Earlier this year, the court imposed a ban on the re-release following a petition by Ghanshyam Hemdev, who claimed to hold the film's copyright.
Published Sep 07, 2024 | 1:05 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 07, 2024 | 1:05 PM
Madras High Court lifts interim ban on re-release of Kamal Haasan's 'Guna'. (X)
The 1991 Tamil film Guna, starring Kamal Haasan, has regained the spotlight after the Madras High Court lifted an interim ban on its re-release.
The psychological romantic drama, directed by Santhana Bharathi and produced by Alamelu Subramaniam, achieved cult status over the years.
Its resurgence in popularity was sparked by the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys (2024), which evoked nostalgia for Guna through references to the film’s iconic scenes, songs, and dialogue.
Guna hit the theatres during Diwali in 1991, coinciding with the release of Rajinikanth’s Thalapathi. Despite stiff competition at the box office, the Kamal Haasan-starer was praised for its experimental storytelling and the actor’s remarkable performance.
The film also featured Rekha, Janagaraj, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Srividya, Ajay Ratnam, Shart Saxena, and Girish Karnad in prominent roles. It included the most memorable song “Kanmani Anbodu Kadalan“ composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Indeed, the “Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan” song became a milestone in the Tamil film industry because of the way Ilaiyaraaja mixed brilliantly Kamal Haasan’s dialogue and Vaali’s lyrics.
Though its commercial success was moderate at the time, the Tamil movie went on to inspire future filmmakers and became a symbol of artistic innovation in Tamil cinema.
Earlier this year, plans for a re-release of Guna were halted when the Madras High Court imposed an interim ban. The court’s decision followed a petition by Ghanshyam Hemdev, who claimed to hold the film’s copyright and sought to prevent its commercial exploitation.
However, the recent ruling by the court lifted the interim ban, allowing the film’s re-release in cinemas. The official date for the re-release is yet to be announced, according to a report in Times of India.
This legal dispute arose after Manjummel Boys renewed public interest in Guna, highlighting its iconic scenes filmed in the Guna caves. The Malayalam film’s unbelievable success reignited demand for Guna to be re-released in theatres.
With the ban lifted now, the re-release is expected to draw attention from both long-time fans and new audiences.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
