiments shows his maturity and his intention for being innovative. With the movie's release soon, the songs must be playing non-stop on air."[12] Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff also gave the album 3/5 saying that "DSP has a reputation for sticking with his regulation format of tunes and here too, you can see it pop up at certain places but there's also a departure from the usual, mostly an influence of Haasan in both lyrics and music. Whatever the reason, the end result is an album that provides you a treat. Go for it."[13] Indiaglitz said "Overall, this film must have been a different experience for DSP who all along dwelled in fast rhythmic world. The whole album has an up market western jazz feel except for that one song. For a story that happens in Europe, DSP has done it right, we guess."[14]
Controversy
Though the Censor Board of India cleared the song Kamal Kavidhai penned by Kamal himself, it courted controversy after extreme right wing groups protested against the lyrics of song as obscene. However the song made in to the movie but a short version with modified lyrics played in the background with the end credits.[15] There have been several discussions online as to how the picturization of Neela Vaanam (sung by Kamal Haasan himself) has been slightly inspired from official video of Coldplay's The Scientist. The whole song has been depicted in such a way so as to highlight the events that led to the death of Mannar's (Kamal's character) French wife, Juliet, in reverse.[16]
References
- ^ "Gokulam Gopalan buys Manmadhan Ambu". Sify. 4 December 2010.
- ^ http://hindu.com/2010/12/19/stories/2010121951030200.htm
- ^ Ayngaran International. Ayngaran.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ Kamal Haasan's Yavarum Kaelir. Sify.com (2010-01-26). Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ Manmadhan Ambu audio launch on Vijay TV!
- ^ Trisha teams up with Kamal in next movie | Deccan Chronicle | 2009-12-24. Deccan Chronicle (2009-12-24). Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ Madhavan in ‘Yavarum Kelir’ - Tamil Movie News. IndiaGlitz. Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ Kamal’s next is ‘Yavarum Kelir’ - Tamil Movie News. IndiaGlitz. Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ Kamal’s next is not ‘Yavarum Kelir’ - Tamil Movie News. IndiaGlitz. Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ a b Kamal’s Manmadhan Ambu launched. Sify.com (2010-06-03). Retrieved on 2010-11-03.
- ^ http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&country=UK&wk=2011W1&id=_fMANMADHANAMBU01
- ^ a b http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-music-reviews/review-1/manmadhan-ambu-music-review.html
- ^ a b http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-manmadhan-ambu/20101126.htm
- ^ http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/musicreview/11967.html
- ^ Kamal Haasan on Manmadhan Ambu controversy
- ^ Look where Kamal Haasan copycatted Neela Vaanam song
Films directed by K. S. Ravikumar 1990-1999 Puriyaadha Pudhir (1990) • Perum Puli (1991) • Seran Pandian (1991) • Putham Pudhu Payanam (1991) • Aagraham (1992) • Pondatti Rajyam (1992) • Oor Mariyadhai (1992) • Purusha Lakshanam (1993) • Band Master (1993) • Suriyan Chandran (1993) • Nattamai (1994) • Sakthivel (1994) • Muthukulikka Vaariyala (1995) • Muthu (1995) • Periya Kudumbam (1995) • Avvai Shanmugi (1996) • Parampaarai (1996) • Pistha (1997) • Dharmachakkaram (1997) • Natpukkaga (1997) • Kondattam (1998) • Sneham Kosam (1999) • Suyamvaram (1999) • Padayappa (1999) • Paattali (1999)2000-2009 Minsara Kanna (2000) • Thenali (2000) • Bava Nachadu (2001) • Samudhiram (2001) • Panchathantiram (2002) • Villain (2002) • Paarai (2002) • Aethiree (2004) • Saravana (2006) • Varalaru (2006) • Dasavathaaram (2008) • Aadhavan (2009)2010-
presentJaggubhai (2010) • Manmadan Ambu (2010) • Rana (2012)
Categories:- 2010 films
- Indian films
- Tamil-language films
- 2010s comedy films
- Indian comedy films
- 2010s romantic comedy films
- Tamil-language films dubbed into Telugu
- Films shot in Barcelona
- Films shot in Paris
- Films set in Spain
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