Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu

Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu (transl. You've got a heart, you've got integrity) is a 1991 Indian Tamil-language film directed by E. Ramdoss and produced by the Myla Films.^[1] The film stars Ramarajan and Rupini, while Chinni Jayanth, Goundamani, Senthil and Vijayakumar play supporting roles. It was released on 5 November 1991.^[2][3]

Sathyamoorthy is a highly respected village chief, and his son Siva is a carefree youth who does good deeds for the villagers. One night, Siva sneaks into the corrupt village president Sankaralingam's godown, fights off his goons, and distributes the hoarded rice bags to the people. Sathyamoorthy opposes Siva's use of force, believing that non‑violence is not the permanent solution to any problem.

Meanwhile, after finishing her studies, Sankaralingam's daughter Geetha returns to the village. Siva carries Geetha across the river in a coracle, but the coracle capsizes, throwing them both into the water. Sankaralingam is furious when he sees Siva rescuing his daughter. Sankaralingam's aide, Minor, a womaniser, sets his sights on Siva's younger sister Sumathi. He impregnates Gayathri and refuses to marry her; when she confronts him, he claims she is possessed by ghosts. Under the pretence of treating the "possession," he plans to give her abortion medicine so he can escape marriage. Siva intervenes, beats Minor, and stops the plan. At the village panchayat, Sathyamoorthy, as village head, orders Minor to marry Gayathri.

Soon, Geetha falls in love with Siva, admiring his bravery and righteousness. Siva does not return her feelings at first. To keep them apart, Siva's friend mimics Siva's voice and shouts at Geetha, but she interprets the shouting as a sign of his affection. Siva fights off Minor, who is harassing Geetha, and Sathyamoorthy sees this and slaps Siva for resorting to violence. Siva hides why he beat Minor to protect Geetha's modesty. Soon, Siva returns Geetha's feelings, and they meet in secret. Sumathi learns about their romance. Minor, still lusting after Geetha, spots the pair and informs Sankaralingam. Sankaralingam warns Geetha and places her under house arrest. With the help of the street performer Sattaiyadi Kazhuli Mangan and his assistant, Siva disguises himself as a soothsayer, meets Geetha and urges her to stay strong. At the temple, Siva, Kazhuli Mangan and their friends pretend to be saints to see Geetha, but Sankaralingam spots them and takes Geetha home.

In a nearby slum, babies faint after drinking milk bought from Sankaralingam's milk society. Sensing foul play, Siva goes to the society and fights Sankaralingam's men. The dispute reaches the village panchayat, where the mothers falsely claim they never raised any issue about the milk and that their babies did not faint. Siva realises this is a ruse by Sankaralingam to humiliate him, but is unable to prove it. Sathyamoorthy orders Siva to kneel before Sankaralingam and beg forgiveness; Siva refuses. So Sathyamoorthy banishes Siva from the village, believing isolation will calm him, but Siva declares he will keep fighting injustice. Minor, still scheming, plays with Gayathri, lifts her, and drops her from the stairs near the temple pond, causing her to miscarry.

Siva travels to Madras, rescues a judge from a gang of attackers, and the judge, impressed by Siva's bravery, takes him under his wing to channel his anger constructively. Siva becomes a police inspector and is transferred back to his village, and is shocked to discover that his mother and younger sister Sumathi are dead. Siva's friends tell him what happened after he left for Madras. At night, Sankaralingam, Minor and Minor's relative Kozhanthaisamy steal the temple jewels by threatening the priest. Sumathi sees them, and Minor chases her, trying to rape and kill her. In the struggle, Sumathi stabs herself and dies. Minor brutally injures Sumathi's mother, and Sankaralingam kills her. They also choke and kill their honest, mute employee, Gnanasambandam. They warn the villagers not to speak about the murders.

When Sathyamoorthy learns of the killings of his wife, daughter and employee, his long‑held non‑violence gives way to rage, and he goes to kill them. Sankaralingam lies to the police, claiming Sathyamoorthy murdered Sumathi and Gnanasambandam because he discovered their illegal affair. Before he can be arrested, Sathyamoorthy escapes to exact revenge. Now Sathyamoorthy is branded a threat to Sankaralingam, Kozhanthaisamy and Minor, and Siva is ordered to arrest his own father. He is also tasked with protecting the three men, even though they killed his mother and sister. Siva confronts Sathyamoorthy and asks him to surrender, but he refuses and flees into the forest.

Siva begins investigating the temple‑jewel theft, starting with the priest, but the priest refuses to talk, fearing for his life. Sathyamoorthy plans to kill Kozhanthaisamy on his birthday. Sathyamoorthy distracts the police with a recorded dog‑bark sound and then kidnaps Kozhanthaisamy. During the Surasamharam festival procession, Sathyamoorthy hides in the crowd and kills Minor with a spear. The police pressure Siva to capture the killer, his father Sathyamoorthy, as quickly as possible. Sankaralingam plans to kill Sathyamoorthy before the latter can reach him, so he asks the forest tribals to invite Sathyamoorthy to their annual festival, and they accept.

On the night of the festival, Sankaralingam slips away from the police and heads into the forest to kill Sathyamoorthy. Siva rushes after Sankaralingam to prevent either his father's death or his own. At the festival, Siva and Geetha dress as dancers and slip into the tribal celebration. Sankaralingam, rifle in hand, aims to shoot Sathyamoorthy, but Siva pulls his father out of the line of fire. Sankaralingam flees, pursued by Sathyamoorthy, and Siva follows both of them in three coracles. Sankaralingam's henchmen attack Siva, but he subdues them and rushes to protect Sankaralingam from being killed by Sathyamoorthy. Siva stops his father and persuades him to let the law handle Sankaralingam, and Sathyamoorthy agrees.

In court, Sankaralingam unexpectedly confesses that he killed Kozhanthaisamy with Minor's help because he feared Kozhanthaisamy might become a police informant. He admits he also killed Sathyamoorthy's wife and Sumathi after she witnessed his theft of the temple jewels. Gayathri then steps forward and confesses that she killed Minor for impregnating her and causing her abortion. The judge clears Sathyamoorthy, ruling that Kozhanthaisamy and Minor were killed by Sankaralingam and Gayathri and orders their trials.

Nenjamundu Nermaiundu was directed by E. Ramdoss based on a story by Bhoopathi Raja.^[4] This was Ramdoss, Bhupathi and Ramarajan's second collaboration after Raaja Raajathan (1989).^[5]

Soundtrack was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, while lyrics written by Vaali, Muthulingam, Piraisoodan, Myla Aarumugam and S. A. Rajkumar.^[6]

Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu was released on 5 November 1991, Diwali day alongside eight other films including Thalapathi and Gunaa.^[7]

• Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu at IMDb