This is another Mani Ratnam favorite. Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal was introduced to the Tamil movie audience as a shooting location with the widely popular & tastefully picturized ‘KannaalaNE’ song from the movie Bombay. Other Mani Ratham movies whose songs/ portions were shot in the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal are Iruvar & Guru. Mani became such a big favorite of this venue that we believe it is upon his insistence that Vasanth shot the ‘Manam virumbudhe unnai’ song from the movie Nerukku Naer, that was produced by Mani Saar (that is how his fans call him these days)

About the location:
The Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is a palace that was built in the year 1636 by the king named Thirumalai Nayakkar belonging to the Nayakkar dynasty. The Mahal is situated right at the heart of the famous South Indian city called Madurai, also called as the Temple City because of the presence of temples in every nook & corner of the city. The Mahal has 248 pillars, with each pillar measuring 58 feet in height and 5 feet in diameter. There is a sound & light show in the evenings that narrates the Silappathikaaram in both English & Tamil.

Movies shot at this location:
Manam Virumbudhe from Nerukku Naer
Tere Bina Tere Bina from Guru
Several conversation (between Prakash Raj & Mohan Lal) scenes from Iruvar
Ragasiya Kanavugal song from Bheema
KannukkullE Kadhalaa from Thamizh
Ponmani Theril/ Makkulu from Jagan Mohini
Maalai KarukkalilE from Enga Ooru Kaavalkaaran
Scene prior to the En VennilavE song & the initial portions of the song from Aadukalam
Scene where Prakash Raj teases Mohan Lal to join politics from Iruvar
Wedding scene where Mohan Lal falters & Prakash Raj holds him up from Iruvar
Ennarum ThozhanE poem (climax scene) from Iruvar

Nayakkar Mahal