Roja

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Arvind Swamy as Rishi Kumar
• Madhubala as Roja
• Nassar as Colonel Rayappa
• Janagaraj as Achu Maharaj
• Pankaj Kapur as Liaqat
• Shiva Rindani as Wasim Khan
• Vaishnavi Aravind as Shenbagam
• C. K. Saraswathi as one of the village seniors
• Vijaya Chandrika as Roja’s mother
• Sathyapriya as Rishi’s mother
• Vatsala Rajagopal as Roja’s paternal grandmother
• Sujitha as Chinna Ponnu
• S. V. Venkatraman as Chandramoorthy, Rishikumar’s chief and RAW official
• Nirmala Periyasamy as Newsreader
• Rangammal
• Manikandan. G. as Liaqat’s brother
• Padmini as Liaqat’s sister
• Raju Sundaram (special appearance in the song “Rukmini”)

Storyline:

A woman from a village in Tamil Nadu marries a sophisticated city dweller and moves with him to Kashmir, where all is rosy – until he gets kidnapped by militants.

About Movie:

Roja is a Tamil romantic thriller film directed and co-written by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Arvind Swamy and Madhoo (credited as Madhubala), with the latter playing the title role.

Upon its release, Roja received positive reviews for its patriotic theme and critically acclaimed soundtrack. It was featured in the Indian panorama section of the 24th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The film won three National Film Awards, including Best Film on National Integration, which helped elevate Mani Ratnam’s status in Indian cinema.

Roja was also nominated for Best Film at the 18th Moscow International Film Festival, gaining international acclaim. The film’s music, composed by A. R. Rahman, became iconic, with several songs achieving immense popularity.

Roja is considered the first film in Mani Ratnam’s trilogy that includes Bombay (1995) and Dil Se.. (1998), all of which explore human relationships against the backdrop of Indian politics and social issues. The film’s successful blend of romance, drama, and political commentary has made it a significant work in Indian cinema.