Athiradi Padai


Athiradi Padai in Tamil / Samaram in Telugu is a 1994 Indian bilingual action film directed by R. K. Selvamani. The film stars Rahman, Suman, and Roja whilst Lakshmi, Vijayakumar and Silk Smitha play supporting roles. It was released on 10 February 1994.

Plot

The film is loosely based on an acid attack on Chandralekha IAS.
IAS officer Chitralekha refuses to clear public land at low price to Adhiseshan. Adiseshan gave 30 crores to CM Ramachandra Moorthy Adiseshan tries to halt investigation by throwing acid on Chitralekha's face, sending goons to attack her daughter Bharathi, giving sedated chocolate to Chitra's younger daughter and humiliating her in public. When the IAS officer refuses to back down, Adiseshan kills her by hanging and makes it look like suicide.
Bharathi receives a courier containing evidences of Adiseshan and politicians scam. She plans to expose this to the public through press meet. But another politician who promised to help her betrays and her younger sister is raped and killed by Adiseshan. She kills Mansoor Ali Khan in rage and sentenced to prison. She also finds her father is in prison on false case.
In prison, she suffers unnecessary torture at hands of police and finally she joins rahman's gang and uncovers the truth. Finally she kills Adiseshan.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
;Tamil
SongSingersLyricsLength
"Ada Jaangurey"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiMuthulingam05:43
"Ennachu"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiVaali05:09
"Jing Jikka"Mano, K. S. ChithraVaali02:47
"Kattalagu Pappa"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiMuthulingam05:05
"Senthaazhum"K. S. ChithraKamakodiyan01:12
"Vennilavin"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. ChithraKamakodiyan05:02
"Yammaadi"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiVaali01:26

;Telugu
SongSingersLyricsLength
"Are Changura Changure"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. ChithraBhuvana Chandra05:43
"Vennelalo Mallelalo"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. ChithraBhuvana Chandra05:09
"Ammadee Ammadee"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiBhuvana Chandra02:47
"Bangaru Podharinta"Ilaiyaraaja, K. S. ChithraBhuvana Chandra05:05
"Konare Konare"K. S. ChithraBhuvana Chandra01:12
"Ekkadadhi Guvva"S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. ChithraBhuvana Chandra05:02

Reception

Malini Mannath of The Indian Express wrote that Selvamani's "Athiradippadai has more of imagination gone astray and less of reality" and "unlike the smooth transition from scene to scene in his earlier films, here the narration is jerky". R. P. R. of Kalki found cinematography as the only appreciable aspect of the film calling angles and lighting of Hollywood type and found no other positive aspects from the film.