Muni released on 9 March 2007 to positive reviews and huge box office collections. It is the first instalment in the Muni film series, and a spiritual sequel, Kanchana, was released in 2011.
Plot
Ganesh, a young man with a deep fear of ghosts who refuses to go out after 6 PM, moves into a new house with his mother, father, and wife Priya. All of a sudden, Ganesh is possessed by a ghost and starts behaving in a rude manner; his family cannot understand his behaviour, so they seek the help of a priest named Andaiyar. Andaiyar asks the ghost about his past. The ghost says that he is Muniyaandi and starts revealing his flashback.
Muni was a kindhearted but poor man living in the slums with his daughter. His friend is MLA Marakka Dhandapani, who uses Muni to win local elections and promises that he would give lands to the poor villagers. Dhandapani wins the election but cheats on Muni. Muni fights with Dhandapani, who kills Muni and his daughter. Dhandapani lies to the poor people by saying that Muni and his daughter fled with the money that he had given Muni for the welfare of the villagers.
After hearing Muni's story Ganesh feels sorry for him and decides to help him, Ganesh requests Andaiyar to lie to his family that the ghost has left and andaiyar agrees. Ganesh now possessed by Muni manages to get a job as a bodyguard for Dhandapani's daughter but after he brutally kills Dhandapani's brother Dhandapani finds out that Ganesh is Muni and hires an exorcist named Mastaan Bhai to save himself. Bhai captures Muni and bargains with him, who agrees to let Dhandapani go if he repents and helps the poor villagers. In the climax, at Ayyanaar temple, Dhandapani confesses to the people that he killed Muni and his daughter. He then leaves money with the villagers. Muni talks with the people and eats the feast prepared by them. Bhai tells Muni to leave Ganesh's body, and he does. However, Dhandapani lied and was planning to get back all his money from the villagers. Ganesh, upon hearing this, kills Dhandapani. Bhai sees this act but does nothing, as he finally sees the injustice done by Dhandapani.
Sify wrote, "On the whole, Muni does not make for great horror film. At best it provides some funny comedy time!!".[3] Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote "Lawrence's Telugu ventures were better crafted and presented. He hasn't revealed even half that potential here. Again, the attempt to blend comedy with the supernatural doesn't quite work out here. For, the film neither makes you laugh nor takes you to the edge of your seat. Minus it's gore and violence, 'Muni' at most could have turned out to be enjoyable fare for children!".[4] Lajjavathi of Kalki praised the acting of Rajkiran and Lawrence and other actors, Bharadwaj's music and Ramesh Khanna's dialogues and called the film as comedy express.[5]
^"Muni". Sify. 12 March 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
^Mannath, Malini (26 March 2007). "Muni". Chennai Online. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
^லஜ்ஜாவதி (1 April 2007). "முனி". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 65. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024 – via Internet Archive.
