Vettaikaaran (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Vettaikaaran is a 2009
Tamil
action film
directed by debutant B. Babusivan that stars Vijay and Anushka Shetty
. Gopinath handled cinematography
while V. T. Vijayan
was the film's editor. The film, produced by AVM Productions
and distributed by Sun Pictures
, was launched in February 2009 and the shooting for the film commenced the following month. The film revolves around a youngster who aims to be a cop just like a local police commissioner whom he idolizes, but during the process he is stopped by the evil done to his friends by a local mobster. The film's soundtrack, composed by Vijay Antony
, was released in September 2009. The film was released worldwide on 18 December 2009, receiving mixed reviews. It was also dubbed into Telugu as Puli Veta.
Soon, Ravi comes across a local thug, Chella (Ravishankar), who tries to play spoilsport in the life of his classmate Uma (Sanchita Padukone). Ravi comes to her defense and defeats Chella, hospitalizing him. His troubles start as Chella's father, a criminal don named Vedanayakam (Salim Ghouse
), with the help of corrupt cop Kattabomman (Sayaji Shinde
), begins to create havoc in Ravi's life. As Ravi turns to his mentor Devaraj for help, he shockingly learns that Devaraj's family has died at the hands of Vedanayakam and that Devaraj himself has been blinded and is helpless. It is at this stage that Ravi takes up a new persona called "Police" Ravi to clean up the illegal activities of Vedanayakam and instill hope in the public, something that Devaraj was unable to do.
In the process, however, Vedanayakam kills Ravi's close friend (Sathyan
), prompting Ravi to kill Chella in retribution. Vedanayakam decides soon after to become a minister, knowing that it is the only way to put a stop to Ravi's activities. As Ravi finally plans to kill Vedanayakam, knowing the danger of him becoming a minister, the police arrive to arrest Ravi. However, Ravi sees Devaraj in the crowd and announces Vedanayakam's location to him just as he is being arrested, allowing Devaraj to shoot and kill Vedanayakam, effectively taking his revenge.
In the end, Devraj is re-instituted into the police force and agrees to make Ravi a police officer. However, Ravi states that he does not need to become one, for he has found the police officer within himself and that is all he needs to succeed in life. The film ends as Ravi happily leaves with Suseela and his friends.
, directed by S. Dharani
, B. Babusivan served as one of his assistant directors in the film and wrote the dialogues. Sivan was later prompted to begin his maiden directorial venture with Vijay in the lead role. He was eventually chosen as the director for the next feature film to be produced AVM Productions
. The project was originally titled as Police Ravi but in August 2008 it was re-titled as Vettaikkaaran, taken from the 1964 Tamil film starring M. G. Ramachandran
.
Vettaikaran was formally launched the next month. The film's director Babusivan, producers M. Balasubramaniam and B. Gurunath Meyyappan, Vijay and his wife, Vijay Antony
, S. A. Chandrasekhar
and director Dharani
were present at the film's inauguration.
and Hari
were mentioned, but AVM Productions chose B. Babusivan to be the director
of the film.
Several actresses were considered for the lead female role with Shriya Saran
, Tamannaah, Ileana D'Cruz
, Bhavana, Asin
, Nayantara
and Anushka Shetty
being considered for the role. Afterwards, Anushka was finalized to portray the role. Cinematographer Gopinath was chosen to be the lead cameraman in the film after Ravi Varman
was dropped from the film. V. T. Vijayan
was signed as the film's editor.
Indiaglitz gave a statement that "'Vettaikkaran' is an out and out action movie Vijay fans would lap it up". Rediff stated that "if you're a Vijay fan, you'll love his crackling style but for the others? Enjoy the unadulterated masala" giving 1.5 out of 5.
Vijay Awards
Won
Nomination
Filmfare Awards South
Nomination
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
Tamil
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by debutant B. Babusivan that stars Vijay and Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty is an Indian film actress who works mainly in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. She debuted in the 2005 Telugu film Super and rose to fame following her performance in Vikramarkudu...
. Gopinath handled cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
while V. T. Vijayan
V. T. Vijayan
V. T. Vijayan is a film editor who works mainly in Malayalam and Tamil films. His nephews are also involved in film: M. Raja is a director and Jayam Ravi is a film actor.-External links:*...
was the film's editor. The film, produced by AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
and distributed by Sun Pictures
Sun Pictures
Sun Pictures is a film distribution and production studio unit of Chennai, based Sun Network owned by Kalanidhi Maran. Founded in 2008, it started distributing low-budget Tamil-language films, Kadhalil Vizhunthen being the first, and holds the credit of producing India's costliest film Enthiran...
, was launched in February 2009 and the shooting for the film commenced the following month. The film revolves around a youngster who aims to be a cop just like a local police commissioner whom he idolizes, but during the process he is stopped by the evil done to his friends by a local mobster. The film's soundtrack, composed by Vijay Antony
Vijay Antony
-Biography and career:Antony first worked as a sound engineer, later becoming a music director. In 1998 he studied at Loyola College, Chennai after which he founded his own studio, 'Audiophiles', composing and sound engineering for TV jingles and documentaries. The soundtrack of the film Sukran,...
, was released in September 2009. The film was released worldwide on 18 December 2009, receiving mixed reviews. It was also dubbed into Telugu as Puli Veta.
Plot
Ravi (Vijay) lives in Tuticorin. He aspires to become a policeman like his idol, Police Officer Devaraj IPS(Srihari). After completing his higher education, he joins a college in Chennai, and also earns a living by driving an auto rickshaw. During the course, he meets Suseela (Anushka) and falls in love with her instantly. With the help of her grandmother, he succeeds in winning Suseela's heart.Soon, Ravi comes across a local thug, Chella (Ravishankar), who tries to play spoilsport in the life of his classmate Uma (Sanchita Padukone). Ravi comes to her defense and defeats Chella, hospitalizing him. His troubles start as Chella's father, a criminal don named Vedanayakam (Salim Ghouse
Salim Ghouse
Salim Ghouse is a film, television and theater actor, theater director and martial artist. He has acted in several Indian languages including Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam....
), with the help of corrupt cop Kattabomman (Sayaji Shinde
Sayaji Shinde
Sayaji Shinde is a Marathi film and multilingual actor from India who has acted in Bollywood, Tollywood and Kollywood. He was born in a small village near Satara, Maharashtra.-Career:...
), begins to create havoc in Ravi's life. As Ravi turns to his mentor Devaraj for help, he shockingly learns that Devaraj's family has died at the hands of Vedanayakam and that Devaraj himself has been blinded and is helpless. It is at this stage that Ravi takes up a new persona called "Police" Ravi to clean up the illegal activities of Vedanayakam and instill hope in the public, something that Devaraj was unable to do.
In the process, however, Vedanayakam kills Ravi's close friend (Sathyan
Sathyan (actor)
Sathyan is a Tamil film actor and comedian. He is the only son of veteran producer, Madhampatty Sivakumar and is the nephew of noted actor Sathyaraj, whilst Sibiraj is his cousin...
), prompting Ravi to kill Chella in retribution. Vedanayakam decides soon after to become a minister, knowing that it is the only way to put a stop to Ravi's activities. As Ravi finally plans to kill Vedanayakam, knowing the danger of him becoming a minister, the police arrive to arrest Ravi. However, Ravi sees Devaraj in the crowd and announces Vedanayakam's location to him just as he is being arrested, allowing Devaraj to shoot and kill Vedanayakam, effectively taking his revenge.
In the end, Devraj is re-instituted into the police force and agrees to make Ravi a police officer. However, Ravi states that he does not need to become one, for he has found the police officer within himself and that is all he needs to succeed in life. The film ends as Ravi happily leaves with Suseela and his friends.
Cast
- Vijay as Ravi, the protagonist who wants to become a great IPS officer
- Anushka ShettyAnushka ShettyAnushka Shetty is an Indian film actress who works mainly in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. She debuted in the 2005 Telugu film Super and rose to fame following her performance in Vikramarkudu...
as Susheela, Ravi's love interest - SrihariSrihariRaghumudri Sri Hari, better known as Srihari , is an award-winning actor in Tollywood. He started out in Telugu cinema as the antagonist and subsequently went on to do some notable lead roles.-As lead actor:...
as Devaraj, the IPS officer who Ravi's idolizes - Sayaji ShindeSayaji ShindeSayaji Shinde is a Marathi film and multilingual actor from India who has acted in Bollywood, Tollywood and Kollywood. He was born in a small village near Satara, Maharashtra.-Career:...
as Kattabomman - Salim GhouseSalim GhouseSalim Ghouse is a film, television and theater actor, theater director and martial artist. He has acted in several Indian languages including Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam....
as Vedanayagam, the main antagonist - Sanchita PadukoneSanchita PadukoneSanchita Padukone is an Indian film actress, who predominantly acts in Tamil and also appears in Kannada films and Telugu films. Although she hails from the same village as her namesake Deepika Padukone, she has denied media reports that the pair were cousins.- Filmography :- External links :...
as Uma - SathyanSathyan (actor)Sathyan is a Tamil film actor and comedian. He is the only son of veteran producer, Madhampatty Sivakumar and is the nephew of noted actor Sathyaraj, whilst Sibiraj is his cousin...
as Sugu, Ravi's friend who is killed by Vedanayagam - Ravishankar as Chella Vedanayagam
- SrinathSrinath (actor)For Malayali actor see SreenathSrinath is an Indian actor and director. He starting in drama troupes, and has transitioned to the film industry. After appearing in various television serials such as Kadhalikka Neramillai, he started to play supporting roles in films such as Ullam Ketkumae and...
as Valayapathi - Cochin HaneefaCochin HaneefaMohammed Haneefa, better known by his stage name Cochin Haneefa was an Indian film actor, director, and screenwriter. He started his career in the 1970s mainly portraying villainous roles, before going on to become one of the most popular comedians of Malayalam cinema...
as the owner of a complex - Delhi GaneshDelhi GaneshDelhi Ganesh born in Tirunelveli as a veteran Tamil film actor, who mostly acts in supporting roles and is perhaps best known for his role in Kamal Hassan comedies and films like Nayagan and Michael Madana Kama Rajan. He has acted in more than 400 films from 1980 to present...
as Ravi's father - Jason Sanjay in a special appearance
- Madalasa Sharma in a cameo appearance
Development
During the filming of KuruviKuruvi
Kuruvi is a 2008 Tamil Action film. Directed and co-written by Dharani and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, it stars Joseph Vijay, Trisha Krishnan and Suman in the lead roles...
, directed by S. Dharani
S. Dharani
Dharani is an Indian film director, who primarily directs action-masala films. He is best known for directing the blockbuster films Dhill, Dhool and Ghilli.-Career:...
, B. Babusivan served as one of his assistant directors in the film and wrote the dialogues. Sivan was later prompted to begin his maiden directorial venture with Vijay in the lead role. He was eventually chosen as the director for the next feature film to be produced AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
. The project was originally titled as Police Ravi but in August 2008 it was re-titled as Vettaikkaaran, taken from the 1964 Tamil film starring M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
.
Vettaikaran was formally launched the next month. The film's director Babusivan, producers M. Balasubramaniam and B. Gurunath Meyyappan, Vijay and his wife, Vijay Antony
Vijay Antony
-Biography and career:Antony first worked as a sound engineer, later becoming a music director. In 1998 he studied at Loyola College, Chennai after which he founded his own studio, 'Audiophiles', composing and sound engineering for TV jingles and documentaries. The soundtrack of the film Sukran,...
, S. A. Chandrasekhar
S. A. Chandrasekhar
S.A. Chandrasekhar is an Indian film director, producer and writer. He is the father of Kollywood actor Vijay.-Personal life:He is married to Shoba, who is a singer.His son Joseph Vijay is one of the leading kollywood actors and his daughter Vidhya passed away at the age of two.Jaya is his...
and director Dharani
Dharani (director)
Dharani is an Indian film director, who primarily directs action-masala films. He is best known for directing the blockbuster films Dhill, Dhool and Ghilli.-Career:...
were present at the film's inauguration.
Casting
Commercial directors PerarasuPerarasu
Perarasu is a Tamil film director. He has also been credited as an actor, music director, singer and lyricist in some of his ventures. He has mentioned that all his movies will be named after cities in Tamil Nadu, India. He is from Nattarasankottai, near Sivaganga in Tamil...
and Hari
Hari (director)
Hari is a Tamil film director, best known for his action-masala films. , he has directed eleven films.- Background :Hari was born in Katchanavilai near Nazereth in Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu, India. His father, Gopal Nadar, is a vessels merchant. Later his family shifted to Chennai...
were mentioned, but AVM Productions chose B. Babusivan to be the director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of the film.
Several actresses were considered for the lead female role with Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
, Tamannaah, Ileana D'Cruz
Ileana D'Cruz
Ileana D'Cruz is an Indian film actress, who predominantly appears in Telugu cinema. Starting her career as a model, she made her feature film debut in Y.V.S. Chowdhary's 2006 Telugu film Devadasu...
, Bhavana, Asin
Asín
Asín is a municipality located in the Cinco Villas comarca of the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, located a few kilometers west of Orés. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 106 inhabitants....
, Nayantara
Nayantara
Nayantara , is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut in 2003 in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She debuted in Tamil cinema with Ayya and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi , following which she starred alongside popular lead actors...
and Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty is an Indian film actress who works mainly in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. She debuted in the 2005 Telugu film Super and rose to fame following her performance in Vikramarkudu...
being considered for the role. Afterwards, Anushka was finalized to portray the role. Cinematographer Gopinath was chosen to be the lead cameraman in the film after Ravi Varman
Ravi Varman
Varman, ISC, is a celebrated Director Of Photography of India. He has shot many award-winning films in Indian languages of Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English. Known for his realistic picturization and poetic framing sense, Ravi Varman began his career in Malayalam films...
was dropped from the film. V. T. Vijayan
V. T. Vijayan
V. T. Vijayan is a film editor who works mainly in Malayalam and Tamil films. His nephews are also involved in film: M. Raja is a director and Jayam Ravi is a film actor.-External links:*...
was signed as the film's editor.
Reception and reviews
The film opened up to mostly negative reviews. Behindwoods gave 2 out of 5 and claimed that it was "not a bull's eye, not a big miss either", while sify.com stated that "entertainment was guaranteed" and that "strictly for Vijay's fans - it delivers the goods."Indiaglitz gave a statement that "'Vettaikkaran' is an out and out action movie Vijay fans would lap it up". Rediff stated that "if you're a Vijay fan, you'll love his crackling style but for the others? Enjoy the unadulterated masala" giving 1.5 out of 5.
Vijay AwardsVijay AwardsThe Vijay Awards are presented by the Tamil television channel STAR Vijay to honour excellence in Tamil cinema. It has given annually since 2006. The awards are decided by a jury, consisting of noted filmmakers, critics and technicians, while winners in a separate category named "Favourite awards"...
Won
- Vijay Award for Favourite HeroVijay Award for Favourite HeroThe Vijay for Favorite Hero is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-Winners and nominations:* 2006 Ajith Kumar * 2007 Rajinikanth - Sivaji**Ajith Kumar - Billa**Suriya - Vel...
- Vijay - Vijay Award for Favourite HeroineVijay Award for Favourite HeroineThe Vijay for Favorite Heroine is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-Winners and nominations:*2006 Jyothika*2007 Nayantara - Billa**Shriya Saran - Sivaji: The Boss...
- Anushka - Favourite Song of the Year - Chinna Thamarai
Nomination
- Vijay Award for Favourite FilmVijay Award for Favourite FilmThe Vijay for Favorite film is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films. In the first year of the awards, the all time favourite film was chosen by viewers from any particular year, with the 1992 film Devar Magan emerging the winner...
- Vettaikaran - Vijay Award for Best Music DirectorVijay Award for Best Music DirectorThe Vijay for Best Music Director is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.-Nominations:...
- Vijay Antony - Vijay Award for Best VillainVijay Award for Best VillainThe Vijay for Best Villain is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.-Nominations:*2007 Kishore - Polladhavan...
- Salim Ghouse - Vijay Award for Best Male Playback SingerVijay Award for Best Male Playback SingerThe Vijay for Best Male Playback Singer is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.-Nominations:...
- Krish - Vijay Award for Best LyricistVijay Award for Best LyricistThe Vijay for Best Lyricist is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.- Nominations :*2007 Na...
- Kabilan - Vijay Award for Best Stunt DirectorVijay Award for Best Stunt DirectorThe Vijay for Best Stunt Director is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.- Nominations :...
- Kanal Kannan
Filmfare Awards SouthFilmfare Awards SouthFilmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
Nomination
- Filmfare Best Lyricist AwardFilmfare Best Lyricist Award (Tamil)The Tamil Filmfare Best Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Tamil films.The award was first given in 2005...
- Kabilan - Karikaalan - Filmfare Best Lyricist AwardFilmfare Best Lyricist Award (Tamil)The Tamil Filmfare Best Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Tamil films.The award was first given in 2005...
- Vivega - Oru Chinna Thamarai - Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer AwardFilmfare Best Male Playback Award (Tamil)The Tamil Filmfare Best Male Playback Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Tamil films. The award was first presented in 2005 with Karthik as winner....
- Krish - Oru Chinna Thamarai - Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer AwardFilmfare Best Female Playback Award (Tamil)The Tamil Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Tamil films. The award was first presented in 2005 with Binny Krishnakumar as winner....
- Suchitra - Oru Chinna Thamarai
Tamil
| No. | Song | Singers | Length (m:ss) | Lyrics | Picturization |
| 1 | "Puli Urumudhu" | Ananthu, Mahesh Vinayakram | 4:17 | Kabilan | AVM Studio and Madurai |
| 2 | "Oru Chinna Thamarai" | Krish, Dinesh Kanagaratnam, Bonekilla, Suchitra Suchitra Suchitra Karthik Kumar is an Indian Tamil Radio Jockey and Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu playback singer. Born and brought up in Kerala, she had her school education in Bhavans Vidya Mandir Giri Nagar, Kochi. She is a graduate from the Kerala University... |
4:35 | Vivega | Punai |
| 3 | "Naan Adicha" | Shankar Mahadevan Shankar Mahadevan Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian music composer and singer. He is a part of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio team that composes for Indian films and a playback singer.-Early life:... |
4:37 | Kabilan | Raj Mundhir |
| 4 | "Karigalan Kala" | Surchith, Sangeetha Rajeshwaran Sangeetha Rajeshwaran Sangeetha Rajeshwaran is a playback singer in the Tamil film industry. She lives in Chennai with her husband and two sons. Seetal Iyer, former World Space RJ is her cousin sister... |
4:17 | Kabilan | Pollachchi |
| 5 | "En Uchimandai" | Krishna Iyer Krishna Iyer Krishna Iyer is a playback singer from Chennai, India.Krishna Iyer is an playback singer in the Kollywood music industry. His rendition of "En Uchi Mandaila" from the Illayathalapathi Vijay starrer 'Vettaikaran' composed by Vijay Antony topped the music charts for many weeks in 2009... , Shoba Chandrasekhar, Charulatha Mani Charulatha Mani Charulatha Mani is a popular young Carnatic singer. Charulatha has been performing Carnatic concerts for more than 10 years. She has also sung for movies. Charulatha has appeared in numerous TV shows and radio programmes, in India, and overseas. She has recorded many, CD and DVD albums... , Sakthi Sree |
4:12 | Annamalai | AVM Studio |
Telugu
| No. | Song | Singers | Length (m:ss) | Lyrics | Picturization |
| 1 | "Puli Vetidi" | Ramu | 4:17 | Vennelakanthi | AVM Studio and Madurai |
| 2 | "Yeda Alapai" | Rakhi, Veena | 4:35 | Bhuvanachandra | Punai |
| 3 | "Adugesthey" | Tippu | 4:37 | Vennelakanthi | Raj Mundhir |
| 4 | "Karimabbu" | Saketh Naidu, Kavitha | 4:17 | Vennelakanthi | Pollachchi |
| 5 | "Thikkedo" | R.S. John Vianni, Aishwarya | 4:12 | Bhuvanachandra | AVM Studio |