{{short description|1999 film directed by Cheran}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox film | image = Desiya Geetham.jpg | caption = Poster | director = Cheran | writer = Cheran | producer = Dharam Chand Lunked | starring = {{ubl|Murali|Rambha}} | cinematography = Priyan | editing = K. Thangichalam | music = Ilaiyaraaja | studio = Taras Creations | released = {{Film date|1998|10|19|df=y}} | runtime = 164 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Desiya Geetham''''' ({{IPAc-en|ð|eɪ|s|i|ˌ|j|ə|ˈ|ɡ|iː|ð|əm}} {{translation|National Anthem}}) is a 1998 Indian Tamil-language political drama film written and directed by Cheran. The film, co-produced by R. Chandru, Abuthahir, Sathish Kumar and G. V. Suresh Kumar, stars Murali and Rambha. It revolves around a group of people kidnapping a chief minister and bringing him to their village to make him understand the hardships of village life. The film was released on 19 October 1998, during Diwali.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kummar |first=S. R. Ashok |date=16 October 1998 |title=Varied fare for Deepavali |url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/981016/09/09160224.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010818150157/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/981016/09/09160224.htm |archive-date=18 August 2001 |access-date=5 July 2023 |work=The Hindu |pages=27}}</ref> At the 46th Filmfare Awards South, Cheran won the award for Best Director – Tamil.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 April 1999 |title=Filmfare (South) awards presented |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99apr26/nation.htm#9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327222828/http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99apr26/nation.htm#9 |archive-date=27 March 2016 |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Waheed |first=Sajahan |date=24 June 1999 |title=Indian film awards on Vaanavil |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7d0dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yhQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794%2C2818412 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614023122/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7d0dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yhQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794%2C2818412 |archive-date=14 June 2024 |access-date=7 April 2025 |work=New Straits Times |pages=48 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>
== Plot == {{more plot|date=July 2023}} The film is about a chief minister and his family being kidnapped by a group of people and taken to a remote village making them undergo the hardships of village life to learn about it.
== Cast == {{cast listing| *Murali as Pandian *Rambha as Mayil *Vijayakumar *Nagesh *Nassar as Chief Minister Chinna Mariappan *Manivannan as Indian *Ranjith as Ganga *Vijayasarathy *Andavar *Anandaraj *Rajeswari (Padmashri) as Kaveri *Sathyapriya as Guru Amma *Nalinikanth *Scissor Manohar as Rathnam *Crane Manohar *Master Hari *Nirmala Periyasamy *P. Shwetha as cameo appearance in song "En Kanavinai" }}
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Desiya Geetham Tamil Audio Cassette By Ilayaraaja |url=https://banumass.com/product/tamil-audio-cassette/tamil-audio-cassettes/ilayaraja-tamil-audio-cassettes/desiya-geetham-tamil-audio-cassette/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913023106/https://banumass.com/product/tamil-audio-cassette/tamil-audio-cassettes/ilayaraja-tamil-audio-cassettes/desiya-geetham-tamil-audio-cassette/ |archive-date=13 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023 |website=Banumass}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 October 1998 |title=Desiya Geetham (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/desiya-geetham-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1339603251 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913023125/https://music.apple.com/in/album/desiya-geetham-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1339603251 |archive-date=13 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023 |website=Apple Music}}</ref> Reviewing the album, Sajahan Waheed of ''New Straits Times'' gave it 4 stars out of 5.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Waheed |first=Sajahan |date=21 October 1998 |title=Sujatha may have a megahit in hand |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bvVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=thQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4071%2C3856111 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407154110/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bvVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=thQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4071%2C3856111 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |access-date=7 April 2025 |work=New Straits Times |pages=Arts 4 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics |- | "Ladies Special" || Sujatha || Palani Bharathi |- | "En Kanavinai" || Hariharan || Vaasan |- | "Desiya Geetham" || K. J. Yesudas || Arivumathi |- | "Naan Vaakkapattu" || Sujatha || Palani Bharathi |- | "Mannana Poranthavuga" || rowspan=2|Pushpavanam Kuppusamy || rowspan=4|Vaasan |- | "Appan Veettu" |- | "Nanba Nanba" || rowspan=2|Ilaiyaraaja |- | "Anal Gandhi" |}
== Critical reception == A critic from ''Dinakaran'' noted "Cheran has won in highlighting minutely and emotively the village maladies and it's disastrous shortcomings".<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 1998 |title=Cinema {{sic|nolink=y|Riviews}} "Desiya Geetham" |url=http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/reviews/06-11-98/desia.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030814110017/http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/reviews/06-11-98/desia.htm |archive-date=14 August 2003 |access-date=18 September 2022 |website=Dinakaran}}</ref> Kala Krishnan-Ramesh from ''Deccan Herald'' noted "This film has a message, which is meant for all of us, “Before the last Indian goes mad, let’s do something".<ref>{{Cite web |last=K K R |date=14 February 1999 |title=Film: DESHIYAGEETHAM (Tamil) |url=http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb14/enter.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990503174613/http://deccanherald.com:80/deccanherald/feb14/enter.htm |archive-date=3 May 1999 |access-date=13 September 2023 |website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> D. S. Ramanujam of ''The Hindu'' wrote, "A thought-provoking movie on the plight of the villagers denied basic necessities like water, roads, hospitals and consumable rice at the FP shops, has been brought out with a lot of thrust by director Cheran".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=D. S. |date=30 October 1998 |title=Film Reviews: Veeram Velanja Mannu/Puthumaippithan/Desiya Geetham |url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/981030/09/09300225.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010407074633/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/981030/09/09300225.htm |archive-date=7 April 2001 |access-date=5 July 2023 |work=The Hindu |pages=27}}</ref>
== Controversy == The film elicited controversy from politicians because of its plot involving a chief minister's kidnapping.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Pavithra |date=13 August 2009 |title=Cheran's celluloid treasures |url=https://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/aug/13/slide-show-1-cherans-treasures.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702194317/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/aug/13/slide-show-1-cherans-treasures.htm |archive-date=2 July 2022 |access-date=5 July 2023 |website=Rediff.com}}</ref> M. Karunanidhi, then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was reportedly displeased by the same. Cheran, who claimed his intentions were not to hurt anyone, invited Karunanidhi to watch the film and decide, but he refused. However, politician G. K. Moopanar lauded the film for Cheran's work, and actor Rajinikanth, who supported the alliance of Karunanidhi's party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Moopanar's Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in the 1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (which TMC won), said Cheran brought out whatever messages he (Rajinikanth) would have liked to deliver.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gobichetipal |first=Chandra |date=November 1998 |title=Controversial Cheran |url=https://chandrag.tripod.com/nov98/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122132356/https://chandrag.tripod.com/nov98/ |archive-date=22 November 2022 |access-date=5 July 2023 |website=Minnoviyam}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}}
{{Cheran (director)}}
Category:1999 Indian films Category:1990s political drama films Category:1999 Tamil-language films Category:1998 controversies Category:1998 films Category:Films about kidnapping in India Category:Films directed by Cheran Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja Category:Films shot in Delhi Category:Indian political drama films Category:Political controversies in film Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:Tamil-language political drama films