Iruvar (1997) on Netflix
Madras, the late 1940s. Anandan, a struggling actor, meets Tamizhselvan, a writer steeped in Dravidian ideology. Anandan's audition lands him a lead role, and both rise in cinema and politics.
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- Netflix4.2/5
- IMDb8.4/109,061 votes
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Trailer
Plot summary
Anandan, charming but without steady work, is still trying to get a start in Tamil films when he meets Tamizhselvan, an eloquent rationalist writer committed to Dravidian ideology. Impressed by the writer's prose, Anandan gives an audition that lands him a lead role. Tamizhselvan introduces him to Ayya Veluthambi, who leads a growing Dravidian party, and Anandan takes up its socialist principles. The friends marry women from their villages, Pushpavalli and Maragatham. Back in Madras, money problems halt Anandan's film. Tamizhselvan's party becomes the leading opposition while Anandan takes small parts and struggles to get by. A new lead role comes his way, and he insists that Tamizhselvan write it.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Iruvar (1997)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Casting Tamizhselvan, the Karunanidhi-inspired part, took many attempts: Nana Patekar pulled out over his fee, while Mammootty, Kamal Haasan, Sathyaraj and Mithun Chakraborty all declined and talks with R. Sarathkumar failed on money. Prakash Raj was eventually chosen.
- India's Central Board of Film Certification refused Iruvar a certificate after viewing it on 31 December 1996, judging that characters mirrored real politicians' private lives. A revising committee cleared it for U/A release with four dialogues cut.
- Arvind Swamy was signed as Tamizhselvan but quit after a look test because he could not cut his hair, which would have broken continuity with his commitments to Minsara Kanavu and Pudhayal. Mani Ratnam screen-tested model R. Madhavan but rejected him as his eyes looked too young for a senior role.
- In 2025 Iruvar became the first Tamil film screened at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, on 19 April, after having been shown in the Masters section at the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival.
- The idea for Iruvar, about the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi and the ties between Tamil cinema and Dravidian politics, came from a conversation Mani Ratnam had with Malayalam author M. T. Vasudevan Nair.
- Two days before release, Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani threatened to mobilise the public against screenings and to take legal action, saying the film held objectionable footage denigrating Periyar's Dravidian movement. Mani Ratnam replied that Veeramani had not seen the film.
- A. R. Rahman blended the Carnatic ragas Naattai and Gambheera Naattai in the song Narumugaye, put jazz behind Vennila Vennila and Hello Mister Edhirkatchi, and sampled Dave Grusin's Memphis Stomp for the Edhirkatchi intro.
- For Prakash Raj's very first shot in the film, Mani Ratnam demanded 25 takes, a session that lasted over six hours.
