''Raa Raa'' is a 2011 Tamil

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film written and directed by Sandilya, starring

Udhaya ''Udhaya'' is a 2004 Indian Tamil-language action drama film which was directed by Azhagam Perumal which released on 26 March 2004. The film stars Vijay and Simran, while Vivek, Nassar and Rajesh play supporting roles. The soundtrack for the ...

and

Shweta Basu Prasad Shweta Basu Prasad is an Indian actress. She has acted predominantly in Hindi films and television. She won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for her role in ''Makdee''. Personal life Shweta Basu Prasad was born in Jamshedpur, in ...

, in her Tamil film debut, in lead roles. The title refers to the

Royapuram Royapuram is a locality in the northern part of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is best known for its beach, and for Royapuram Railway Station. The station is the first railway station of south India, opening in 1856, and is today ...

and

Royapettah Royapettah is a neighbourhood of Chennai, India. Location Royapettah is located at the central part of the city of Chennai, with an elevation of 9 m (29 ft.) above mean sea level. The neighbourhood comes under Teynampet Zone (numbe ...

, two areas in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

. The film was launched in December 2010, and released on 7 October 2011 to mixed reviews.

Plot

The story revolves around Bharathi (

) and his family, consisting of his father, mother, sister, brother, and sister-in-law. Saravanan, a rich cloth merchant, is very particular that the Thirukural is recited regularly within his home, and whenever Bharathi wants to please his father, he recites a kural or two and proves an exemplary son, even though he is up to his youthful antics the rest of the time. In all, it is a happy existence. Into this scenario comes love in the form of Gayathri (

), whom Bharathi sights on the road one day, carrying a veena and hurrying to a college cultural, in a two-wheeler, with a Brahmin priest. Bharathi falls for her and assumes that she is from his community and that there will be no opposition at home for marriage. When Gayathri comes home and sees the lifestyle and sacred atmosphere in Bharathi's household, she is worried. Bharathi and his family like her immensely and now want to meet her parents to fix the wedding. However, the truth is that she hails from an entirely different background, that of a Royapuram family, with her brother Dhana (

Adithya Menon Adithya Menon (born 6 April 1974) is an Indian actor who appears in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films. Early life Adithya Menon was born in Mumbai into a Malayali family hailing from Palghat in Kerala. His family emigrated to ...

) being a rowdy who hacks down people left and right. What is more, her family’s large mansion is in the middle of a fishing township, while she herself was sent into a city hostel to continue her education. The two families are as different as chalk and cheese. When Bharathi learns of this, he is disturbed, but his love wins, and he decides to find a way out for marriage. He decides to embark on a strange plan. He persuades Dhana and his family to masquerade as Brahmins, and after much effort, even manages to teach them several Kurals to please his father. Everything is smooth-sailing when the two families meet at Bharathi’s home, but when Saravanan wants to go to the girl’s house for the engagement ceremony, Dhana is in a fix. How can he invite them to Royapuram and the settlement of huts reeking of fish and surrounded with his rowdy gang? He decides to hire a house in Mylapore and lend himself some credibility in the eyes of Saravanan. All is going according to Bharathi’s plan when a blast from the past steps in. An enemy of Saravanan wants to destroy him, and, in the process, reveal the secret that Bharathi has been keeping from his family.

Cast

as Bharathi *

as Gayathri *

Ponvannan Ponvannan (born Shanmugam; 23 September 1963) is an Indian actor and director who has worked in Tamil cinema and television. After beginning his career as an artist (painter), Ponvannan apprenticed as a director and writer under Bharathiraja. H ...

as Shivashankaran *

as Dhana *

Suzane George Suzane George is a Tamil actress, acting both in movies and TV serials. She is also known as "Mynaa Suzane.” Career Television Her first break in television was with Jaya TV as a VJ: she hosted the show ''Thagaval Dot Com'' in Kalai Mala ...

as Pushpa * Meera Krishnan *

Sathyan Sivakumar Sathyan Sivakumar (born 11 June 1975) and known mononymously as Sathyan, is an Indian actor and comedian who works in Tamil cinema. He is the only son of veteran producer, Madhampatty Sivakumar. Making debut as a Junior Artist in the Movie Poovu ...

Nandha Periyasamy Nanda Periyasamy (born 1968) is an Indian film director, who has worked in Tamil cinema. Career In 2002, Nanda Periyasamy was given the opportunity by producer S. S. Chakravarthy to make a police thriller film titled ''Mahaa'' with Ajith K ...

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Srikanth Deva.

References

{{reflist 2011 romantic comedy films 2011 films 2010s Tamil-language films Films scored by Srikanth Deva Indian romantic comedy films