{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox film | image = Raasaiyya.jpg | caption = Poster | director = R. Kannan | writer = R. Selvaraj | producer = T. Siva | starring = Prabhu Deva<br />Roja | cinematography = R. Rajarathnam | editing = Ashok Mehtha | music = Ilaiyaraaja | studio = Amma Creations | released = {{Film date|1995|08|24|df=y}} | runtime = 130 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Raasaiyya''''' is a 1995 Indian Tamil-language romance film written by R. Selvaraj which is the directorial debut of his younger brother R. Kannan, and produced by T. Siva. The film stars Prabhu Deva and Roja. It revolves around the life struggle and love life of the title character. The film was released on 24 August 1995,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rasaiya ( 1995 ) |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/newfilmdb.cgi?name=rasaiya |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130914140256/http://www.cinesouth.com/cgi-bin/filmography/newfilmdb.cgi?name=rasaiya |archive-date=14 September 2013 |access-date=14 September 2013 |website=Cinesouth}}</ref> and failed at the box office.
== Plot == {{More plot|date=March 2024}} Raasaiyya lives with his grandfather, Rathnavel, a kind-hearted and honest man in a small town in rural Southern India. Rathnavel is very easy-going and permits Raasaiyya to indulge in many precocious activities. When young and beautiful Anitha comes to stay for a few days with Rathnavel, both Raasaiyya and she fall in love with each other and would like to marry. But Raasaiyya is unable to assert himself, and Anitha's marriage is arranged with a NRI groom settled in the United States. Rathnavel would like to present a decent dowry for Anitha, which includes a priceless diamond necklace. Unable to bear his separation from his sweetheart, Rasaiya decides to tell Rathnavel about this, but before he could do so, he finds out that his biological mother, Pandiamma, is still alive, but will not have anything to do with him. Watch what happens when Raasaiyya finally meets her and finds out the secret why she abandoned him in his childhood.
== Cast == {{cast listing| *Prabhu Deva as Raasaiyya *Roja as Anitha *Vijayakumar as Rathnavel *Radhika as Madhavi *M. N. Nambiar as Swamy *Vadivelu as Kili *Vinu Chakravarthy as Ramasamy *Thyagu as Ramasamy's son *Thalaivasal Vijay as Kaalai *Hemanth Ravan as Groom *R. Sundarrajan as Kili's cousin *Mannangatti Subramaniam as Villager *Nair Raman as Villager *R. N. K. Prasad as Groom's father *Gandhimathi as Servant *Radhabhai as Groom's mother *Kovai Senthil as Butcher *King Kong as villager *Krishnamoorthy as villager (uncredited) *Ajay Rathnam as man in Raasaiyya's dream (uncredited) }}
== Production == ''Rasaiyya'' marked the directorial debut of R. Kannan, younger brother of screenwriter R. Selvaraj who wrote the story of this film. The film's title was named after Ilaiyaraaja's real name.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 March 2019 |title=தமிழக மண் தராததை இலங்கை மண் தந்தது |url=https://ibb.co/NNhHykg |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322140825/https://ibb.co/NNhHykg |archive-date=22 March 2024 |access-date=22 March 2024 |work=Thinakkural |pages=44 |language=Ta}}</ref> After listening to the script by Selvaraj, Ilaiyaraaja objected to Kannan directing and instead suggested Bharathiraja, but producer T. Siva noted that Kannan refused to budge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=யுவராஜ் |first=லாவண்யா |date=2 June 2024 |title=இளையராஜாவைக் கவர்ந்த கதை.. சண்டையை மறந்து பாராதிராஜாவிடம் பேச முயற்சி.. தயாரிப்பாளர் பகிர்ந்த தகவல்! |url=https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/producer-t-shiva-shares-the-story-behind-creation-of-raasaiyya-movie-186534 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602121159/https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/producer-t-shiva-shares-the-story-behind-creation-of-raasaiyya-movie-186534 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |access-date=7 June 2024 |website=ABP Nadu |language=ta}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Vaali.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Raasaiyya (1995) |url=https://www.raaga.com/tamil/movie/raasaiyya-songs-T0000411 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230227131055/https://www.raaga.com/tamil/movie/raasaiyya-songs-T0000411 |archive-date=27 February 2023 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=Raaga.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Love Birds / Raasaya |url=https://avdigital.in/products/love-birds-raasaya |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623082753/https://avdigital.in/products/love-birds-raasaya |archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=AVDigital}}</ref> Ilaiyaraaja's daughter Bhavatharini made her solo singing debut with this film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajitha |date=1997-04-04 |title=My goal is to learn all I can about music |url=http://www.rediff.com/entertai/apr/04katik.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924131754/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/apr/04katik.htm |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Rediff.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Song !! Singers !! Length |- | "Dindukallu" || S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Ilaiyaraaja, Arunmozhi, Devie Neithiyar || 5:22 |- | "Kadhal Vaanile" || S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Preeti Uttamsingh || 5:41 |- | "Karuvattu" || K. S. Chithra, Mano || 5:38 |- | "Masthana Masthana" || Bhavatharini, Arunmozhi, S. N. Surendar || 5:53 |- | "Paatu Ellam" || Mano || 6:04 |- | "Unna Ninaichu" || Mano, K. S. Chithra || 5:13 |}
== Reception == K. Vijiyan of ''New Straits Times'' called the story ordinary, and said the film was strictly for fans of Prabhu Deva and Roja.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijiyan |first=K. |date=9 September 1996 |title=Prabhu Deva's acting played up |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qHpaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xh4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5134%2C4066685 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607101523/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qHpaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xh4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5134%2C4066685 |archive-date=7 June 2024 |access-date=5 February 2023 |work=New Straits Times |via=Google News Archive}}</ref> R. P. R. of ''Kalki'' wrote that sentiment, heroism, dance and songs, comedy and other spices are all there, but everything in its separate route; while mixing all together, the screenwriter heavily messed up, so after the break it feels like one person can sit casually on the three chairs and watch it.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=ஆர். பி. ஆர். |date=24 September 1995 |title=ராசய்யா |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1995-09-24/page/n73/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230623080952/https://archive.org/details/kalki1995-09-24/page/n73/mode/2up |archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=10 February 2023 |magazine=Kalki |page=72 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> ''The Hindu'' praised the dance choreography, performances of Vijayakumar and Vadivelu, Ilaiyaraaja's music and Rajarathnam's cinematography.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 September 1995 |title=Raasaiyaa |url=http://www.webpage.com/hindu/950902/03/0126a.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961222110750/http://www.webpage.com/hindu/950902/03/0126a.html |archive-date=22 December 1996 |access-date=7 July 2023 |work=The Hindu |pages=26}}</ref> The film became a box-office failure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sitaraman |first=Sandya |date=9 January 1996 |title=Tamil Movie News--1995 Review |url=https://groups.google.com/g/soc.culture.tamil/c/fwLpyN6aWTk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429092806/https://groups.google.com/g/soc.culture.tamil/c/fwLpyN6aWTk |archive-date=29 April 2022 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=Google Groups}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
Category:1995 Indian films Category:1995 romance films Category:1995 Tamil-language films Category:1995 directorial debut films Category:1995 films Category:Films produced by T. Siva Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja Category:Indian romance films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:Tamil-language romance films