Kandukondain Kandukondain (Eng: I Have Found It! I Have Found It!) is a 2000 Indian Tamil romance movie based on Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. Directed and co-written by Rajiv Menon, the film features an ensemble cast of Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, and Abbas. Veteran actors Srividya, Raghuvaran and Manivannan also play other supporting roles. The highly successful soundtrack was scored by A. R. Rahman, while Ravi K. Chandran was the film’s cinematographer.
The plot features two young sisters with differing views on love who find themselves with three suitors. The elder sister attracts the attention of an aspiring film director, while a wounded commando falls for her younger, hopelessly romantic sister but hesitates because he is much older than her. Meanwhile, the younger sister meets and falls for an upcoming businessman with a passion for Tamil poetry. However, problems lap up from different directions, resulting in emotional turmoil for both sisters. Whom the sisters marry forms the crux of the story.
The film opened to Indian audiences, after several delays, on 5 May 2000 gaining positive reviews and box office success. Kandukondain Kandukondain was dubbed and released in Telugu as Priyuraalu Pilichindi, and the producers released subtitled versions worldwide. The film went on to feature in international film festivals and gain notable awards. Additionally, Shankar Mahadevan won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song “Enna Solla Pogirai” in the film.
Kandukondain Kandukondain opens with army commando Major Bala (Mammootty) fighting in a war and losing his left leg in a grenade explosion. After the opening credits, Sowmya (Tabu) and Meenakshi “Meenu” (Aishwarya Rai) are shown as the adult daughters of Pathma (Srividya) living in a Chettiar mansion in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu with their maternal grandfather Chandrasekhar (Unnikrishan Namboothiri), maidservant Chellatha (S. N. Lakshmi) and younger sister Kamala (Shamili). Sowmya is a school principal while Meenu is passionate about classic Tamil poetry, music and dance. Major Bala, one of the rich men in their village falls in love with Meenu, but Meenu falls in love with Srikanth (Abbas). Manohar (Ajith Kumar) is a director who comes to Meenu’s house for a film shoot. Sowmya and Manohar fall for each other but an issue crops up between the two and whether Manohar manages to win her back forms the rest of their part of the story.
Directed by Rajiv Menon
Produced by Kalaipuli S. Dhanu
Written by Sujatha
Screenplay by Rajiv Menon
Based on Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Starring Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, Abbas, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, Raghuvaran, Srividya, Manivannan, Nizhalgal Ravi
Music by A. R. Rahman
Cinematography Ravi K. Chandran
Edited by Suresh Urs
Distributed by V Creations
Release dates 5 May 2000
Running time 158 min.
Country India
Language Tamil
