Moondru Mudichu

Directed by K. Balachander
Produced by R.Venkataraman
Written by K. Balachander, Kannadasan(Lyrics)
Starring Rajnikanth
Kamal Hassan
Sridevi
Calcutta viswanathan
Rajamani
anupama
Baby Indira
Kalavathi
Y.Vijaya[1]
Music by MS Viswanathan
Cinematography B.S.Loknath
Editing by N.R.kittu
Release date(s) 22 October 1976
Language Tamil


Moondru Mudichu (The Three Knots) is a Tamil film that was directed by K. Balachander. The movie stars Kamal Hassan, Rajnikanth and Sridevi. It is hailed as the movie that made Rajnikanth a big "villain" star. The movie revolves around 3 people - a college going girl(Sridevi) and 2 men who fall in love with her (Kamal Hassan and Rajnikanth). Sridevi was 13 at the time when she performed her character which was 10 years older than her. Rajinikanth played as an anti-hero who appeared as a womaniser whilst Kamal Hassan did a small role for his mentor K. Balachander.
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Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan are room-mates in a city. Kamal Hassan falls in love with Sridevi who lives in the same apartment complex. Rajnikanth, who has his eyes on Sridevi, pretends to back Kamal Hassan's love while secretly hoping to create a divide between them. Sridevi realizes Rajni's evil intentions when she finds out that he has seduced an innocent girl living in the same apartment complex. However, she is unable to convince Kamal Hassan, who hero-worships Rajni.

Things come to a head when Kamal and Sridevi go for a picnic by the lake and Kamal decides to invite Rajni along. As the three of them head to the middle of the lake on a boat, Kamal topples over by mistake. Rajni refuses to jump in and save Kamal, on the pretext that he does not know swimming. A devastated Sridevi returns home to another shock - her sister (Y. Vijaya), who plays small time roles in the movies, has suffered from a fire accident which has left her face permanently charred. Overnight, Sridevi's life undergoes a drastic change.

After that Rajnikanth becomes kind towards Sridevi and she comes to his house and lives as a maid. Rajnikanth lives with his father (Calcutta Viswanathan) and his small siblings. His father wants Sridevi to marry Rajni. In an attempt to salvage her life, Sridevi decides to marry Rajni's father in the absence of Rajnikanth. Sridevi goes ahead with the marriage despite this. After her marriage, she decides to use her 'mother' status to exact revenge on Rajnikanth and gives him a shock while he returns.
[edit] Trivia

Rajnikanth and Sridevi's acting crossed expectations. Both of them were excellent.
There is a scene where Rajini tries to convince Sridevi to marry him, during which Sridevi tries to run away from Rajni and accidentally he tries to stop her and mistakenly tears her jacket, during which Sridevi cries and remains helpless and Rajni behaves gently and says ,'Sorry!! I never touch any woman without her permission' and leaves. This particular scene was picturised in a fantastic manner, a typical K.B's masterpiece.
The movie changed the entire image of Rajni and he showcased his excellent acting skills.
The movie ends with the following lines in Tamil


விதைக்கின்ற வேளையிலே விளங்காத மனசாட்சி...

விளைவுக்குப் பின்னாலே விரைந்து வரும் மனசாட்சி...
தனக்காக தன்னுடனே போராடும் மனசாட்சி...
தவறுபவன் கண்களுக்குப் பைத்தியந்தான் மனசாட்சி!

"When it is time for a seed to sprout, if the conscience cannot emphathise; and only after the incident, is the conscience present! When conscience grapples with oneself for selfish ends; in the evildoer's eyes, his madness will be his conscience!"