Raja (2002)

“Raja” (2002) is a romantic musical by S. Ezhil. It stars Ajith Kumar, Jyothika, and Priyanka Trivedi. When Raja, accidentally ends up with the wrong Priya following an impassioned declaration of love from the correct one, the film immediately shifts into high gear. Years down the line, when the real Priya eventually does come back into his life, her arrival triggers a progression of emotionally charged, unpredictable twists. Raja is averse to marriage, and rightfully so. Priya Mahalakshmi arrives at his home posing as his friend Madhi’s girlfriend. She explains that she ran away from home to escape an arranged marriage and is looking for somewhere to stay. Raja reluctantly agrees to help her, and when she meets his parents, she presents herself to them as Raja’s girlfriend. She eventually agrees, and they get her mother on board. They are all delighted and begin making wedding plans without Raja’s knowledge. On engagement day, Raja, angry at Priya, asks her to leave, and a photo of her falls out, shocking him because she is his childhood love. In an extended flashback, Raja was a popular writer and Priya a loyal reader but never had a chance to meet him. After he takes her to a homecoming dance where he’s moved up the class ranks, one night she enters his room and confesses her love for him, except he misinterprets it thinking that another girl has professed her love. Priya learns the location of Raja’s residence and employs Thayir Saatham to gather additional intelligence on him. Their love isn’t without obstacles, including a rift with Bhavani as well as a college friend who decides he wants Priya for himself. As revenge is taken for the murder of Thayir Saatham in a gruesome ritual human sacrifice, Raja, wracked with grief, spurns marriage. In the end, he battles Bhavani and defeats him, and he and Priya of course get married and live happily ever after as the film closes. “Raja” is a tragic identity confusion, a story of lost love, and a tear-jerking reunion. Few of the plot twists are as surprising as they intend to be, and the history-heavy story structure built on flashbacks and tension-fueled turns feels somewhat contrived.