CHENNAI: As a Valentine’s Day release, Minnale, the Tamil romantic drama directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, is set to re-release in theatres on February 13 as part of its 25-year celebrations.
Released in 2001, Minnale follows Rajesh (Madhavan), a young man who tries to win the love of Reena (Reema Sen) by impersonating her fiancé, unaware that the man he is posing as is his former college rival. The film’s blend of romance, mistaken identity, and emotional conflict helped it attain cult status over the years, even as sections of social media users later criticised its themes of stalking and impersonation.
The film marked a key phase in Madhavan’s career. Following his success in Alaipayuthey (2000) and a setback with Ennavale, Minnale helped him regain momentum and broaden his fan base. The film also marked Reema Sen’s Tamil cinema debut and Madhavan’s second collaboration with Abbas after the Kannada film Shanti Shanti Shanti, with Abbas playing a supporting role.
The film’s music marked the debut of composer Harris Jayaraj. Songs such as Vaseegara and Poopol Poopol gained wide popularity. Harris Jayaraj won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil for the film, his only nomination at the 49th Filmfare Awards South, ending A R Rahman’s nine-year winning streak in the category.
Minnale was later remade in Hindi as Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, starring Madhavan, Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan, with Harris Jayaraj composing the music once again.
With its re-release, Minnale returns to the big screen for both longtime fans and new audiences.