Desiya Geetham


Desiya Geetham is a 1998 Indian Tamil-language political drama film written and directed by Cheran. The film, co-produced by R. Chandru, Abuthahir, Sathish Kumar and G. V. Suresh Kumar, stars Murali and Rambha. It revolves around a group of people kidnapping a chief minister and bringing him to their village to make him understand the hardships of village life. The film was released on 19 October 1998, during Diwali. At the 46th [Filmfare Awards South], Cheran won the Filmfare [Award for Best Director – Tamil|award for Best Director – Tamil].

Plot

The film is about a chief minister and his family being kidnapped by a group of people and taken to a remote village making them undergo the hardships of village life to learn about it.

Cast

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Reviewing the album, Sajahan Waheed of New Straits Times gave it 4 stars out of 5.
SongSingersLyrics
"Ladies Special"SujathaPalani Bharathi
"En Kanavinai"HariharanVaasan
"Desiya Geetham"K. J. YesudasArivumathi
"Naan Vaakkapattu"SujathaPalani Bharathi
"Mannana Poranthavuga"Pushpavanam KuppusamyVaasan
"Appan Veettu"Pushpavanam KuppusamyVaasan
"Nanba Nanba"IlaiyaraajaVaasan
"Anal Gandhi"IlaiyaraajaVaasan

Critical reception

A critic from Dinakaran noted "Cheran has won in highlighting minutely and emotively the village maladies and it's disastrous shortcomings". Kala Krishnan-Ramesh from Deccan Herald noted "This film has a message, which is meant for all of us, “Before the last Indian goes mad, let’s do something". D. S. Ramanujam of The Hindu wrote, "A thought-provoking movie on the plight of the villagers denied basic necessities like water, roads, hospitals and consumable rice at the FP shops, has been brought out with a lot of thrust by director Cheran".

Controversy

The film elicited controversy from politicians because of its plot involving a chief minister's kidnapping. M. Karunanidhi, then the Tamil Nadu">Tamil language">Tamil Nadu, was reportedly displeased by the same. Cheran, who claimed his intentions were not to hurt anyone, invited Karunanidhi to watch the film and decide, but he refused. However, politician G. K. Moopanar lauded the film for Cheran's work, and actor Rajinikanth, who supported the alliance of Karunanidhi's party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Moopanar's Tamil Maanila Congress in the 1996 [Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly], said Cheran brought out whatever messages he would have liked to deliver.