Japanil Kalyanaraman

Japanil Kalyanaraman is a 1985 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by S. P. Muthuraman, starring Kamal Haasan and Radha. A follow-up to Kalyanaraman, it is the first sequel film in Tamil cinema. The film was released on 11 November 1985 and performed poorly at the box office.

Plot

Raman is a journalist who exposes a smuggling and black money racket, which involves the high-profile and his son Narendran, and is about to go public. The magazine is bought by Narendran overnight.
When Raman reveals that he is about to start his own magazine, he is beaten up by Narendran's men. After surviving miraculously, Raman, his son Arun, and the spirit of the now-dead Kalyanaraman, travel to Japan to buy printing equipment and to show Arun around.
In the comedy side plot, Mayilsamy and Muppaathaa win a lucky draw to visit Japan, guided by Munusamy.
Raman meets Radha, who is a waitress in a restaurant, and they gradually fall in love, with the efforts of Kalyanaraman and Arun. Meanwhile, Narendran also travels to Japan to get rid of Raman before he arrives back in India.
The movie ends with Raman helping to arrest Narendran and getting back together with Radha and Arun.

Cast

Kamal Haasan as Raman and Kalyanam
Radha as Radha
Sathyaraj as Narendran
V. K. Ramasamy as Samikannu
Major Sundarrajan as Narendran's Father
Goundamani as Mayilsamy
Kovai Sarala as Muppatha
Chitra Lakshmanan as Guide Munusamy
Master Tinku as Arun
ISR as Textile showroom salesman
Nazeem

Production

Japanil Kalyanaraman is a sequel to the 1979 film Kalyanaraman, making that the first Tamil film to have a sequel. The film was predominantly shot in Japan, including Expo 85 exhibition for 15 days and at Hong Kong for seven days. The buck tooth for Master Tinku was tooth designed by Janakiraman, a dentist.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Reception

Japanil Kalyanaraman was released on 11 November 1985. Kalki wrote the team had forgotten to pick up the screenplay while travelling to Japan. The film failed commercially because, according to the director, it "lacked the freshness" of its predecessor.