Nowadays we see new directors enter the film world with huge first efforts only to stumble on their subsequent offerings. Not so with Manirathnam. Neither Pagal Nilavu nor Idhayakoyil gave us a hint as to what was coming next from him. While both those were good films, they were hardly what one would call classics. It was Mouna Raagam that made us sit up and take notice of him as a director. It is a beautiful film with memorable characters, good performances, subtle sentiments, great photography and an amazing soundtrack. Almost every frame of the movie oozes with class and the movie features several ideas that have since become trademark Manirathnam touches but were a breath of fresh air back when the movie was released in 1986.

Divya(Revathi) is a playful girl who is unwillingly pushed into marriage with Chandrakumar(Mohan), a personal manager in Delhi. Her dissatisfaction with the marriage is painfully obvious as she hurts him with every word and action and Chandrakumar's accomodating character has no effect on her. A divorce is what she asks for as her first gift after the wedding! When pressed for a reason for her behavious, she reveals to him her brief romance with Manohar(Karthik) that ended in tragedy. Seeing no change in her, Chandrakumar offers her the divorce papers but the court stipulates that a couple must have lived together for atleast a year before the divorce can be given. So they decide to stay together as husband and wife until they can finalise the divorce.

If there is one segment in Mouna Raagam that never fails to charm, it is Revathi's flashback that introduces Karthik. While almost every romantic hero in Manirathnam's films since then has had shades of Karthik's Manohar, the character here captivates us even more since it is fresh and original. His "Mr. Chandramouli routine" and his antics in the bus and the library are cute and charming. The role made Karthik probably the first Tamil heartthrob since Kamalhassan and laid the foundation for his long stay in Kodambakkam.

The other two main characters in the movie are no less endearing. Revathi's Divya is the perfect college girl, scared of marriage with someone unknown and unable to forget her past love. Her gradual transformation after the marriage and her aching for acceptance from Mohan are believable. Mohan is the perfect contrast to Karthik as the calm and patient husband who is ready to give Divya the leeway she needs to come to grips with the marriage. His comments about not caring about her past and his handling of her request for divorce are softly done. Its no wonder that every girl who saw Mouna Raagam when it was released came out wishing for a boyfriend like Karthik and a husband like Mohan!

The movie doesn't feature the abrupt dialogs that Manirathnam has since become famous for and instead, has several sharp lines that serve to convey the emotions of the characters clearly. Revathi's scathing comments bring out her undisguised hatred of married life and Mohan uttering the same lines to her later, effectively makes her realise the enormity of the lines and his feelings when she uttered them. In the same way, Karthik's dialogs(like his comment about the others at the library) convey his fun-loving nature. Revathi's father is a nice mixture of sternness and love. His explanation of his situation to Revathi when she says 'no' to the wedding and his later request to Mohan to keep her happy are moving.

Comedy has never been Manirathnam's strongpoint but his brief forays into it here are much better here than the long, vulgar comedy tracks in Agni Natchathiram and Idhayathai Thirudaathey. Revathi teaching the Sardarji the wrong tamil phrases initially seems mean-spirited but V.K.Ramaswamy's bafflement when he hears them raise some laughs. There is also a sense of closure and a moment of poignancy when the Sardarji responds using the same wrong phrase after Revathi thanks him for his help.

Mohan underplays his role well to portray the affectionate husband. Revathi is the star of the show whether she is laughing at Karthik's antics or crying over Mohan's ignoring her. She looks very pretty and her face easily conveys all the emotions the character goes through. Easily one of the best performances of the talented actress' career. Karthik was starting his second innings after a long gap and quite a comeback it turned out to be. He looks handsome and his dialog delivery suits the playful nature of the character well. Ilaiyaraja continued his habit of providing Manirathnam with chartbusting numbers. Chinna Chinna... gets my vote for one of the best combinations of song and picturisation in tamil cinema. The colorful dresses, the simple dance steps and the photography aid the already catchy song. The melodious Nilaave Vaa... is soulfully rendered by SPB as is Panivizhum Iravu.... Meaningful lyrics are the strength of Mandram Vandha.... P.C.Sriram was the other behind-the-scenes artist whose work was noticed in Mouna Raagam. The lights and soft shadows in the indoor scenes are as beautiful as the shots of the Taj Mahal in the evening light.

Mouna Raagam stands as the one of the best melodies in tamil cinema.