Autograph (2004 film)
Autograph | |
---|---|
Vijay Milton Dwarakanath Shanky Mahendran | |
Edited by | S. Sathesh J. N. Harsha |
Music by | Original songs: Bharadwaj Background Score Sabesh–Murali |
Production company | Dream Theatres |
Release date |
|
Running time | 168 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Tamil |
Autograph is a 2004 Indian
This is both Gopika's and Mallika's debut film in Tamil cinema. The film was released in India in February 2004, and was screened at the Lyon Asian Film Festival in France and at the Montreal World Film Festival in Canada. Upon release, the filmwas met with critical acclaim and commercial success. Although a sequel to the film titled Autograph 2 was announced, it never materialised.[1] The film was remade in Telugu as Naa Autograph, Kannada as My Autograph and Bengali as Amar Aponjon.
Plot
The film begins with Senthil Kumar (Cheran) who runs an advertising agency, boarding a train on a journey to invite his friends and family for his forthcoming wedding. Along the way, he encounters various individuals from his past, who bring back memories of three women that have influenced his love life. During the journey, he reminisces his teenage days. The happenings in the school, his tussle with his friends and his first love with his classmate Kamala (Mallika) are all pictured with fun and drama. However, her father married her off early before her 11th grade. He meets Kamala 14 years later, and she is now a mother of three children, and a wife of a farmer. Senthil reaches the village and invites all including Kamala, who promises to come to the wedding.
Then, he goes to
On his journey, he comes across his trusted friend Divya (Sneha), who instills confidence and elucidates him to the life lesson – that one has to go ahead in life without looking back. While she and Senthil travel on a bus, she reveals her tragic experience, that her mother is a paralytic patient and that she is the breadwinner of the family. As time passes by, she reveals that she was in love with someone and believed that he was the man of her life, but she was unfortunately let down. A poetic narration on the need for a good companion like Senthil who gives attention to her is stressed, even if it is not possible at his stage. After her unwilling engagement with a businessman from America, she leaves Senthil. Senthil meets her five years later, and she is now a divorcee.
In the end, Senthil marries the girl of his parents choice, Thenmozhi (
Cast
- Cheran as Senthil Kumar
- Sivaprakasam as Senthil Kumar, young age
- Gopika as Lathika
- Sneha as Divya
- Kanikaas Thenmozhi (special appearance)
- Mallika as Kamala
- Ilavarasu as Narayanan teacher
- Karuppiah Bharathi as Narayanan teacher, old age
- Krishna as Kamalakannan
- Benjamin as Oolamookkan Subramani
- Lingeswaran as Oolamookkan Subramani, young age
- Rajesh as Pandian, Senthil's father
- Vijaya Singh as Kamala, Senthil's mother
- Pandian Raj as Mr. Rev. Albert Subramaniam, CEO of a US automobile company
Production
Produced by
Cheran said that the film was partly autobiographical.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features eight songs composed by Bharadwaj, with lyrics by Pa. Vijay, Snehan and Cheran. The film's background was scored by the famous duo Sabesh–Murali.
The song Ovvoru Pookalume also featured the performance of the members of Raaga Priya orchestra which also included its founder Comagan.[11]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Gyabagam Varuthe" | Cheran | Bharadwaj | 5:02 |
2. | "Ninaivugal Nenjil" | Cheran | Unni Menon | 4:38 |
3. | "Kizhakke Paarthen" | Snehan | Yugendran, Poni | 4:32 |
4. | "Jagatho Tharana" | Purandara Dasar Keerthanai | Reshmi, Srividya | 2:47 |
5. | "Ovvoru Pookalume" | Pa. Vijay | K. S. Chithra | 5:25 |
6. | "Manasukkulle Dhagam" | Snehan | Reshmi, Harish Raghavendra | 5:22 |
7. | "Maname Nalama" | Snehan | Bharadwaj | 0:54 |
8. | "Meesa Vecha Perandi" | Pa. Vijay | Kovai Kamala, Karthik, Chorus | 4:28 |
Total length: | 33:08 |
Critical reception
Sify wrote, "A major plus point of Autograph is that Cheran has chosen three cameramen to do the three episodes in his life which makes the film lively and nostalgic."[12] Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote, "Well-mounted production has too much familiar melodrama, and few real highlights (notably one delightful homage to ’70s Tamil musicals), but remains an easy watch."[13] G Dhananjayan in his book Pride of Tamil Cinema wrote "A trend setting film recollecting love memoirs in various phases of life".[14] Visual Dasan of Kalki wrote that Cheran's creative maturity, re-emerging not only as an actor but also as a fine artist, was recorded as an art form in Autograph.[15]
Accolades
The film has won the following awards since its release:
52nd National Film Awards (India)
- Won – Golden Lotus Award – Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Cheran
- Won – Silver Lotus Award – Best Female Playback Singer – K. S. Chithra
- Won – Silver Lotus Award – Best Lyrics – Pa. Vijay
- Won – Best Film – Tamil
- Won – Best Director – Tamil – Cheran
- Won – Best Supporting Actress – Tamil – Mallika
- Won – Best Music Director – Tamil – Bharadwaj[16]
- Won – Best Film
- Won – Best Director – Cheran
- Won – Best Female Playback – K. S. Chithra
Remakes
Year | Title | Language | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Naa Autograph | Telugu | [17] |
2006 | My Autograph | Kannada | [18] |
2017 | Amar Aponjon | Bengali | [19] |
References
- ^ "Navya Nair in 'Autograph 2'". IndiaGlitz. 28 June 2008. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ^ "New sensation Vikram in Autograph". go4i.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2001. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ "Gossip". Dinakaran. 18 October 2000. Archived from the original on 10 February 2005. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ "Cine News". Dinakaran. 26 October 2000. Archived from the original on 8 November 2004. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ "Gossip". Dinakaran. 12 December 2000. Archived from the original on 15 June 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ ""That only one vote separated me from the award contributes to my self-confidence"". Tamil Guardian. 20 June 2001. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
- ^ "விகடன் பிரஸ்மீட்: "எனக்கு அரசியல் அழைப்பு வந்தது!" – அர்விந்த் சுவாமி". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 31 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Director-actor Cheran reveals THESE top actors were approached for playing the lead in 'Autograph'". The Times of India. 22 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ a b "I had immense faith in 'Autograph': Cheran". Sify. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ^ "இலக்கணம் மீறியிருக்கிறேன்!". Kalki (in Tamil). 11 April 2004. pp. 72–73. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Visually impaired musician Comagan passes away". The Hindu. 6 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Autograph". Sify. 19 February 2004. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ Harvey, Dennis (6 September 2004). "Autograph". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- OCLC 898765509.
- ^ தாசன், விஷுவல் (7 March 2004). "ஆட்டோகிராஃப்". Kalki (in Tamil). pp. 68–69. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Surya shines, Cheran sizzles". IndiaGlitz. 9 July 2005. Archived from the original on 11 July 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- News18. 19 June 2012. Archivedfrom the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- ^ Vijayasarathy, R G (9 March 2006). "Sudeep: Back with My Autograph". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- ^ "Out of court settlement between Soham and Jeet". The Times of India. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
External links
- Autograph at IMDb