Murali in a still from ‘Idhayam’
| Photo Credit: Sathya Jyothi Films/YouTube
An intriguing title teaser recently dropped on digital platforms. The new film had a name that harked back to a superhit which lit up Madras screens and the rest of Tamil Nadu in the early 1990s. Surely, Idhayam Murali must ring a bell. Back in 1991, Idhayam, starring Murali, was a blockbuster.
Cut to the present, the late actor’s son, Atharvaa, will play the lead in Idhayam Murali, a romantic drama that is an obvious hat-tip to the mellow love stories Murali headlined in the 1990s, especially Idhayam. It was a tale of one-sided love concluding with an open-ended climax that hinted at the possibility of Cupid eventually prevailing.
Runaway hits
Helmed by Kathir in his directorial debut, Idhayam was produced byTG Thyagarajan and G Saravanan under their Sathya Jyothi Films banner. The film had a lovely background score and chartbusters, thanks to Ilaiyaraaja. While medical student Raja (played by Murali) struggled to express his love for collegemate Geetha (Heera, in her debut role), the pathos of seemingly unrequited love and the naughty streaks on a sprawling campus were musically highlighted by Ilaiyaraaja.
The songs were runaway hits, especially ‘Pottu Vaitha’ and ‘April Mayilae’ even if the latter by today’s standards might be deemed as eve-teasing couched in a dance number that Prabhu Dheva helmed. Both college students and the family audience thronged the movie halls and Rajinikanth praised the songs in a function.
For readers of a certain vintage, these songs may remind them of college excursions to Ooty and Kodaikanal with Idhayam numbers being the preferred soundtrack while minivans hustled up the ghats. Murali had acted in many films ranging from Mani Ratnam’s Pagal Nilavu to Vikraman’s Pudhu Vasantham, but the eternal reference point to him often stops with Idhayam. Such was the film’s resonance among the fans.
It is no surprise that the old hit’s title and Murali’s legacy are being perpetuated through his son. Atharvaa’s 2013 film Paradesi was an outstanding film about the travails of plantation workers, and he has been a steady presence in Tamil films.
Roots in Karnataka
For those interested in trivia, Murali, like Rajinikanth, Arjun, Mohan, and Prakash Raj, has his roots in Karnataka. Hailing from a film family, he grew up in Madras, and had a brief stint in Bangalore and in Kannada films, before shifting back to the coastal metro and striking gold in Tamil celluloid.
Murali passed away in 2010 and his departure at 46 shocked Kollywood. Atharvaa has in his own way tried to extend his father’s legacy and perhaps Idhayam Murali will strike a chord with those who distinctly remember a 1990s hit in which a medical student found his heart ablaze in love but never found the words to reveal the emotion.
Published – February 23, 2025 11:09 pm IST
