With Ajith Kumar's birthday coming up on May 1, theatres are gearing up for re-releases of some of his hits. And one among them is Mankatha, which was Ajith's 50th film. Directed by Venkat Prabhu, the heist action film was a commercial success and was applauded for its performances, music, screenplay writing, and its commercial elements. The film, which is streaming on SunNXT and OTTplay Premium, has plenty of reasons to make for an upcoming weekend watch. Here's what they are:

Ajith’s landmark return

Mankatha not only marks Ajith’s 50th film but also comes at a time when the actor’s last two releases, Aegan and Aasal, failed to capture the box office. Mankatha not only became a commercial success but also stamped the return of the actor, who played a character with grey shades, taking his fans back to the Vaalee days. At a time when superstars are sceptical about doing negative shades, Ajith's portrayal of a corrupt police officer was not only a daring choice but also one of the highlights of the story that made it run for weeks together in theatres.

Yuvan's music magic 

Mankatha has music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja, a close collaborator of Venkat Prabhu. Mankatha’s album consists of eight tracks, most of which were instant chartbusters, including songs like Vilaiyaadu Mankatha, Machi Open The Bottle, and Vaada Bin Lada. The songs have immense recall value and are still played during celebrations. Gangai Amaran, Vaali, and others wrote the lyrics for the songs.

Venkat Prabhu’s screenplay

Venkat Prabhu, who has also written the film, played around with a racy screenplay for Mankatha. The film revolves around a suspended cop, Vinayak, who gets acquainted with a group of men who plan to steal a bulk amount from a don. With Vinayak collaborating with the men to loot the money, Mankatha adapts fast-paced writing to tell the story.

Packed commercial elements

Mankatha is a perfect example of a commercial films that has got everything right. With a mix of songs, comedy and some action sequences, Mankatha is a film that warrants for group watching. Making it a perfect watch for summer treat, either on big or small screens.

Star-studded affair

While the film might be headlined by Ajith Kumar, Mankatha is filled with multiple characters who have their own arcs going within the story. The film features Venkat Prabhu’s ensemble, including Vaibhav, Premji Amaren, Mahat Raghavendra, and Aravind Akash. Besides them, the film also features some known faces like Arjun, Trisha, Lakshmi Rai, Anjali, Andrea Jeremiah, Ashwin Kakumanu, Jayaprakash, and Subbu Panchu.

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