{ "id": "epqpsna7g8", "slug": "chinna-gounder", "title": "Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000", "label": "Tamil films before 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999", "label": "Released 1992 to 1999", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: Released 1992 to 1999", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000", "label": "Tamil films before 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999", "label": "Released 1992 to 1999", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்), also Chinna Kounder, is a 1992 Tamil drama directed by R.V. Udayakumar, starring Vijayakanth as village judge Thavasi, with Ilaiyaraaja's music, Pongal release, Tamil Nadu State Film Award wins, and Telugu and Kannada remakes.", "snippet": "Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்), also Chinna Kounder, is a 1992 Tamil drama directed by R.V. Udayakumar, starring Vijayakanth as village judge Thavasi, with Ilaiyaraaja's music, Pongal release, Tamil Nadu State Film Award wins, and Telugu and Kannada remakes.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.tamil-films-before-2000.yr-1992-1999", "markdown": "# Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்)\n\n**Chinna Gounder** (சின்ன கவுண்டர்) is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by R. V. Udayakumar and starring [Vijayakanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijayakanth) as Thavasi, a village headman and hereditary village judge in the [Coimbatore](https://www.edgepedia.org/coimbatore) district whose honesty is tested by a conspiracy hatched by his brother-in-law.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/) Released during the Pongal festival, it became one of the defining hits of Vijayakanth's career and was later remade in Telugu and Kannada.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) • [3](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ilaiyaraja-slept-when-hearing-captain-superhit-movie-story-from-director-10460573)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / story | R. V. Udayakumar (screenplay and direction); story and dialogue by R. Selvaraj[4](https://letterboxd.com/film/chinna-gounder/) |\n| Lead cast | Vijayakanth (Thavasi, Chinna Gounder), Sukanya (Deivanai), Manorama, Goundamani, Senthil, Salim Ghouse, Vadivelu[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) |\n| Music | Ilaiyaraaja; cinematography by A. Karthik Raja, editing by B. S. Nagaraj[4](https://letterboxd.com/film/chinna-gounder/) |\n| Release | 14–15 January 1992, during Pongal; some catalogs date the film 1991[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) • [5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) |\n| Runtime | About 143 to 150 minutes, in color[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/) |\n| Awards | Third prize for best film at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for 1992; Sukanya won a Best Actress Creative Award[6](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/awards/) |\n| Remakes | Telugu as *Chinarayudu* (1992) and Kannada as *Chikkejamanru*[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\nThavasi, known as Chinna Gounder, is a rich and respected landlord whose family has been the hereditary village judge for a group of 18 villages; he takes up the work ten years after his father's death.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) He marries Deivanai (Sukanya), a poor shepherd girl who had earlier saved his mother from a snake bite.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [10](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) His brother-in-law Sakkara Gounder (Salim Ghouse), who married Sundari after the death of Thavasi's sister, engineers a series of problems that culminate in Deivanai being arrested for murder after she attacks a man who has agreed to give false testimony against Thavasi.[5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf) • [10](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) Thavasi silently endures the damage to his reputation to protect the family name, and the conflict is eventually resolved with the villagers driving the villains out.[10](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf) • [5](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf)\n\n## Production\nThe film was produced by V. Mohan and V. Natarajan for Ananthi Films.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chinna_goundar) Udayakumar, who had made his directing debut with *Urimal Kitham* (Urimeetham) in 1988, modeled the central character on his own uncle Athiyan, who served for several years as village chairman in Thuckanaicken Palayam; the affection villagers showed him gave Udayakumar the skeleton of the script.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html)\n\nThe famous opening panchayat scene, in which Thavasi resolves a land dispute involving an illiterate wrestling trainer, was the last scene shot. Udayakumar and Selvaraj postponed it while searching for a case that would astonish the judge character, and the finished sequence became one of the most memorable character introductions of Vijayakanth's career.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html) Udayakumar also deliberately reversed the star's established image: until then Vijayakanth's films were known for aggressive action, and Udayakumar asked for calmness in his eyes instead.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html)\n\n## Music\nIlaiyaraaja composed the soundtrack, which the Tamil press credits with giving the film much of its strength.[3](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ilaiyaraja-slept-when-hearing-captain-superhit-movie-story-from-director-10460573) Songs include \"Kannupada Poguthaiya\" (கண்ணுப்பட போகுத்தய்யா), sung by [Ilaiyaraaja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ilaiyaraaja) himself, and duets such as \"Chinna Kili Vanna Kili\" and \"Koondukulla Unnavachu\" sung by [S. P. Balasubrahmanyam](https://www.edgepedia.org/s-p-balasubrahmanyam) and [S. Janaki](https://www.edgepedia.org/s-janaki).[6](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D) A retrospective survey of 1992 Tamil cinema called the score widely regarded as one of Ilaiyaraaja's finest works.[11](https://www.tamilaifm.com/news-view/1774894/a-special-look-at-tamil-cinemas-best-films-of-1992)\n\n## Reception and legacy\nReleased on the same Pongal day as Rajinikanth's *[Mannan](https://www.edgepedia.org/mannan-film)*, *Chinna Gounder* ran for more than 100 days in theaters and drew an especially strong response from women audiences.[3](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ilaiyaraja-slept-when-hearing-captain-superhit-movie-story-from-director-10460573) • [12](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/throw-back-stories/rajinikanth-admits-that-vijayakanth-starrer-chinna-gounder-beat-mannan-film-107425.html) It won the third prize for best film at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for 1992, and Sukanya received a Best Actress Creative Award.[6](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/awards/)\n\n**Influence on caste-themed cinema.** Scholars of Tamil cinema treat the film as a starting point for a 1990s wave of caste-centric rural films. A Tamil Nadu History Congress proceedings paper records the argument that its release created a trend followed by films such as *Periya Gounder Ponnu* (1992) and *Gounder PonnaKokka* (1992), and notes that the film establishes the benevolence of the caste-Hindu protagonist and the efficiency of the feudal panchayat from its opening scenes.[13](https://www.tnhc.org.in/docs/proceedings/Thiruvannamalai-2022.pdf) Film critics place it alongside *Ejamaan* (1993) and *Nattamai* (1994) in a phase in which villagers bow before caste-identified heroes, and later films such as *Kabali* and *Kaala* have been described as cinematic counters to this tradition.[14](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/oct/20/caste-in-tamil-cinema-a-story-in-four-acts-2050211.html)\n\nUdayakumar has rejected the reading that the film romanticizes caste. He stated that Vadivelu's character Maakali, who holds the umbrella for the hero, was written as an ordinary helper without caste categorization, and that Goundamani's character Vellai, who alone supports Thavasi after his own mother disowns him, was meant to show that people are good regardless of community.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html) The film's *moi virundhu* proposal scene, in which Thavasi places the thaali under Deivanai's banana leaf and is then seen washing his hands, has been widely discussed; Udayakumar said the shot was intended to imply that her problems were being washed away, and the sequence had been conceived by Selvaraj years earlier and pitched unsuccessfully to other directors including Bharathiraaja.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html)\n\nThe film was remade in Telugu as *Chinarayudu* (1992) and in Kannada as *Chikkejamanru*.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder) It was later spoofed in *Tamizh Padam 2*.[15](https://www.moviebuff.com/chinna-gounder)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Chinna Gounder (1992), TamilMDb](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/3206/1992-chinna-gounder)\n2. [Chinna Gounder (1991), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/)\n3. [கதை கேட்டு தூங்கிய இளையராஜா... , Tamil Indian Express](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/ilaiyaraja-slept-when-hearing-captain-superhit-movie-story-from-director-10460573)\n4. [Chinna Gounder (1992), Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/film/chinna-gounder/)\n5. [Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema entry, Indiancine.ma](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%2520of%2520Indian%2520Cinema.pdf)\n6. [சின்ன கவுண்டர், தமிழர்விக்கி](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D)\n7. [Chinna Gounder (1991) – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306644/awards/)\n8. [Chinna Goundar, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chinna_goundar)\n9. [Sense of a scene: Vijayakanth's Chinna Gounder was not meant to romanticise caste, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/Sep/10/sense-of-a-scene-vijayakanths-chinna-gounder-was-not-meant-to-romanticise-caste-14203.html)\n10. [Chinna Gounder plot summary, IJCSP publication](https://rjpn.org/ijcspub/papers/IJCSPTH00004.pdf)\n11. [A Special Look at Tamil Cinema's Best Films of 1992, Tamil AI FM](https://www.tamilaifm.com/news-view/1774894/a-special-look-at-tamil-cinemas-best-films-of-1992)\n12. [Rajinikanth admits that Vijayakanth starrer Chinna Gounder beat Mannan film, Tamil Filmibeat](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/throw-back-stories/rajinikanth-admits-that-vijayakanth-starrer-chinna-gounder-beat-mannan-film-107425.html)\n13. [Proceedings of the 27th & 28th Tamil Nadu History Congress, Thiruvannamalai 2022](https://www.tnhc.org.in/docs/proceedings/Thiruvannamalai-2022.pdf)\n14. [Caste in Tamil cinema, a story in four acts, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/oct/20/caste-in-tamil-cinema-a-story-in-four-acts-2050211.html)\n15. [Chinna Gounder, Moviebuff.com](https://www.moviebuff.com/chinna-gounder)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films before 2000 › Released 1992 to 1999*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்)](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Chinna Gounder (சின்ன கவுண்டர்)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/chinna-gounder. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Chinna Gounder, also Chinna Kounder, is a 1992 Tamil drama directed by R.V." }