Vijayakanth's iconic cult classic 'Captain Prabhakaran' to be re-released

Chennai, April 15 (IANS) One of Tamil cinema’s iconic cult classics, ‘Captain Prabhakaran’, featuring the late actor and politician Vijayakanth in the lead, is now all set to be re-released in over 500 screens, 34 years after it first hit screens all around the world.

The firm that is re-releasing the film, Sparrow Cinemas, took to its X timeline to make the announcement.

It wrote, “The iconic Indian blockbuster Captain Prabhakaran is BACK! Re-releasing soon in theatres!Presented by Sparrow Cinemas – Karthick.V Don't miss the legend return to the big screen!#CaptainPrabhakaran #ReRelease #SparrowCinemas #KarthickV #TamilCinema #BlockbusterReturn”

Sources say that a remastered version of the film will be presented to audiences. The remastered 4K version will have a 7.1 sound system.

Directed by well-known director R K Selvamani, the film first hit screens in the year 1991 for the Tamil New Year. It went on to emerge a huge blockbuster. In fact, the success of the film was so emphatic that it went on to give Vijayakanth the title 'Captain' in real life.

Touched by the its phenomenal success Vijayakanth went on to name his eldest son, Vijaya Prabhakaran, after the film.

'Captain Prabhakaran', which was Vijayakanth's 100th film, proved to be a turning point in the careers of many of the actors who acted in it.

Sarathkumar, who was until then being cast as a villain, turned a hero in Tamil cinema after playing Vijayakanth's friend in the film, which went on to set the cash registers ringing at the box office.

Mansoor Ali Khan, who played the fearsome forest brigand in the film, went on to become the most popular and preferred villain in Tamil cinema after the film.

Roopini, who played Vijayakanth’s wife in the cult classic, and Ramya Krishanan, whose dance for a chartbuster in the film called ‘Aattamaa Therotama’, became immensely popular after the film’s release.

Liyakath Ali Khan’s fiery dialogues in the film were loved by the masses. The dialogues, which were sharp and to the point, revolved around the ordinary common man and the issues he faced as a result of an autocratic bureaucracy.

They were so popular that audio cassettes containing just the film’s dialogues were released. Thousands of these cassettes got sold like hot pancakes. The film’s songs, set to tune by Ilaiyaraaja, were all chartbusters.

--IANS

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