Annaamalai (also spelt Annamalai; pronounced [aɳɳaːmalaɪ]) is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language masala film[1] directed by Suresh Krissna and produced by Kavithalayaa Productions.

Principal photography began the same month and the entire filming process lasted 45 working days.

Annaamalai is kind-hearted and innocent, and falls in love with Subbulakshmi, a college girl he eventually marries.

Annaamalai happily accepts and also agrees to give the land for free, emulating pure friendship.

Gangadharan and Ashok's cousin Sargunam forge documents and take control of Annaamalai's empty land.

[12] When the title was announced, some people had misgivings because of the saying "Annamalaikku Arohara" (Hail Hara, Lord of Annamalai) which has negative connotations; however Balachander refused to change it.

[13] After completing work on Jaagruti on 8 March, Suresh Krissna left for Madras the next morning; he had not yet signed any film.

Krissna visited Balachander, who told him that Vasanth had left Annaamalai, which was scheduled to begin filming in two days and its release fixed for June.

[16] At the time of Krissna's arrival, the script was not complete; he met the screenwriter Shanmugasundaram, who narrated the main story: the "friendship between a poor milkman and a rich man, with the former's house being a point of conflict".

[20] When Krissna met Rajinikanth, he told him that there was a substantial amount of work to be done in the script, but liked the plot.

The scene in the song where Annaamalai shows his face to the camera was extended in slow motion by Krissna as fans would feel as if he was looking towards the audience.

[30] The scene where Annaamalai enters a ladies' hostel and gets terrified by a snake was shot at Chakra House, Alwarpet.

[34] The song "Vetri Nichayam", which is a montage showing Annaamalai's rise to power over the course of several years, was shot in many prestigious places such as Sea Rock Hotel, Bombay.

[37] The scene where Annaamalai beats up Sargunam in a one-sided fight was filmed at Hotel Ambassador Pallava.

[40][41] This idea was conceived by Krissna, who was inspired by the opening gun barrel sequence in the James Bond films, and felt that Rajinikanth, who was becoming a phenomenon, "warranted a unique logo to go with his name".

[42] Rajinikanth initially objected to the inclusion of the Super Star title card as he felt it was "brazen self-aggrandisement" and "embarrassing",[43] but Krissna convinced him, saying it would generate large applause.

[45] The Super Star title card was created at Prasad Labs and took a month to complete because "every frame had to be animated by hand".

[47] According to Krissna, none of the dialogues or scenes in the film were meant to be allegorical to Rajinikanth's enmity with politician J. Jayalalithaa, but they were interpreted by viewers that way.

Krissna said an astrologer's dialogue to Annaamalai "Unakku amma naala dhaan problem varum" (Very soon, you are going to have problems because of a woman) was meant to be a "fun introduction" to the character Subbu, and Ekambaram reforming after hearing Annaamalai's words was intended to show "why an MLA turns a new leaf after hearing the words of a milkman", but viewers interpreted both scenes as reflecting "Rajini hitting out at Jayalalithaa".

Vairamuthu grasped the core of the poem and embellished it further, adding an element of contrast between the ever-giving cow and selfish humans who only take from other beings.

[55] "Kondayil Thazham Poo" was written as a "peppy piece" to differentiate from the "soft and more melodic" title song.

Though Krissna initially objected, Balachander convinced him that audiences would not see it as an intrusion; this resulted in the song "Rekkai Katti Parakudhu" being composed.

[59] Its opening was threatened since the government of Jayalalithaa implemented a new rule where posters of films were prohibited in Madras.

[61] It was the highest-grossing film in Tamil cinema to that point,[62] and started Rajinikanth's "meteoric rise at the box office".

[64] Lalitha Dileep of The Indian Express said the film "combines good screenplay, proficient direction and first rate acting.

"[5] K. Vijiyan of New Straits Times praised the performances of Rajinikanth and Manorama, but felt that for a film depicting the close bonds of friendship, "the reason given for the split between Ashok and [Annaamalai] is rather weak."

Vijiyan criticised the revenge plot as stale, the "good friends getting separated" trope for being derivative, and felt some of the songs were unnecessary since they were only slowing the film's pace.

He praised the fight sequences, Deva's music and Janagaraj's comedy, but felt Khushbu and Rekha were merely "decorative items", concluding, "[Annaamalai] will be a hit with [Rajinikanth's] admirers but a disappointment for Balachander's discerning fans who are looking for a story with a difference.

[45] The Superstar graphic title card featured in many of Rajinikanth's later films like Veera (1994), Baashha and Muthu (1995).

[40] It also inspired many other South Indian films to use similar title cards to promote their lead actors.