{{Short description|2003 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox film | image = Kadhal Sadugudu.jpg | caption = DVD cover | director = V. Z. Durai | writer = Balakumaran <small>'''(Dialogue)'''</small> | screenplay = V. Z. Durai | story = V. Z. Durai | producer = S. S. Chakravarthy | starring = Vikram<br />Priyanka Trivedi<br />Prakash Raj<br />Vivek | cinematography = M. S. Prabhu | editing = Suresh Urs | music = Deva | studio = NIC Arts | released = {{Film date|2003|04|13|df=yes}} | runtime = 142 minutes<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kathal Sadugudu |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kathal-sadugudu-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0znjqznzy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250910150946/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kathal-sadugudu-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0znjqznzy |archive-date=10 September 2025 |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=British Board of Film Classification |language=en}}</ref> | country = India | language = Tamil }} '''''Kadhal Sadugudu''''' ({{translation|Love is a game}}) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy drama film written and directed by V. Z. Durai and produced by S. S. Chakravarthy. The film stars Vikram, Priyanka Trivedi, Prakash Raj, and Vivek. The music was composed by Deva with cinematography by M. S. Prabhu and editing by Suresh Urs. The film was released on 13 April 2003. The film's title is based on a song from ''Alai Payuthey'' (2000).<ref>{{Cite web |last=sathyaarun |date=29 October 2022 |title=அலைபாயுதே ஏன் பிளாக்பஸ்டர்... 5 காரணங்கள்! |trans-title=Why ''Alai Payuthey'' is a blockbuster... 5 reasons! |url=https://www.tamilnadunow.com/featured/alaipayuthe-is-a-blockbuster-5-reasons/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731152541/https://www.tamilnadunow.com/featured/alaipayuthe-is-a-blockbuster-5-reasons/ |archive-date=31 July 2024 |access-date=10 March 2026 |website=Tamilnadu Now |language=Ta}}</ref>
== Plot == Chithambaram is an important man in his village. He is adamant and always sticks to his decisions. When the temple festival starts, Chithambaram's daughter Kausalya goes to her grandfather's house to celebrate. There, she meets Suresh, and they fall in love. Chithambaram gets into many conflicts with Suresh, not even knowing who he is. Everything Suresh does is unintentional, but Chithambaram does not realise this. Therefore, Chithambaram ends up with a very negative opinion of Suresh. One day, everyone in Kausalya's grandfather's home finds out that Suresh and Kausalya are in love, unbeknownst to Chithambaram. On seeing this, they try to get Chithambaram to agree to the wedding. Chithambaram, however, stubbornly sticks to his decision that the marriage should not take place.
Suresh asks Chithambaram what would make him happy, and Chithambaram says that he would be happy if Suresh dies. Realizing that arguing further would be futile, Suresh decides to go back to Madras. Meanwhile, Ilavarasu gets attracted towards Kausalya's physique and begins molesting her. She somehow manages to escape and reports it to her father, but she feels that she is insecure and needs a companion. Kausalya tries to join Suresh at the railway station to go with him, but Suresh refuses, saying that if he marries her, it will be with her father's permission. At that time, Chithambaram arrived at the station to prevent his daughter from eloping with Suresh. He hears this conversation and finally decides to accept Suresh as his daughter's love, and Suresh agrees.
== Cast == {{cast listing| * Vikram as Suresh * Priyanka Upendra as Kausalya * Prakash Raj as Chithambaram * Vivek as Super Subbu * Rekha as Kausalya's mother * Vaishnavi as Suresh's friend * M. N. Nambiar as Kausalya's grandfather * Paravai Muniyamma as Subbu's grandmother * Ilavarasu * Delhi Ganesh * Nandhakumar as Saathappan, Subbu's father * Nalini * Alphonsa as Carolina * Muthukaalai * Cell Murugan as Patient * Benjamin * Theni Kunjarammal * C. R. Vijayakumari * Kovai Babu as Minor Kunjumani * Bava Lakshmanan * Vijay Ganesh * Kili Ramachandran * Rani (special appearance in "Sugandhi Sellai") * Sridhar (special appearance in "Sugandhi Sellai") * Shobi (special appearance in "Sugandhi Sellai") }}
== Production == The film was developed under the title of ''Adhisayam'', with director V. Z. Durai revealing he insisted on Vikram being cast in the lead role. Meena was initially considered for the lead role, before the producers confirmed Priyanka Trivedi, for whom the project was also meant to mark her Tamil film debut. However, delays meant that two other films released beforehand.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sebastian |first=Pradeep |date=6 September 2002 |title=Stories sculpted out of unfulfilled desires |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/09/06/stories/2002090601260300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210201101/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/09/06/stories/2002090601260300.htm |archive-date=10 February 2003 |access-date=7 October 2015 |website=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 June 2001 |title=Gossip |url=http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/gossip/2001/june/6-6-01.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050306225520/http://www.dinakaran.com/cinema/english/gossip/2001/june/6-6-01.htm |archive-date=6 March 2005 |access-date=21 November 2020 |website=Dinakaran |language=en}}</ref> The film began its schedules in May 2001, when Vikram had simultaneous shooting schedules for his other films such as ''Dhill'' (2001), ''Kasi'' (2001), ''Gemini'' (2002), ''Samurai'' (2002) and ''King'' (2002), which were released during late 2001 and mid 2002 respectively, and the schedules continued till September 2002 when the actor was filming his portions for the early 2003 releases such as ''Dhool'' (2003) and ''Saamy'' (2003), and hence Vikram was seen with those seven looks and get-ups throughout the film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Interview with Actor Vikram |url=http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/Interview%20with%20Actor%20vikram.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092616/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/Interview%20with%20Actor%20vikram.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=7 October 2015 |website=cinematoday2.itgo.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == Music for the soundtrack was scored by Deva.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 March 2003 |title=Kaadhal Sadu Gudu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/kaadhal-sadu-gudu-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1391545787 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20260310030301/https://music.apple.com/in/album/kaadhal-sadu-gudu-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1391545787 |archive-date=10 March 2026 |access-date=10 March 2026 |website=Apple Music |language=en}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" width="60%" ! Song title !! Singers |- | "Carolinaa" || Tippu, Yugendran |- | "Putham Pudhiyadha" || P. Unnikrishnan, Sadhana Sargam |- | "Megathil Ondrai Nindrom" || Hariharan, Sujatha |- | "Ramshikku Ramshikku" || Harish Raghavendra, Chitra |- | "Sungadhi Shellai" || Tippu, Mano, Pop Shalini |- | "Melisai Thudikudhu" || Tippu, Mano |}
== Reception == Malathi Rangarajan of ''The Hindu'' noted that the film is neither "action packed nor a haunting family drama", adding that time you wish it "were a little more brisk and dynamic".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=18 April 2003 |title=Kadhal Sadugudu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/04/18/stories/2003041800950202.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030610144303/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/04/18/stories/2003041800950202.htm |archive-date=10 June 2003 |access-date=7 October 2015 |website=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref> Visual Dasan of ''Kalki'' praised the acting of Vikram, Prakash Raj and Priyanka and concluded saying apart from the background music, the songs and lyrics are not memorable, but the magnetic dialogue and direction keep us glued to our seats.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=தாசன் |first=விஷுவல் |date=27 April 2003 |title=காதல் சடுகுடு |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2003-04-27/page/16/mode/2up |access-date=17 February 2024 |magazine=Kalki |page=16 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> ''Cinesouth'' wrote, "Within the first few scenes, the audience is able to predict the story and screenplay and the film moves in exactly the same path. This has made the film very weak".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kadhal Sadugudu |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/kadhalsadugudu.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411091052/http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/kadhalsadugudu.shtml |archive-date=11 April 2004 |access-date=20 October 2024 |website=Cinesouth |language=en}}</ref> Malini Mannath of ''Chennai Online'' wrote, "The film moves in bits and pieces [...] One cannot fault Vikram's performance. For an actor of his calibre, the few repetitive expressions he has been given to project, must have been a cake-walk for him. For the character never really gets a chance to exert itself".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=21 April 2003 |title=Kaadhal Sadugudu |url=http://www.chennaionline.com/Moviereviews/tammov263.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040807095620/http://www.chennaionline.com/Moviereviews/tammov263.asp |archive-date=7 August 2004 |access-date=21 April 2025 |website=Chennai Online |language=en}}</ref>
Post-release, the film's comedy track by actor Vivek garnered appreciation from critics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |author-link=Sowmya Rajendran |date=11 November 2013 |title=The ''thangachi'' that lived! |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/the-thangachi-that-lived-news-kollywood-nllnUhedhaisi.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921005342/http://www.sify.com/movies/the-thangachi-that-lived-news-kollywood-nllnUhedhaisi.html |archive-date=21 September 2014 |access-date=7 October 2015 |website=Sify |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Pradeep |date=17 April 2021 |title=10 of Vivekh's most iconic comedy roles in Tamil cinema |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/10-of-vivekhs-most-iconic-comedy-roles-in-tamil-cinema/article34343800.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417110709/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/10-of-vivekhs-most-iconic-comedy-roles-in-tamil-cinema/article34343800.ece |archive-date=17 April 2021 |access-date=10 March 2026 |work=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref> The film performed poorly at the box office, coming after several successful films for Vikram during the period.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Govardan |first=D. |date=29 May 2003 |title=Saamy throws a lifeline to Tamil films |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47806347.cms?intenttarget=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308044439/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47806347.cms?intenttarget=no |archive-date=8 March 2018 |access-date=7 March 2018 |work=The Economic Times |language=en}}</ref> Vikram later claimed that he was taken for a "royal ride" and that the story went through several changes after the initial narration. He also alleged that the producer S. S. Chakravarthy was increasingly loyal to another actor, Ajith Kumar, and was not interested in portraying Vikram in good light.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I Am Happy To Be A Saleable Hero: Vikram |url=http://sify.com/movies/tamil/interview.php?id=13150128&cid=2408 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040221001102/http://sify.com/movies/tamil/interview.php?id=13150128&cid=2408 |archive-date=21 February 2004 |access-date=9 August 2022 |website=Sify |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{V. Z. Durai}}
Category:2003 films Category:2003 Indian films Category:2003 romantic comedy-drama films Category:2003 Tamil-language films Category:Films directed by V. Z. Durai Category:Films produced by S. S. Chakravarthy Category:Films scored by Deva (composer) Category:Indian romantic comedy-drama films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:Tamil-language romantic comedy-drama films