Venugopal, a wealthy industrialist, marries a woman named Sushila and they have quadruplets. His brother Nandagopal tries to have her and the newborns killed by hired goons. However, the leader of the goons has no desire to kill the babies, so he adopts one, leaves one in an orphanage, one in a temple who is picked by Palakkad Mani Iyer, a Brahmin, and one in a car that belongs to Venugopal. 30 years later, Madhan is now a London-educated businessman. Venugopal has raised Madhan as his adopted son, not knowing that he is his biological son. Venugopal is killed by Nandagopal and his nephew, Ramu for his inheritance, but unknown to them, the will has already named Madhan as the beneficiary. Madhan returns to Bangalore from England to take over his father's company. He confronts Avinashi, his father's PA, over his embezzlement, while reluctantly promising to forgive him if Avinashi accepted his culpability. Meanwhile, in Chennai, Michael, like his foster father, has become a petty criminal, and while escaping with his foster father from the police, accidentally causes a fire in an art gallery where artist Shalini's paintings are being displayed for exhibition. This brings in the firefighter, Raju, who saves Shalini and her paintings, leading to romance. Raju is also in debt to a money-lender over a failed stage play. While evading him, Kameshwaran is introduced as a cook for weddings and special events. He meets Thirupurasundari and her kleptomaniac grandmother. Eventually, Kameshwaran marries Thirupurasundari. Someone contacts Madhan over the phone and tells him that his father's death was no accident, but that it was planned, and gives him an address in Chennai and a time to meet. After some distractions involving a woman named Chakkubai and her mother Gangubai, Madhan meets the caller, Sushila, who, unknown to him, is his biological mother. While escaping from goons sent by Ramu in a car, Madhan meets Raju and hires him to impersonate him in Bangalore while Madhan investigates in Chennai. Meanwhile, Ramu and Nandagopal have hired Michael to kill Madhan. Michael sabotages Madhan's car, not realising it is Raju and not Madhan. The brakes fail on the highway, but Raju brings the car to a safe stop. Sushila meets with him thinking he is Madhan, but he redirects her to the real Madhan in Chennai. Raju, Shalini, and her father arrive at Madhan's house in Bangalore. Raju confiscates Avinashi's money not knowing Madhan's deal with Avinashi. Meanwhile, Michael finds the real Madhan in Chennai. Madhan and Chakkubai have fallen in love and Madhan presents her with a ring; unknown to them, they are being spied on by Michael and his foster father. Michael follows Madhan, Chakkubai, Gangubai, and Sushila to Sushila's home where it is revealed that Madhan's father is alive but dazed from the assassination attempt. Michael and his foster father arrive at the scene. Sushila recognises the father as the person who had taken her quadruplets and realises that Michael and Madhan are both her biological sons. Michael and his father knock all of them unconscious and kidnap Madhan and the others to a mountain cabin near Bangalore. Avinashi chances upon Kameshwaran on his wedding day, and hires him to impersonate Madhan to retrieve the money that Raju confiscated. Back in Madhan's house in Bangalore, Raju and Shalini plan to meet without her father knowing. Avinashi drugs Raju's soup but the soup is drunk by Madhan's bodyguard Bheem. Raju and Shalini meet and profess their love for one another. Michael and his father arrive at Madhan's house to loot it. Michael sees Raju, mistakes him for Madhan, and thinks that Madhan has escaped from the cabin. He knocks Raju unconscious. Avinashi sees the unconscious Raju, assumes it was the effect of his drugged soup, and brings Kameshwaran into the house to retrieve his money. Kameshwaran is mistaken for Raju by Shalini who then tries to get intimate with him. Thirupu and her grandmother drag Kameshwaran away from her. Shalini then witnesses Kameshwaran hugging Thirupu. This enrages her as she thinks that Raju is two-timing her. To add to the hilarity, Chakkubai and Gangubai also arrive at the house in search of Madhan. Chakkubai mistakes Kameshwaran for Madhan and introduces herself to everyone as Madhan's fiancée, much to Avinashi's dismay, as his plan of using Kameshwaran to access Madhan's money keeps getting comically disrupted first by Raju's then by Madhan's girlfriend. Shalini takes a hunting rifle and holds everyone at gunpoint. Avinashi and the rest try to tell her that Kameshwaran is not Madhan/Raju but she does not believe them. Meanwhile, the real Madhan has escaped the cabin with his parents and comes to the house. In the midst of all this confusion, Michael steals Madhan's wealth and escapes to the cabin. The rest of the crew follows them back to the cabin in multiple cars. Ramu and Nandagopal are already present in the cabin and hold everyone at gunpoint as they arrive one by one. All four brothers are finally in the same room at the same time and Sushila tells them that they are her quadruplets. The presence of all the people in the small cabin causes it to tilt over the cliff edge. The bad men are knocked out and the four brothers work together to safely get everyone out of the cabin. Everyone is happy as they are finally together.
Cast
Kamal Haasan as Michael, Madhanagopal, Kameshwaran and Raju
According to Singeetham, Michael Madana Kamarajan is a "modern version of the old folk tale of a king, queen and their quadruplets who grow up in different households." Kamal Haasan played four distinct characters who are quadruplets: the criminal Michael, the businessman Madhan, the cook Kameshwaran and the firefighter Raju. For portraying Michael, Haasan grew his hair long and sported a French beard; for Madhan, he wore glasses and was clean-shaven; for Kameshwaran, he brushed his hair back and applied a vibhuti tilaka on his forehead; for Raju, he kept his mustache thick and hair short. Nagesh initially wanted to play a different role from the PA Avinashi, but when Haasan asked him if he would play his role, Nagesh retorted, "As if you'd give me that if I asked you for it!" He was interested in playing Thirupurasundari's kleptomaniac grandmother before S. N. Lakshmi was cast.
Filming
The song "Sundari Neeyum" was filmed entirely in slow-motion with 48 frames. Singeetham initially wanted the picturisation with 20 widows in background however he changed the idea after hearing the tune of the song. The climax sequence, featuring a "cliff-hanging-house", was based on a similar scene from the American filmThe Gold Rush. The exterior portion was shot in Coonoor and the interior of the house was shot in studio, in a hydraulic set.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack consists of five memorable songs composed by Ilayaraja. K. J. Yesudas was supposed to sing Sundari Neeyum, but due to his busy schedule Ilaiyaraaja insisted on Kamal Hassan singing the song. "Rum Bum Bum" is yet another fast melody and is a huge hit in college setting till date. The soundtrack also had two songs "Mathapoovu Oru Penna" and "Aadi Pattam Thedi" which were not picturised.
Telugu Track list
The film was dubbed into Telugu with the same title. Ilayaraja composed the music with Rajashri penning all the lyrics.
Legacy
Singer Mahathi said, "I have always loved the ‘Crazy’ Mohan and Kamal Hassan combination. Especially in Michael Madana Kamarajan where Kamal brings out so much from every character, playing it so different from the other."
