Watch Avvai Shanmughi

Avvai Shanmughi is a 1996 Tamil-language comedy-drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar and starring Kamal Haasan in the lead role. The film is a remake of the Hindi film Chachi 420, which itself was based on the Hollywood movie Mrs. Doubtfire. The movie also stars Meena, Gemini Ganesan, Nagesh, and Manivannan in important roles. The movie tells the story of a divorced father who disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his daughter. Avvai Shanmughi is Kamal Hassan's fourth film in which he disguises himself as a woman, following his roles in Manmadan Ambu, Dasavathaaram, and Vishwaroopam.

The movie begins with Nadesan (Kamal Haasan) and his wife Uma (Meena) getting a divorce. Uma is awarded the custody of their daughter, and Nadesan is only allowed to see her once a week. However, Nadesan misses his daughter and wants to spend more time with her. So, he comes up with a plan to disguise himself as a woman, Avvai Shanmughi, to become Uma's housekeeper and spend more time with his daughter.

Nadesan enlists the help of his friend Ponnambalam (Gemini Ganesan) to transform him into Avvai Shanmughi. With Ponnambalam's expertise in makeup and prosthetics, Nadesan is transformed into a middle-aged woman. Nadesan, who is now Avvai Shanmughi, interviews and gets appointed as Uma's cook, and soon becomes an indispensable part of the family.

However, things get complicated when Uma starts to develop feelings for Avvai Shanmughi. Nadesan realizes that his disguise may be coming off, and he needs to be more careful. Meanwhile, Uma's father (Nagesh) and his lawyer (Manivannan) are suspicious of Avvai Shanmughi and are determined to expose her real identity.

The film is a classic comedy of errors, with Kamal Haasan delivering an outstanding performance as Avvai Shanmughi. Meena is also excellent as Uma, and her chemistry with Kamal Haasan is commendable. The supporting cast, including Gemini Ganesan, Nagesh, and Manivannan, are also remarkable in their respective roles.

The movie has some hilarious scenes, especially when Avvai Shanmughi tries to maintain her disguise in front of Uma's family members and also when she meets her ex-husband in the guise of a lady. The film also has some emotional scenes, particularly when Nadesan misses his daughter and when he reveals his identity to Uma.

The music of Avvai Shanmughi is composed by Deva, and the songs are catchy and memorable. The movie also has some excellent cinematography by Arthur A. Wilson, which beautifully captures the emotions of the characters.

In conclusion, Avvai Shanmughi is a must-watch movie for fans of Kamal Haasan and Tamil cinema. The movie is a perfect blend of comedy and drama, and the performances of the actors are top-notch. The film's plot is engaging, and the pacing is just right, making it an enjoyable watch from start to finish.

Avvai Shanmughi is a 1997 comedy with a runtime of 2 hours and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9.