Alaipayuthey
A computer expert (Madhavan) and a crusading doctor (Shalini) marry in secret, then deal with death and trauma.The film's story is mostly recollected in flashbacks against the backdrop of Chennai and its suburban trains.
Directed by Mani Ratnam · Romance · Drama · 2000
Trailer
Director
Mani Ratnam
Studio
Madras Talkies
Release
2000
Genres
Romance, Drama
Full Plot
Karthik (Madhavan) is frantic after the disappearance of his wife Shakti (Shalini). Told in flashbacks, the film traces their brief marriage as the couple's dreamy romance runs through the usual gamut of highs and lows.
Cast & Characters
Lead
Shalini
Supporting
Jayasudha
Supporting
Swarnamalya
Supporting
Pyramid Natarajan
Supporting
Raviprakash
Aarumugam
Venu Arvind
Karthik's mother
K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Sakthi's aunt
Sukumari
Raguraman
Hari Nair
Shyam
Karthik Kumar
Karthik's colleague
Medha Ragunath
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $2.0M, Alaipayuthey has grossed $6.0M worldwide — about 3.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Mani Ratnam has directed 16 films in our catalog, including Kannathil Muthamittal, O Kadhal Kanmani.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
R. Madhavan appears in 7 films in our catalog, including Anbe Sivam, Irudhi Suttru.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Mani Ratnam chose relative newcomers for his film after his previous Hindi film Dil Se..
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-09
Alaipayuthey marked R. Madhavan's acting debut in Tamil films.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-09
Mani Ratnam initially wanted to cast a debutant in the lead female role, but signed Shalini instead.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-09
Swarnamalya was selected for her role after Mani Ratnam spotted her on a television show.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-09-09
Critical Assessment
Audience Breakdown (Einthusan)
Alaipayuthey does not yet have enough aggregated ratings data to summarize.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedNot enough ratings data yet for an AI verdict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Alaipayuthey's IMDb rating?+
Alaipayuthey has a 8.3/10 rating on IMDb from 7,748 votes.
Is Alaipayuthey good? What are critics saying?+
Alaipayuthey does not yet have enough aggregated ratings data to summarize.
Who directed Alaipayuthey?+
Alaipayuthey was directed by Mani Ratnam.
Where can I watch Alaipayuthey?+
Alaipayuthey is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, AP International South Cinema Amazon Channel.
