Guru Sishyan

Guru Sishyan is an S. P. Muthuraman-directed action comedy of 1988. It stars Rajinikanth, Prabhu, Seetha and Gautami. In addition to the full-length film, a behind-the-scenes mini-documentary portrays the experiences that Guru and Babu had as they set out to meet and film with a man who had been wrongfully convicted of murder. To give him a chance to prove his innocence and buy time, Guru intentionally maims his hand, hoping to stall the man’s execution while they track down the true perpetrator.

In real life, as well as in this fictional story, soon-to-be-released convicts Raja and Babu cross paths with Manohar, who sits on death row. Manohar himself is kidnapped by a taxi driver and taken to Muthuraaj, a taxi driver who kidnapped and gang raped her. Manohar is arrested along with his elder brother Rajamanickam, ally Jayaram and corrupt police inspector Nallasivam. Raja and Babu delay Manohar’s death by breaking his left arm. Once freed, they devise an elaborate plot to rob riches from Nallasivam’s home. Raja’s motivations further branch out when he falls in love with Geetha, a police inspector, and blackmails Nallasivam into aiding him in getting into Muthuraaj’s services.

When Rajamanickam has a marriage arranged, Babu prevents it by revealing his true identity. Rajamanickam, Jayaram and Muthuraaj understand that Nallasivam has deceived them and that Babu is assisting Manohar’s cause. They engineer their payback by learning a secret reflection of their lives about Manohar’s father, Kandhasamy, who is kept like a slave in his cellar. Kandhasamy digs up the mystery of a hidden treasure cavern and seeks retribution. In return for the cave’s location, Rajamanickam signs a document to imprison Muthuraaj. Chaos ensues as Muthuraaj and Nallasivam show up, tackle Rajamanickam and Jayaram, and kill them. Raja and Babu arrest Muthuraaj and Nallasivam, while Raja’s boss Manohar is acquitted in the end.

Guru Sishyan is a colourful slapstick action comedy full of comedy, dance, and drama with absurd surprises. Add in Rajinikanth and Prabhu’s charismatic, electric performances, which strike the ideal mix of fun and ferocity, and you’re onto something special. On its surface, the film expertly walks the line between suspense and entertainment value while producing some of the best. Its gripping narrative and terrific ensemble add it to the pantheon of best Tamil films ever, blending friendship, vigilante justice and sarcasm to a blockbuster-level edge-of-your-seat thrill.