'Karthik' R Madhavan and 'Shakhti' Shalini Ajithkumar’s reunion pic goes VIRAL; netizens demand for Alai Payuthey sequel

R. Madhavan and Shalini Ajithkumar became one of the most beloved onscreen romantic pairs after starring together in the blockbuster cult classic Alaipayuthey, directed by Mani Ratnam. Now, 24 years since its release, the leading duo was recently spotted together, sharing a heartwarming selfie.

Madhavan and Shalini recreate Alai Payuthey's magic again

Actress Shalini took to social media recently to share an adorable selfie with her "Karthik," aka co-star Madhavan. Sharing the photo, she captioned it, "Endrendrum Punnagai" (which translates to "Smile Forever"). The line is derived from the title of a popular song in the film.

Following the post, fans of the cult classic romantic drama flooded the comments section, requesting the duo to reunite for a sequel. One fan suggested a "parents edition" of Alaipayuthey, writing, "Y’ALL COULD LITERALLY DO ALAIPAYUTHEY 2: PARENTS EDITION????"

Reminiscing about the film's memories, another fan commented, "THE ICONIC PAIR ONSCREEN AGAIN AFTER 24 YEARS SEEING THEM TOGETHER TAKES US BACK TO THOSE MEMORABLE DAYS."

More about Alaipayuthey

Written and directed by Mani Ratnam, Alaipayuthey was released in 2000 and focused on the tensions that arise between a young couple who elope and get married. Upon its release, the film received massive acclaim and became one of the most cherished works in director Mani Ratnam's career. The film’s music, scored by A.R. Rahman, became a chartbuster, with many of the songs still trending on social media reels.

The film was dubbed and released in Telugu under the title Sakhi and later remade in Hindi in 2002 as Saathiya, directed by Shaad Ali, with Rani Mukherjee and Vivek Oberoi reprising the roles originally played by Madhavan and Shalini.

While Shalini left the film industry after marrying Tamil star Ajith Kumar, Madhavan continues to work in Bollywood. He will next be seen in the Tamil film The Test, alongside Nayanthara and Siddharth.

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