{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox film | image = Rasukutty.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = K. Bhagyaraj | writer = K. Bhagyaraj | producer = Meena Panchu Arunachalam | starring = K. Bhagyaraj<br />Aishwarya | cinematography = M. C. Sekar | editing = B. K. Mohaan | music = Ilaiyaraaja | studio = P. A. Art Productions | released = {{Film date|1992|10|25|df=y}} | runtime = 149 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Rasukutty''''' ({{IPAc-en|r|ɑː|s|u|k|u|t|t|i}}) is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language comedy drama film, written and directed by K. Bhagyaraj and produced by Meena Panchu Arunachalam. The film stars Bhagyaraj and Aishwarya, with Manorama and Kalyan Kumar in supporting roles. It was released on 25 October 1992. The film was remade in Hindi as ''Raja Babu'' (1994)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Bobby |date=15 December 2020 |title=CinemaScope: David Dhawan, Govinda and their world of remakes |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/cinemascope-david-dhawan-govinda-and-their-world-of-remakes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422164321/https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/cinemascope-david-dhawan-govinda-and-their-world-of-remakes |archive-date=22 April 2021 |access-date=26 May 2022 |work=The Free Press Journal}}</ref> and in Telugu as ''Abbayigari Pelli'' (1997).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arunachalam |first=Param |title=BollySwar: 1991–2000 |publisher=Mavrix Infotech |year=2019 |isbn=9788193848210 |pages=524}}</ref>
== Plot == Rasukutty, the only son of wealthy landlord Periyapannai, dropped out of school at a young age. His mother, Eswari spoils him, but his father constantly urges him to become a responsible man. Rasukutty spends his father's wealth aimlessly, accompanied by his sidekick Sembuli. Periyapannai's brother, Chinnapannai, manages his brother's land and farm with his son, Sengodan. However, they misappropriate Periyapannai's wealth. Rasukutty falls for Rukmani's beauty after seeing her photograph in a studio. To find out who she is, Sembuli places an advertisement by the name of Soona Baana, to whom he owes money, in the newspaper, claiming she has gone missing. Rukmani, an agriculture graduate, is outraged by the newspaper advertisement and confronts Soona Baana. Chinnapannai orders the villagers to rescue Soona Baana from Rukmani.
Soona Baana tries to take Rukmani hostage, but Rasukutty, disguised as a North Indian, fights off Soona Baana's men and saves her. Rasukutty and Sembuli accompany Rukmani back to her village. When Rukmani discovers they were responsible for the newspaper advertisement, they escape. Eventually, Rasukutty and Rukmani get engaged. However, Rukmani learns that Rasukutty is illiterate, leading to a confrontation between Rukmani and Rasukutty's mother, Eswari. Rukmani tears up the wedding invitation, humiliating Periyapannai in front of the villagers. Rasukutty protests in front of Rukmani's house, trying to win her over. Rasukutty gains the villagers' support, but Rukmani hires goons to attack him. Rasukutty fights them off and finally accepts Rasukutty's love.
Periyapannai refuses to accept Rukmani citing the humiliation, but Rasukutty is determined to marry her, leading to a confrontation. In a fit of anger, Rasukutty's aunt reveals that Rasukutty is an adopted child. This revelation sparks a change in Rasukutty, and he becomes more responsible, starting to work on their land. Although Rasukutty learns that Rukmani loves him, fearing his father's wrath, he agrees to marry the woman his father has chosen, Poovatha, who turns out to be mentally challenged. Rukmani pleads with Periyapannai to allow Rasukutty to marry her, but he refuses. Rukmani with the help of the police, stops the marriage by falsely accusing Periyapannai of demanding dowry. Periyapannai sees this as another humiliation and blames Rasukutty for plotting to stop the marriage. Enraged, he kicks Rasukutty out of the house. Rasukutty's mother, Eswari, leaves with him.
Rukmani threatens to take her own life and demands that Eswari confirm her acceptance as Rasukutty's wife. Meanwhile, Chinnapannai and his son Sengodan manipulate Periyapannai and Eswari, creating a rift between them. Chinnapannai and Sengodan poison Poovatha and arrange for her to marry Ammavasai, Chinnapannai's younger son. They deceive Periyapannai into promising to adopt Ammavasai as his son, ensuring they gain a share of the property. Rasukutty emotionally manipulates Periyapannai, making him believe that Eswari and Rasukutty are leaving town. This reunites Periyapannai and Eswari emotionally.
Chinnapannai and Sengodan falsely accuse Rasukutty of planning to kill Periyapannai and Ammavasai for their wealth, leading to Rasukutty's arrest. Using this as an opportunity, Sengodan and Chinnapannai attempt to murder Periyapannai and Eswari but Ammavasai bravely fights his father and brother to protect his uncle Periyapannai and aunt Eswari. Rasukutty escapes from police custody and saves his parents from Chinnapannai's goons. The film concludes with Rukmani apologising to Periyapannai, Rasukutty welcoming Ammavasai as his adopted brother, and Ammavasai preparing to marry Poovatha.
== Cast == {{Cast listing| * Bhagyaraj as Rasukutty * Aishwarya as Rukmani * Manorama as Eswari, Rasukutty's mother * Kalyan Kumar as Periyapannai, Rasukutty's father * Jagan as Sembuli, Rasukutty's sidekick * Mounika as Poovaatha, Rasukutty's cousin * Nalinikanth as Chinnapannai, Rasukutty's paternal uncle * Suryakanth as Sengodan, Chinnapannai's elder son * Junior Balaiah as Subramani Chettiyar "Soona Baana" * Bayilvan Ranganathan as Poovatha's father * Nandhagopal as Ammavasai, Chinnapannai's younger son * Sivaraman as a villager * Kovai Senthil as a postman * Tirupur Ramasamy as a village healer }}
== Production == K. Bhagyaraj agreed to do a film for Panchu Arunachalam which eventually became ''Rasukutty''. The film saw Bhagyaraj and Ilaiyaraaja reuniting after a brief misunderstanding. The film was completely shot at Mettur.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalaignanam |title=Kalaignanam Cinema Secrets – Part 5 |publisher=Nakkeeran |year=2020 |pages=216 |language=Ta |author-link=Kalaignanam}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 October 1992 |title=Raasukutti |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/raasukutti/gzRStLKPfGA_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917085044/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/raasukutti/gzRStLKPfGA_ |archive-date=17 September 2021 |access-date=17 September 2021 |website=JioSaavn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pandian – Rasukutty – Thangakili Tamil Film Songs Audio Cd |url=https://banumass.com/product/tamil-audio-cds/tamil-audio-cd-tamil-audio-cd/ilayaraja-audio-cd/pandian-rasukutty-thangakili-tamil-film-songs-audio-cd/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207045221/https://banumass.com/product/tamil-audio-cds/tamil-audio-cd-tamil-audio-cd/ilayaraja-audio-cd/pandian-rasukutty-thangakili-tamil-film-songs-audio-cd/ |archive-date=7 December 2024 |access-date=30 March 2025 |website=Banumass |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length |- | "Adi Naan Pudicha" || S. P. Balasubrahmanyam || Panchu Arunachalam || 04:55 |- | "Holi Holi" || S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki || rowspan=3|Vaali || 05:35 |- | "Palayathu Ponnu" || K. S. Chithra, Sundarrajan, Saibaba || 05:59 |- | "Vaadi En Sengamalam" || Minmini || 04:09 |}
== Release and reception == ''Rasukutty'' was released on 25 October 1992, Diwali day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=நவநீதகிருஷ்ணன் |first=பா ஸ்டாலின் |date=25 October 2022 |title=ABP Nadu Exclusive: இந்த நாள் மறக்கவே கூடாது... 30 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் ஒரே நாளில் மோதிய டாப் ஹீரோக்கள்! |url=https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/leading-tamil-actors-movies-released-on-1992-25th-october-diwali-80898 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025074012/https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/leading-tamil-actors-movies-released-on-1992-25th-october-diwali-80898 |archive-date=25 October 2022 |access-date=20 December 2022 |website=ABP Nadu |language=ta}}</ref> Ayyappa Prasad of ''The Indian Express'' wrote the film "has a very interesting storyline with Bhagyaraj giving a very good performance".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Prasad |first=Ayyappa |date=30 October 1992 |title=Weird villager |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19921030&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=5 January 2019 |work=The Indian Express |pages=7 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> K. Vijiyan of ''New Straits Times'' wrote, "We see the old Bhagiaraj we used to love in ''Rasukutti''".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijiyan |first=K. |date=28 November 1992 |title=Glimpses of Bhagiaraj at his very best |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ca9UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TpADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5486%2C3144099 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515043256/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ca9UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TpADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5486%2C3144099 |archive-date=15 May 2024 |access-date=26 May 2022 |work=New Straits Times |pages=26 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref> C. R. K. of ''Kalki'' wrote that the humorous dialogues and fast paced screenplay prove the brand of Bhagyaraj but the sudden twists towards the end were exaggerated.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=சி. ஆர். கே. |date=29 November 1992 |title=ராசுக்குட்டி |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1992-11-29/page/n47/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231007072539/https://archive.org/details/kalki1992-11-29/page/n47/mode/2up |archive-date=7 October 2023 |access-date=18 December 2022 |magazine=Kalki |pages=46–47 |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
== Legacy == Jagan, who portrayed a character named Sembuli, acquired the sobriquet "Sembuli Jagan" after acting in this film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 September 2020 |title=மறக்க முடியுமா? – ராசுக்குட்டி |url=https://m.dinamalar.com/cinema_detail.php?id=91276 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526063050/https://m.dinamalar.com/cinema_detail.php?id=91276 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |access-date=26 May 2022 |website=Dinamalar |language=ta}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{K. Bhagyaraj}} Category:1992 Tamil-language films Category:1992 comedy-drama films Category:1992 films Category:1992 Indian films Category:Films directed by K. Bhagyaraj Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja Category:Indian comedy-drama films Category:Tamil films remade in other languages Category:Tamil-language comedy-drama films Category:Tamil-language Indian films