View source for Makkal En Pakkam

{{short description|1987 film by Karthick Raghunath}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| image          = Makkal En Pakkam.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = Karthick Raghunath
| story          = Rajeev
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Rajavinte Makan]]'' by [[Thampi Kannanthanam]]}}
| producer       = [[Suresh Balaje]]
| starring       = [[Sathyaraj]]<br />[[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]]<br />[[Rajesh (Tamil actor)|Rajesh]]
| cinematography = Ashok Chowdhry
| editing        = [[P. Vasu]]
| music          = [[Chandrabose (composer)|Chandrabose]]
| studio         = Suresh Arts
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|1987|04|14}}
| country        = India
| language       = Tamil
}}
'''''Makkal En Pakkam''''' ({{translation|People are on my side}}) is a 1987 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[gangster film|gangster]] [[action film]] directed by Karthik Raghunath. The film stars [[Sathyaraj]], [[Rajesh (Tamil actor)|Rajesh]], and [[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]]. It is a remake of the 1986 [[Malayalam]] film ''[[Rajavinte Makan]]''. The film was released on 14 April 1987.
== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=March 2022}}
Samraj and Rajmohan are good friends who become enemies due to a false theft accusation on Samraj. Rajmohan becomes a great political leader whereas Samraj becomes a great smuggler. With Rajmohan's political influence, Samraj smuggling business was affected. Radha, Rajmohan's girlfriend, works as a junior assistant for his friend who hands an important file to her. It contains details on Samraj's illegal business. Knowing this, Samraj tries to retrieve the file, only to get Radha in trouble. When Samraj realises that she is in trouble he tries to help and consecutively falls in love with her. Radha lets Samraj know that she has a child by Rajmohan and that affair was unofficial.
Police officials respond to the order of Rajmohan and try to arrest Samraj. He escapes most occasions and continues to be king of smugglers. Finally when Rajmohan attempts to revenge Samraj, Samraj close friends Michael and Ramesh get killed. Samraj becomes extremely ferocious and chases Rajmohan at his residence with firearms, kills plenty of his party men, but hesitates to kill Rajmohan as Radha intercepts.
The film has two ends. One in which a police officer kills Samraj and another in which Radha kills Rajmohan after Samraj is dead. Both climaxes were well received by the audience.
== Cast ==
{{cast listing|
*[[Sathyaraj]] as Samraj
*[[Ambika (actress)|Ambika]] as Radha
*[[Rajesh (Tamil actor)|Rajesh]] as Rajmohan
*[[Nagesh]] as Chari
*[[Nizhalgal Ravi]] as Michael
*[[Raghuvaran]] as Ramesh
*Master Srikanth
*[[M. K. Muthu]] as Rajmohan's rowdy
*[[Babu Antony]] as the kidnapper
*[[Janagaraj]]
*[[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Vasanthamala
*[[Alex Mathew]]
*[[M. S. Bhaskar]]
*[[V. Gopalakrishnan (actor)|V.Gopalakrishnan]]
*[[Kallapetti Singaram]]
}}
== Production ==
In the 1970s, [[M. G. Ramachandran]] was due to star in a film titled ''Makkal En Pakkam'', but the project was dropped after he quit the film industry to enter politics.<ref>{{Cite news |last=சரவணன் |first=சி.பி. |date=30 October 2017 |title=எம்ஜிஆரின் திரைப்பயணம் குறித்த சில சுவாரஸ்யமான செய்திகள்... |url=http://www.dinamani.com/mgr---100/2017/oct/26/mgr---100-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%A3%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%B8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A9-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-2796300.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215171334/http://www.dinamani.com/mgr---100/2017/oct/26/mgr---100-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%A3%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%B8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A9-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-2796300.html |archive-date=15 December 2018 |access-date=7 February 2019 |work=[[Dinamani]] |language=ta}}</ref> In early 1987, producer [[K. Balaji]] launched a film with the same name starring [[Sathyaraj]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sunil |first=K. P. |date=14 June 1987 |title=Trading Places |url=https://ibb.co/vdqP9Q3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303104617/https://ibb.co/vdqP9Q3 |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |magazine=[[The Illustrated Weekly of India]] |pages=22–23 |volume=108}}</ref> which was a remake of the [[Malayalam]] film ''[[Rajavinte Makan]]'' (1986),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Narayanan |first=Sujatha |date=26 December 2016 |title=From Drishyam to Oppam, why Mohanlal's films are remade in other languages often |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/from-drishyam-to-oppam-why-mohanlals-films-are-remade-in-other-languages-often-3174430.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828165603/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/from-drishyam-to-oppam-why-mohanlals-films-are-remade-in-other-languages-often-3174430.html |archive-date=28 August 2020 |access-date=22 April 2018 |website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref> itself inspired by [[Sidney Sheldon]]'s novel ''[[Rage of Angels]]'' (1980).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=28 February 1987 |title=Malayalam film makers in Kerala transposes real life into reel life |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19870228-malayalam-film-makers-in-kerala-transposes-real-life-into-reel-life-798594-1987-02-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423034004/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19870228-malayalam-film-makers-in-kerala-transposes-real-life-into-reel-life-798594-1987-02-28 |archive-date=23 April 2018 |access-date=22 April 2018 |work=[[India Today]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Alex Mathew]], who appeared as a student leader in the Malayalam film, reprised his role in the Tamil remake.<ref name="AlexMathew">{{Cite book |last=Harris M. Lentz III |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=peLIDAAAQBAJ&q=Makkal+En+Pakkam+Rajavinte+Makan&pg=PA229 |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2015 |date=30 March 2016 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-1-4766-2553-9 |pages=229}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sathyaraj said he accepted to act in the film because it was a remake of a successful film, and was guaranteed to do well.<ref name="Illustrated Weekly">{{Cite magazine |last=Sunil |first=K. P. |date=29 November 1987 |title=The Anti-Hero |url=https://ibb.co/426dJsW |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303083322/https://ibb.co/426dJsW |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |magazine=[[The Illustrated Weekly of India]] |publisher=[[The Times Group]] |pages=40–41 |volume=108}}</ref> ''Makkal En Pakkam'', like a previous Sathyaraj film ''[[Palaivana Rojakkal]]'' (1986), was made with political overtones.<ref name="IE review" /><ref name="Illustrated Weekly" />
== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Chandrabose (composer)|Chandrabose]], with lyrics by [[Vairamuthu]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 1987 |title=Makkal Yen Pakkam (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/makkal-yen-pakkam-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1524351572 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303111142/https://music.apple.com/us/album/makkal-yen-pakkam-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1524351572 |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Makkal En pakkam Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by Chandrabose |url=https://macsendisk.com/product/makkal-en-pakkam-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-chandrabose-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303110103/https://macsendisk.com/product/makkal-en-pakkam-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-chandrabose-2/ |archive-date=3 March 2023 |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=Macsendisk}}</ref>
{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Kongu Nadu Thangam Ada
| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
| length1 = 4:35
| title2 = Maane Pon Maane Vilaiyada
| extra2 = [[S. Janaki]]
| length2 = 4:06
| title3 = Andavanai Paarkanum Avanukku
| extra3 = [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]]
| length3 = 4:33
| title4 = Panchangam Yeanga
| extra4 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
| length4 = 4:23
| total_length = 17:37 <!-- Automatically generated with User:JPxG/TrackSum.js -->
}}
== Release and reception ==
''Makkal En Pakkam'' was released on 14 April 1987.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 April 1987 |title=Makkal En Pakkam |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19870414&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=22 April 2018 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=7 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The following week, N. Krishnaswamy of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote, "The film has enough 'dhum' to keep lay viewers happy" and praised the performances of Sathyaraj and Rajesh.<ref name="IE review">{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=24 April 1987 |title=Politics again |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19870424&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=22 April 2018 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=12 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Subha (writers)|Jayamanmadhan]] of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' criticised the film for its inconsistent tone.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஜெயமன்மதன் |author-link=Subha (writers) |date=3 May 1987 |title=மக்கள் என் பக்கம் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1987/may/03-05-1987/p64.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220730034234/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1987/may/03-05-1987/p64.jpg |archive-date=30 July 2022 |access-date=22 March 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=64 |language=ta}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|2776382}}
[[Category:1980s gangster films]]
[[Category:1980s Indian films]]
[[Category:1980s political action films]]
[[Category:1980s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1987 films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Chandrabose (composer)]]
[[Category:Indian action films]]
[[Category:Indian gangster films]]
[[Category:Indian political action films]]
[[Category:Tamil remakes of Malayalam films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]