Preethamis on a visit to Eva Mall in Bangalore; amidst a heavy wind, he spots a pretty girl, Nandini. While staring at her, he inadvertently falls into a manhole. Nandini rescues him, but in the process she loses her heart-shaped watch which she had just bought.
While accompanying his mother to Madikeri in Coorg, Preetham confronts a man named Jaanu. Jaanu, who has been following Nandini, hits Preetham, thinking that he is in love with her. Preetham, unaware that Jaanu has vowed not to allow anyone near Nandini, fights Jaanu and his gang in revenge.
In Madikeri, Preetham unexpectedly meets Nandini. He identifies himself and expresses his love for her and offers to put her lost watch on her. Nandini, who is already engaged, rejects his request. Nonetheless, Preetham vows to marry Nandini if she meets him again. In the meantime, Preetham discovers that his nearly-deaf host in Madikeri, Col. Subbaiah, is Nandini's father and that her wedding is only a week away. Dejected, Preetham throws Nandini's watch away. But Nandini calls him and taunts him to return. Delighted, Preetham goes in search of her watch and spots a rabbit, which he names Devadas, and brings it along with the watch.
Since Nandini's friends are due to arrive from Mumbai for the wedding, Preetham takes Nandini to the railway station. The train is delayed by five hours, so Nandini and Preetham decide to visit a nearby hill-temple. While returning from the temple, Preetham and Nandini are caught in the rain. An old couple offers to give them shelter inside their hut. Preetham, still not sure about expressing his love to Nandini, grabs a couple of toddy bottles, goes out in the rain and starts drinking. However, when Nandini walks towards him, offering an umbrella, he drunkenly tells Nandini that he should stay away from Nandini to remain a decent boy, rather than to propose or elope with her. Nandini is now in love with Preetham and is in a dilemma as her wedding is in a few days. She asks him to take her to the top of a waterfall where she expresses her love for him while standing at the edge.
Preetam, intent on marrying Nandini, takes Col. Subbaiah for a morning jog to discuss the matter. But Col. Subbaiah, a heart patient, tells Preetham that he is expected to die anytime and his only desire is to get Nandini married to Gautam: an army officer who saved his life during a war. He also could feel Nandini's mother's worry when she realised that Nandini could be in love with someone else because the wedding was to happen the next day and all invitations were already sent out. Her mother also felt that it would be very unfair to a good person like Gautham. Hence, Preetham decides to obey Nandini's parents' wishes and let Gautham marry Nandini. The night before the wedding, an extremely depressed Preetham goes to a road-side bar to drink alcohol and sees Gautam arriving for his wedding ceremony. Gautam asks the bar-owner for directions to Col. Subbaiah's home because of the heavy rains and badly-maintained interior roads of Coorg. Jaanu arrives and tries to kill Gautam, Preetham saves him and convinces Jaanu that Gautam is the best person to marry Nandini.
The next day, Preetham brings Gautam to the wedding after Gautam's car broke down. They reach just in time for the ceremony, but Preetham declines to attend. Gautam asks for the heart-shaped watch as a memento but Preetham leaves, unwilling to part with it. They search for Preetham, but cannot find him. Only Preetham's mother knows the truth of his love for Nandini, and she tries to hide her fear.
Resignedly, Preetham watches the arch proclaiming "Gautham weds Nandini" and the marriage taking place in Kodava style. As he leaves, he spots Devadas and takes the rabbit with him. Driving towards Bangalore, Preetham confides in Devadas as to how much he loved Nandini, and how he wished he had a life with her. He then realises that Devadas has died. The film ends with Preetham burying Devadas.
Director Yograj Bhat, who had earlier dabbled in advertising and corporate films, began working on the script of Mungaru Male.[21] He read the script to Puneeth Rajkumar and Ramya who rejected it.[22] Ganesh introduced Yograj Bhat to producer E. Krishnappa, who agreed to finance the film. Bhat cast a relatively unknown actress, Pooja Gandhi, for the lead female role in the film.[23]
Approximately 80% of the scenes were filmed in the rain.[1][24] Shooting locations included major part in[24] Sakaleshpura, Madikeri,[24] Jog Falls Sagara,[24] and Gadag. Krishna, the cameraman, was a part-time photographer prior to the film. The song "Kunidu Kunidu" and the climax was shot at Jog Falls.[25][26]
Upon the album's release, it topped the charts with the song "Anisuthide" receiving significant radio and TV air time.[30] It was reported that by mid-May 2007, over 200,000 copies were sold in compact discs alone.[31] Hindustan Times reported, "The film has just completed seven weeks, but audio sales have broken all earlier records. Composer Mano Murthy has once again created musical magic with songs like 'Anisuthidhe' and 'Onde Ondu Saari'."[32]
The success of the film's soundtrack, especially the track "Anisutide", further propelled Nigam's playback singing career in Kannada cinema.[30] With the song, lyricist and writer Jayant Kaikini's reputation as a writer of romantic songs further elevated, and is considered one of his best.[33]
Indicine.com's critic rated the film 4 out of 5, describing Ganesh as the "life and soul of the movie". Other praise was directed at Gandhi, "Sanjana makes a confident debut. Veteran actor Anant Nag with his brilliant comic timing provides able support".[35] S. Shiva Kumar of The Hindu wrote, "Anant Nag never ceases to amaze. Playing a deaf, trigger-happy ex-serviceman, his dialogue delivery and sense of timing are spot on. TV anchor turned actor Ganesh has a casual style, which audiences seem to be lapping up."[36]
The movie was remade in Telugu in 2008 as Vaana,[16] in Bengali in 2008 as Premer Kahini , in Odia in 2009 as Romeo - The Lover Boy [18] and in Marathi in 2017 as Premay Namaha.[57][58]
It was announced in July 2014 that Shashank would be directing the sequel of the film, titled Mungaru Male 2. Ganesh reprised his role in the film, produced by J. Gangadhar under the banner of E. K. Pictures.[19] The sequel was released in 2016.
Mungaru Male revolves around the happy go lucky Preetham who accompanies his mother to the hilly area of Madikeri to attend a wedding. He falls for a girl without knowing who she is, and it is only after both of them realise that they are deeply in love that they are struck by a twist.
@Sujyothi: You are very right. There is an abundance of talent here but its heartening to find it going unnoticed. But speaking about the songs and singers chosen, its something quite unique that has been done with the songs in this movie, which is quite refreshing to see and hear.
People like changes. Where there is a break from routine, things click. I am sure you would agree if I said a movie like Dil Chahta Hai which did so many things different for a change brought about a revolution. We saw conversations happen on the screen rather than dialogs being delivered. It was so refreshing that it has gone on to be a all-time-hit.
Hi I m Deepthi
Dear achelis i think u need to watch the movi first and then comment bout the hero i feel pitty for u coz u have missed to watch this movi so plz go N WATCH the movi before commenting is superb ganesh is a brriliant actor and has done a great job.Whatever u accept or not or karnataka people have accepted from heart all the best for u in ur future for other comments take care dude.
hay m Deepti
Hi to every one i have watched the movi and this is the first movi in my whole life that i have watched it for 17 times its a fantastic Movi can watct watct watch many times coz its not booring it has more real life commedy and cant even talk bout Ganesh Acting its Brilliant hay guys i request u all who havent watched the movi to watch it its worth watchin it its simply superb cheers!!!
I am very happy that some of the recent kannada movies like Cyanide, Care of Footpath, Jote Joteyali (particularly Music is very good though story is average), Sixer, kallarali hoovagi, Mungaru Male,Arasu,Duniya with most of the movies with newcomers have been excellent movies.
I wish this trend continues in Kannada film industry.
its a wonderfull movie to watch, i like the locations nd photo art at jog ,,, brought lot of beauty to the place, songs are mond blowing i never heard such good songs ever in recent movies, Duniys is also a wonderful movie, thanks for the kannada industry for giving such wonderful movie, my last movie was seen in ages ,, i think its worth watchin ,,i like the dialogue in rain ganesh said to sanjana .. overall i wud rate 5/5 for this movie ..
hi ganesh hagaidhira nimma film alla thumba chennagide nanu nimma dhoda fan edannu nodida kudale nanage mil,message kalstira alva nimma commedy time thumba chennagi udaya TV alli mudibarutide nimma abhimani pallavi poojari
when mungaru male got success we also got mungaru male. it is very intersting film ganesh action is too good. he is realy lucky .realy i m thankful to ganesh and director yogaraj bhat
i wish god bless to ganesh.
hai ganesh namaskra namaskra namaskra namaskra namaskra namaskra namaskra u film was very good man we wall r very happy and sanjna was to smart and very buttyfull girl wish u all the best man we all r love u man
Even Picasso himself would have failed to repeat his masterstroke, if he was asked to paint one of his famous art work, for the second time! Well, it reminds of the saying by John D. Rockefeller, one of world's richest man - "If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success." However, it is always the most daring ones, who accept such challenges, and for that feat alone, the director needs to be appreciated for accepting it as a challenge making the sequel to one of the most popular film for a decade now. But unfortunately the sequel which intends to 'quench' and 'drench' with excitement, ends up resulting in boredom while music and the background score being the biggest drawback apart from the 'royal' dull experience.
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