Mandram Vandha Thendraluku | Mouna Ragam | Ilayaraja | SP Balasubramaniam

Mouna Ragam, also spelt Mouna Raagam, is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran. The film narrates the life of Divya (Revathi), who is robbed of her carefree existence when she is forced to marry Chandrakumar (Mohan) in an arranged marriage. Divya, mourning the shooting death of her former lover Manohar (Karthik), did not really want to be married. The story follows Divya's inner conflict between holding onto her past and coming to terms with the present and making a life with Chandrakumar.

The film's development began when Ratnam began writing a short story, "Divya", while the production of his first film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983) was delayed. He did not initially intend to film it, but after writing the story, realised that it had cinematic possibilities. "Divya" later developed into a film script with the same name, and was eventually renamed Mouna Ragam. Although Ratnam completed work on the script during Pallavi Anu Pallavi, it did not begin production until after the release of his fourth film, Idaya Kovil (1985). Mouna Ragam was the first film produced by Venkateswaran's Sujatha Films (later renamed GV Films), and was filmed primarily in Chennai, with additional filming in Delhi and Agra. The soundtrack album and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Vaali. P. C. Sreeram was the film's cinematographer, and its art director was Thota Tharani. It was edited by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan.

Mouna Ragam was released on 15 August 1986, India's Independence Day. Despite a modest beginning, it became a box-office success, with a theatrical run of over 175 days, and Mani Ratnam's breakthrough. The film received critical acclaim; it won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil, and Ratnam received the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Director. The soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja has been regarded by critics as one of his greatest works. Mouna Ragam also became a landmark film in Karthik's career despite his role being a cameo. The film introduced techniques such as soft-focus shots, flare filters and backlighting, which became popular in Tamil cinema. It was remade in Hindi in 1992 as Kasak, and in Kannada in 1999 as Chandrodaya.


Mouna Ragam's soundtrack album consists of five songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali, sung by S. Janakiand S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. It was released by the Echo Audio Company. According to The Cultural Study of Music: A Critical Introduction, "Oho Megam Vandhadho" (featuring Divya dancing with several teenage girls) is a reworking of Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain". "Nilaavae Vaa" is the second song on both sides of the soundtrack's original LP record. "Mandram Vandha" is set in the carnatic raga known as Keeravani, with Natabhairavi notes. "Chinna Chinna Vanna Kuyil" is set in Gourimanohari, "Nilaavae Vaa" is set in Dheerashankarabharanam, and "Panivizhum Iravu" is set in Natabhairavi. "Mandram Vandha" was later adapted by Ilaiyaraaja and used twice in the 2007 Hindi film, Cheeni Kum: as the film's title track and the melancholy "Sooni Sooni".

The soundtrack received positive critical reviews. Nandini Ramnath wrote for Mint, "Bombay's director, Mani Ratnam, can't make a movie without including a shower from the heavens or a splash in some kind of water body. His best rain song is 'Oho Megham Vanthatho'". S. Saraswathi of Rediff described "Nilaave Vaa" as a "timeless classic that you never tire of". Sruthi Radhakrishnan of The Hindu described "Mandram Vandha" as a "song that drives fans crazy", and "Chinna Chinna Vanna Kuyil" showcased "Janaki's vocals with such astounding effect". About "Panivizhum Iravu", she said: "It's one of those only-80s songs that served as a stand-in for sexual tension, where you'd have two people looking intensely at each other. And it's a brilliant composition too. The percussion gets you hooked and the chorus is almost eerie." For Firstpost, Apoorva Sripathi said: "The film traces a couple's marital discord — the heroine is torn between the man she loved and the man she finally marries — and the soundtrack beautifully mimics it." She called "Mandram Vandha" a "masterpiece, sung soulfully by SP Balasubramaniam." Sify praised the songs, the background music and the re-recording, calling Ilaiyaraaja the "king of re-recording".